frustrated with algae

arizonagrace · 10-09-2008, 01:24 AM

My tanks seem to have a problem with algea on the glass. My water parameters are finally really good although the phosphate is .02 right now

I have trouble with a lot of algae on the glass which I scrub off, but am now getting scratches on the tank

With the trouble I have had with my tanks in the past year, I worry about those scratches.

I have snails in the tank, but they don't seem to be doing much at all for it. Should I add more snails to compensate? In the 24 I have about 8 small ones and 4 sand snails. The eclipse 12 has an urchin and several small snails, and the other 12 (when I get the replacement set up) will have several small snails and 2 sand snails.

I know the water quality is a big part of it, and I leave the lights on for 12 hours a day because of the corals and mushrooms. Can I cut back the lighting on them without hurting the toadstool, zoos, xenia (which is finally picking up)?

CATALYST · 10-09-2008, 01:29 AM

I run my mh for 8 1/2 a day...before that, I ran my PCs for 9.

arizonagrace · 10-09-2008, 01:34 AM

I will cut back the lighting to 8 or 9 hours a day then. I don't want the corals/shrooms to starve for lighting, but hate this darn algae!

CATALYST · 10-09-2008, 02:49 AM

If your tank is newer, you'll go through several phases of weird algae. I had hair, cyano, diatom, and some other weird green stuff. Make sure you don't overfeed, your water levels are right, your bulbs aren't old, and you have enough flow. Depending on what you're feeding, you may want to rinse it in RO first. Umm...if you have a place for it, you could add some macro algae too. There are all kinds of things that can happen that can make algae grow.
What are you cleaning the tank with that is scratching it?

arizonagrace · 10-09-2008, 03:08 AM

I have some green macro algae that I keep in the back of the tank by the water pump and heater..in the middle section. Maybe I should add a little more of it, as it isn't that much. My tank is only a couple of months old right now, so I imagine I am going through those algae stages. I will tough it out and try and keep it clean.

Thanks. I am using a new algae scrubbing pad, and it is pretty rough. I guess I need to switch to another pad that is softer for now.

CATALYST · 10-09-2008, 03:12 AM

Try using a Mr Clean magic eraser. They don't have anything on them and they work pretty good.
Make sure you have a light back there or your macro is getting light.

ReefSki · 10-09-2008, 09:49 AM

Try cutting back your time to 10 hours. Maybe 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM

Another thing to keep in mind is the age of your bulbs. Older bulbs (more than a year old) can cause algae outbreaks. Also if your tank is positioned next to a window, natural sunlight creates more algae in tanks.

arizonagrace · 10-09-2008, 11:40 AM

My bulbs are only a couple of months old and the tank is against a wall with no direct sunlight. Not that I let too much sunlight come into the room with it filled with tanks

I didn't know Mr. Clean Magic Erasers have nothing on them. I use them all the time for everything else in the house and they are wonderful. Can strip the polish right off a floor.

hma · 10-11-2008, 11:20 PM

You are frustrated because of a thin alga film on the windowpanes of the aquarium? Hey, this is completely normal even if you maintain an aquarium with absolutely 0 nutrients (PO4=0 NO2 / 3=0 etc.), However a thin alga film can be hardly avoided.

To be able to maintain different kinds of SPS rationally one needs even a low level PO4 (0.001 - 0.003 ppm). By the way, your level is already too high with 0.3.

The lighting duration has, by the way, only a very low influence on the alga growth. Whether now is lighted up 8 or 10 hours, is completely insignificant. As well as tracks by nutrients are to be proved, alga films will also form. According to amount of the nutrients more or less.

Algae = MAG Float

arizonagrace · 10-11-2008, 11:30 PM

I know my phosphates are too high, and am working on getting them lowered. Before a few water changes with lfs ro water, they were at 5, so it is improving. I am doing another 25% water change tomorrow and that should bring that down further.

