Algae Blooms

[docscorals]

Hey everyone,

I have two 25 gallon frag tanks tied into one sump. I recently installed a Reef Breeders Meridian on one of the tanks (Tank 1) in an attempt to improve my par and par distribution (different thread on that) because I use this to grow out acro. The second tank (Tank 2) is used for other SPS frags and has an AI Hydra.

Tank 1 has been consistently plagued with brown algae blooms, but I had had no problems in Tank 2 of the same system. I don’t want to believe it is an issue with the light, but since they share the same water it is all I can figure at this point.

I have gone over every item I could think of, so I am turning to this community in hopes I missed something.

Here are some numbers:
Alkalinity 9.5 dkh
Calcium 492 (high I know, I think I accidentally dosed calcium instead of all one day)
Magnesium 1400
Nitrates 8.7
Phosphates .16 (pulling these down, I had a random spike a couple days ago). Historically my phosphates run .05 to .08

I run my nutrients in this range because I have seen better color, growth, and polyp extension.

The par in Tank 1 ranges from 259 at the edge to 450 in the middle with the Meridian.

Tank 2 with the AI Hydra Edge par ranges from 150 at the edge of the tank to about 250 in the middle.

Did I overlook something? Same water and nutrients in both tanks, the only difference is the light. Tank 1 has consistent algae blooms over the last three months, and nothing in Tank 2. Both are fully stocked with similar clean up crews.

 

[Dan_P]

Hey everyone,

I have two 25 gallon frag tanks tied into one sump. I recently installed a Reef Breeders Meridian on one of the tanks (Tank 1) in an attempt to improve my par and par distribution (different thread on that) because I use this to grow out acro. The second tank (Tank 2) is used for other SPS frags and has an AI Hydra.

Tank 1 has been consistently plagued with brown algae blooms, but I had had no problems in Tank 2 of the same system. I don’t want to believe it is an issue with the light, but since they share the same water it is all I can figure at this point.

I have gone over every item I could think of, so I am turning to this community in hopes I missed something.

Here are some numbers:
Alkalinity 9.5 dkh
Calcium 492 (high I know, I think I accidentally dosed calcium instead of all one day)
Magnesium 1400
Nitrates 8.7
Phosphates .16 (pulling these down, I had a random spike a couple days ago). Historically my phosphates run .05 to .08

I run my nutrients in this range because I have seen better color, growth, and polyp extension.

The par in Tank 1 ranges from 259 at the edge to 450 in the middle with the Meridian.

Tank 2 with the AI Hydra Edge par ranges from 150 at the edge of the tank to about 250 in the middle.

Did I overlook something? Same water and nutrients in both tanks, the only difference is the light. Tank 1 has consistent algae blooms over the last three months, and nothing in Tank 2. Both are fully stocked with similar clean up crews.

The higher light level could be the reason.

When you say brown algae blooms, what are you refering to?

 

[tzabor10]

Flow came to mind a a culprit

 

[docscorals]

Hey everyone,

I have two 25 gallon frag tanks tied into one sump. I recently installed a Reef Breeders Meridian on one of the tanks (Tank 1) in an attempt to improve my par and par distribution (different thread on that) because I use this to grow out acro. The second tank (Tank 2) is used for other SPS frags and has an AI Hydra.

Tank 1 has been consistently plagued with brown algae blooms, but I had had no problems in Tank 2 of the same system. I don’t want to believe it is an issue with the light, but since they share the same water it is all I can figure at this point.

I have gone over every item I could think of, so I am turning to this community in hopes I missed something.

Here are some numbers:
Alkalinity 9.5 dkh
Calcium 492 (high I know, I think I accidentally dosed calcium instead of all one day)
Magnesium 1400
Nitrates 8.7
Phosphates .16 (pulling these down, I had a random spike a couple days ago). Historically my phosphates run .05 to .08

I run my nutrients in this range because I have seen better color, growth, and polyp extension.

The par in Tank 1 ranges from 259 at the edge to 450 in the middle with the Meridian.

Tank 2 with the AI Hydra Edge par ranges from 150 at the edge of the tank to about 250 in the middle.

Did I overlook something? Same water and nutrients in both tanks, the only difference is the light. Tank 1 has consistent algae blooms over the last three months, and nothing in Tank 2. Both are fully stocked with similar clean up crews.

The higher light level could be the reason.

When you say brown algae blooms, what are you refering to?

Not 100% sure what kind of algae. Dark brown, likes to cover every surface, including snails, racks, and corals. But doesn’t really get on the glass. At first I thought dino, but this doesn’t react like any dino I know of or have dealt with in the past. It almost looks and acts like a really dark brown diatom (I am used to diatoms being a lighter brown color), but without getting on the glass.

I’ll try to post a picture of it tomorrow when the lights kick back on.

Any recommendations on the light level of that is it? I thought about reducing the white LEDs and going a heavier blue even if that slows growth. I know it won’t work 100%, but may reduce the growth.

 

[docscorals]

Flow came to mind a a culprit

I think I have really good flow. The tank is only 24x36 and 8 inches deep. I have 2 gyres on either side set to 100% and random flow to create some good turbulence. I don’t really see any detritus in the tank. Maybe I could attach a couple to the back at the bottom to create some back to front circulation underneath the flow the other two are creating. Worth a shot at least!

 

[Dan_P]

Not 100% sure what kind of algae. Dark brown, likes to cover every surface, including snails, racks, and corals. But doesn’t really get on the glass. At first I thought dino, but this doesn’t react like any dino I know of or have dealt with in the past. It almost looks and acts like a really dark brown diatom (I am used to diatoms being a lighter brown color), but without getting on the glass.

I’ll try to post a picture of it tomorrow when the lights kick back on.

Any recommendations on the light level of that is it? I thought about reducing the white LEDs and going a heavier blue even if that slows growth. I know it won’t work 100%, but may reduce the growth.

Can you just match the light of the other aquarium to make this a clean experiment?

 

[docscorals]

Not 100% sure what kind of algae. Dark brown, likes to cover every surface, including snails, racks, and corals. But doesn’t really get on the glass. At first I thought dino, but this doesn’t react like any dino I know of or have dealt with in the past. It almost looks and acts like a really dark brown diatom (I am used to diatoms being a lighter brown color), but without getting on the glass.

I’ll try to post a picture of it tomorrow when the lights kick back on.

Any recommendations on the light level of that is it? I thought about reducing the white LEDs and going a heavier blue even if that slows growth. I know it won’t work 100%, but may reduce the growth.

Can you just match the light of the other aquarium to make this a clean experiment?

So I did that, at least in terms of par. I lowered the tank down to 275 in the middle (the second tank on the system is at 250), and it still popped up. Again, only on this first tank. It is the oddest thing.

Here is a photo of the algae. I can blow it right off with a turkey baster. It only gets on the coral, the inverts, and horizontal surfaces. Not on the glass.

It was a little heavier, but I started blowing it off before I remembered I said I would upload a photo.

 

[docscorals]

Son additional photos. I have 1/4 inch layer of sand on the bottom to make it easier on the crabs. I removed the tacks to do a good scrub down and to move the corals to a different tank until I can figure this out. The first picture shows the build up on the sand in the first tank. The second picture shows the second tank on the same sump, which is spotless (for a reef system anyways).

The ReefBreeders light has a constant violet hue.