Green Algea question

imdaring

love my reef
I have a huge Green algea problem???? Would my lighting in my sump be the problem?? right now I have just a reg GE energy smart 6500K day light, do you think this is what is causing the problem?? Advice PLEASE!! I just bought 5 turbo snails because I only had 1 left but they still can't keep up
 
Well I run the same light under my sump. If the algae is in the sump I wouldn't worrie. But if it's in the main tank that's different.

How long as the tank been up and running??
 
Humm...You shouldn't have excess algae issue's. Did this just recently come on?? Or have you been battling it?? Do you have a skimmer running??
 
just came on about a month ago, skimmer is running I was having water problems with my nitrates, cal, KH being to high so I was doing water chages every day till that came down cal is still running at 520, do you think its cycling again?
 
Yes most likely it is. If your Calcium is at 520, man that's good!!

You want to shoot for these numbers if your planning on SPS

Calk 450--550
Alk 9-11 DKH
Mag 1300--1400
Salinity 1.025--1.026 or 35 ppt

Oceanic salt when made up is at 580 in Calk. Your ok on the Calk levels. WHere is the Alk and Mag at thou? You have to have all three of them close to there params and then they'll become stable.

Too many water changes to often or 1 that's to big will cause a cycle. Or if you add new LR that has corals on it. Too much to fast can cause a cycle too.
 
The algae is probably due to excessive nitrates and/or phosphates.
But even when you get those under control,it can still be hard to get rid of the algae.As it dies,it releases all the nutrients its stored up,which just feeds more algae growth.
 
I'll bet you got high phosphates.I'd recommend running some GFO like Phos-Ban or Rowa-Phos.
It'd also be a good idea to get a better skimmer.
 
2. Skimmer's to avoid:
Anything by RedSea
Anything by Corallife
Anything by Seaclone
Anything that the LFS sells ( most likely )
Most that is a HOB (Hangs On the Back)

3. Skimmer's that really do work, but cost a lot. Which is why most LFS don't carry them.

ASM
Deltec
Octopuss
Euro Reef
Pasific coast
MSX
Tunze
E.T.S.S Protein
Precision Marine
Warner Marine

This is all JMHO on the topic. Most of the LFS don't carry the better skimmer's that work because they cost to much. Trying to get a new-bi to spend $300 or more on a pice of equiment is hard to do. After chuncking so much out for the tank, light's and other stuff, most would become detered from the hobby. That doesn't mean the cheap junk don't work at all. To some point it might. After you spend countless hours tinkering around with it, it might. Will it properly work??? Not IMO unless the tank is like a Nano. Nano= under 20 gallons and hardly no Boi-load.

By the time you spend $100 on it, and then it doesn't really work, or cause's a flood and then you have to find something else, you could have bought a good skimmer. Save $100, countless hours, Fusteration, and a flood, and get the better one. And when picking one out, if it "claims" to do 100 gallons, go for one that "claims" to do 200 gallons. They market them about half of what they can handle.

Not trying to be rude. Just trying to help.
 
SeaClone skimmers don't work on anything larger than 30 gallons. They are way overrated, and they pretty much suck.

Most skimmers are rated for twice their actual capacity. So you want to look for a skimmer rated larger than your tank. The most affordable brand on the market today is Octopus. They work great.

It's not lighting that's causing your algae problems, it's phosphates and nitrates. Getting a better skimmer will help big time.
 
Back
Top