I am stuck buying either bottled water or ro water at the lfs until I can get my ro/di unit.

sambrinar · 10-12-2008, 10:45 AM

Try phosban in a mesh bag in a high flow area. that will help with the po4

lcstorc · 10-12-2008, 10:57 AM

I couldn't possibly say it better than Heinz. Be sure to get a mag float made for acrylic. They are less abrasive and won't scratch the glass unless you get sand in them.
A place for hidden phosphates that most do not think of is in the food. Phosphates are commpnly used as a preservative in the food so you want to soak and rinse it in RO/DI water prior to feeding.
Water changes of course will help as will Phosban in a high flow area but a certain amount of film is just normal.

arizonagrace · 10-14-2008, 09:17 PM

I have placed phosban in a mesh bag in the back of the tank. I have also begun to rinse the food and cut back feeding to every other day. I haven't tried the magic eraser yet, but plan to soon.

I have had an outbreak of red slime and need to get in there and get it off the rocks and fake plant. I used a turkey baster the last time but wonder if it is better to just pull out the rocks and scrub it off in change water.

naperenterprise · 10-14-2008, 09:21 PM

I have to clean the glass like everyother day.
I don't think there is any way around that.

johnmaloney · 10-15-2008, 06:54 PM

what is your clean up crew like? what do you have competing with the algae for nutrients?

10-09-2008, 01:24 AM	#1 (permalink)
arizonagrace Cabbage Leather Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 364 View Gallery Karma Komment	frustrated with algae My tanks seem to have a problem with algea on the glass. My water parameters are finally really good although the phosphate is .02 right now I have trouble with a lot of algae on the glass which I scrub off, but am now getting scratches on the tank With the trouble I have had with my tanks in the past year, I worry about those scratches. I have snails in the tank, but they don't seem to be doing much at all for it. Should I add more snails to compensate? In the 24 I have about 8 small ones and 4 sand snails. The eclipse 12 has an urchin and several small snails, and the other 12 (when I get the replacement set up) will have several small snails and 2 sand snails. I know the water quality is a big part of it, and I leave the lights on for 12 hours a day because of the corals and mushrooms. Can I cut back the lighting on them without hurting the toadstool, zoos, xenia (which is finally picking up)?

10-09-2008, 01:29 AM	#2 (permalink)
CATALYST Reef Lobster Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: SoCal Posts: 1,442 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: frustrated with algae I run my mh for 8 1/2 a day...before that, I ran my PCs for 9. __________________ _.:Bonni:._

10-09-2008, 01:34 AM	#3 (permalink)
arizonagrace Cabbage Leather Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 364 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: frustrated with algae I will cut back the lighting to 8 or 9 hours a day then. I don't want the corals/shrooms to starve for lighting, but hate this darn algae!

10-09-2008, 02:49 AM	#4 (permalink)
CATALYST Reef Lobster Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: SoCal Posts: 1,442 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: frustrated with algae If your tank is newer, you'll go through several phases of weird algae. I had hair, cyano, diatom, and some other weird green stuff. Make sure you don't overfeed, your water levels are right, your bulbs aren't old, and you have enough flow. Depending on what you're feeding, you may want to rinse it in RO first. Umm...if you have a place for it, you could add some macro algae too. There are all kinds of things that can happen that can make algae grow. What are you cleaning the tank with that is scratching it? __________________ _.:Bonni:._

10-09-2008, 03:08 AM	#5 (permalink)
arizonagrace Cabbage Leather Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 364 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: frustrated with algae I have some green macro algae that I keep in the back of the tank by the water pump and heater..in the middle section. Maybe I should add a little more of it, as it isn't that much. My tank is only a couple of months old right now, so I imagine I am going through those algae stages. I will tough it out and try and keep it clean. Thanks. I am using a new algae scrubbing pad, and it is pretty rough. I guess I need to switch to another pad that is softer for now.

10-09-2008, 03:12 AM	#6 (permalink)
CATALYST Reef Lobster Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: SoCal Posts: 1,442 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: frustrated with algae Try using a Mr Clean magic eraser. They don't have anything on them and they work pretty good. Make sure you have a light back there or your macro is getting light. __________________ _.:Bonni:._

10-09-2008, 09:49 AM	#7 (permalink)
ReefSki Midas Blenny Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: MA Posts: 89 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: frustrated with algae Try cutting back your time to 10 hours. Maybe 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM Another thing to keep in mind is the age of your bulbs. Older bulbs (more than a year old) can cause algae outbreaks. Also if your tank is positioned next to a window, natural sunlight creates more algae in tanks. __________________ Current Setup: 58 gallon Oceanic in the planning stages

10-09-2008, 11:40 AM	#8 (permalink)
arizonagrace Cabbage Leather Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 364 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: frustrated with algae My bulbs are only a couple of months old and the tank is against a wall with no direct sunlight. Not that I let too much sunlight come into the room with it filled with tanks I didn't know Mr. Clean Magic Erasers have nothing on them. I use them all the time for everything else in the house and they are wonderful. Can strip the polish right off a floor.

