algae problems

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fishtender

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Jul 7, 2003
Messages
173
Location
Park Rapids, Minn USA
Boy, why does it feel like I am the only one fighting algae. I don't see any signs of cyano, but since i cahnged my lights on 8-5, I have had a serious algae bloom. I use the same water and treatments that I have since day 1. I can't seem to stop it!!! It is winning!!!!

HELP!!!!!!!!!

It is a definate grass green. It is all over my substraight, glass and LR. I have to clean the glass daily in order to see through it. The only place it is not is on the pane that my PH blows across. I think it is starting to effect my corals. I have noticed that my leather has not extended it polyps for 2 days, and is in a cup shape. It has never done this before.

All the water tests check fine. No amoinia, nitrate,nitrie,or phosphates. PH is between 8.2-8.6 depending on the time of day.

Please give me ideas or let me know if this might just be a stupid phase and I am overreacting. How bad is green algae anyways?

Worried and waiting,

Howard.
 
There are a couple of possibilities. One would be how old is the 55 gal tank? What is your source water and are all of these fish in that tank?

1 coral beauty,1 saddle clown, 2 blue damsels, 1yellow tail, 1 lomgnose hawk, 1 peach damsel, 1 ladder glider (6spot goby), 1 lawnmower

What types of food do you feed the tank?

Cheers
Steve
 
Thank you Steve.
I use well water that test great. It is the same water I have always used. I have had the tank up and running since January. This is my first algae prob i have had. I changed to PC lights 2 weeks ago, and that is when this started. I feed Flake only. Once a week I supplement my anemones with brine. I only feed once a day and only what they can consume. There is very little that escapes them.

I have been looking into an RO unit but can;t afford it right now. I had a bad cyano prob. and my phosphates were eleveted some and I know I probably have silicates because of the well water. RO would eliminate this.

Does this help some?

I have had small probs like this for many months. I wish someone could come over and help but that is not posible. I can only rely on my friends here.

Thanks,
Howard
 
Well water will definately be a contributor no matter the tests, it tends to be rather "impure" as far as reef aquaria goes. You really never know without using a TDS meter.

When you started using the new lights, did you just leave them on the normal amount of time or acclimate the tank to the new lights slowly?

Cheers
Steve
 
I had to drastically cut down my lighting to get rid of my hair algae. I now run my actinics about 8 hours and my halides only about 2. I plan on slowly increasing the time my halides are on.
 
I did not acclimate my new tank to the new lights. Never dawned on me.
Now that I think about it it would have been a nice thing to do. I increased the power from 120 flour,... to 130 PC & 40 flour. I have them set on a timer to run 12 hrs a day. Too much? I think that the algae is creating bubbles. I am not sure because my one of my PH has an airator and the bubbles may have been blown down into the tank from one of the back-filters. Yesterday I shut off the airator to see. Will it make a difference if the algae is creating air?

I am very concerned about my leather coral. He still has not extended his polyps and it has been 3 days. This is not like him. Water still tests normal. I nkow that my purple gorg goes through a waxing perioed and it appears dead for a week or so. Do leathers do anything like that?

Again, thanks,

Howard
 
my leather shuts down for a few days and then sheds a layer and is beautiful again we also have the algae problem from increasing lights and have moved the leather under a ledge because it is not fond of the extra light...getting a tang next week that should make short work of the algae :wink:
 
fishtender said:
I did not acclimate my new tank to the new lights. Never dawned on me.
Now that I think about it it would have been a nice thing to do. I increased the power from 120 flour,... to 130 PC & 40 flour.
That would be part of your problem. If the only coral in the tank at this time is leathers, you could run with just the actinic light ballast (if possible) for a few days to see if that affects it. These types of nuisance algaes do not do well under just 420-450nm lighting. Depending on your fish load you could also cut back on your feedings to every second day.

I would also have the LFS test your water for PO4 and SiO3, any amount will continue the fuel source for their growth.

