Green algea

[780fishguy]

Hello all.
I have a 75g mbuna tank. 5 yellow labs, 6 yellow tail acei, 5 mpanga elongatus.
Filtration is sunsun303b, fluval u2, fluval u3, one 40gph power head. So around 500-600 gph filtration. 1 4 foot t8 5500k lamp.
Recently I have been getting algea blooms, just the green stuff and it's covering my sand quite quickly. I don't want to add algea gone supplements as I enjoy algea on all my rocks for the mbuna to nibble at. Feedings are once daily and lights are on for 10 on 14 off.
Anyone know a way to reduce algea on sand? It's quite heavy when it settles and a larger power head did not help. Again I don't want to remove all algea just minimize it on sand, if I stir it or vacuum it it's back in 8 hrs.
Any advice would be great, thanks!

 

[Yorg]

Hello all.
I have a 75g mbuna tank. 5 yellow labs, 6 yellow tail acei, 5 mpanga elongatus.
Filtration is sunsun303b, fluval u2, fluval u3, one 40gph power head. So around 500-600 gph filtration. 1 4 foot t8 5500k lamp.
Recently I have been getting algea blooms, just the green stuff and it's covering my sand quite quickly. I don't want to add algea gone supplements as I enjoy algea on all my rocks for the mbuna to nibble at. Feedings are once daily and lights are on for 10 on 14 off.
Anyone know a way to reduce algea on sand? It's quite heavy when it settles and a larger power head did not help. Again I don't want to remove all algea just minimize it on sand, if I stir it or vacuum it it's back in 8 hrs.
Any advice would be great, thanks!

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Hi 780fishguy:

Have you checked your nitrate level recently? Do you have a test kit for phosphate? Those two are sometimes behind algae blooms. I agree with you about not using algaecides. It might help at this point if you could rule out excessive nitrate and/or phosphate, or plan to to reduce them if they're on the high side? I have well water with fairly high phosphate so I run PhosGuard in my filters; that and water changes to control the nitrate usually lets me keep the algae from getting out of hand.

 

[780fishguy]

I keep an eye on my nitrates and do 10% water changes every day or 2. I will find a test for phosphate, that could be the solution!
Do you always leave the phosguard in your filter? Or just periodically add it.

 

[Yorg]

I keep an eye on my nitrates and do 10% water changes every day or 2. I will find a test for phosphate, that could be the solution!
Do you always leave the phosguard in your filter? Or just periodically add it.

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Yes, I have to run the Phosguard continuously because of the level in my well water.