10-11-2008, 11:20 PM	#9 (permalink)
hma Golden Moray Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Frankfurt, Germany Posts: 2,653 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: frustrated with algae You are frustrated because of a thin alga film on the windowpanes of the aquarium? Hey, this is completely normal even if you maintain an aquarium with absolutely 0 nutrients (PO4=0 NO2 / 3=0 etc.), However a thin alga film can be hardly avoided. To be able to maintain different kinds of SPS rationally one needs even a low level PO4 (0.001 - 0.003 ppm). By the way, your level is already too high with 0.3. The lighting duration has, by the way, only a very low influence on the alga growth. Whether now is lighted up 8 or 10 hours, is completely insignificant. As well as tracks by nutrients are to be proved, alga films will also form. According to amount of the nutrients more or less. Algae = MAG Float __________________ Heinz If you have a great hurry, go slowly. The secret of a successful reef-keeping is balance. Instead of doing everything faster, do everything at the right speed. The Seawater Encyclopaedia Brown Jelly Treatment The Balling Method My Chronicle and www.reefdreams.de as well as mobile.reefdreams.de

10-11-2008, 11:30 PM	#10 (permalink)
arizonagrace Cabbage Leather Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 364 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: frustrated with algae I know my phosphates are too high, and am working on getting them lowered. Before a few water changes with lfs ro water, they were at 5, so it is improving. I am doing another 25% water change tomorrow and that should bring that down further. I am stuck buying either bottled water or ro water at the lfs until I can get my ro/di unit.

10-12-2008, 10:45 AM	#11 (permalink)
sambrinar recovering overfeeder Join Date: May 2008 Location: Arizona Posts: 6,440 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: frustrated with algae Try phosban in a mesh bag in a high flow area. that will help with the po4 __________________ Brenda Those who dance are considered insane by those who cannot hear the music ~ George Carlin Original member of http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...eef-holic.html My addiction 75 gal glass http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...ce-sanity.html

10-12-2008, 10:57 AM	#12 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 26,437 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: frustrated with algae I couldn't possibly say it better than Heinz. Be sure to get a mag float made for acrylic. They are less abrasive and won't scratch the glass unless you get sand in them. A place for hidden phosphates that most do not think of is in the food. Phosphates are commpnly used as a preservative in the food so you want to soak and rinse it in RO/DI water prior to feeding. Water changes of course will help as will Phosban in a high flow area but a certain amount of film is just normal. __________________ Peace LYNN Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g of sunshine Lynn's frag tank experiment A reef tank is like a race car. The faster you go the harder you crash.

10-14-2008, 09:17 PM	#13 (permalink)
arizonagrace Cabbage Leather Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 364 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: frustrated with algae I have placed phosban in a mesh bag in the back of the tank. I have also begun to rinse the food and cut back feeding to every other day. I haven't tried the magic eraser yet, but plan to soon. I have had an outbreak of red slime and need to get in there and get it off the rocks and fake plant. I used a turkey baster the last time but wonder if it is better to just pull out the rocks and scrub it off in change water.

10-14-2008, 09:21 PM	#14 (permalink)
naperenterprise Elegance coral Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Near Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 1,183 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: frustrated with algae I have to clean the glass like everyother day. I don't think there is any way around that. __________________ ~~~Jason~~~ The Hitchhiker's Guide to our Reef Galaxy

10-15-2008, 06:54 PM	#15 (permalink)
johnmaloney Neon dottyback Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 603 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: frustrated with algae what is your clean up crew like? what do you have competing with the algae for nutrients? __________________ Here is a link to my sponsored forum on reefsanctuary. Here is a link to my website, we do clean up crews and macroalgae.

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