Green Algae Problem (HELP!)

[alexandre]

Hi Guys,

Here is my problem....

Tank 3 months old

Parameters:

Ammonia: 0

Nitrite: 0

Nitrate: 5

Phosphate: 0

Large skimmer, good flow (35x +), using RO/DI Water, using macro algae in sump, lighting Geiseman Infinity 2x 250W + 4 x 54W (Halides on for 5 hours and the rest for 12), loads and loads of critters

No hair algae but this green coating.. Will it go? Coraline is encroaching on all the rocks but a little too slowly for me!

Is all this down to nitrate??? I know lighting plays a part but by turning it down am I not delaying what will happen when I switch the halides on for longer time periods?

Any suggestions would be helpful!!!

[babareef]

Hi Bro. I think you should try with other test kits to confirm your parameters. A tank that is only 3 months old might still have problems with nitrate and phosphate. Algae can be reduced using phosphate media such as Rowaphos.If you haven't got any lifestocks in the tank you can try switching the lights off for 3 days while running Rowaphos. After 3 days do a partial water change and test the parameters again. Scrub off as much algae as u can while changing water.You may want to limit the lighting to only 4 hours per day after that to curb the algae from spreading. After that change water every week though this time only 5% will do. By the way what test kits are u using?

Happy Reefing and all the best to you.

[LaW]

Hi Bro. I think you should try with other test kits to confirm your parameters. A tank that is only 3 months old might still have problems with nitrate and phosphate. Algae can be reduced using phosphate media such as Rowaphos.If you haven't got any lifestocks in the tank you can try switching the lights off for 3 days while running Rowaphos. After 3 days do a partial water change and test the parameters again. Scrub off as much algae as u can while changing water.You may want to limit the lighting to only 4 hours per day after that to curb the algae from spreading. After that change water every week though this time only 5% will do. By the way what test kits are u using?

Happy Reefing and all the best to you.

agreed to babareef. it could be the testkits. those green stuff are rather stubborn, get a brush to do a clean job.

[alexandre]

Thanks for the replies..

I'm using rowaphos already (hence the zero phosphate reading). Phosphate was registering before I started using rowaphos..

Don't really want to scrub the rocks cause that will just get rid of all the coraline that's been growing..

Any other suggestions?

[babareef]

Off the lights for 3 days. Then do partial water change. Thereafter, change 5% of water every week. Limit your lighting to only 4 hours everyday. No need to scrub if you don't want to.

[xersion]

either off the lights or get some cleaning crew like turbo snails.. i personally like turbo snails.

[RockyBoy]

Thanks for the replies..

I'm using rowaphos already (hence the zero phosphate reading). Phosphate was registering before I started using rowaphos..

Don't really want to scrub the rocks cause that will just get rid of all the coraline that's been growing..

Any other suggestions?

Don't scrub your rocks. The green algae will disappear after a while once your coralline has set in.

What's your calcium, alk & pH? Probably your water is not buffered correctly.

Try to use nutrient exports.

[babareef]

Don't scrub your rocks. The green algae will disappear after a while once your coralline has set in.

What's your calcium, alk & pH? Probably your water is not buffered correctly.

Try to use nutrient exports.

Yes you should try having a refugium full of chaetos.

[Marineman]

Don't scrub your rocks. The green algae will disappear after a while once your coralline has set in.

Try to use nutrient exports.

I agree with you. Moreover all new tanks will go through this experience, start off with brown algae which you can use turbo snails, tangs, blenny and reduced lighting to counter it.

I think the green algae will go away after a while and coraline will take over if you use kalawasser for water top up and a calcium reactor.

My tank is about 4 months old and experiencing exactly the same problem as yours, I can see the coraline algae growing too, like you said a bit slow.

To clean the rocks is not an option, it WILL come back, to reduce lighting is also not an option as I have a lot of corals in the tank. If you look at those matured tanks, you don't see any of the rocks having this type green algae, I guess it is only a cycle. As long as there is no hair algae, I just leave it and see what happens.

[alexandre]

I agree with you. Moreover all new tanks will go through this experience, start off with brown algae which you can use turbo snails, tangs, blenny and reduced lighting to counter it.

I think the green algae will go away after a while and coraline will take over if you use kalawasser for water top up and a calcium reactor.

My tank is about 4 months old and experiencing exactly the same problem as yours, I can see the coraline algae growing too, like you said a bit slow.

