How do I get rid of Green Algea?

[surfer0063]

I'm new to the hobby and this forum and have found RC very helpfull, so Hi to everyone. I've had my tank set up for about 3 months now. I try to do a 30 - 50% water change every week. I have a HOB 80gal bio-wheel power filter on my 38gal. -Now the problem.- I have an outbreak of Ich and I am using Ich attack (organic) to try an get rid of the Ich. As you know, you can't run the carbon filter while doin the treatment, and since then I have green algea growing on everything, even my fish. I was thinking about draining my tank, bleaching my live rock, cleaning the tank, and basically starting all over again. So, before i do that, I would like to see if there is an easier way. Thanks in advance.

P.S. - I am still treating the tank for Ich and will be for a couple more days. Also, I just picked up some phos-buster and used it today.

[imcosmokramer]

First, Welcome.

Do you use ro/di water? 30-50% every week is a lot. Get some phosguard and some chemi-pure or chemi-pure elite and run them with a reactor. Scrape, manually take out, as much algae as you can. It's a pain in the a%%, so you don't need to do the whole tank at once. Do 15 minutes a day. You should not have to do a 19 gallon waterchange weekly on a 38g tank. I'll find another link for you in a sec.

[imcosmokramer]

http://www.brettsreef.com/index.php/tips-on-battling-nuisance-algae-in-the-marine-aquarium/

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

[surfer0063]

I use UV Sterilized saltwater from my LFS. How long will it take for the tank to be clear like it was before.

[imcosmokramer]

Took my 75 (plus 30gl sump/fuge) less than 2 weeks.

[Ajilon]

What are your parameters? There's a reason you have a huge algae bloom and you need to nail down the source. I'm told that keeping the lights off for 3 days helps immensely

[Gtstricky]

I would bet the water from the store is not filtered, just sterilized. Buy a cheap TDS meter and check it or buy some RO/DI water and try that for a while.

[wfuavenger]

You need to tell us your livestock. What do you have in the tank? what kind of lights, ect.

Do NOT bleach your live rock...you will kill all the benificial bacteria and then the bleach will leach into the rock. It will leach back out into your water in the tank. You might as well throw it away if you bleach it.

also, if the fish are healthy ICH will not be an issue. Their immune systems will fight it off. Buying all of that ICH stuff is a waste of money.

[surfer0063]

well, I just tested my parameters - Salinity1.032, Nitrates 25ppm, i have a T5 light that stays on for about 14 hours a day both white and Actine. I will do a water change this weekend, probably 50% and manually clean the glass. I have a porkfish, clown, hawkfish, firefish, had a yellow tang but died of Ich, hermit and a sea erchan(spelling?)

[Toddrtrex]

Your salinity it too high, should be 1.025-1.026, how are you measuring it ?

[surfer0063]

By a Hydrometer. Its straight from the Atlantic

[demonsp]

50% weekly is to much , this amount should be done rarley and then followed by weekly smaller changes. If the source had nitrate or phosphate then this would only add to the problem.

Whats used for flow?
How old is this tank?
Do you have a skimmer?
Whats the stock from CUC to fish to coral?

[indydog1]

[welcome]

sounds like you have a few issues going on besides the algae. have your water tested for phosphates. take it easy on water changes. too much too soon can be harmful. when did the algae start. was it with the ich treatment or what?

[Toddrtrex]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12639878#post12639878 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by surfer0063
By a Hydrometer. Its straight from the Atlantic

Might want to test that with a known sample, or get a refractometer.

[Ajilon]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12639878#post12639878 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by surfer0063
By a Hydrometer. Its straight from the Atlantic


Straight from the Atlantic? As in the Atlantic Ocean?

