Algae

[SSalty]

My tank is a little under 2 months old. I am using RO water and my lights are on no more than 8 hours a day. I probly have every type of algae growing in my tank, it looks like shit. My question is, is it common to have excessive algae blooms even if I am using RO water?

Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 10

[reeffreak]

Originally Posted by SSalty

My tank is a little under 2 months old. I am using RO water and my lights are on no more than 8 hours a day. I probly have every type of algae growing in my tank, it looks like shit. My question is, is it common to have excessive algae blooms even if I am using RO water?

Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 10

Just kidding

So many things can lead to algae problems besides lights and R0 water.Overfeeding,overstocking,decaying waste among others.Your tank is still going thru puberty.Its still young,probably go thru several different algae blooms.Keep up with water changes,a good clean up crew and things will get better.

Get a test kit for phosphate and check that.

[RigoSharon]

i agree with freek....maybe you want to summit your aplication to the AFT CLUB...please post a pic..so we can see what kind of algae is growing..for better advice..

[Bifferwine]

My guess is phosphates. Work on getting those down, do some large-ish water changes, try to cut back on feedings, if you don't have corals, cut back on the photoperiod, try to remove as much detritus and accumulated waste as possible from the substrate and rock. If you are feeding flakes or pellets, you might want to switch to frozen.

[d.french]

feel your pain salty my 29 gallon hasn't been setup long and has byropsis, little hair algae and some cyano type slimy brown shit all over the place running phos remover pads in hang on filter and cut back on lights a little and got good water movement just have to wait to tank matures and biological filter kicks in. Getting better though slowly but surely its hard but takes a lot of patience.

[beancntr]

I feel your pain!! I had the worst algae bloom you could ever imagine. Super Pres Biff will be honored to accept your application. (and I'm not a flying monkey, either, Biff. ) Yes, it's frustrating and ugly, but keep doing water changes, turbo snails I have found to be the best. What was once green may turn rust or red. I promise...have patience. It DOES get better.

[yote]

Yep Salty,dont feel like the lone ranger.
Reef,Biff,and D pretty much got you covered.
If you can find a sea hare,they eat all kinds of algae,including cyno.
You just gotta fight through it when your systems maturing.

[VAreef]

I had a pretty big brown algae bloom not to long after my tank cycled. I did a large 50% water change and started testing for phosphates. I did 20% water changes weekly after the first big one then have slowly cut back to 10% changes after everything settles out. From what I am told an algae bloom is very common following a cycle. My tanks at 4.5 months now and with a fuge and macro algae and having my lights on 10hrs a day I can't grow enough algae to keep the turbo snails full. It took a little time but the maintenance schedule caught up to the algae and starved it out.

[SSalty]

Thanks for the replies. I do understand that algae blooms are common with new tanks. However, I was under the assumption that by using RO water this would control the algae. I do use frozen food and only feed once a day, and am sure I am not overfeeding. I will get a phosphates test kit, and I will start from there.

Thanks guys/girls.

Oh yeah, no need for an application for the AFT, count me in. haha.

[d.french]

yup i have 5 stage ro/di unit and also thought same thing but once your biological filter matures(live rock and sand) things start looking better.