lots of lime green algae

[Sparkie]

Since you do not have any corals or anything else that requires light then yes I would keep them in the dark for a few days (try 3 and go from there). If the tank is not getting "Direct" sunlight then it might not be 100% the cause of it.

 

[pspiegel]

if it is something other than the sunlight, would you suspect it is the water parameters that are causing it?

 

[Sparkie]

My GUESS is that it is the combination of the sunlight, tank lighting, and water parameters.

Have you done a pwc yet? If so, were you using the premade sw from your lfs?

Even removing the lighting from the algea cycle, it is only a temporary fix. As soon as you begin with the lighting again, the algea will return because of the water parameter problems.

 

[melosu58]

The reason the sunlight is causing "some" of this because the sunlight that is coming through the glass window is difused and allowing more of the spectrum that causes Bad algea to grow. As stated earlier between this and your lights and excessive nutrients, They are the fuel factors.

 

[pspiegel]

i just did a PWC using the premade sw from my LFS... I called them and they said that it is ocean water from scripps institute in san diego... not sure why the nitrites are a bit high in it then....

we will see what this does for the algea...