Algae bloom help.

[RBarth]

Hey there. I've had a never ending algae bloom for about 3 months. Tank is 3 years old. Of course I've had blooms over the years but this just doesn't seem to ever go away. Let me say this isn't some emergency situation. Algae covers the glass a few hours after cleaning and covers sandbed about a day after water changes. I tried waiting it out for about 2 months but it continues. Can't keep my Nitrate/Phosphate levels stable because the algae continues to feed off my N/P so I'm dosing them to not zero out. Try to keep them around 10/.05. Suggestions?

 

[TX_REEF]

have you considered an algae turf scrubber? I run one on my system and it grows a thick mat of turf algae weekly, with next to nothing growing in the display.

 

[RBarth]

I have but it's a 65g AIO and would have to drop the UV to have room for it. Forgot to mention that the UV seems to have zero effect.

 

[TX_REEF]

then perhaps it's time to replace the UV with a bigger one, or drop it and try something new!

 

[RBarth]

Lol. U right about that! Just now looking into those Santa Monica scrubbers.

 

[TX_REEF]

Yes! Check out the upflow units, affordable and low profile.

 

[Lavey29]

Hey there. I've had a never ending algae bloom for about 3 months. Tank is 3 years old. Of course I've had blooms over the years but this just doesn't seem to ever go away. Let me say this isn't some emergency situation. Algae covers the glass a few hours after cleaning and covers sandbed about a day after water changes. I tried waiting it out for about 2 months but it continues. Can't keep my Nitrate/Phosphate levels stable because the algae continues to feed off my N/P so I'm dosing them to not zero out. Try to keep them around 10/.05. Suggestions?

Can you post pics of the tank algae

 

[RBarth]

I can...tomorrow. Cleaned the glass about an hour ago. It's basically just a light dusting. Again, my corals are thriving. It's just a me problem lol. Let me see if I can get a decent pic of some on the substrate. Sometimes it's brown, sometimes it's green.

 

[RBarth]

Glass was literally cleaned 1.5 hours ago. U can see it via the reflection.

 

[Dan_P]

Hey there. I've had a never ending algae bloom for about 3 months. Tank is 3 years old. Of course I've had blooms over the years but this just doesn't seem to ever go away. Let me say this isn't some emergency situation. Algae covers the glass a few hours after cleaning and covers sandbed about a day after water changes. I tried waiting it out for about 2 months but it continues. Can't keep my Nitrate/Phosphate levels stable because the algae continues to feed off my N/P so I'm dosing them to not zero out. Try to keep them around 10/.05. Suggestions?

Sounds like a phytoplankton bloom. Seems unusual for an older system. What are adding to the aquarium that might be feeding this organism?

 

[TX_REEF]

I'm gonna be honest - I don't see anything wrong there :grinning-squinting-face:

 

[RBarth]

Lol. I hear ya but never had a tank that requires glass cleaning twice a day for over 3 months. Again, I'm not beating my head in the wall over it and corals could care less.

 

[RBarth]

Sounds like a phytoplankton bloom. Seems unusual for an older system. What are adding to the aquarium that might be feeding this organism?

Honestly not sure. I did a substrate change just this week because I wanted something different AND with the hopes of stopping it but it didn't miss a beat.

 

[Lavey29]

Lol. I hear ya but never had a tank that requires glass cleaning twice a day for over 3 months. Again, I'm not beating my head in the wall over it and corals could care less.

I would check your RODI filters. You might be getting silicate into the tank and a dusting of diatoms.

 

[RBarth]

Changed all those out a month ago cuz I thought that was the problem. Haven't tried taking the lights down yet nor have I used any bottled mess cuz again the corals are happy.

 

[RBarth]

I think outside of the annoyance of glass cleaning the thing I don't like is not being able to keep my N/P stable.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Phyto or film algae and I would verify your phosphate level and also is this tank at or near a window? Film algae forms when there is organics and sufficient light or bright light in many cases. Often lack of flow in the tank will allow it to gain growth on the glass

 

[RBarth]

Not a window issue, they are pretty much blacked out. Flow is about as high as I can take it for my corals. Cut the lights down for a bit?

 

[Lavey29]

Changed all those out a month ago cuz I thought that was the problem. Haven't tried taking the lights down yet nor have I used any bottled mess cuz again the corals are happy.

Have you had your RODI checked for silicate. And just to know, my glass gets dusty about every 4 or 5 days. Most reefers clean glass daily or every other day.

 

[RBarth]

I did buy a silicate test kit. Read 0. Even bought a spectapure silicate buster filter for my RODI. 4-5 days had always been my norm but this twice a day stuff is for the birds.