Interesting Algae Problem

[MattTVI]

A while ago I started noticing significant hair algae growth in my tank. I posted on here about it and was given a number of pieces of advice. All of them good from what I could tell. I was told the following:

1. Check your skimmer!

So I did. The skimmer was working fine, but when I checked it, i found that the return was becomming clogged and creating an inconsistent water level in the skimmer. I removed the sponge on the return and the skimmer leveled out again, so even though the skimmer wasn't the problem, it was going to be a problem pretty quick and checking it saved me another headache down the road.

2. Check Nitrates

I did, zip. I keep my 65 so understocked that I probably don't need to do the number of water changes I do, but I do anyway. Besides during the dead shrimp cycle, I have always had 0 nitrates

3. Check for phosphates in the water column!

I did, zip. I have a 5 stage RO/DI unit for all top off and water changes, i checked that for phosphates as well and all the water (tank, topoff, and change) has undetectable levels of phosphate.

4. What are your tank params?

hmmmmmm, ph 8.2, nI - 0, Am - 0, nA - 0, SG - 1.025, temp 78F, kH - 6-7d, but I didn't have a calcium test kit, so I couldn't test for that... which is when i noticed something about my tank...

the coraline algae was dying. sure i had some growth on my tank walls, but even that was a very whiteish color, with barely any of the pretty purple/pink look i like. I don't like to add things to my tank that I can't test for, so I bought a calcium test kit.

Ca = 280-300ppm. Huh? I immediately retested... Ca = 280-300ppm. So up stairs I went to test my water change source (already mixed up and at matching salinity and temp as the display tank). Ca = 280-300ppm.

Oh boy, I had gotten a bad batch of salt mix. When freshly brewed up, it had a Ca level of 300ppm (max), so my Ca levels had never been above 300...

Theory:

Without sufficient levels of Ca in the water column, the coraline couldn't survive and as it died, it released the nutrients it had taken up in the ocean or in previous owner's tanks into the water column, and since it couldn't grow, the hair algae volunteered. I didn't have a full blown hair algae epidemic, but it was growing happily on the tank walls and overflow, but the LR was remaining pretty much untouched.

I began to dose Dr. Randy's 2 part additive of calcium and alk and after maintianing consistent levels of kH - 6d and Ca - 420ppm, I have noticed a significant drop in hair algae. I think this is because when my LMB munches on the algae and then processes it and releases it (as poop) back into the water column, the coraline (now having the ca it needs to grow) has a chance to compete w/ the hair for those nutrients and is in fact out competing it because the LMB eats the hair algae.

Heck, I even noticed some coraline growth on one of my mithrax crabs last night. I have also noticed that the hair algae is much easier to get off the overflow and the tank glass. I can get most of it off now by using the magnet (on the glass) where as before, it seemed to cling on for dear life. I also notice random "chunks" of it floating in the water column when I get home from work. This makes me happy.

What do you guys think? Pretty solid theory?

thanks,

Matt

[JT]

Makes sense to me.

Increasing alk and ca, sometimes along with mg, have been proven ways for years to rid tanks of nuisance alga.

[gwen_o_lyn]

I'd love to hear what Tom has to say about this.

[tobbob]

Me to Gwen.
Tagging along on this one
Bob

[Mafiaman]

over feeding or feeding frozen foods with out rinsing causes 90% of algae related problems.

[GLXTRIX]

whats the best way to wash frozen brine or mysis?

[Mafiaman]

I've used a small dip net and RO/DI water.
Put the food in the net, soak in the RO/DI water till thawed, then buy swirling the net around backwards in the tank, washing the food out.

RO/DI for lack of better terms is dehydrated water and soaks most of the phosphates used to preserve the food out.

[JT]

Originally Posted by Mafiaman

feeding frozen foods with out rinsing causes 90% of algae related problems.

This is a new one on me.

Rinsing frozen food causes 90% of the vitamins and nutrients to be washed away. heh.

[JT]

Originally Posted by Mafiaman

RO/DI for lack of better terms is dehydrated water and soaks most of the phosphates used to preserve the food out.

WTF? dehydrated water? Umm, come again?

[Mafiaman]

Originally Posted by Mafiaman

over feeding or feeding frozen foods with out rinsing causes 90% of algae related problems.

You miss quoted me, but that happens alot here.

(Quoted from Calfo) Book of coral proppagation page 219, Line 9 +-

(about frozen foods) They can also contribute indirectly to problem growths of algea ifnot fed properly. Frozen, whole prey items in perticular are packed with a significant, once thawed decanted packing liquid can be extraordinary source of ntrients.

[Mafiaman]

Originally Posted by JT

WTF? dehydrated water? Umm, come again?

Oh, never mind. I see your drunk

[JT]

Originally Posted by Mafiaman

You miss quoted me, but that happens alot here.

Nope, I quoted the part that bothered me. I agree that overfeeding is a big cause for algae growth. However, I have never, ever, in 6 years of working in the business as an aquarist for a variety of companies, heard of rinsing frozen food. This is crazy. However, I can understand the need to drain thawed liquid from frozen foods when there is an excess amounts of it.

Originally Posted by Mafiaman

(Quoted from Calfo)

Now, while I respect Mr. Calfo, consider him to be a good friend, and have gained valuable info from his book, he is not the God that some elevate him to be. I will look up what the text you quoted in his book as I could not read your quote as it was full of typos and impossible to read.

[JT]

Originally Posted by Mafiaman

Oh, never mind. I see your drunk

Excuse me? You are now resorting to personal attacks when it is your posts that are poorly written?

[Casey]

Alright guys lets keep to being nice and no attacks.Stick to the subject.
Algae

[JT]

For the hobbyists trying to follow along, RO/DI = Reverse Osmosis/Deionized water.

Reverse osmosis (RO) units are normally based upon one of two membrane technologies: cellulose triacetate (CTA) and thin film composite (TFC). CTA based systems are typically cheaper and do not filter as well (90-95% rejection rates). TFC based systems cost more but have higher pollutant rejection rates (95%-98%). CTA membranes break down over time due to bacterial attack whereas TFC membranes are more or less impervious to this. CTA units are not recommended for reef tank purposes. TFC membranes are very sensitive chemically to the chlorine found in most water supplies. It is therefore very important to regularly replace the carbon block pre-filter associated with all better-grade TFC systems. TFC membranes are damaged by chlorine so a properly functioning GAC prefilter is mandatory.

RO filters work by forcing water under pressure against the membrane. The membrane allows the small water molecules to pass through while rejecting most of the larger contaminants.

Deionization is designed to further purify the RO product water by passing it through a DI (deionization) cartridge which is integrated into the system. The DI cartridge contains ion exchange resins which remove the last traces of contaminants from the RO product water.

There is no "dehydration" taking place.