algea bloom????

[ZOOT098]

ok so i think i am having an algea bloom, the tank is cloudy as hell and when you really look at it it has a green hue to it

im also getting green algea on my glass and overflow risers...well on everything

should i just ride it out, or is there something i should do????

tank is in its fourth week if it means anything

[Bifferwine]

Have you been doing water changes? If so how often/how much and what kind of water are you using? Doing a 10 to 20% water change weekly will help a lot, and if your water is greenish, you can up that to twice a week for the time being.

Algae blooms are really common in new tanks, they're pretty much unavoidable, but you can fix them.

[ZOOT098]

i just did my first water change this past saturday
20%
im using RODI water

other factors are i just added my first 4 fish
green chromis they are small 3/4" each

i dont know if this is a contributing factor since they havnt quite caught on to eating the pellets the LFS sold me and it seems like 3/4 of the food ends up on the bottom of my tank

[Bifferwine]

Pellets will be a big problem that contributes to algae. Pellet and flake foods contain ash as a preservative, which will lead to algae problems. You should feed only frozen foods. Not to mention, fish seem to love frozen foods much more than flakes or pellets.

Also, adding 4 fish at once is a big influx of waste, so that will definitely add to the algae problem. In the future, add only one at a time so that your bioload can catch up. Or a pair, if it's a necessity (like a pair of clowns).

[ZOOT098]

so should i still do a water change?

i just went into the garage and got 16 gallons mixed up and it will be ready tomorrow

also when i do a water change should i automatically add buffers when i do it?

what frozen food do you recomend for green chromis?

[Bifferwine]

Check your alkalinity, pH and calcium before adding any buffers. If all your parameters are okay, you don't need to add anything. Adding anything without measuring it first and seeing a need for it will do more harm than good. It's very easy to overdose.

I'd still do a water change.

Chromis will eat anything. A mix of foods is good. I recommend mysis shrimp, marine cuisine, emerald entree and krill. You can find frozen food at any LFS, Petco or Petsmart. They'll find it much more tasty than pellets.

[ZOOT098]

ok
thanks biff

[ZOOT098]

biff

i went to the LFS today and got the frozen food you suggested
its in small cubes

do i thaw it first then break the cube up and put it in the water???

[Bifferwine]

I take a little cup of tank water, put a cube in it and let the cube melt before feeding. You can also buy a little plastic strainer from the grocery store and strain the food before you add it to your tank (throw the liquid out). Unless you have a lot of corals and filter feeders, the liquid will just add nutrients to your tank.

[ZOOT098]

thanks biff

my fish went crazy for the frozen food

and no cloudiness afterward

i also noticed that the hermits get a little crazy when they smell it too