What is this algae, what can I do?

[Raquiros]

So I have a 20 gallon reef tank and this algae keeps appearing specially in low flow areas, I don´t want to invest in more powereheads as I already have one 750GPH and 450GPH on top, opposite sides creating a turbulence effect.

Current water parameters:

Nitrate 30-40
Nitrite 0
Alkalinity 400
PH 7.8
Salinity 1.026 (working on lowering it)

I do not have any filter just the skimmer, live rock and 15% water changes weekly with saltwater sold from the LFS. top off with RO/DI water, never used tap water.

I tried shutting off the lights for two days and works like a charm, but then it reappears... also every week I remove the algae with a turkey baster and looks great for 2 days and then it appears again.

My current light schedule:

Artinic: 9:00am to 10:00pm
White: 10:00am to 8:00pm

I have soft coral, polyps, xenias, etc.

Here is a video of my tank as well, you won´t see any algae in there because I took it just after cleaning it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1STBw66utk&list=UUnH9ULs0dMvcB_AK8m6txQg

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated...

 

[Xavibear]

Carbon dosing.

 

[tomreefer]

well the water from LFS could be the problem. It looks like cyno bacterial algae

 

[Raquiros]

Carbon dosing.

Will that eventually get rid of the root cause of the problem? Or it will just remove the visible cyano?

I forgot to say, I use trace elements, coralline and zoo-plus once every week and bacteria once every month... Is that good or bad to what we are trying to fix?

Thanks...

 

[Xavibear]

Carbon dosing will help lower nitrates. Cyano you should siphon out during water changes.

You said that you alkalinity is 400. If that is correct your alk is more than twice as high as it should be.

You should test for phosphates and calcium. Stop dosing until you get things under control.

 

[duperdave]

try increasing the flow to those areas

 

[Aussieiniowa]

Phosphates are your major problem, over feeding or movement of water, been researching a lot on it since I been fighting it, got a uv steroier did the trick for a while until one day I forgot to turn my lights to blue light.... Came back strong, with my set up and area I live there is a lot higher phosphates in the water, so rdo system is a must just don't want to fork out the money for it yet.

 

[Mcgeezer]

Your lights are on way too long and your nitrates are way too high. This is a recipe for algae growth.

Carbon as said before is key. Along with running GFO to eliminate phosphates.

Algae fuel = nitrate and phosphate

Eliminate those along with lowering your light time and you will eliminate algae

 

[Raquiros]

Your lights are on way too long and your nitrates are way too high. This is a recipe for algae growth.

Carbon as said before is key. Along with running GFO to eliminate phosphates.

Algae fuel = nitrate and phosphate

Eliminate those along with lowering your light time and you will eliminate algae

What would be a good light schedule considering the polyps and corals?

 

[whosurcaddie]

What would be a good light schedule considering the polyps and corals?

My actinics come on at 11am then full spectrum at noon full spectrum goes off at 7:30pm and actinics are off at 8:30pm.

 

[whosurcaddie]

What would be a good light schedule considering the polyps and corals?

If you think about sunrise and set on a natural reef the corals aren't getting blasted for 12 hours of the brightest light. They are only getting the strongest light about 6 hours of the day.

 

[Raquiros]

If you think about sunrise and set on a natural reef the corals aren't getting blasted for 12 hours of the brightest light. They are only getting the strongest light about 6 hours of the day.

You are absolutely right... Will change the light schedule later.

Any other suggestions?

 

[Raquiros]

try increasing the flow to those areas

Arrows represents the flow from the powerbeads... the right one is 750GPH and the left one 400GPH, too much flow for a 20 Gallon tank in my opinion, however i don't think it should be an issue.

The yellow squares represents the areas developing more cyan, one more thing I did notice is that I currently don´t have much air bubbles as before...

Suggestions? Comments?

 

[Xavibear]

Move your powerheads around.

 

[Raquiros]

Move your powerheads around.

Any suggestions regarding the correct placement? I read it was a good idea placing them one on each side of the tank so the current create turbulence with random currents, also I read another recommendation regarding the placement on the top of the tank to agitate the surface...

 

[Xavibear]

There is no guide to placement. With regards to cyano if it is growing on rocks, there is not enough flow in that area. You just have to move them around until you find a placement that the cyano doesn't like.

 

[opd28]

Run GFO in a reactor and cut you whites back by a few hours. Also remove as much as possible manually and do a large water change.

 

[coralsnaked]

That is not really an algae but a bacteria called cyano. Your lights may be on longer than most but i run lights that long and don't have any algae or bacteria problems. Your problem is nutrient control. Since you have no filter of any kind you will have this issue more than most with a good filtration system. Therefore you will have to control the nutrients other ways. In a 20 Gal you should not have more than 2-3 small fish abouit the size of a Goby. Evern feeding a pair of clowns in a tank that small will result in high nitrates and Phosphates. I would get some kind of filtration even if it is a canister type. Just do good housekeeping. Skimming will help if its worth its salt. And in a 20 gal there is no need for 1200GPH flow in a softie tank. Thats more thasn 60X flow way too much. You must have some real turbulance going on in there. You can carbon dose but that takes a little experience to get right, or you will have a large bacterial bloom even posibly fuel that cyano even more. I wouldn't do it. Concentrate on other export measures. Skim harder or wetter, feed less and get some filtration. Oh yes and don't be afraid to use Chemi-clean works well and is safe. But use only after removing the visable cyano and turn off skimmer.

 

[Raquiros]

That is not really an algae but a bacteria called cyano. Your lights may be on longer than most but i run lights that long and don't have any algae or bacteria problems. Your problem is nutrient control. Since you have no filter of any kind you will have this issue more than most with a good filtration system. Therefore you will have to control the nutrients other ways. In a 20 Gal you should not have more than 2-3 small fish abouit the size of a Goby. Evern feeding a pair of clowns in a tank that small will result in high nitrates and Phosphates. I would get some kind of filtration even if it is a canister type. Just do good housekeeping. Skimming will help if its worth its salt. And in a 20 gal there is no need for 1200GPH flow in a softie tank. Thats more thasn 60X flow way too much. You must have some real turbulance going on in there. You can carbon dose but that takes a little experience to get right, or you will have a large bacterial bloom even posibly fuel that cyano even more. I wouldn't do it. Concentrate on other export measures. Skim harder or wetter, feed less and get some filtration. Oh yes and don't be afraid to use Chemi-clean works well and is safe. But use only after removing the visable cyano and turn off skimmer.

Thank you for all your feedback...

• I just reduced the ligh time from 11 to 8 artinic blue and from 12 to 7 the white light
• i just trashed my canister filter as I got enough recommendations on the forum to get a good skimer, live rock and water changes :-(
• I have 4 fish in my tank, considering the 5 gallon per fish rule...
• Should I remove one powerhead or even 60X will be fine and wont represent danger to the fish?
• Should I get a really really good and high quality skimmer to solve the problem?

PS: This is my current skimmer: http://www.amazon.com/Protein-Skimm...06066316&sr=8-2&keywords=lees+protein+skimmer

 

[Raquiros]

You know what? Would it be possible that this caused by a skimmer not working properly?

I have the Lee´s Protein Skimmer, and I just saw the following video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9eHK5wQutw

My skimmer doesn´t do that, it used to work like that but not anymore.... It just a small column of bubbles from the wooden block that doesn´t even fill the cup AT ALL!

Could this be the whole problem???