getting scared

[moejoephd]

hey guys im starting to get scared about all this alage that is growing all over the place, i beleive that what originally started the outbreak was when i left the blinds open for about a day next to my tank, the because its a new tank and plus because i have been using tap water in there intill this point. I went to my lfg and they where selling RO water for like 30 cents a gallon but i dont know how far they go to treat the water i really didnt think about getting any. Later that week i went to wallyworld (walmart) and saw that they have RO water that comes out of a machine for 33 cents a gallon, from what i read on that paper they had put up was.... they start with tap water, send it through activated carbon, then they RO it, then before its dispensed to your gallon its sent through a uber powerful UV light, i dont think they UV light it a the lfs so from now on im going to use that water for all water changes when im topping off the tank. ANYWAYS what else can i do to hold the alage at bay, so far i have 3 regular size hermits, 10 tiny hermits, a lawnmower blenny and i put those phosphate balls in the canister, what else can i do??

 

[moejoephd]

eeerrr btw its a 100 gallon fish only (for now)
2 domino damsels
1 pink damsel
1 green cromis ( other one died, looked bad from first day)
and the lawnmower blenny

 

[Sparky]

How old is the tank? If you just got started, well welcome to the saltwater aquarium realm. Algae is part of the proccess on your way to to getting a tank that will be abl;e to support the life you put into it.

If it is "brown" algae like a rust coating on everything, this is normal when starting a new tank. There are a few things you can do to "prevent" it. But for now I would just let it go through it's cycle. It will go away.

Things to do:

Limit your lighting on the tank to 1/2 to 2/3 of what you use now...(time)
Feed your fish "only" what they can eat in a couple of minutes. Too much food laying on the bottom will cause algae blooms in your tank.
Start using RO/DI water for your water changes and for your top-off water. Tap water is one of the leading causes of the algae most aquariums get.

Stay tuned to this thread, because there will be more advice offered from people who know more that me. I hope this helps out.

Mike

 

[moejoephd]

hey yea im glad that you said that because thats pretty much what i was thinking about the whole algae situation, just my girlfriend was feaking out about it for to long guess it go to me, so what ever is there is good and if i keep the food on check,and with the RO/DI water it should keep from more forming

 

[Fishboy-from-NY]

also, check your phosphate levels and Nitrates since they also promote Algae blooms. Don't get me wrong you want the good algae to stay like the nice coraline pink, green and other great colors since they are natural food sources. Also, you can add algae critters that eat nuicanse algae.

 

[moejoephd]

i hear you loud and clear i still got some nitrate on the map but nothing to worry about anymore, i did get those phosphate absorbing little balls to put in the canister, as for the nitrates the cycle should take care of everthing from here one, im feeling really good about the bacteria colony in the tank ill give it a week and see what happens