New Lights Causing Diatom Algae Bloom?

[TheChad]

Hey all,

I got my VHO lighting 2x 110w Setup ~3 weeks ago, and since I have had a horrendous Diatom Brown Algae Bloom.

As fast as I can blow it off the rocks, mix up the sand, and wipe it off the glass, it grows right back. It is over growing everything, growing over my soft corals, LR, Sand, Glass, PH's, etc.

I was reading online that a Change in lighting could cause this?

My Water specs all look good. 0 Nitrate, 0 Nitrite, 0 Ammonia, 8.3-8.5PH, 350 Calcium, 0 Phosphates, 8dKH.

I use RO/DI water, and IO salt. My Lights were on 12 hours a day (8am-8pm), I recently changed them to 11 Hours a day (8:30am-7:30pm).

I have always had Diatom Algae growing, but the rate at which it is growing now is uncontrollable.

Any Input?


Thanks,

-TheChad

 

[Ziggy953]

Have you cleaned out the canister filter recently? Do you have Bio Balls in the wet/dry? Did you slowly increase the time the new lights were on to acclimate the tank to the new lights? How long do you run your lights? Do you have any macro algae in the tank or in a fuge? My guess is that you do have more then 0 Nitrates and 0 Phosphates. One if not both of those are contributing to your algae bloom. Acclimating the tank to new lighting is just as important as acclimating any new critters you add to the tank. http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/algaecontrol/a/aa091100.htm Have a look at this. It may help!

****What kind of clean up crew do you have in the tank? What all do you have in the tank?

 

[TheChad]

Have you cleaned out the canister filter recently? Do you have Bio Balls in the wet/dry? Did you slowly increase the time the new lights were on to acclimate the tank to the new lights? How long do you run your lights? Do you have any macro algae in the tank or in a fuge? My guess is that you do have more then 0 Nitrates and 0 Phosphates. One if not both of those are contributing to your algae bloom. Acclimating the tank to new lighting is just as important as acclimating any new critters you add to the tank. http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/algaecontrol/a/aa091100.htm Have a look at this. It may help!

****What kind of clean up crew do you have in the tank? What all do you have in the tank?

Yes, I clean the canister filter atleast once a month. However I did forget to mention that I was removing the Canister filter media, and the bio Balls from the sump, as I now have 85lbs of LR. 1/2 of the media from the canister filter, and 1/2 the bio balls have been removed in the last 2 weeks.

No I did not acclimate the new lights, I had never heard of that before. As mentioned, my lights are now running 11 hours a day. 8:30am - 7:30pm.

I don't have a fuge. What exactly do you mean by macro algae? I do have some purple and pink coralline algae on some of the rocks.

As for clean up crew, I have about 6-8 Hermit crabs, not sure what type, I know i have a few blue legs, the others are a bit bigger, but still fairly small. I also have about15-20 snails, Turbo & Margartia snails.

I have 1 Skunk Cleaner Shrimp, 1 Blood Red Fire Shrimp, 2 Small Clown Fish, 1 small/medium Watchman Goby, 1 Small Naso Tang (about 3-4")

I have tested both Nitrates and Phosphates several times, and the test always shows 0. I am using the API test kits.

Thanks,

-TheChad

 

[Ziggy953]

hmm...well it could be because of the change from removing the canister media and the bioballs. Any change like that can spawn an algae bloom. The lights being on for 11 hours may contribute the the amount of growth. Try cutting them back a bit. As for the Macro algae I'm talking about the following: http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=16&cat=1932&articleid=2053

I have a 20g fuge under my 72g that is loaded with several types of macro algaes. These help to export the neutrients that diatoms and other nuisance algaes thrive on. I'm by no means an expert and still have the occasional diatom bloom, usually because of some change I have made to the tank even as little as changing the direction of flow from a PH. Have a look at the Macro Algea I was talking about in the above link. May be a good idea to add some to your tank or wet/dry with some LR rubble. Hope that helps you out!

 

[roka64]

I had the same thing happen when I upgraded from PC lights to T5s. It took about 3-4 weeks and then BOOM, I had the bloom. I believe a lot of people had the same thing happen.

 

[melosu58]

mix up the sand,

This could very well be your source for the diatoms. Mixing your sand around can bring up some nasty stuff. If you want to clean your sand then I suggest a sand sifting Goby to keep it turned over but I would not stir it up yourself.

 

[TheChad]

mix up the sand,

This could very well be your source for the diatoms. Mixing your sand around can bring up some nasty stuff. If you want to clean your sand then I suggest a sand sifting Goby to keep it turned over but I would not stir it up yourself.

I have a Watchman Goby. When I first Put him in the tank he turned up the entire sand bed, corner to corner, but now that he's been in there for a month or so, he's selective on the area's he turns up.

I mix up only the very top of the sand to try and rid it of surface algae.

-TheChad

 

[Ziggy953]

I agree with Melosu58, I would bet that is where the bloom came from and the new lighting just allowed it to grow.

 

[TheChad]

Hold on..... The Diatom Algae began growing out of controll, That Is when I started sturing up the very top layer of sand. Before the Algae Bloom, I never touched the sand.

So the Algae bloom couln't have been caused by the sand being mixed up.

-TheChad

 

[roka64]

I think it is your new lights. It should go away. Are you sure it is diatoms and not something else?

 

[TheChad]

I think it is your new lights. It should go away. Are you sure it is diatoms and not something else?

In the last couple of days it has slowed down.

I first thought it was Red Slime Algae, Because it looked kind of red, but after talking to the LFS they said If I could blow it off with a turkey Baster then it was Diatoms not Red Slime.

All of it blows off, and is kind of powdery when scraped off the glass. It is also real stringy if left to grow.

-TheChad

 

[melosu58]

IMO it might not have started the process but sand stirring is contributing to it since and now.

 

[MorayMadness]

i changed my pc lights replacements and it was good. i did one side then 3 weeks later i did the other. then 3 weeks after that i added a t5 fixture just 28 watts of it comming on and off with my actinics and the next day boom diatom bloom.