[fattyratrat]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12639410#post12639410 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by surfer0063
well, I just tested my parameters - Salinity1.032, Nitrates 25ppm, i have a T5 light that stays on for about 14 hours a day both white and Actine. I will do a water change this weekend, probably 50% and manually clean the glass. I have a porkfish, clown, hawkfish, firefish, had a yellow tang but died of Ich, hermit and a sea erchan(spelling?)

first, your salinity is WAY too high as already said. Your nitrates should be 0, but 25 isn't a horrible enough number to seriously harm your fish. 14 hours a day is a LONG light period(especially if you dont have any SPS or clams that need it). Cut that back significantly, maybe to 8 hours. The reason your tang got ich and died is because he was in a 38 gallon tank. Tangs should not be in tanks smaller than 120 gallons (at BARE minimum). It is sad all of these stores sell tangs to people who they know have too small of tanks and tell them the fish will do fine. Another way your LFS is ripping you off is by selling you this UV sterilized water. That does nothing to freshly mixed salt water. The only way it would be somewhat beneficial is if they were selling you used water, which would be outrageous.

[fattyratrat]

that porkfish is also WAY too big for your tank, you need to find him a new home before he dies too.

[surfer0063]

Ok, on my way to work but hopefully I can answer all questions. I do not have powerhead, no skimmer, I have polps and some pink polp looking coral that my friend gave me. The algea started when I started the Ich treatment. My carbon filter is the only filter I have on it and I have to remove that while doing the treatment. Yes, the water I get from my LFS is straight from the Atlantic Ocean then sterilized. I really appreciate everyones help. How much of a water change should I do this weekend since I have this algea problem and should I do them more often until my problem goes away?

[RRaider]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12641299#post12641299 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fattyratrat
first, your salinity is WAY too high as already said. Your nitrates should be 0, but 25 isn't a horrible enough number to seriously harm your fish. 14 hours a day is a LONG light period(especially if you dont have any SPS or clams that need it). Cut that back significantly, maybe to 8 hours. The reason your tang got ich and died is because he was in a 38 gallon tank. Tangs should not be in tanks smaller than 120 gallons (at BARE minimum). It is sad all of these stores sell tangs to people who they know have too small of tanks and tell them the fish will do fine. Another way your LFS is ripping you off is by selling you this UV sterilized water. That does nothing to freshly mixed salt water. The only way it would be somewhat beneficial is if they were selling you used water, which would be outrageous.

He is buying water taken from the Atlantic Ocean and run through a UV, not freshly mixed salt water.

[RRaider]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12642944#post12642944 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by surfer0063
Ok, on my way to work but hopefully I can answer all questions. I do not have powerhead, no skimmer, I have polps and some pink polp looking coral that my friend gave me. The algea started when I started the Ich treatment. My carbon filter is the only filter I have on it and I have to remove that while doing the treatment. Yes, the water I get from my LFS is straight from the Atlantic Ocean then sterilized. I really appreciate everyones help. How much of a water change should I do this weekend since I have this algea problem and should I do them more often until my problem goes away?


How are you making up the water that evaporates? You can't use salt water for that, it needs to be fresh RO/DI water. You need to slowly remove some salt water and replace with fresh to bring your salinity down. Then do a series of good sized water changes, 20 to 30 percent every second or third day to help drop your nitrate levels.

You NEED powerheads, your lack of flow allows everything to stagnate and is likely contributing to your algae problems.

[Amoore311]

I would bet the water from the store is not filtered, just sterilized. Buy a cheap TDS meter and check it or buy some RO/DI water and try that for a while.

Just so you know a regular TDS meter won't work on salt water. Only fresh.

Nitrates are a little high, 25 PPM really isn't that high at all though. My problem with that Nitrate reading is your tank is cover in algae AND you are doing 50% weekly water changes. I don't see how a 25 PPM nitrate reading is even possible in that circumstance.

I'd cut the light schedule down to 8 Hours a Day Full Spectrum, especially if you only have a couple softy corals in the tank.

Also, get a fellow reefer to test your Tank, Tap, and WC water with a different test kit. Compare the results to yours and see if that varies to what your tests read.

You would have to be feeding an absurd amount of food daily for your Nitrate reading to be at 25 PPM when you are doing 50% weekly waterchanges, and you have a ton of algae sucking up the nitrates as well.

[surfer0063]

Alright, I appreciate everyones help. I learned alot.

"Tanks A'lot"
Ryan