Algae Bloom

[hockyfn30]

I was wondering how long everybody thinks it takes for a tank to become "established"? I set up my 40 gallon mixed reef in May 2007 and within the last two or three weeks there has been a huge amount of hair algae and cyanobacteria showing up. Could this still just be part of the normal start up process of a tank or should I start looking into something else that could be causing the problem.

I do 10-15% water changes weekly using RO/DI water. I have tried to cut back feeding to once a day or once every other day. I don't know how long these changes should take effect indeed they were the cause of the problem. Any advice or suggestions is much appreciated

[demonsp]

You need to know your water readings and phosphate and nitrate are top two.Then flow. Whats used for water flow in there?

[hockyfn30]

Ammonia/Nitrite/Nitrate all 0. I don't have a kit for testing phosphate so can't give you that one but hypothetically, if the algae is growing by taking in the phosphate would the reading be 0 or at least inaccurate? As for water flow I have two Koralia 2's in opposite corners creating a sort of whirlpool effect with the live rock creating some turbulance.

[demonsp]

Flow sounds alright.This may help.

http://netclub.athiel.com/cyano/cyanos2.htm

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12133631#post12133631 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hockyfn30
I was wondering how long everybody thinks it takes for a tank to become "established"? I set up my 40 gallon mixed reef in May 2007 and within the last two or three weeks there has been a huge amount of hair algae and cyanobacteria showing up. Could this still just be part of the normal start up process of a tank or should I start looking into something else that could be causing the problem.

I do 10-15% water changes weekly using RO/DI water. I have tried to cut back feeding to once a day or once every other day. I don't know how long these changes should take effect indeed they were the cause of the problem. Any advice or suggestions is much appreciated

check on this thread for more ideas for fighting algae:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1329802

[Avi]

I'd say that you're outside the period during which you'd want to tolerate a growth like that of hair algae. How much live rock do you have in the reef and is your skimmer working effectively? Also, what kind of fish/invert population do you have?

With what you've said so far, hocky, I'd have to say that the growth of the hair algae is substantially supported by phosphates. I'm not sure I understant completely what you mean when you say ask if it's the phosphate "would the reading be 0 or at least inaccurate?" But even if you test and the phosphate reading is 0, it still may well be an excess of phosphate that's the cause. So, in any event, I'd recommend that you get a phosphate reactor and use a good quality phosphate-removing medium in it with an appropriate small water-pump.

[hockyfn30]

If I can remember correctly I think there about 75 or 80 lbs of live rock in the tank. Currently have 3 chromis, two ocellaris clownfish, six-line wrasse and yellow watchman goby. As for inverts, 4 turbo snails, 1 emerald crab, 10-15 hermit crabs and a few other snails (astrea/necerrius sp?, two brittle stars)

If I am outside of that start-up "window" then yes I agree that there is an excess of DOC in the tank and since the nitrate is reading 0 then we can assume that it is the phosphate. The new question then is that since the tank is not drilled and I do not have any sort of sump or refugium, is it even possible to hook up a phosphate reactor or is there some other means of phosphate removal? If I continue suction up whatever algae I can and continue to limit the sources of phosphate (feeding sparingly, efficient skimming) would the biological filtration of the live rock out compete the hair/cyano algae into equilibrium or do I have to be more proactive about the phosphate removal.

[Aquarist007]

the two little fishes phosban reactor can hook onto the side of your tank and is quite effective for reducing the phosphate level

[seapug]

capn' said it, not me....

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12134187#post12134187 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by seapug
capn' said it, not me....

what did I say this time:lol:

[shakanoi]

you will also need something to eat all the algae you currently have, like a bunch of hermits or sea hare...