collegeman January 12, 2011 Share January 12, 2011 (edited) Hello, I am having an algae problem. I have hair algae, red algae, and brown algae. The hair algae is growing on the rocks, red canyo is growing on the glass, rocks, and sand. Brown algae is growing on rocks and glass. Water test results: Phosphate 0-.25 Nitrite 0 Nitrate 0 Ammonia 0 KH 16 Salinity 36ppt Light bulbs are less than a week old. ATI and UVL. I never really had an algae problem until I purchased a nova extreme pro 6 bulbs fixture for my 55 gallon. Stock has always been the same for over a year except for some coral. I use a HOB aqua clear filter that has a sponge, carbon, and phosphate removing media. This has been my filtration for over 2 years with no problem. I do 5 gallon water changes once a week and clean the filter twice a week. Flow is not an issue because I was using only a koralia 1 at first but upgraded to a 3 before the algae bloom. What can the problem be, am I missing something? I was using IO salt and changed thinking it was the problem and switched to oceanic. That did not solve the problem. Feeding has been the same. The only thing is I upgraded from a 130 watt pc to a 324 watt t5 HO fixture. What can I do? Will add pics soon. http://i1231.photobucket.com/albums/ee518/collegeman2011/2011-01-11204310.jpg http://i1231.photobucket.com/albums/ee518/collegeman2011/2011-01-11204203.jpg http://i1231.photobucket.com/albums/ee518/collegeman2011/2011-01-11204203.jpg http://i1231.photobucket.com/albums/ee518/collegeman2011/2011-01-11204155.jpg Edited January 12, 2011 by collegeman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Lazar January 12, 2011 Share January 12, 2011 The only thing is I upgraded from a 130 watt pc to a 324 watt t5 HO fixture. Apparently that was enough. You more than doubled the wattage, and probably have newer, better reflectors with the T5 setup. Your tank was balanced before the upgrade, between nutrients, light levels, algae growth and herbivorous grazing, as evidenced by the lack of algae. Now it's out of balance, and you have algae blooms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collegeman January 12, 2011 Author Share January 12, 2011 That is what i thought, what can i do to get it balanced again? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowieReefer84 January 12, 2011 Share January 12, 2011 That is what i thought, what can i do to get it balanced again? How long do you run your lights? What types of coral do you have? Cut the light cycle back. I would leave them off one day a week for a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collegeman January 12, 2011 Author Share January 12, 2011 Actinic 11 hr 10000k 9 hr I have mostly softies, lps, clam, and anemones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowieReefer84 January 12, 2011 Share January 12, 2011 That is really long in my opinion. I would cut actinic down to 8 and 10k to 6 until the tank adjusts. Even less if you do not see any adverse effects on the corals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collegeman January 12, 2011 Author Share January 12, 2011 (edited) Okay, when i had the pc fixture the lights were on for over 14 hours(bad i know). If i cut the lights back to the amount you said can i add a led fixture so i can still view the tank? Will the led still have a bad effect the algae growth. I was thinking about adding something like this- http://cgi.ebay.com/48-24-LED-Moonlight-Aquarium-Moon-Light-Dimmer-/380169273329?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5883dabff1 or http://www.current-usa.com/truelumenledstrips.html Please let me know. i truly appreciate the help. Edited January 12, 2011 by collegeman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowieReefer84 January 12, 2011 Share January 12, 2011 It would not be a permanent cut back. Just start low to help get rid of the algae, and slowly build it back up. With a 6 bulb T5, I do not think I would get any supplementation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collegeman January 12, 2011 Author Share January 12, 2011 I am not thinking about supplementing the fixture. i just want to be able to view the tank more. I considered them moonlights just to view the tank without the 6 bulb fixture running. how many hours do you think the tank should be lit on a daily basis? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collegeman January 12, 2011 Author Share January 12, 2011 My work and school schedule is crazy and i want to see the tank whenever i get home that was the reason for the lights being on so long. I do not want to keep changing the lighting schedule to accommodate my viewing. I think having the somewhat brite led moonlights will let me view the tank when needed, lower electricity cost, prolong bulb life, and keep the algae at bay. What do you think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowieReefer84 January 12, 2011 Share January 12, 2011 I am not thinking about supplementing the fixture. i just want to be able to view the tank more. I considered them moonlights just to view the tank without the 6 bulb fixture running. how many hours do you think the tank should be lit on a daily basis? I run mine for only 5 hours a day.... That is a lot less than most. I would say 8 hours is good. I have mine come on at 4:30, get home at 5:30 from work, and lights out at 9:30. If you can do 14 hours without problems, go for it. Just ease into it with the change from PC's to T5's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vadim January 12, 2011 Share January 12, 2011 I've had horrible algae problems. then i figured i'd invest in a refugium. All algae i've had went away in about 3 weeks. Im a firm believer of refugiums. