Algae Phenomenon explosive problems HELP

[reefrunner69]

If you truely believe you have a dinoflaggelate algae bloom, you might possibly consider researching them specifically. On method I've read about to crash them is to raise the ph above 8.4 during the day and above 8.0 at night and keep it there till the bloom crashes. There is alot of accounts of dino blooms in reef aquariums and the things the individual reefers did to get rid of them, the only consistant one I've read about is raising the PH.

Obviously you need to remove the fuel as well, or another type of algae will take it's place. Based on your experience with the sand...I would remove it all together. in a properly maintained tank, it shouldn't take very long for the bare bottom to be covered in coralline. I would stop adding trace elements, as your simply adding fuel for the algae. Which brings us to PWCs. Depending on your water quality and what is actually fueling the algae...you might be better off stopping them for a little while, until the algae is under contriol, if you are not sure]/b] what is fueling the algae, I would recommend keeping up the PWC regimen.

Ultimately this is an indication that your tank is out of balance. In all your sarcasm and poor attitude, you have yet to be more specific than your not worried about nitrates.

What is your:
CA
ALK
NO4
NO3
PH (Just before your lights come on, in the middle of the photo period and just before the lights go out)
PO4

What salt mix are you using?
What supplements, if any are you using?
What filtration method are you using?
What auxiliary equipment are you using?
How much water flow is there in the tank?

Answer these questions and maybe you can get some specific help, fwiw, if you don't answer these questions in your next post to this thread (without any sarcasm, I should add), I'm going to lock the thread, as it will be even more obvious to me that you do not desire any help.

 

[scoot15638]

it might be dinoflagellates, because there is no other algae that resembles being anything else.
but as for my readings,
dont test CA
dont test ALK
NO4, is low but still present, i cant remember off the top of my head, like on the little card it was in the lower half
NO3, none
PH, always normal for me, never have had it go up or down
PO4, they are high, but not as high as the card goes, like upper half of it, i dont really feel like getting up and looking at the numbers,
salt mix, i use instant ocean, which im thinking about changing, because i havent heard too much good about it
supplements,
strontium, trace elements, concentrated calcium, little bit of iodine here and there, ph buffer, i always put in the water mix before i do a water change, and for live stuff, i put in DT's every few days, like 4 drops per gallon,
I have an aquaclear 30 filter on it, with some chemipure in the filter, and all the other stuff is what is supposed to be in there, i have a 32 watt compact flourescent light, 2 1/4 watt moonlights, 1 rio powerhead i think, the smallest one, any larger size would make my tank a whirlpool
but what im going to do, is buy a couple of those things of purigen, and and one of the things of phosban, and then do another 2 gallon water change when those get too my house, before i put those in my filter, because water changes arent doing **** now, and i use RO/DI water from the LFS, i buy my water in big quantities, like 20 gallons or so, for like 5 bucks, its been the same water for a while, and this problem only started getting bad like 2 weeks ago, so is that enough information for ya??

 

[Devilishturtles]

I'd test your water you are getting from your LFS. Your phosphates being that high is bad, and is probably your number one cause your your algae problem.

IO salt was been known to cause cyanobacteria problems (which is sorta like dinoflagellates) so changing it might help, but I doubt it's causing your problem.

Stop adding the supplements for now. They most likely aren't needed if you do frequent water changes. And plus you shouldn't really dose for stuff that you don't test for. It's kinda pointless in a way.

I'd go through and manually removed everything you can. Add the purigen or any other phosphate removing media that you can, leave the lights off for a few days, and keep doing PWC's every few days. That is, of course, if your source water is testing okay.

 

[melosu58]

PWC`s do more than just dilute excessive nutrients. They replenish trace elements so you dont need to add supplements for that they also add some of your main elements like Calcium,Iodine and strontium so there is no need to add those. It just seems like you are doing all you can to keep from doing PWC`s They will add all you need to your tank and these supplements could very well be what is causing the problem. IMO Do frequent PWC`s and stop adding supplements.