To clean the rocks is not an option, it WILL come back, to reduce lighting is also not an option as I have a lot of corals in the tank. If you look at those matured tanks, you don't see any of the rocks having this type green algae, I guess it is only a cycle. As long as there is no hair algae, I just leave it and see what happens.

I thought that scrubbing and reducing light would only delay the inevitable, as eventually I will have to turn the lights up again.. (my sps wouldn't be very happy either!)

I have been slowly increasing the time that the halides are on and noticed that everytime I do this, the rocks go a little greener.. The coralline that is growing now is red.. At first it was the purple coralline that was growing but this has really slowed down to be taken over by red coraline and brown spots (??? Not sure what these are?)..

I've been asking myself the same question about mature tanks!!

The only parameter that I haven't got under control is nitrate. I have been doing 10% water changes every week.. How are your nitrate levels? apart from reducing food (which I have done already), what would yo recommend to bring nitrates down to zero (I am already growing macroalgae in the sump)

[Marineman]

I thought that scrubbing and reducing light would only delay the inevitable, as eventually I will have to turn the lights up again.. (my sps wouldn't be very happy either!)

I have been slowly increasing the time that the halides are on and noticed that everytime I do this, the rocks go a little greener.. The coralline that is growing now is red.. At first it was the purple coralline that was growing but this has really slowed down to be taken over by red coraline and brown spots (??? Not sure what these are?)..

I've been asking myself the same question about mature tanks!!

The only parameter that I haven't got under control is nitrate. I have been doing 10% water changes every week.. How are your nitrate levels? apart from reducing food (which I have done already), what would you recommend to bring nitrates down to zero (I am already grow macroalgae in the sump)

To be honest, I hate to do water testing as some of they are so tedious! From my experience, as along as you do regular WC, your water parameters should be fine.

As for nitrate, my old tank used to have nitrates exceding 150ppm! Can't read any higher than 100ppm when I used Tetra test kit with a max 100pm reading, did not adjust for hiher reading, as my tank was stable.

For my recent set up, I only test for CA, just to make sure that my CR is working! I have not tested for nitrates as I don't have many fishes in my tank, only 6 atm. I plan to use caulerpa for phosphate (not nitrate) export in my sump, normally they will survive better only when your tank is more matured as from what I remembered my caulerpa did not survived in my previous tank when it was just set up.

I think you are more diligent than me and doing the right thing and heading in the right direction, I suggest there is so much you can do atm. Leave your tank alone for a while as the more you fiddle with it, your fishes will be stressed. I am sure it will be fine after a few more months. I tried to be perfect as much as I can but sometimes I have to live with some "variances" as to go the extra mile requires a lot of effort which I don't have!

My tank below http://chuisui.com/viewthread.php?tid=7841

[RockyBoy]

I thought that scrubbing and reducing light would only delay the inevitable, as eventually I will have to turn the lights up again.. (my sps wouldn't be very happy either!)

I have been slowly increasing the time that the halides are on and noticed that everytime I do this, the rocks go a little greener.. The coralline that is growing now is red.. At first it was the purple coralline that was growing but this has really slowed down to be taken over by red coraline and brown spots (??? Not sure what these are?)..

I've been asking myself the same question about mature tanks!!

The only parameter that I haven't got under control is nitrate. I have been doing 10% water changes every week.. How are your nitrate levels? apart from reducing food (which I have done already), what would yo recommend to bring nitrates down to zero (I am already growing macroalgae in the sump)

As you already have nutrient exports, and changing 10% of water every week, eventually your nitrates will go down. Mine went down from 10ppm to 5ppm in 1.5 months and now its is around 1-2ppm after a month later. I do about 5% water change a week and change the filter wool every 3 days, clean the sump every month.

[babareef]

I thought that scrubbing and reducing light would only delay the inevitable, as eventually I will have to turn the lights up again.. (my sps wouldn't be very happy either!)

I have been slowly increasing the time that the halides are on and noticed that everytime I do this, the rocks go a little greener.. The coralline that is growing now is red.. At first it was the purple coralline that was growing but this has really slowed down to be taken over by red coraline and brown spots (??? Not sure what these are?)..

I've been asking myself the same question about mature tanks!!

