Green and red algae over running my tank

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Rejordan73

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Feb 16, 2012
Messages
10
Hello everyone,

Ever since I upgraded my lights I have a problem with algae. Before upgrading my lights my setup consisted of 2 metal halide with 3 strips of T5. It was a bad setup because the MH lights were positioned in the center of the tank and the fixture covered 3 feet across.
I upgraded my lights to 4 sets of wave point 36 in retro fit kit totaling 16 T5 bulbs (8 white and 8 actinic). I also noticed that my phosphates were high, possibly causing the algae growth.
The first thing I used when I noticed the algae growth was Weiss organics, algae magic. I followed the directions to the T and it didn't seem to work. That's when I added the Phosoban reactor and have had it running for over a week with no change. I have even been doing weekly water changes.
I cutback my lights from 8 hours to 6 hours. My phosphates have improved, but my algae is still growing put of control. I am now noticing red algae growing in my tank and do not know what else to do.
All my other levels ( nitrates, nitrites, PH, etc) are fine. I'm stumped and don't know what else the algae is feeding off of.

Let me know if you wanted my exact water readings? If you want pics, let me know?

Tank setup:
150 gallon with internal overflows
30 gallon sump
Live sand
Live rock
4 wave point T5 retrofit kit
36 watt Coralife UV sterilizer
220 Coralife Protoss skimmer
Little fishes phosoban 150 reactor


Thanks in advance

RJ
 
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The phosphates are bound up in the algae. You have to remove it. Youve already done one very smart thing by getting the phosban reactor however dont use algaecides they usually neutralize phosphate but dont remove it and you can get false phosphate readings.

The phosban reactor is not a quick fix. It takes some time and it only removes unbound phosphates in the water column not bound phosphates that are contained within the algae.

Siphon out what you can during water changes. And pull rocks out to scrub off the algae in old tank water from the water changes to scrub off the harder to get algae. Keeping the phosban running during this help grab the phosphates that become unbound.

Your lighting is not the problem its your phosphates. i would try and figure out how your phosphates got high to begin with. Overfeeding possibly?
 
Thanks for the input

I just had my water tested with the following results:
phosphates are 0.25
Nitrates are at 0
Ammonia are at 0
Nitrite at 0
PH is between 8.2 and 8.4

I know that my phosphates are a little high, but would it cause all that algae to grow that out of control?
 
Yep sure would ive has similar results on a tank with phosphates at that lvl. It doesn't even take take that high of a lvl.

I would check your water source to be sure its phosphate free.
 
My water is being filtered through a Kent RO that has not been replaced in some time. So right now I am buying my RO water from my aquarium store and I've been doing this for the past week. I'm in the process of replacing the membrane and filters on my RO unit.
 
I would test the water for phosphate and tds if you have a tds meter. Changes are the fish store hasn't changed their filters either.
 
I checked my phosphates and they are reading 0.25. But I am unable to test my TDS and the two aquarium stores that are close to my do not test for that.
 
They dont test for it cuz its not close to 0. If you are using water that contains phosphate than you need new water.
 
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