Why do I have algea? My Nitrates are always .5 or less and I have no phosphate. I use R/O DI water all cartriges are new. I have been doing big water changes every week to every 2 weeks in hope that this would help. My corals are not doing well, my fish are hidding. But my bubble tip anemone is doing so well it just split. Its some hair algae and some brown algea that I can blow right off with a turkey baster.
Why Do I Have Algea!!!
- Thread starter Reefen
- Start date
Billybeau1
Premium Member
Water flow? do you have enough ?
Have you added any new live rock or corals on a live rock recently? This can spawn some cycling and it sounds like you have some diatom growth, which can be indicative of a cycle. If you are going to change your water weekly or biweekly (which can help tremendously with nutrient export and thus algae growth) you need to cut down on the volume; perhaps this is what is stressing your fish and corals. It also helps to gradually siphon water out of the tank, then gradually siphon it back into the tank from a container. Besides trying to match the specific gravity and temperature of your tank in your mixing container, siphoning water slowly into the tank is much gentler to the creatures and further slows any changes in the temperature and chemical composition of your tank water that might be caused by the water change.
TheFlyingTang
New member
First off do you have a sand bed or crushed coral?
Do you use bio-balls?
What kind of salt are you using?
What kind of skimmer do you have?
Do you use bio-balls?
What kind of salt are you using?
What kind of skimmer do you have?
Billybeau1
Premium Member
Well then, are you sure your phosphates are 0 ? Maybe get a second opinion. LFS or a friend 
archie1709
New member
Well, the length of period of lighting may also matter. However, I used to have tons of algae problem but rest assured my Nitrates are above 20ppms and my Phosphates are above 10 ppms.
I don't understand why you have them.
(a) try to see if you can get a toothbrush and brush the algae off of your rocks.
(b) See if you can make sure you have a tremendous amount of surface agitation
(c) If you have sand and cc, I do hope you are not doing any deep sand syphoning. That will release gases that you don't want in your tank. (At least that's what caused my algae outbreak).
(d) get some critters to help you...maybe snails. I have 5 turbo snails and as much nuisance they are knocking off frags once in a while, they do a good job.
(e) run tests again. I can't seem to believe you have zero nitrates and phosphates and algae are lingering in your tank. There's something wrong with that reading.
Good luck.
I don't understand why you have them.
(a) try to see if you can get a toothbrush and brush the algae off of your rocks.
(b) See if you can make sure you have a tremendous amount of surface agitation
(c) If you have sand and cc, I do hope you are not doing any deep sand syphoning. That will release gases that you don't want in your tank. (At least that's what caused my algae outbreak).
(d) get some critters to help you...maybe snails. I have 5 turbo snails and as much nuisance they are knocking off frags once in a while, they do a good job.
(e) run tests again. I can't seem to believe you have zero nitrates and phosphates and algae are lingering in your tank. There's something wrong with that reading.
Good luck.
archie1709
New member
By the way, here's the before (Trates at 20 ppms, Phosphates at 10ppms) and the after (Trates at zero, Phos at 0.25). I did (1) water changes and cleaning, (2) blowing off detrius from rocks, (3) giving my rocks a good toothbrush session in-tank, (4) doing more water changes and cleaning, (5) cleaning up my filtering and skimming equipments in and out with the same tooth brush, and (6) Rowa Phos and AZ NO3
Magic! Gone. Just little traces remaining.
Magic! Gone. Just little traces remaining.