 

[reefrunner69]

so is that enough information for ya??

To diagnose your problem? Not really, but it's enough to know that you have been extremely lucky to have gone this long with no major problems. If you get a handle on this, I can assure you it will not be due to your husbandry skills, but pure luck.

You have a nano reef aquarium, yet you add:

strontium, trace elements, concentrated calcium, little bit of iodine here and there, ph buffer

and do not test for them?! The key to maintaining any reef aquarium is stability, the biggest problem with a nano tank is maintaining stability, due to the small size any changes are on a grander scale and occur much more quickly.

and i use RO/DI water from the LFS, i buy my water in big quantities, like 20 gallons or so, for like 5 bucks, its been the same water for a while, and this problem only started getting bad like 2 weeks ago,

So you could be using tap water for all you know. You cannot be sure that some LFS clerk (or the owner even) didn't fill up their resevoir with reclaimed sewage water 2 weeks ago?

Based on what you've told me I can make a few suggestions.
1) DO NOT add any more supplements, at all. (Let PWCs take care of any trace supplements your tank needs)
2) Buy some decent test kits and test for CA, ALK, PH (best to use a calibrated meter than a titration test kit) and NO4 at the least.
3) remove the media from the aquaclear, all its doing is increasing your NO4 and possibly your PO4.

You might consider getting rid of the sand bed as well.

How about a picture of the algae? Perhaps we can get a better idea of what it is, than "I think".

If all you want to do is continue band aid solutions that treat the symptoms, rather than the problem, which is obviously husbandry, well...good luck. If you want to increase your husbandry skills and learn how to treat the problem, I'm sure everyone here would be more than glad to help. Either way, check the attitude at the door

 

[Hara]

PO4, they are high, but not as high as the card goes, like upper half of it, i dont really feel like getting up and looking at the numbers,

once again ANY phosphate is enough to cause problems

PH, always normal for me, never have had it go up or down

"Normal" is not a numerical reading..numbers are what we need

dont test CA
dont test ALK

You should be..

supplements,
strontium, trace elements, concentrated calcium, little bit of iodine here and there

No need for supplementation at all, especially if you are not testing levels of the items you are adding. Water changes cover anything listed.

Here is an article that I reposted in early January, on Dinoflagellates.
http://www.fantasyreef.com/showthread.php?t=1843

 

[scoot15638]

Ok, well i was wrong on one thing, my ph was definitely at about 7.6, i added some buffer i had from before and made it go up to about 8.0, but i tested the water when the lights were off in the morning, and it went down, but when the lights went off it went up again, how can i get it stay normal? I talked to my friend and he said higher ph will kill the dinoflagellates, i mean the ph is now at 8, and it does look better, its not taking over as much, and i notice it dwindling down slowly on a rock, im gonna do another water change, and suck it all out and keep the ph up at the same time, i think it will solve the problem

 

[scoot15638]

ok, all ive been doing is adding ph buffer, and the algae is slowly dying, problem solved

 

[roka64]

PH fluctuates between lights on and lights off.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Congrats on doing some actual testing! As roka pointed out, your pH will be high at night - right after lights go off. Just before your lights come on - in the morning - your pH will be at it's lowest. Don't be surprised to see a 0.2 swing between high and low. And if you're adding buffer, don't increase your pH more than 0.1 or so a day - bad on the inhabitants.

I wouldn't assume "problem solved" yet and let your guard down. You've got other issues (phosphate, nitrates) to deal with. Changing the pH may have thrown one specific algae a curveball for the moment, but like any living dynamic system, your tank will adapt to it's new conditions quick enough and find some other form of problem to throw at you if you continue keeping high phosphate and nitrate levels.

 

[scoot15638]

yea, ill get some purigen and phosban as soon as i get some more money, and then problem solved