Algae problem

[asanders06]

Can anyone help? This stuff is all over my rock. It does blow off with a turkey baster but I am wondering why it continues to grow so fast after I remove it when doing water changes. Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Cornstar]

A picture would help.

There are actually a few different type of algae and different solutions. If you can beat describe your problem someone here would be able to identify it and help you get rid of it.

 

[AquaRick]

Looks like cyano or bubble algae. What's your feeding amount/schedule like? It's being feed by an excess of nutrients in your tank.

 

[asanders06]

Picture is now attached, sorry for the delay.

 

[asanders06]

I only feed every second day and in very small amounts, only what the fish eat in a few minutes.

 

[AquaRick]

Just once each feeding, or multiple times on feeding day?

 

[asanders06]

Usually just once.

 

[AquaRick]

What do your water parameters look like?

you can also scrub it off and siphon it during a water change to remove as much as you can.

 

[asanders06]

Parameters are good, everything is normal. I do clean it off at every water change but it seems to grow back so fast.

 

[asanders06]

Is there any products on the market to help control this?

 

[AquaRick]

Parameters are good, everything is normal. I do clean it off at every water change but it seems to grow back so fast.

Can you give specifics? Trates, Phosphates etc?

 

[MacDracor]

The thing about cyano is that it can thrive on extremely small quantities of nutrients. Anywhere that it currently is, it will spread. Your best bet is a combination of water changes and siphoning it out of the tank as you scrub it off the rocks. Once you get it manageable, it's a lot easier to control. Chemiclean will get rid of it, but use only as a last resort, as it requires going without a skimmer for 48 hours and a massive water change after.

 

[asanders06]

Salinity-1.025
pH- 8.3
Temp-81
Alkalinity-10dkh
Calcium-430ppm
Magnesium-1350 ppm
Phosphate-03 ppm
Ammonia-0
Nitrite-0
Nitrate-0ppm

 

[AquaRick]

Is that 0.3 phosphate or 3ppm?

 

[asanders06]

Sorry that should read 0.03

 

[Craigj247]

Normally a good feeding ritual would be 2 to 3 times a day and just a dash at a time so that all the food is eaten up.

How long have you had your tank for?

I hope it ain't old tank syndrome :s

 

[MacDracor]

Feeding ritual depends a lot on livestock, stocking levels, etc. Some tanks can get by with food once a week, others need it multiple times daily. But it's a lot easier to overfeed than to underfeed.

 

[Craigj247]

I agree on that...

 

[Whitegurl84]

I'm having the same problem but mine is a little worse cause its covering the walls too. So any help would be great.

 

[themartins]

Algae needs 3 things to grow: nutrients (usually increased nitrates or phosphates from overfeeding), water, and light - usually cutting down on the nutrients (feeding) and keeping up with weekly 1/4 water changes will keep algae to a minimum. If nitrates are high I would suggest 1/4 water changes every 24 - 48 hours to reduce levels more quickly. If you have a fish only set up you can also decrease the lighting time to help starve out the algae. Clean up crew snails, hermits, etc. will help, but they won't be able to stay ahead of it if nitrates are high. Also, make sure replacement water is nitrate free.