Algae in tank already?

[Convict2161]

I just started getting that brown stuff diatom and I just noticed on some of the Cichlid rocks this. It actually doesn't bother me right now. I think it makes the tank look rather cool. Of course I know it's not good and something needs to be done and that's why I'm asking.

What can I do to help stop this? My daylights are on for 6 hours a day.



View attachment 68165

 

[roydooms]

Is this tank brand new? Or with new seal?. I was told that excess silica from the silicone(seal) causes this. It will go away overtime. In my case, what I did was I increased water flow in the most affected area and additional PWC. Also, taking out the stuff with diatoms and cleaning it with a brush will help. Don't use any cleaning stuff.

 

[Convict2161]

Is this tank brand new? Or with new seal?. I was told that excess silica from the silicone(seal) causes this. It will go away overtime. In my case, what I did was I increased water flow in the most affected area and additional PWC. Also, taking out the stuff with diatoms and cleaning it with a brush will help. Don't use any cleaning stuff.

Tank isn't brand new. It's cycled and I have done all the above. Cleaned it, taken pieces out etc... Water changes 3x's a week.

 

[Bates1990]

Try brushing with paint brush it might flake right off but I'm not sure but it could be from not enough light again I'm not sure just trying to give an idea. I have my tank on 12 and 12 and it is doing great

 

[roydooms]

Do you have any plants? What kind of lighting do you have? Although I think that it's just the excess silica in your tank. It will go away overtime. Mine was the same thing as yours. Covering all the plants' leaves. Constant cleaning, trying to rub it off the leaf. Then one day it slowed down and poof. No more diatoms. I read that it might come back. It never happened to me though.

 

[Convict2161]

Do you have any plants? What kind of lighting do you have? Although I think that it's just the excess silica in your tank. It will go away overtime. Mine was the same thing as yours. Covering all the plants' leaves. Constant cleaning, trying to rub it off the leaf. Then one day it slowed down and poof. No more diatoms. I read that it might come back. It never happened to me though.

15 Anubias and 4 java fern. 75 gallon tank. Solarmax Xtreme 4 bulb T5 HO, but like I said the daylights are on for 6 hours a day. Didn't think that was too much. Water changes almost 3x's a week 50% using Prime and Flourish also API root tabs. That's it. I've used Cichlid salt as a buffer but now I just use crushed coral in a bio bag and drop it into my AC 110. Not sure if any of this helps. Maybe it will go away. I did try and scrub it and it won't come off. Almost like the ceramic is staining.

I'm new to this so all this is new to me. I'm use to seeing my tank brand new spanking clean and now as we move on day by day I notice changes. I guess it's all part of it and I just have to get use to it. Trust me I'm anal when it comes to my tank. I'm cleaning the glass and everything.

 

[roydooms]

Seems like you're doing everything right and it's not your lighting if you only have it on for that long. It is most likely the silica from the silicone and will eventually run out thus stopping the growth of diatoms. Just be patient and just keep doing what you are doing.

 

[Convict2161]

Seems like you're doing everything right and it's not your lighting if you only have it on for that long. It is most likely the silica from the silicone and will eventually run out thus stopping the growth of diatoms. Just be patient and just keep doing what you are doing.

Will do... Thanks for your help!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 

[roydooms]

Anytime Happy new year!

 

[Bates1990]

Do you think that much water change could have anything to do with it I'm not an expert but that to much of water change each week i thought you were supposed to do around 30 percent a week cause you can loose to much beneficial bacteria

 

[roydooms]

Do you think that much water change could have anything to do with it I'm not an expert but that to much of water change each week i thought you were supposed to do around 30 percent a week cause you can loose to much beneficial bacteria

It doesn't have anything to do with it. It is actually helping with getting rid if the silica(silicates?). Most of the BB lives in the filter and on the surface of everything in the tank. Although frequent PWC might lower the amount of beneficial bacteria in the tank. My target is I keep my nitrate levels between 10-20ppm. When it's 20 ppm, I do a PWC. This is after the diatom bloom though.

 

[jetajockey]

I'd be leaning more towards light intensity rather than duration, that's a lot of light for a barely planted tank. Are you running all 4 bulbs?

 

[roydooms]

Solarmax Xtreme 4 bulb T5 HO, but like I said the daylights are on for 6 hours a day. Didn't think that was too much.

I'm assuming that the fixture has 2 daylight bulbs and 2 blue ones(its been a while since I logged in here and I already forgot the terms and names...lol)

Edit: actinics not "blue ones". I remember now. Lol

 

[jetajockey]

I really think that even actinics can help algae growth, but I'm not an expert on light by any means.

Either way, I would put solarmax fixtures on a level above the average shelf stock fixtures since they seem to use better quality parts and individual reflectors.

Personally I've only run into this kind of algae in a situation where light intensity/duration was the key factor, but that's just my experience with it.

 

[roydooms]

Jetajockey is right. I just read an article about actinic lights in addition to a daylight bulb that is efficient enough to grow plants can lead to an algae outbreak.

 

[Convict2161]

Well thanks guys for all your input. It's either cut back in the lighting or switch fixtures. And since I'm trying to go saltwater very soon my budget won't allow for a new light just yet. I'll just cut back on how long the lights are on for. I'll switch it to manual mode and only turn them in when I want to view them.

And yes jeta all 4 bulbs would run for 6 hours then cut back to just the blues. Manual it is for now. I wanna do my SW. I knew I went overboard with the light fixture but it's just so cool!! I tried like 5 different ones and this was my favorite one.

Thanks again everyone.