Algae Advice . . .

[mcquillian]

First, if I have posted this in the wrong area I apologize . . .

I have a well established 30 gallon SW cube tank - fish only. For quite some time, I have been struggling with algae - brown in color. On the average, I end up cleaning the inside glass every two to three weeks. However, I often have to use other tools to almost scrape the algae of portions of the inside glass. I have been very frugal about lighting the tank, and I am not overfeeding. Does anyone have any thoughts or suggestions on how to improve my situation? Are there any chemical treatments (such as Algone) that anyone can reccomend? Maybe my situation is not out of the ordinary. Just looking for some advice. Thanks.

FYI - I will be installing a new Eheim 2213 Filter next week to replace my existing Penguin BioWheel 170 - maybe that will help?

 

[quarryshark]

What are you nitrate and PO4 readings? Do you use RO/DI water?
How often and how much do you water change?

 

[Hara]

I would also comment that I do not think your situation is uncommon, I have to clean my glass every other day. I would be excstatic with every couple-three weeks.

 

[mcquillian]

My Nitrate readings are fine. However, I do not measure for PO4. I do not use RO/DI water, as I top off with tap water. Maybe that could be part of the issue. I do water changes monthly. Feel free to educate me on the benefits of RO/DI. Thanks.

 

[quarryshark]

I do not use RO/DI water, as I top off with tap water. Maybe that could be part of the issue.

That is most likely the problem. An RO would remove most of the DOC's, from the water column and the DI unit would remove most of the PO4. Something has to be fueling it, since you do not overfeed I would suspect your tap water.
Check the PO4, I will bet that will reveal the problem.

 

[mcquillian]

Can I buy RO/DI water at the Grocery Store? - I know I can get from my LFS. If I start doing this, will it eventually start to kill off the algae issues? Thanks for your help - sorry for all of the stupid questions . . .

 

[quarryshark]

Not stupid, I would first get the water tested. make sure that is the problem.
LFS as far as I know would be the best resource.
If that is the problem, improving the water quality should most definately help.

 

[cd5]

The best thing I ever did for my 20 gallon mini reef was to stop all tapwater and use nothing but RO/DI water

 

[Guest]

You sure can. Most WalMarts sell RO/DI along with UV treated for around $0.33 / gallon. Tap water is your problem. If the algae is a real problem, I'd drain some SW and put everything in there except for fish, and then replace the entire amount of water with new SW made with either RO/DI or distilled. That will knock your nitrates and phosphate down to around 0. You can also turn up your skimmer so it produces a wet skimmate instead of a dry foam. What kind of food are you feeding? Flake and pellet are loaded with phosphates. If you're using flake, I'd switch to a frozen food and rinse it real well with old SW before feeding. Good luck!

KG

 

[steve-s]

I'd drain some SW and put everything in there except for fish, and then replace the entire amount of water with new

Very drastic and I would not recommend it. Once you have a pure water source for the make up SW, get a large batch ready. Do several water changes every other day for a few days instead. Be sure the new water is well aged/aerated before use. It will accomplish the same goal without stressing the inhabitants.

Did you ever get the PO4 test done and what is the tanks average pH reading?

Cheers
Steve

 

[Guest]

Not really sure how drastic it might be, but some do have the common misconception that "you can change too much water". I might have noted that the new water be well aerated, at the same temperature as the old water, and mixed overnight with a power head. This would be a much better option than performing several large costly water changes over many days which will drop the level only proportionate to the amount changed. Allow me to elaborate, if you have a phosphate level of 0.3 ppm (considered my most to be the maximum safe level) and you change 40% of the water the first day, it is reduced to 0.12 ppm. Change 40% again and it drops to 0.048 ppm. Another 40% drops it to 0.0192 ppm, and so on and so on and it's probably climbing back up since it's in everything . In contrast, you could remove enough water to house everything, change 100% of the water and effectively drop not only the phosphates, but the nitrates to 0 ppm. Just a lot quicker and cheaper and accomplishes the same goal. Testing for phosphates, IMO, is a waste of money. If you have hair algae, you have high phosphates not to mention that the test kits we use only detect one type of phosphates and the algae may be consuming the phosphates as fast as they are entering the tank making the readings unreliable. Just my O2.

KG

 

[steve-s]

My concern was not in reference to the water volume itself. If aged correctly and the parameters are in line with the old tank, there is not alot of problems usually. It relly depends on the inhabitants in the end. More often than not though, that's not the case. Careless errors can easily be made unintentionally. That said, the need should dictate your actions to whatever extent. In this regard, a 100% water change would be extreme because the need is minimal not to mention in order to do such a change, you will end up stressing the fish.

Removing fish from the system unneccessarily is fairly stressful. Sequential water changes done over a period of days may cost a bit more on salt but it does not cause the same amount of stress. Zero nitrates albeit a good goal are not a necessity. PO4 at this point isn't even known and in all likelyhood, bound up organically so it would not have much of a long term effect.

The jist of my point being, the need does not require the action suggested. A different point of view I guess.

Cheers
Steve

 

[seaham358]

Im with Fluff, I wish I could go weeks between glass cleanings. I agree with QS and Steve. Only bad things happen fast in this hobby so IMO doing water changes over time instead of one big one is the way to go. It does not sound like your having a huge algae outbreak just normal nuisance algae.

 

[Guest]

I agree - it depends on how much algae there is, but each of us have our own ways of reaching the same goal.

KG

 

[vermonter310]

Flake and pellet are loaded with phosphates. If you're using flake, I'd switch to a frozen food and rinse it real well with old SW before feeding. Good luck!

KG

Interesting? Why is there more phosphorus in flake than frozen?

 

[melosu58]

Also you say that you are not overfeeding. How often are you feeding?

 

[steve-s]

Flake and pellet are loaded with phosphates. If you're using flake, I'd switch to a frozen food and rinse it real well with old SW before feeding. Good luck!

KG

Interesting? Why is there more phosphorus in flake than frozen?

Preservatives mostly as well as organic types added in the form of vitamin substitutes. While the frozen contains more moisture and you get less food (net weights), they are far more nutritous overall and less polluting to a certain degree. It also depends on it's content though, certain frozen foods can be just as bad as dried.

Necessary Nutrition, Foods and Supplements, A Preliminary Investigation

Look at nori in particular... 8O

Cheers
Steve

 

[macman7010]

tap water filter or phosphate pad