Nuisance algae

[baplemark]

I'v been running my marine tank (220litres) for over 2 months now.The problem i've got is that green algae keeps growing on the bottom of the coral gravel soon after doign a water change.Is this normal.I do a 20% water change every 2 weeks.I tested the water last night:

ammonia:0
nitrites:0
nitrates:5

I run my marine blue and whitle lights for about 10 hours a day.

thanks

 

[LakeEd]

Baplemark,

1st - WELCOME TO REEF FRONTIERS!!!!!

Okay... on to your question now;
Test your water-change water for Nitrates also before use. Your system test on Nitrates of 5 should be fine. The other thing that Algae needs, and uses to grow is Phosphates, and I would suspect if you get a good test kit for Phos (I recommend Salifert Test Kits), you may find you are having a phosphate problem, that may be adding to your algae growth.

Also, which brand of Salt are you using? Some are more prone to Nitrate & Phosphate than others.

 

[baplemark]

Thanks,

I use tropic marin salt mixed into RO water.If it is phosphates that a problem how can i reduce it?

 

[Krish]

Welcome to RF!! I agree with ED. In order for algae to to grow, excess nutrients which include phosphates and nitrates must be present as well as light. It is quite possible you may have some excess phosphates in your system and also, quite possible test kit could be off depending on which kits you use. Let us know...In any event, the tank is still young and will need time to mature so give it time

 

[baplemark]

Thanks to both of you.I'll check the phosphate levels

 

[Krish]

Also, what type of water are you using? If you're not using ro/di water, it could contain something fueling the algae to grow also some salts contain phophates in them as well as some foods

 

[LakeEd]

Krish brought up a very good point also. As young as your tank is, there are still many various little cycles it will go through. Patients is definately a virtue in this hobby!

As for how to reduce phosphates, there are "removers" that work very well that can be used (Rowaphose... Phosban), but before you look into those, you will want to get a good test kit (again, I recommend Salifert), and know where you are currently. Do you know what brand of Test Kit you are currently using to test your Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates?

 

[LakeEd]

Dangit Krish... you type fast!!!!

 

[baplemark]

thanks again.Can't keep upi!
I use RO water everytime i do a water change.All the test kits i have are made by nutrafin.The whole tank was an old set up which i bought from a friend so i've still added fish slowly just in case.

 

[LakeEd]

I'm not familiar with the "Nutrafin" brand of test kits... hopefully someone that has used them can jump in here with how they were for them.

It sounds like your slow addition is just the way things need to be done in this hobby though!

Keep us posted as things progress for you!

 

[Krish]

Dangit Krish... you type fast!!!!

LOL! My bad

About the nutrafin test kit, never heard of it either.

 

[baplemark]

i think their made by hagen

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Hagen product, seems more popular in the UK.

http://www.fbas.co.uk/Hagen1.html

 

[kendog261]

Do you have a clean up crew yet? Is the tank next to a window? Any fish yet if so what and how much are you feeding them?

 

[reeftnk101]

Try running your lights about 7-8 hours a day also you might want to try a UV light.
Matt

 

[baplemark]

Thanks again,

I have two percula clowns,two yellow clown gobies,two green clown gobies and four astrea snails.I feed the fish every other day with frozen brine shrimp.The tank is in the corner away from the window,however it does get soem light on in the mornings.

The snails seem to keep some of the algae down but there seems to be a lot of long hair algae starting to grow on the live rock.

My lights stay on for about nine hours a day.I run three filters which cycle about 2700 litres/hour.

Can anyone suggest anything to get rid of the long hair algae?

 

[baplemark]

Forgot to say i've added a mushroom coral about a week ago which seems to be doing fine.I'll try and get a picture up on here at some point!

 

[auqua man]

I bought a rock that had hair algae on it and my sea urchin ate it all in 4 days
" Long Spined "