Algae in reef tank

[DeerSlayer5152]

Ok everyone I need your help. I have a 180 tank that has been up for over a year. In the last few months, I added t5 supplements to my ai sol lights. Ever since that point I have been battling green film algae. I suck it out it comes back stronger the next day, 3 days without lights goes away but comes back. Have increased carbon, wet skimming, reduced light schd and feeding to no prevail . Running 3 reactors with biopellets, carbon, p04x4. This is very frustrating and about to start over. Measure phosphate and nitrates and both close to 0. Skimmer is skimming like crazy. http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/11/udysu4e3.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/11/atebuga7.jpg

[PhaneSoul]

How often do you clean your sand? Obviously you have a nutrient rich system, that is why the algae is growing and your skimmer is going nuts. Nvm just looked at your pic, looks like you have no sand correct? If so what do you use as a water supply?

[DeerSlayer5152]

Yes no sand and rodi which I tested for no3 and po4 and both 0. Not sure how it is nutrient enriched system.

[PhaneSoul]

It's nutrient enriched because you are growing algae and your skimmer is going bonkers. How old is the system? Esp the live rock? Your rock could be leeching or maybe something else is leeching

[PhaneSoul]

Also what is your TSS for your rodi water?

[DeerSlayer5152]

All is 1 year old but a couple pieces and those were cooked before installing

[DeerSlayer5152]

Tds is 0

[PhaneSoul]

Tds*

[PhaneSoul]

What about a sump and other equip, is there sand in there, cleaned regularly, how often do you do maint.?

[PhaneSoul]

I'm currently at work so I can't search much, but I did a search on biopellets causing algae and this thread was one that came up
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=18523015
Maybe the biopellets are the problem

[DeerSlayer5152]

Any one else?

[Berje]

maybe the t5 bulbs are old and need to be replaced.
Bad bulbs can cause algae growth

[DeerSlayer5152]

Thanks but the bulbs are only a few months old and problem happened when started t5s

[Lavoisier]

Beautiful tank! I think if you set up a ATS (Algae Turf Scrubber--check out the many threads) you might find the solution to your algae problem. These are relatively simple to set up and not at all expensive.

[SantaMonica]

Not sure how it is nutrient enriched system

Because you are feeding more than you are exporting.

What do all algae (and cyano too) need to survive? Nutrients. What are nutrients? Ammonia/ammonium, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate and urea are the major ones. Which ones cause most of the algae in your tank? These same ones. Why can't you just remove these nutrients and eliminate all the algae in your tank? Because these nutrients are the result of the animals you keep.

So how do your animals "make" these nutrients? Well a large part the nutrients come from pee (urea). Pee is very high in urea and ammonia, and these are a favorite food of algae and some bacteria. This is why your glass will always need cleaning; because the pee hits the glass before anything else, and algae on the glass consume the ammonia and urea immediately (using photosynthesis) and grow more. In the ocean and lakes, phytoplankton consume the ammonia and urea in open water, and seaweed consume it in shallow areas, but in a tank you don't have enough space or water volume for this, and, your other filters or animals often remove or kill the phytoplankton or seaweed anyway. So, the nutrients stay in your tank.

Then the ammonia/ammonium hits your rocks, and the periphyton on them consumes more ammonia and urea. Periphyton is both algae and animals, and is the reason your rocks change color after a few weeks. Then the ammonia goes inside the rock, or hits your sand, and bacteria there convert it into nitrite and nitrate. However, the nutrients are still in your tank.

Also let's not forget phosphate, which comes from solid organic food particles. When these particles are eaten by microbes and clean up crew, the organic phosphorus in them is converted into phosphate. However, the nutrients are still in your tank.

So whenever you have algae "problems", you simply have not exported enough nutrients compared to how much you have been feeding (note: live rock can absorb phosphate for up to a year, making it seem like there was never a problem. Then, there is a problem).

So just increase your nutrient exports. You could also reduce feeding, and this has the same effect, but it's certainly not fun when you want to feed your animals :)