I have them set on a timer to run 12 hrs a day. Too much? I think that the algae is creating bubbles. I am not sure because my one of my PH has an airator and the bubbles may have been blown down into the tank from one of the back-filters. Yesterday I shut off the airator to see. Will it make a difference if the algae is creating air?
Again, the amount of time the lights are on will greatly depend on the corals and other light dependant animals in the tank. If just leathers, you could easily cut back to half the time for now as well as just running actinics. The air injector(?) on the PH is not necessary at all. You just need to make sure the PH ripples the surface water. That is the best way to aerate the water in a marine tank. The actual bubbles you see in the biofilm are the gases (harmless unless abundant) that they produce during photosynthesis.

I am very concerned about my leather coral. He still has not extended his polyps and it has been 3 days. This is not like him. Water still tests normal. I nkow that my purple gorg goes through a waxing perioed and it appears dead for a week or so. Do leathers do anything like that?
As alrmc4 stated, this is normal in leathers. It's common refered to as sloughing in which they go dormant for a while and shed. They do this as a defense response, from growth or to simpley remove impurities that have built up. For the most part nothing to be concerned about.

Cheers
Steve
 
I am glad that you think this is normal for my leather. He is my favorite. I have found that since starting my freshwater tank, I have become more enthrawled with corals than fish. Not what I expected. HUH. I have several different sorals and they alll seem to do great, (except my one lonely mushroom polyp that has always just laid there all alone)

I have purple gorg, leather, flower pot, colt, button polyps, green star polyps.

WHat do you suggest the light requirement be in order to help minimize my algae problem and still support the listed coral? ( mind you I also have 3 curlyque anemones).

Also, will controlling the sight for a time, and water changes, and redirecting the PH help to eliminate the algae prob?

Howard
 
fishtender said:
I have purple gorg, leather, flower pot, colt, button polyps, green star polyps.

WHat do you suggest the light requirement be in order to help minimize my algae problem and still support the listed coral? ( mind you I also have 3 curlyque anemones).
You would quite honestly be able to get by with just the actinics for awhile if that's an option. Most nuisance "slime" algaes and brown algeas do not do well in this type of lighting. I would suggest keeping the duration for now but skipping the white "daylight" for a short time to see what that results. The flower pot and the gorg are the only high concern light corals but I think it should be fine. Does the goni have green tips or redish/pink?
As long as the gorg has polyp extention it should also be fine also.

The culycues are much like aiptasia in regards to care. They can thrive equally as well in a poorly lit tank as a bright one. They are not zooxanthellae dependant and will be fine with supplimental feedings, although sparingly.

Also, will controlling the sight for a time, and water changes, and redirecting the PH help to eliminate the algae prob?
All will have the desired affect of reducing/eliminating the problem. Make sure proper RO water is used, feedings are reduced and no other liquid food additives are used for a time.

Cheers
Steve
 
The gorg is purple with redish brown polyps. They are extended now and quite healthy looking. I finally have a day of on Mon. so I will do a water change and adjust the lights to see if that will make a difference. How long would you suggest? I would hate to comprimise my corals. They really are awesome.
 
The corals you have should actually be fine for a few weeks with just the actinic. Keep close tabs on them as you will see if it's having an adverse affects. The algaes should actually subside in less than a week. Just remember when you start up the white light again, you only do it for about 3 hrs for the first few day and then increase it ½ hr/day until it's back to normal.

Cheers
Steve
 
Thanks Steve. I shut off the PC and just left 40w actinic running. I will do a water change tomarrow and cross my fingers.

You have been very helpful. And patient.

I will keep you posted as to the success of the algae war.

Howard.
 
fishtender said:
I shut off the PC and just left 40w actinic running.
That might be a problem. The NO actinic is not really intense enough. Keep a close watch on the corals for polyp extension. If they do not come out as normal, I would sugggest using the PC for about 2-3 hrs/day to suppliment. I assumed the actinic was on the PC set up. Sorry about that.

Cheers
Steve
 
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