Algae problem and ecotech l.e.d. Lights?
- Thread starter svegas82
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dcutl002
Aquarium Advice Addict
You will need to get Light, Ferts, and CO2 in balance. If they are out of balance, you will get algae...big time. You may want to start adding Seachem Flourish Excel as prescribed on the label on a daily basis to get algae under control. If the algae proceeds to take over, you can increase your dosage up to 1ml per gallon per day. If you have invertebrates you may want to use caution.
Brookster123
Aquarium Advice Addict
Think this is sw
I had to Google this led.. i know all planted leds hahaSent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app
Sniperhank
Giant Clam Addict
An increase in light can help in fueling algae growth when you already have parameter issues, but this isn't the root of the problem. Cutting the lighting back can help, even cutting the red out of the spectrum could as well, but it is the nitrates and phosphates that are the root cause.
There are two articles in my signature that can help you with your battle, but you will want to use ro/di water in your top offs and water changes, minimize feeding, effectively skimming, so on.
There are two articles in my signature that can help you with your battle, but you will want to use ro/di water in your top offs and water changes, minimize feeding, effectively skimming, so on.
You right they are the only two that are high I've started doing weekly water changes(ro/di) hasn't moved much. I tried to click on your signature wouldn't let me
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Sniperhank
Giant Clam Addict
Algae control in salt water tanks - Aquarium Advice
Another View on Algae Control - Helpful Tips - Aquarium Advice
Keep in mind that battles with algae are long ones. For example, if your nitrates are at 40, a 50% water change will only bring them down to 20! This is why it is important to ensure that the water you are doing the water changes with is 0, why we advocate using ro/di as there isn't anything in it at all that could be harmful or cause issues. Tie that in with feeding sparingly you can overcome the issue with time.
Also keep in mind that some algae isn't bad. There is algae in my reef tank. This comes from my use of distilled water, but there are some things that we can't avoid sometimes in life.
Just out of curiosity, what are you running your radions at? I run mine at 60% intensity.
Another View on Algae Control - Helpful Tips - Aquarium Advice
Keep in mind that battles with algae are long ones. For example, if your nitrates are at 40, a 50% water change will only bring them down to 20! This is why it is important to ensure that the water you are doing the water changes with is 0, why we advocate using ro/di as there isn't anything in it at all that could be harmful or cause issues. Tie that in with feeding sparingly you can overcome the issue with time.
Also keep in mind that some algae isn't bad. There is algae in my reef tank. This comes from my use of distilled water, but there are some things that we can't avoid sometimes in life.
Just out of curiosity, what are you running your radions at? I run mine at 60% intensity.
Sniperhank
Giant Clam Addict
Why so low?
Sniperhank
Giant Clam Addict
That is something easily done, but that is pretty low. With mine set at 60%, even when I use acclimation mode it doesn't go under 50%.
dpruter
Aquarium Advice Activist
I'm having similar issues with radions but my nitrates are close to 0. How many hours a day are you running 60% and what color temp? And how deep is your tank? I'm at about 45% for 10+ hours a day, my tank is 30" deep, lights hang 10" above and color temp goes between 12k and 19k. Frustrating that some say no more than 25% and some say no less than 60% intensity. Time for a led par meter perhaps? Appreciate it!
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Sniperhank
Giant Clam Addict
If there is algae then your nitrates are not 0. These are strong lights. The stronger the light source the easier it is for algae to grow. That is why some people even use T5HO to grow their refugium!
Radions come with a default lens that ends up cutting through the water and would do great on deep tanks. Their wide angle lenses help with that and disperse the intensity out. This is something I will be doing to my Radions this month.
One thing that can be done to cut back on algae growth that helps is by cutting the red out of the spectrum. It will still grow, but I have noted some improvement after doing so.
Radions come with a default lens that ends up cutting through the water and would do great on deep tanks. Their wide angle lenses help with that and disperse the intensity out. This is something I will be doing to my Radions this month.
One thing that can be done to cut back on algae growth that helps is by cutting the red out of the spectrum. It will still grow, but I have noted some improvement after doing so.
dpruter
Aquarium Advice Activist
Will look at the reds. Thanks for the tip! What color temp you using primarily?
I'm wondering if an algae scrubber in sump would help cut down the growth in the display?
And it's been a year since I changed the RO filter membrane. Perhaps a factor. Silicates getting in?
Ahhh, the joys of an aquarium.
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I'm wondering if an algae scrubber in sump would help cut down the growth in the display?
And it's been a year since I changed the RO filter membrane. Perhaps a factor. Silicates getting in?
Ahhh, the joys of an aquarium.
Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice
Sniperhank
Giant Clam Addict
An ATS will help, but the algae wouldn't be caused by silicates. It would be nitrates and phosphates.
And in terms of my color temp that really depends on the time of day. I've made it vary, but it is modelled after Jonathan's graph, which was made by an Ecotech employee. I've just cut the intensity down to 60% and cut out the red completely.
And in terms of my color temp that really depends on the time of day. I've made it vary, but it is modelled after Jonathan's graph, which was made by an Ecotech employee. I've just cut the intensity down to 60% and cut out the red completely.
