Algae problem....pls help!

[Tmyboy]

Ok so it's been about a month since I upgraded my lighting. Went from 2-250 mh bulbs with 2-54w actinic t5's to 2 ecotech radions.

I THOUGHT that since my bulbs were getting old and needed to be replaced anyway that the radions wud b a welcome upgrade to my tank. Well the coral love it but now I'm starting to get red algae on the glass, rocks and substrate as well as green slimy algae (looks like green snot) on the rocks. I've never had that before.

Any ideas why? The radions are on longer then the mh bulbs were, but it's a gradual power up as I'm sure most of u know. Lights start up at 9am and kills at 11pm. It's full spectrum lighting but the halides were running 14k...cud that have anything to do with it? Does algae like certain light spectrum better? I ask bc ill customize the spectrum on the radions.

Could really use some help as the issue is only getting worse!

Lastly....I pretty sure it's the lighting bc when I had the halides, I was neglecting my tank due to divorce and had pretty high trates but no algae. Now I got the trates down to below 20 and now I have Algae! Btw...been changing 10g every other day for the last week and it doesn't seem to be helping at all.

Any help is appreciated!

 

[jeffaquarius]

Your light is on for too long and yes the algae prefers the full spectrum light. Shorten light to 6 hours and use more blue. If it persists shorten light some more and lower light intensity. Once algae is under control you can adjust the settings back to normal.

 

[Tmyboy]

Thanks much for the reply!!

...can you suggest how long I should have my light cycle? Keep in mind that my
Lights are running in acclimation cycle (75% of my intended 50% power) to ease them in from the halides I had.

Ill change the spectrum to 14K and take the red's and greens out off the picture.

 

[Rutrag]

I wouldn't run the light cycle any more than 12 hours total at the very most. Your corals can get away with quite a lot less. I know of tanks that run on a regular basis with only six hours of light per day.

 

[Tmyboy]

That makes sense. Also these radions are pretty potent as far as PAR goes so u make perfect sense. I shud have thought of that!

Ill knock it down to 8hrs then. One thing...Does that include the 1hr before and after of actinic's? Or 8hrs white light with the 1 hr before and after for a total of 10hrs?

I'm thinking 6hrs daylight and 2 hrs actinics like u suggest. At least for now until the algae goes away. Ill stir things up and do a big water change tonight as well. I hope it doesn't take too long to diminish.

I was pretty sure it's not flow bc I have an mp40 and 2 mp10 (1 of those are row a dead spot set to fairly low).

 

[Tmyboy]

Now I want to get the hell out of work to change the spectrum and schedule now!!! Lol.

This is where a reef link would be great.

 

[Rutrag]

Ill knock it down to 8hrs then. One thing...Does that include the 1hr before and after of actinic's?

Yes, the ramp up and ramp down part of the cycle should be considered as part of the daytime portion of the entire photoperiod.

 

[JJ-MIK]

Can you get a closer pic of algae? That kind of looks like dynoflagelletes .

 

[Tmyboy]

Not rly...that's me right up against the glass.

I don't thinks its Dino tho.....from my understanding, Dino has a different consistency. I've heard it more powdery if u will as in it can be easily blow away. This isn't.

Why u say that? I'm interested to hear ur thoughts..

 

[JJ-MIK]

Is it long stringy with bubbles? Dynos will pretty much evaporate. When you touch it. I've had a severe case of it. And I can't really tell in your pics . But it looks like its pretty long

 

[Tmyboy]

Ill check as soon as I grt home from work.

To take it one step further.....what is causes Dino's and how do you treat it? Same way as in shorter light cycle?

 

[JJ-MIK]

Dynos actually prefer prestine water and lower ph. Basically stop water changes and raise your ph to 8.3-8.5. They will be gone in no time if that's what they are. Do a little research in nuisance algaes. That may help better identify what you have

 

[JJ-MIK]

Light makes no difference. Dumps will actually grow if not faster in the dark. They did in my tank. I had them for 3 months. Cutting light and water changes.. Until I found out what it was. No wc and kalk got rid if my problem in less than 2 weeks

 

[JJ-MIK]

Dynos.. Not dumps.. Haha

 

[Tmyboy]

The more i think about what they look like.....the more i think you're right.
.now im trying to look up how to get rid of them.

You mention no water changes, but i was neglecting my tank during my divorce and I'm finally now just starting to get nitrates down! They're still hovering around 20ppm and I was going to do another 15gallons tonight. I'm guessing they we're above 40 (or prob even more) when i decided to get back on the horse 1.5 weeks ago. I don't want to let it creep back up.

I looked up some pics and i do NOT want my tank to look like that!!!!!!!!!!!!! i have to stop the progression now. What about replacing with fresh carbon (chemi pure elite)?

 

[JJ-MIK]

If I remember correct. Turn your skimmer off. Oxygen helps them grow. And I took my carbon out. Do you have any anemones in your tank? What I did was cut wc. Shut skimmer off. Dosed kalk. ( mrs wages pickling lime from Walmart) and light daily dosing of hydrogen peroxide. But can't dose h202 if you have anemones

 

[Tmyboy]

I have no nems.

1- regal tang
1- fox face
1- Clown fish
1- cardinal
1- pajama cardinal

and coral of course.

Will the kalk hurt the fish or coral? How much is a dose? Daily?

Same questions for the Hydrogen peroxide?

All this makes me nervous! LOL! I've never put anything like this in my tank before but i'll do what's necessary to knock this thing out.

Thanks for all your help...rly appreciated

 

[JJ-MIK]

Kalk is dosed by many people. I mix 2 tablespoons of mrs wages pickling lime in a gallon container of ro water and drip 1 drop per second. Kalk helps maintain ph alk and calc. Works very nice! And h202 is only a few ml per gallon per day. I would make sure to do your research first to get a better hand on everything. I'll look to see if I can find some threads for you to read

 

[mrvincent]

That look like dinoflagellates, I'm fighting them since more than 1 month.

I'm trying to starve them with vodka dosing. A good temporary solution I found is to blast them with a turkey baster. They are easy to remove. I would say give a good shot of turkey baster everywhere (except on sensitive coral), them do immediately a water change.

I heard when the nutrient source is gone to do a blackout, or to dose 1ml of hydrogen peroxyde per gallon per days, but I won't do this until I'm sure it's reef safe.

I heard too raising PH to 8.5, 8.6 with kalk can help, but I think it's dangerous to play like that with the parameters...

 

[JJ-MIK]

1 ml per 10 gallons. And don't blast them. Just spread them more I feel. Suck them out . Run the water thru a towel filtering the water. Then put water back in.. I would try kalk. Carbon and light dosing of h202. Along with turning skimmer off. I beat them in 2 weeks with this method. Dynos will start to thin out.