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collegeman January 12, 2011 Author Share January 12, 2011 Thanks everyone for the info. i am going to cut the lights back a couple of hours. I notice my coral shrinks in the middle of the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbartco January 12, 2011 Share January 12, 2011 bowie gave some sound advice imo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trockafella January 12, 2011 Share January 12, 2011 LED moonlights wont effect anything, you will be fine with that... Also, your Alk is way to high, I would aim for it to be around 9-10 dkh, right now your at 16... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul b January 12, 2011 Share January 12, 2011 The pictures you posted don't look too bad at all. Also I don't think light is your problem. That is a very new tank and will go through cycles of all kinds of things. These things will even out eventually as the bacteria grow and settle down to whatever type of bacteria will soon prevail. Exactly what do you feed and what kind of animals do you have in there. Your nitrate reading, if correct is a concern. Bacteria turn nitrate into nitrate so you should read something. The amount of water changes would not reduce nitrate to zero. No nitrate means no bacterial action unless the tank is filled with hair algae. Cyano will grow in very little light and hair algae will also grow in normal room light. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mchippo January 12, 2011 Share January 12, 2011 Previous advice all good...by all means add the moonlight's / LEDs. If you can't view the tank, what's the point of having it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rrubberbandman January 12, 2011 Share January 12, 2011 Apparently that was enough. You more than doubled the wattage, and probably have newer, better reflectors with the T5 setup. Your tank was balanced before the upgrade, between nutrients, light levels, algae growth and herbivorous grazing, as evidenced by the lack of algae. Now it's out of balance, and you have algae blooms. Agrees......been there done that when i switched to t-5's from reg flo. bulbs....let your tank adjust on its own....just follow proper husbandry techniques and relax...it will sort itself back out.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingumar January 12, 2011 Share January 12, 2011 (edited) I've had horrible algae problems. then i figured i'd invest in a refugium. All algae i've had went away in about 3 weeks. Im a firm believer of refugiums. that used to be my problem. I would never want to turn my lights off. I would sit in front of the tank until past midnight haha. But you main problem is the lights. I had nova extreme pro on my 55gal and loved it. I Slowly acclimated the corals to the light so i didnt have the big of a problem but did notice a little algae. You should be able to keep pretty much anything with the nova extreme. Its hard to see the algae in this picture but this was when i was winning the battle. The fixture on this was nova extreme pro. The best way i keep myself from not truing the lights off all night is timers.. get yourself a timer. It will really help. Edited January 12, 2011 by Kingumar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason the filter freak January 13, 2011 Share January 13, 2011 Flow (increased and in the right areas i.e. keeping detritus suspended in the water column so filtration can remove it), decreased nutrient level/concentration i.e. less fish, less feeding, larger volume of water (bigger tank or adding/increasing size of refugium, and patience (nothing good happens quickly in reefing) are three key measures that work 90% of you're doing most other things right i.e. proper amount of filtration (skimming, refugium, etc), lighting, etc. for your sized set up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collegeman February 3, 2011 Author Share February 3, 2011 I found the source of my algae problem. The water i was using already had high level of phosphates. i guess my tank consumed the phosphates which cause a near o test result. My rodi system and booster pump comes today. I will like to know should i do a 5 gallon water change for the next few days or do a 50% water change today and another monday? Which way would you go about lowering the nutrients water change wise? I have a 55 gallon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dakotasreef February 3, 2011 Share February 3, 2011 I would get as much of the algae out as possible first. I would do a 50%, just try and make the new water parameters the same. Ph, salinity, temp, etc.......then in another 2-3 days do a 20% then follow that up again in 2-3 days with another 20%. Then just do your weekly water changes. Each time you do your water changes try to syphon and remove as much of the algae as possible beforehand. Just my 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treesprite February 4, 2011 Share February 4, 2011 Have any of you late night people considered not starting your light until late in the day? My lights don't come on until about 2 pm, otherwise I'd never see my tank and my fish would never get fed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewire February 4, 2011 Share February 4, 2011 That stuff is cyanobacteria. Reducing light aint going help. Increase your flow. Manual removal using the some net, at least you can reuse the water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FearTheTerps February 4, 2011 Share February 4, 2011 Have any of you late night people considered not starting your light until late in the day? My lights don't come on until about 2 pm, otherwise I'd never see my tank and my fish would never get fed. I also run my lights late in the day, come on about 4-5 and on until 1-2 in the morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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