algae is growing out of control!!!

[AlyG]

I recently installed new lights on my tank and the algae is growing out of control!!! I don't know what to do! It is literally growing on top of the water. I purchased these brighter lights so I could get an anenome for my clowns. Now my tank is unsightly. What can I do other than leaving my fish in the dark 20 hrs out of the day? PLEASE HELP!!

My tank:
55 gal tank
75 lbs live rock
2 percula clown
1 royal gramma
1 yellow cubicus boxfish
(4) T5 high outputs =(2) are 12,000k daylight and other (2) are actinic

 

[Krypt]

New lights will cause algae growth if your not keeping your water parameters tight. Think of it as an indicator that you have some water quality issues and you need to fix them before you get your nem. Chances are you have high nitrates, high phosphates, or both. What are your test kit readings?

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

What lights did you have before?
How long ago did you switch them?
What is your filtration system?
How old is the system?

Algae growing on top of the water...no powerhead/jets moving the surface?

 

[HN1]

I agree with Krypt, but need to point out that clowns don't need nems and most nems die way prematurely in aquaria. They'll host a bunch of different stuff.

 

[AlyG]

Floyd...to answer your questions:
1) I had just regular (2) 17 watt T8's
2) Switched about a month ago
3) Canaster Filter, protein skimmer
4) My tank is 2 yrs old

 

[AlyG]

Krypt, I tested the water about a week ago and the nitrate levels were high. I did a water change and the algae keeps getting worse

 

[AlyG]

Floyd...just noticed your last questions about the powerheads. We do have 1 powerhead running on top and 3 on the bottom

 

[thincat]

Cut your duration of your lights to half. Then increase it by 1 hour every other day. This will help you get your algae under control. Switch your feeding to everyother day and only feed half of what you would normally feed. This will cut down on your nitrates and PO3, Don't worry the fish and corals can handle this for the duration. Do not feed any frozen foods until your algae is under control.

 

[Krypt]

Krypt, I tested the water about a week ago and the nitrate levels were high. I did a water change and the algae keeps getting worse

That's the root of the issue right there. Nitrates are food for algae, the higher the amount, the more of a bloom. Thincats advice is spot on, I'd also recommend doing some more water changes to further reduce your levels. Try to get it down as close to 0 as you can.

 

[AlyG]

ok thanks guys! I will try that! Is there any kind of fish that I could get to help eat the algae? I was looking into getting a lawnmower blenny, would that work?

 

[InfernoST]

It would be to your advantage if you would consider installing a sump and getting rid of the canister as they become nitrate factories in a hurry and require much more frequent cleaning.

Are you using tap or RO/DI?

Using tap water only compounds the problem, if you don't have an RO/DI unit you should seriously consider getting one, it will make your life easier.

 

[six2sevenproductions]

Are the lights new? If you got it used the bulbs might need to be changed out. My algae problem in the past was due to overfeeding, old bulbs and water circulation.

+1 on getting rid of the canister.

 

[Ziggy953]

You can still use the canister just fill it with LR rubble rather than filter media.

It sounds to me like you are using tap water not RO/DI. To really get control of the algae you need to have a good foundation and your water is that foundation. RO/DI units can be gotten on Ebay for about $100 and are well worth the investment. They remove pretty much everything from your water making it dang near pure.

If you can't get a unit right away check with your LFS to see if they sell RO/DI water.

Also feeding your tank, if you are feeding frequently and a lot of food this can contribute to increased nutrients in the water. You may want to reduce feedings to every other day and reduce the amount of food you feed. If you are feeding any frozen foods you will want to thaw them out and rinse them with RO/DI water to remove any excess nutrients before feeding the tank.

 

[InfernoST]

Using tap water is bad thing in saltwater aquaria.

 

[austinsdad]

Lawnmower blenny helped my with a hair algae outbreak, but died after I got it under control.

 

[melosu58]

FantasyReef Databases-Viewing item "10 Step Plan for Nuisance Algae Control"

 

[InfernoST]

Lawnmower blenny helped my with a hair algae outbreak, but died after I got it under control.

I love my lawnmower, he does the kookiest things. I usually fee him formula 2 slice up and those algae wafers as supplement.

 

[thincat]

Good for you Keith, without supplemental feeds they normally die when they run out of enough food.