Cleaning my glass twice a day... something's wrong... right?

[nim6us]

I put off writing this because I can almost predict the answers. Any time there's a question of too much algae the answer is invariably, too high nutrients or too much light. But I don't think either is the problem here and I'm really out of theories. So why no open it up to the floor!

I've got a 2'x1'x1' bare bottom coral QT tank running a cannister filter, Nero 3, and AI Prime. It's been up roughly one year and two months. Thus far it's been a great little frag tank, I do 50% bi-weekly water changes and dose a little Tropic Marin All For Reef to keep stability. However just about two months ago I noticed the glass was getting covered every day. Previously I'd clean my glass once a week. Then in the past couple weeks it's got to the point where I'll clean the glass around lunch time and by the evening it needs cleaning again!

I know there are those who would say this is a good thing, and means the tank is thriving, but twice a day feels excessive. I've got a dozen snails in there but they can't clean fast enough. Anyone have an ideas?

Phos: 0.055ppm
Nitrate: 2ppm
Alk: 8.6
Cal: 440
Mag: 1320

Light schedule is 10 hours on gradual up then down with a 3 hour peak where PAR roughly 250 in the middle of the tank directly under the light.

 

[Jekyl]

Cleaning the canister filter every 3 days or so?

 

[lpsouth1978]

I know it is not what you want to hear, but algae need 2 things to grow and thrive, food (nutrients - NO3 and PO4), and Light. If there is excessive algae growth there IS either too many nutrients, too much light, or both. The other option is that you are dealing with dinos, often the result of too LOW nutrients.

 

[nim6us]

Actually.. now I feel dumb. I was just reviewing my tank log to see what changes I made and about 3 weeks ago I started dosing aminos. At the risk of seeing undue correlation could amino acids be my cause here?

And @Jekyl I clean the cannister monthy if that helps.

 

[dvgyfresh]

Actually.. now I feel dumb. I was just reviewing my tank log to see what changes I made and about 3 weeks ago I started dosing aminos. At the risk of seeing undue correlation could amino acids be my cause here?

And @Jekyl I clean the cannister monthy if that helps.

Sounds like amino acids are fueling algae growth but id clean the canister weekly otherwise it will continue to house nutrients for algae growth

 

[nim6us]

Okay that's good tip then, I hadn't considered upping my cannister filter maintence.

 

[dvgyfresh]

Definitely should, because every time you clean the glass you aren’t getting rid of the algae just suspending in water and will just come back unless you clean canister filter more often