The only parameter that I haven't got under control is nitrate. I have been doing 10% water changes every week.. How are your nitrate levels? apart from reducing food (which I have done already), what would yo recommend to bring nitrates down to zero (I am already growing macroalgae in the sump)

Yes bro nitrate is one the main source of algae. Since you already have a refugium,then I suggest you get or change to a better protein skimmer. I had the same problem(already growing macroalgae) but my nitrates are still so problematic that I changed my weipro protein skimmer to H&S. Since then my water is crystal clear even without much light on and my nitrates under control.The other way to reduce nitrate is to run carbon 24/7. The best thing you need now is patience cos you already doing the right things. Matured tanks doesn't exist in three months. Let nature takes its course.

Hope this helps

[RockyBoy]

To be honest, I hate to do water testing as some of they are so tedious! From my experience, as along as you do regular WC, your water parameters should be fine.

As for nitrate, my old tank used to have nitrates exceding 150ppm! Can't read any higher than 100ppm when I used Tetra test kit with a max 100pm reading, did not adjust for hiher reading, as my tank was stable.

For my recent set up, I only test for CA, just to make sure that my CR is working! I have not tested for nitrates as I don't have many fishes in my tank, only 6 atm. I plan to use caulerpa for phosphate (not nitrate) export in my sump, normally they will survive better only when your tank is more matured as from what I remembered my caulerpa did not survived in my previous tank when it was just set up.

I think you are more diligent than me and doing the right thing and heading in the right direction, I suggest there is so much you can do atm. Leave your tank alone for a while as the more you fiddle with it, your fishes will be stressed. I am sure it will be fine after a few more months. I tried to be perfect as much as I can but sometimes I have to live with some "variances" as to go the extra mile requires a lot of effort which I don't have!

My tank below http://chuisui.com/viewthread.php?tid=7841

Try to use cheato instead of caulerpa coz caulerpa will multiply quickly once the seed gets into your main tank. And you would have hard time pruning the caulerpa, which I did, when they have a good foot hold on the LR.

[RockyBoy]

Yes bro nitrate is one the main source of algae. Since you already have a refugium,then I suggest you get or change to a better protein skimmer. I had the same problem(already growing macroalge) but my nitrates are still so problematic that I changed my weipro protein skimmer to H&S. Since then my water is crystal clear even without much light on and my nitrates under control.The other way to reduce nitrate is to run carbon 24/7.

Hope this helps

Yep.. H&S works for me as well! .....

Carbon don't actually reduce nitrates directly, may be indirectly as it absorbs other things which contribute waste to the water thereby helps to increase algae. Try to choose quality carbon then those cheapo ones will leach phosphate, ash etc, preferably use steam activated type.

[angelfishlover]

Don't scrub your rocks. The green algae will disappear after a while once your coralline has set in.

What's your calcium, alk & pH? Probably your water is not buffered correctly.

Try to use nutrient exports.

Wah i also got the same problem cause i think my nitrate is quite high.And the coralline algae spread very slowly which i nid to clear the path for the coralline to take over.

[Marineman]

Try to use cheato instead of caulerpa coz caulerpa will multiply quickly once the seed gets into your main tank. And you would have hard time pruning the caulerpa, which I did, when they have a good foot hold on the LR.

In my old tank I don't experience this problem as my tangs love the grape caulerpa. What does the cheato do? Perform the same function for phosphate export? I don't think caulerpa is efficient for nitrate export.

[RockyBoy]

In my old tank I don't experience this problem as my tangs love the grape caulerpa. What does the cheato do? Perform the same function for phosphate export? I don't think caulerpa is efficient for nitrate export.

At least your tangs love the caulerpa, mine dun. Cheato is a good nutrient exports, and will not asexual. I think your tangs would luv this as well.

[Marineman]

At least your tangs love the caulerpa, mine dun. Cheato is a good nutrient exports, and will not asexual. I think your tangs would luv this as well.

Thanks, will try that too.

[DrJekyl_MrHyde]

ok ... i m also having the same problem as u... green like algae growing at a corner of my tank(Which the area have lesser flow) .. then start blomming everywhere to another part of the tank on LR.... and i started to change 15%-20% water weekly and change po4 media 3 week onces and carbon change 2weekly onces and got myself a wavemaker to create more flow at the dead spot which have alot more green algae problem... after 1mth now ... it seem better..... and everytime before i change water i brush the green algae off.... this work for me .... maybe u can try.

[RockyBoy]

Using zeovite, reef-resh or prodibio might reduce the the nitrates/phosphate greatly thereby starve off the algae.

But this a different league altogether.