Annoying Algae Problem

[d2mini]

My 46g tank is 9 months old now and I still have an annoying algae problem.
The stuff is greenish brown and covers anything that doesn't move, but mostly stuff that isn't living. Like my powerheads, all electrical wires, the cutouts at the top of my internal overflow and the plastic water returns. Or if a coral dies like last week when I lost a digita, it will get covered too. My diamond goby takes care of the sand surface so that's been pretty clean. I clean the brown dusty stuff off my glass every other day, but that's probably pretty normal? It's all the other stuff that is bothersome. I just got done scooping a bunch out. It even collects along the top of the water surface in spots, like swamp muck.

Is it my water quality? Seems to test fine. My lights (6 ho T5)? I had been doing water changes every two weeks or so, then let it go for about a month, then i just did two 10 gallon water changes over the past week or so. I make all my own water and my tds is at 0. I don't remember ever having this problem several years ago when i had my 150g. :grumble:

 

[mdottyp]

hi i am new on site, however i am having the same problem, i read my book and it says the reason for this is nitRATE, and regular water changes should cut this down ? i am in process, didnt no gobys did that will have to get one, god luck

 

[XxKnuckleheadxX]

how much waterflow do you have in your tank?

 

[Rcpilot]

Do 20% water changes weekly. It will go away.

 

[dcantucson]

+1 Rc

 

[d2mini]

how much waterflow do you have in your tank?

About 3,200gph... at least without algae cover all the slats on my freakin powerheads. :grumble:

 

[d2mini]

Do 20% water changes weekly. It will go away.

So just keep doing what I'm doing this past week or two?
I changed out 10 gallons today and 10 gallons last saturday.

 

[dcantucson]

Dennis
Have you had this problem for 9 months straight. Or does it come and go?

 

[AdeptMrSniffles]

Take your powerheads out and blast them with water to get them clean. If they're covered in algae they're not pumps as much water as they can. How long do you have your lights running for? You may wanna cut back an hour or 2 until you get it cleaned up. I'm sure you know but I'm gonna say it anyways. It just takes time and patience.

 

[d2mini]

Dennis
Have you had this problem for 9 months straight. Or does it come and go?

Well you know how it goes... went thru the typical algae phases like diatoms and this seems to be what I'm left with. But I've had this for a few months easily. Just kept waiting to get past it.

 

[d2mini]

Take your powerheads out and blast them with water to get them clean. If they're covered in algae they're not pumps as much water as they can. How long do you have your lights running for? You may wanna cut back an hour or 2 until you get it cleaned up. I'm sure you know but I'm gonna say it anyways. It just takes time and patience.

I've taken them out and cleaned them before, even did a vinegar soak over night. Meanwhile I just try to scrape the stuff off while they are in the tank.

The blue bulbs come on at 10am and daylight on at 11am. Daylights go off at 8pm and blues go off at 9pm.

 

[dcantucson]

I went through this for about 4 weeks but it went away on its own. Sorry I know it's frustrating, but it will pass someday hang in there. :frustrat:

A UV light might help too.

 

[Rcpilot]

I'm still working on my frag tank. Lights only on 2hrs a day. 20% water changes every other day. Running a canister full of carbon and cleaning it every other day. Skimmer adjusted to max bubbles and skimming wet. The algae is beginning to fade quite a bit now. Corals look okay - not great.

 

[d2mini]

Here's what I'm dealing with...

 

[dcantucson]

That is some nasty stuff dennis, but doesn't look that bad. I've seen cases where everything is covered in the tank.

The corals look great, BTW.

 

[d2mini]

Ya the majority of it is on the powerheads, wires and water return outlets. Basically anything plastic. And some of the rocks but not much. Everything in the tank seams healthy.

My local forum suggested raising the Magnesium levels, trying something called Prodibio Bio Digest and massive water changes and starting over with new sand/water. I would really like to try to avoid that last suggestion for obvious reasons.

I'm going to start with getting the return water outlets and all powerheads out of the tank and thoroughly cleaned. Then I'm going to put some fresh phosban in my reactor. Then, since my water container only holds about 10 gallons, I'm going to do at least two or three 10 gallon water changes two days apart from each other starting tomorrow. So 10 gallons saturday, 10 gallons monday, and 10 gallons wednesday. Maybe again on Saturday. While I'm doing all this I will dose epsom salts for Magnesium.

If all this doesn't work, I don't know what else to do.

 

[bjohanson1234]

I would actually suggest NOT replacing the sand. Doing that has the potential of making things worse by creating another cycle. Just keep up on the water changes and remove as much of the stuff by hand. You will eventually win. 9 months the tank is still reletively new and still going through alot of changes.

Also, I have never heard of dosing epsom salt to raise magnesium. If I recall, epsom salt is magnesium sulfate. Not sure what the sulfate would do. Also, are you testing for magnesium? Never dose anything you are not testing for. You can through things out of whack real easy.

Brian

 

[d2mini]

Brian, that's exactly why I wouldn't want to start over. But that's pretty much what he was suggesting... starting over. So ya, I would have to go through the cycle again. Nope, don't want to do it!!!

I've done the epsom salt thing before. It's the homebrew way of upping your mag levels. And yes, I have a mag test kit.
Here's the website that figures out the dosage for you based on your current parameters and where you want to be. For magnesium it lets you choose epsom salts in the pull down menu.
'Reef Chemistry Calculator FV'

 

[bjohanson1234]

interesting learn something new every day:mrgreen:

 

[Bifferwine]

Do you have enough snails?