Punchanello
Well-Known Member
I wanted to share my experience dealing with severe water clarity issues and water borne algae.
I started cycling my tank in March 2018. I ran it without a skimmer and once cycled I added a clown, Blenny and Watanabe Angel of the course of about two months. Unfortunately there was a long delay getting the skimmer in to the country which I think was a factor in what happened. I did large, regular water changes while I waited for it.
By the end of May, my tank looked like this -
Water parameters were good but no matter what I did the green wouldn't budge. Water changes provided some relief but within 24 hours I was back where I started. I tried lights out, when the skimmer came in aggressive skimming, all types of mechanical filtration and out competing it with macro-algae. Nothing - for two whole months.
I asked everyone I new and researched what was around. I have been told regularly that people have never seen anything like it.
My theory is, that this was a phytoplankton bloom that was fed initially by excess nutrients because of the extended time without a skimmer. Then, it reached a critical mass that meant it was reproducing quicker than I could export it via water changes and skimming, and was fed by it's own die off in a never ending cycle.
Last Saturday the solution arrived. A cheap 24 watt UV sterilizer. I plumbed it in and saw an immediate (like an hour in) improvement. Last night, it looked like this at the same time of day as I took the the original photo -
Still a little cloudy, but I can see my fish and corals again! I can't express what a relief this was.
I didn't plan on a UV skimmer, certainly not for ich control (I quarantine) and likely will rarely use it unless I am having bacterial or water borne algae issues. But if any local reefers have any similar issues I'll recommend giving UV a try and lending it to them.
I took this photo also last night -
I started cycling my tank in March 2018. I ran it without a skimmer and once cycled I added a clown, Blenny and Watanabe Angel of the course of about two months. Unfortunately there was a long delay getting the skimmer in to the country which I think was a factor in what happened. I did large, regular water changes while I waited for it.
By the end of May, my tank looked like this -
Water parameters were good but no matter what I did the green wouldn't budge. Water changes provided some relief but within 24 hours I was back where I started. I tried lights out, when the skimmer came in aggressive skimming, all types of mechanical filtration and out competing it with macro-algae. Nothing - for two whole months.
I asked everyone I new and researched what was around. I have been told regularly that people have never seen anything like it.
My theory is, that this was a phytoplankton bloom that was fed initially by excess nutrients because of the extended time without a skimmer. Then, it reached a critical mass that meant it was reproducing quicker than I could export it via water changes and skimming, and was fed by it's own die off in a never ending cycle.
Last Saturday the solution arrived. A cheap 24 watt UV sterilizer. I plumbed it in and saw an immediate (like an hour in) improvement. Last night, it looked like this at the same time of day as I took the the original photo -
Still a little cloudy, but I can see my fish and corals again! I can't express what a relief this was.
I didn't plan on a UV skimmer, certainly not for ich control (I quarantine) and likely will rarely use it unless I am having bacterial or water borne algae issues. But if any local reefers have any similar issues I'll recommend giving UV a try and lending it to them.
I took this photo also last night -
