Friends tank(algae problem)

[Elude82]

My friend's tank has a constant algae problem. Every time I come up with a solution, he says its not that. I need ideas. Process of elimination will help. Thanks for any replies.

 

[mikestanked]

Lighting times, cuc, phosphate. I think a good cuc would help a lot. Emerald crabs, Margarita snails, a lot of snails.

 

[mikestanked]

Oh and the type of top off water used? RO/DI, distilled, or treated tap.
I personally use RO/DI, but in the past I been told tap water is no bueno and could be the cause of rapid algae

 

[Elude82]

Thanks for the reply. He has eliminated the light times as a possibility. He uses only RO/DI water. I asked about phosphate he said no. Next time I talk to him I will ask. About what his clean up crew consists of.

 

[Elude82]

I think I need to go to his house and check the tank, lights, filter, etc. myself. An find out the source. I never have a problem with any of my tanks.

 

[mikestanked]

I actually have kinda the same problem with my tank. And I'm still battling it myself. I believe a good cuc is essential

 

[ezy33]

Is the tank getting sun light from a window? Low phosphate readings may be from the algae consuming it.

 

[Rutrag]

Also check magnesium. That stuff thrives in low magnesium environments. I'd also check calcium and alkalinity. I don't see much in the way of coralline or corals. Just some Xenia. My thinking is there is nothing much in the tank to compete with the undesirable algae. Regardless, there is something in the water / rock / sand that is fertilizing the algae. Water changes and manual removal will help. Keep in mind that the vast majority of phosphate test kits only measure inorganic phosphate, which may be as little as 10% of the total dissolved phosphate. If nitrates are higher than 10ppm, that is also a potential source.

How old are the bulbs and what type?

 

[Ingy]

Bah. Its excess protiens. I wont ask what his niotrate and phosphate levels are, because with all that algae, it HAS to be 0. My question is how does he remove the used protiens.
I.E. food in -> ammonia out -> bacteria eat -> nitrate produced. PWC takes out a wee little insignificant bit out, and the rest is left to feed his algae. Unless he does something else.
does he do something else?

 

[Gregcoyote]

Bah. Its excess protiens. I wont ask what his niotrate and phosphate levels are, because with all that algae, it HAS to be 0. My question is how does he remove the used protiens.
I.E. food in -> ammonia out -> bacteria eat -> nitrate produced. PWC takes out a wee little insignificant bit out, and the rest is left to feed his algae. Unless he does something else.
does he do something else?

I tend to agree, but even .1ppm phosphate is pleanty to grow algae. You need to export the algae, not just recycle its nutrients. A CUC just recycles most of the algae organics. Removing the algae from the system and throwing it away is how you use algae to strip organic nutrients in your water.

 

[mr_X]

1. Not enough rock (rock is a natural filter that exports nitrate).
2. Overfeeding
3. Not enough nutrient export

Bottom line is, he's putting more nutrients in the tank than he's taking out. Crabs and snails isn't the answer.

 

[Ingy]

I tend to agree, but even .1ppm phosphate is pleanty to grow algae. You need to export the algae, not just recycle its nutrients. A CUC just recycles most of the algae organics. Removing the algae from the system and throwing it away is how you use algae to strip organic nutrients in your water.

I agree wholeheartedly. But I don't think he will have any detectable phosphate. Not because it's not there but because all the algae eats it.

Removing the excess nutrients is what is required. Sadly, many people who have terrible amounts of algae do a water test and say "everything is 0" and think they don't have a nitrate/phosphate problem.

It's like an alcaholic saying the 100 bottles of rum in his house are all empty, so he doesn't have a drinking problem. But if a 40oz bottle is emptied every day, he has a problem.

A nitrate or phosphate level of 0 doesn't mean he doesn't have a problem. It simply means his algae are nitrate-aholics.