SeeCrabRun
03/11/2015, 06:24 AM
I have a tank that is in a relatively high light, small room. It gets a lot of light from the sun, though the blinds are always closed. Then it gets a lot of light from the overhead fixture.
Because of this, I get brown and even reddish growth on my sand along the front glass and also on the left side of the tank, which faces the windows more.
This is an ongoing problem, despite my levels always being pretty good. The tank is 8 months old and pretty much always had this issue.
The algae is dusty, not hairy or slimy, and never spreads past these specific spots.
My parameters on average over the past couple months are:
1.024
80F
Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates, highest was 10(API), this is a fishless tank.
pH 8.1
Phosphates highest .25, I'm running phosguard now.
It has a refugium and the algae grows slowly, but it grows without any added lighting, so that should give you an idea of the light exposure.
I've bought some light filtering window film to put on all the windows. It claims to block 97% of UV.
The overhead fixture has some pretty high output CFL bulbs and I'm wondering if I should switch to a different type.
I don't run my tank lights very long or strong due to this and I'd like to get it resolved. Currently I run my orbit marine LED at 40% whites and blues and only for 6 hours total.
I'd love some input on ways to control the light exposure without blacking out the room itself.
Thanks!
Because of this, I get brown and even reddish growth on my sand along the front glass and also on the left side of the tank, which faces the windows more.
This is an ongoing problem, despite my levels always being pretty good. The tank is 8 months old and pretty much always had this issue.
The algae is dusty, not hairy or slimy, and never spreads past these specific spots.
My parameters on average over the past couple months are:
1.024
80F
Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates, highest was 10(API), this is a fishless tank.
pH 8.1
Phosphates highest .25, I'm running phosguard now.
It has a refugium and the algae grows slowly, but it grows without any added lighting, so that should give you an idea of the light exposure.
I've bought some light filtering window film to put on all the windows. It claims to block 97% of UV.
The overhead fixture has some pretty high output CFL bulbs and I'm wondering if I should switch to a different type.
I don't run my tank lights very long or strong due to this and I'd like to get it resolved. Currently I run my orbit marine LED at 40% whites and blues and only for 6 hours total.
I'd love some input on ways to control the light exposure without blacking out the room itself.
Thanks!