Cyanobacteria or general algae??

[Openbrain]

Ok a friend has an aquarium that is having a major algae bloom.

Should i use/try api em erythromycin or algicide?

[spoonman]

First you should find out the cause of the algae. Too much light, too much food or too much nitrate or phosphate. Fix the problem and the algae will go away with water changes and syphoning.

[Openbrain]

Originally Posted by spoonman

First you should find out the cause of the algae. Too much light, too much food or too much nitrate or phosphate. Fix the problem and the algae will go away with water changes and syphoning.

All my readings are good and i change water every week.

[spoonman]

What are the readings? Good is pretty vague. Algae feeds off excess nutrients in the tank. Need to find out what it is. Better to solve the cause than dump chemicals in the tank.

[Openbrain]

Originally Posted by spoonman

What are the readings? Good is pretty vague. Algae feeds off excess nutrients in the tank. Need to find out what it is. Better to solve the cause than dump chemicals in the tank.

Oh i agree hold on ill get my book

[melosu58]

Originally Posted by Openbrain

Should i use/try api em erythromycin or algicide?

You dont want to do anything anti bacterial as it will kill your nitrifying bacteria and you wont have any to complete the cycle.

[Openbrain]

Originally Posted by melosu58

You dont want to do anything anti bacterial as it will kill your nitrifying bacteria and you wont have any to complete the cycle.

Then why do they sell this stuff??

[Openbrain]

Originally Posted by melosu58

You dont want to do anything anti bacterial as it will kill your nitrifying bacteria and you wont have any to complete the cycle.

I cant find my book. My calcium and phosphates are normal ranges. The lights are on a timer. 8 hrs a day. They feed very small amounts to only two fish. Its a 30 gal.

Ive tried vacuuming it, water changes, powerhead to the surface.

My only thought may be the light bulbs. I may replace them all. It is unknown how old they are.

[spoonman]

I feed every other day. Lights for 10 hours a day and have a sand sifting goby in my 29 gallon and still have a little algae.

[Openbrain]

Originally Posted by spoonman

I feed every other day. Lights for 10 hours a day and have a sand sifting goby in my 29 gallon and still have a little algae.

See?

[Flreefer]

Looks like both, Cyanobacteria and hair algea.

[Openbrain]

Originally Posted by Flreefer

Looks like both, Cyanobacteria and hair algea.

Well i dosed with eryth. I will dose again tmrw then change 35%.

ill keep you all posted.

I used RO water and have never used chemicals before. I like the "natural" way but this has been ongoing for 2 months.

When i vacuum all if it and do a water change its ok for at least 3 days then it starts again.

Anymore advice out there??

[Flreefer]

Old bulbs will definitely make an algea issue worse. I would definitely change them out, if you think they are older than 12 months.
If your only feeding a small amount, and your source water is pure, the only thing I could suggest is maybe a GFO reactor. I don't have one myself, but have heard of great results reducing an algea problem with one.
Best of luck getting it under control.
I can't comment on the erythromycin, as I've never used it.

[Openbrain]

Originally Posted by Flreefer

Old bulbs will definitely make an algea issue worse. I would definitely change them out, if you think they are older than 12 months.
If your only feeding a small amount, and your source water is pure, the only thing I could suggest is maybe a GFO reactor. I don't have one myself, but have heard of great results reducing an algea problem with one.
Best of luck getting it under control.
I can't comment on the erythromycin, as I've never used it.

Gfo?

I will change my bulbs

And i just did a 60% water change and got rid of the eryth.... It makes me nervous.

Ill post a pic of the tank all cleaned up tmrw.... Its 1am and i just got done weeeew!

[Flreefer]

GFO is granulated ferric oxide. It's a phosphate remover, phosphate being one of the main contributing factors to algea outbreaks, along with nitrates. GFO won't help with the algea already present, but it will help retard any more growth. In a clean system, GFO will help keep outbreaks from occurring.

[Openbrain]

Originally Posted by Flreefer

GFO is granulated ferric oxide. It's a phosphate remover, phosphate being one of the main contributing factors to algea outbreaks, along with nitrates. GFO won't help with the algea already present, but it will help retard any more growth. In a clean system, GFO will help keep outbreaks from occurring.

Nice!!

I wish i had room for that it sounds huge!

Heres my tank this am. That was the biggest water change i ever did!!





























I am going to buy a fake plant to hide the canister. My husband bought the tank.....

[Flreefer]

Love the tank! The reactor isn't really that big. Look on Bulk Reef Supply at them, smaller than a canister. This will be one of my next projects too.
Best of luck!

[melosu58]

Originally Posted by Openbrain

Then why do they sell this stuff??

They sell it for you to dose in a another tank to treat your livestock. You never treat your main tank with that. You really want to keep track of your tank now as you probably killed alot of your beneficial bacteria. You`ll probably see an ammonia spike soon. Be ready to do PWC`s if needed.

[Openbrain]

Originally Posted by melosu58

They sell it for you to dose in a another tank to treat your livestock. You never treat your main tank with that. You really want to keep track of your tank now as you probably killed alot of your beneficial bacteria. You`ll probably see an ammonia spike soon. Be ready to do PWC`s if needed.

Ok... I have the "live bacteria" in my refrigerator, should i put a dose in?

[kdpuffer]

I'm battling similar issues and am going to be running some GFO. FYI when doing your water change scrub the algae off with a toothbrush and hold the syphon hose close to suck it out as it comes off. Depending on your test kit you may be getting inaccurate results, it doesn't take much phosphates to grow algae.