Help!! Algea Problem

Alexia · 02-09-2005, 09:58 PM

So this is my first tank and I got it from my brother so it was doing pretty good, but then we got new lights. He joined the Navy and was sent to California. So I was left here alone with the tank and ever since I got a new lighting system this brown stringy algea has been growing everywhere in my tank. So how do I get rid of it? Thanks if you can help!
Alexia

Doug1 · 02-10-2005, 11:43 AM

Tell us about the tank, size, setup, inhabitants, etc.
Basically algae thrives in the presense of excess nutrients, ie food leftovers, fish waste etc
How do you deal with these problems?

Doug1 · 02-11-2005, 10:40 AM

moved to main forum for maximum exposure

Geoff · 02-11-2005, 11:28 AM

Welcome to TRT!!!

it kinda sounds like cyano. if it is stringy and kinda coating everything. as Doug has asked, if you can give us more info about your system we will be able to help you better. what kind of skimmer do you have?

G~

Rob_Reef_Keeper · 02-11-2005, 12:26 PM

Could it be diatoms? I have read threads where people have stated they sometimes see minor diatom blooms after changing lights.

I just change my MH bulb form a 10K to a 13K and I noticed a algae outbreak. My algae is more of a hair algae but I think it is receeding again.

Alexia · 02-11-2005, 08:12 PM

Well, It is a 29g tank and I have 3 Green Chromis, 8 Astraea Conehead Snails, 3 Nassarius Snails, and I have some Hermit crabs but I'm not sure how many right now, there's not more the 8. The light I have is a Dual Satellite 2-Lamp(65W) 24-Hour lighting system and I have it on timers. Last week I put a Cascade 200 Power Filter in, it is a 4-Step bio-Filtration System. And I have automatic heaters which keep the water temperature at about 77 degrees. And that is pretty much it.
Alexia

Alexia · 02-11-2005, 08:41 PM

Sorry I forgot this. The lights are on for 12hrs. together and the blue light is on by itself for 4hrs. 2 in the morning and 2 at night when they turn off there is always a Moon light on.
Alexia

wharyat · 02-11-2005, 09:34 PM

How much live rock do you have, what are your levels, ammonia, nitrate, phophate? Sorry for more q's might help us diagnose tho.

Alexia · 02-12-2005, 01:38 AM

Ph=8.2 , Nitrate=160 , Nitrite=0ppm. , Ammonia=0ppm. ,Salt Concentration=1.023-1.024 these are all the things I regularly test and I had a problem with my Nitrite & Nitrate within the last month. The Nitrite seems to have cleared up since I got the Bio-filter, but the nitrate is still high. I don't really know really know what my phosphate is but I just did a partial water change a week and a half ago, so it should be ok. I'm not exactly sure how much live rock I have, because it was my brothers tank. I think there is like 25-30lbs. of live rock in the tank.
Alexia

wharyat · 02-12-2005, 02:01 AM

160 on Nitrate?! That's quite high, what happened in the tank to cause that, did anything die? I would say based on your nitrate that it's most likely cyanobacteria.

Alexia · 02-12-2005, 02:13 AM

Ok my other brother was given the tank but his social life was more important so everything in the tank die except 2 star fish. And I had the tank going pretty good since than until recently both of the star fish died along with 1 fish, 2 snail and several hermit crabs. So I talked to some people anf they said my problem was the Nitrite & Nitrate. They also said the only way to get them back down was to get a bio-filter and it worked for the Nitrite, but the Nitrate hasn't gone down at all.
Alexia

wharyat · 02-12-2005, 02:28 AM

The fastest way you can get your nitrates down is doing water changes, upwards of 25-50% a day till you get within reasonable ranges <20ppm. Check out some rowaphos and other phosphate sponges, they will soak up nitrate, trite, posphate, phite, and ammonia.

Alexia · 02-12-2005, 02:30 AM

ok thanks
Alexia

Loverotties · 02-12-2005, 10:00 AM

LOTS of water changes!!160 wow!

Justin · 02-12-2005, 01:13 PM

have had a similar problem, but didnt know that nitrate was measurable past 100. Extremely high, last post was right, be very aggressive with your water changes. 50% was also suggested to me. But that just seems to aggressive to do every day without disrupting something,so, i took the slower approach which has worked wonderfully.

1st initial waterchange 30%
then for the next 2 weeks i did 20% on weekly intervals, now i do 5% b-weekly. Im a firm beleiver in this sights poplular saying "nothing good happens fast!"

At the initial point my nitrate was well in the 100 range.
Now, almost 3 mos. later?(not exactly sure) my nitrate is under 10, and i think thats only cuz the nutrients were allowed to seep into the sand and rock for to long , but eventually will be close to nill.

So, make sure you never leave anything dead or past the point of no return i n your tank. Sometimes people think "well i got hermit crabs, thats what they do,they eat dead stuff..."-dont let this be you.Then consistant water changes and you be lookin sharp in no time.