Blacking out aquarium for algae control

[scenicad]

I'm having a horrible bout with hair algae (red and green). I've changed the light bulbs, put phos-zorb and de-nitrate in the canister filter, and started trying to scrub the algae off the rocks with a toothbrush at every water change. While there's still coverage over just about everything it's getting a little better.

I've read that blacking out the tank for a week or so is a good thing to do, but I want to get the most out of it.

So, has anyone ever done that for algae control?

Does that kill off algae that's already growing and healthy, or does it just prevent new algae from taking root? In other words, should I wait until I can get most of it scrubbed off the rocks and cleaned up manually, or will it kill if off for me so I can clean it up more easily?
I'm just not sure how exactly it's supposed to help, and I don't want to screw it up.

 

[fishman]

I asked a similiar question about algea. One guy wrote and said he blacked out his tank for a week and it killed all the algea...he had corals too and it didnt bother them. Im fighting algea now. If you want go back just a week or so ago and look for a thread on Algea and cyno by myself....fishman. I listed all the items I did. Im winning the battle as we speak. Main thing is a phosban reactor...About $30 and works great.

 

[BillyZ]

I would be very surprised if light dependant corals weren't affected by a week with no light.

IMO, I wouldn't suggest a complete blackout but a reduced light schedule is a common step to help win the fight. Even though you have unsightly hair algae, there is also a plethera of benificial algae in your aquarium that is also helping supply oxygen and maintaing the pH in your water. To see this for yourself, test your pH first thing in the morning before your lights come on, then in the evening just before they go off. You'll notice a bit of a change.

How old is your tank? New tanks typically go through at least one initial rough algae bloom. This can be reduced by shortening your light cycle and maintenance as you've described, but you kinda just have to work through it, it should eventually balance out.

if your tank is older and well established then algae blooms then are typically from excess nutrients. One way to help combat them is to examine you feeding habits, you may be over feeding. do you have a sump? You could look into adding macro algaes to absorb the nutrients and "starve out" the bad algae.

 

[Hara]

Well Billy, I have had loss of light for a week twice now. With no adverse affects to my corals.

http://www.fantasyreef.com/viewtopic.php?p=1439#1439

edited to add link

 

[scenicad]

Lucky for me, I have a fowlr, so corals aren't a factor in my case.

My tank is about 10 months old- 72 gal with a yellow tang, 2 clowns, and a 6-line -all are small. And I don't have a sump.
Lots of LR, skimmer, and I even just added a canister filter so I could run the phosphate and nitrate media.
I have cut back on feedings to every other day, and I've also cut back on the nori for the tang. I noticed that large pieces keep breaking off and floating away uneaten -when I'm home, I can pick them out, when I'm not at home, who knows if they're eaten or end up decaying under some rock.
And I've also recently beefed up my cleaning crew -I think they're being picked off by hidden hitchhiker predators. Which I'm now also aggressively hunting.

Anyone have a snails/hermits per gallon guideline?

 

[seaham358]

Unless you track down the food source then it will just come back when the lights are turned back on.
What are the PO4 and Nitrate levels in the tank.. What type of water do you use and have you tested your water source for PO4 and nitrates?
Once you get all levels to 0 or undetectable and you still have a algae issue doing the black out thing may be something to look at.
post a pic of the algae in question..

 

[scenicad]

I'm not sure how to post a pic- I don't have a web site to create a link to.

As for levels, PO4 is .1-.2 down from .25-.5
Nitrates are at 5, down from 10
I've also noticed that my ammonia is up to .1 from a usual 0.

Since I added the phos zorb to my filter and cut back on feedings, I was hoping that the PO4 would be at 0, but I also don't know why ammonia is up as well.
One concern that I have is that I'm cleaning off more of the algae than I can syphon out at one time. Since I only have the capacity to make about 5 gal of saltwater at a time, that doesn't give me much syphon time.

 

[seaham358]

you can post pics right on this site, they just need to be the right size.. I don't recall the size?? you can email it to me and Ill try and post it for you.

seaham358@aol.com

sounds like you are winning the battle on PO4 and nitrate.. Keep it up and you will be winning the war on algae. What type of water are you using??? and have you tested it ??

 

[scenicad]

Thanks, here's my try at posting a photo. If it doesn't work (I'm not very optimistic), I'll e-mail them to you.

The water I use tests 0 on PO4 and nitrates. It's tap water filtered using Aq. Pharmaceuticals' tap water filter. I live in an apartment with copper pipes all nicely welded together so I'm afraid to invest in an actual RO/DI unit and not be able to install it -plus no room for a waste water tank and all that.

 

[scenicad]

Cool! It worked! Although it took me a while to figure out how to change the file size in iPhoto.

 

[HoopsGuru]

Using tapwater only through the tapwater filter is likely allowing some form of impurities that are contributing to the problem. However, if you are getting a leg up on things you can continue to get it under control until desirable algaes take over. I would not blacken out the tank, it only treats the symptoms while not eliminating the problem....all the while eliminating light needed by desirable algaes to grow and take over.

I have found the only real cure is diligence with a good water source. I took over a tank that was really let go at a construction company and figured a regular maintenance schedule would turn it around...it didn't. I eventually had to do water changes twice per week removing as much as possible. I also removed and replaced most of the sand substrate in case it had a buildup of waste that was slowly feeding the algae. Finally, I upgraded the protein skimmer. It took about 3 months but it is now all but hair algae free. I have reduced back to one 5g water change per week and it is continuing to improve.

 

[scenicad]

That filter is supposed to give you DI water, and I read an article by someone who tested it along side their actual RO/DI unit and said that it gave just as good results. Of course, the product says it eliminates just about everything under the sun, but every thing I've tested it for, comes up good.

What beneficial algaes are there? I've never heard of that (only beneficial bacteria), until I've been reading threads about blacking out tanks.

 

[HoopsGuru]

It may give DI water, but does it come with a TDS meter or anything similar to determine what the quality of the water is as you use it? I read the technical info at AP that suggests the resin turns color when exhausted but am not sure if the crap contents begins to build before the color change. Regardless, if you are happy with the results keep using it, I think you are over the hump and can get things in control with continous removal.

For RO/DI units though, do not fear the installation. The one I purchased off ebay (FilterDirect) has a needle valve I put right into the existing cold water line without modifying anything or causing permanent "damage". If I move, I simply remove the valve and connect the cold water line back to the same spot without the valve.