Algae

[Willie_6]

I have been battling a bad algae problem for about 6 weeks now. I have lost virtually all of my corals. I do not know if algae can suffocate corals. I do know that it has to be impacting them in some way.

I have been doing 1-2 water chages a week. I have altered my lights during this period.

I attached a picture of the algae. Can anyone ID it? Can anyone suggest ways of getting rid of it?

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c345/Willie_6/img029.jpg


http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c345/Willie_6/img028.jpg

[Carlos]

Looks like cyano to me.

Lots of water changes, aggressive skimming, and good water current should solve the problem.

Carlos

[seapug]

Diatoms or cyano. It's common in new tanks and old tanks with nutrient issues and poor flow. Have you been dosing with supplements? Liquid "coral food"? Done any water tests?

[Willie_6]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10895161#post10895161 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by seapug
Diatoms or cyano. It's common in new tanks and old tanks with nutrient issues and poor flow. Have you been dosing with supplements? Liquid "coral food"? Done any water tests?

I rarely use supplements. I only use alk and cal on a regular basis. I tested my water and my parameters were normal.

Temp-80
SG-1.020
PH-8.0
Amm-0
Nitrites-0
Nitrates-0

I do not have a test for phosphates. I realize this may be the issue BUT if it was, wouldn't I just be doing water changes anyway?

[Mavrk]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10895340#post10895340 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Willie_6
I do not have a test for phosphates. I realize this may be the issue BUT if it was, wouldn't I just be doing water changes anyway?

How old is your tank? How old are your lights? What is your lighting schedule? What kind of lights? What are your Calcium and Alk readings?

More than likely it is phosphates since you say your corals are suffering and your other numbers seem okay (although salinity is a little low). A phosban reactor will help and are inexpensive.

[rustybucket145]

Do you use Tap Water?

[Prodd]

I recently have got an algae problem, and i am trying to nip it in the bud. Phosphate and nitrate have registered as zero, although i am told the algae can use it as fast as its tested. I have also been told to look at KH, as there is a seesaw balance with KH / Calcium and that this can have an effect of algae proliferation. Today i have physically removed all traces that i possibly can by hand. This involves a 5gal bucket of aquarium water and pulling as many pieces of rock out as is sensibly possible, and scrubbing the algae off with a toothbrush. I have scraped all of the glass then cleaned the mechanical filter medium. I added a nitrate and phosphate chemical medium a week ago, and have change 5 gal of water a day. i have left what macro algae i have on the rock to help absorb any free phosphate, and to be removed later (as is done with a refugium). I have also replaced some coral sand that was covered in algae. As far as i have researched, these are the methods that can sensibly be used without resorting to extreme violence. I do not profess to be an expert, but this is what i am doing at the mo and i am sure someone here will tell us if any of what i am doing could be improved or wrong. I will be watching your thread for advice and will post if i hear of anything that could help. good luck.

[rustybucket145]

Are you using tap water?

[uscharalph]

Could be your lights. How old are the bulbs? Do you us RO for top-off and RO-based for water changes? Are you overfeeding?

[Willie_6]

I will try to answer everyone's questions-



My lights are about a month old. I just changed the bulbs. They are T-5 from a orbit fixture.

My Alk and Cal have not been tested in a while since my corals are pretty much dead.

I have a RO/Di unit from Buckeye Supply. I borrowed a TDS tester tonight. I will check to see if my filter is bad. This is a possibility.

My tank is over 2 years old.

I hope I answered them all. Thanks everyone for helping.

[Willie_6]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10896636#post10896636 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by uscharalph
Could be your lights. How old are the bulbs? Do you us RO for top-off and RO-based for water changes? Are you overfeeding?

I have dropped my feeding in the last couple of weeks. I was feeding every other day. Now it is every 2-3 days, usually 3.