Dumb question....

[jambi]

I have always been under the impression that the blue "reef" lights do not make algae grow. Is this true or not? I have always had issues with green algae in my 14 nano cube. I only use 5 hours of white light a day--both the white light and the light blue light. I use 8 hours of reef light. This has to be my issue, right?

I am using Vibrant once a week and change 5 gallons of pacific Salt water every 3 weeks. Words of wisdom please!
Thanks!!

 

[jda]

Any type of light that can grow dinos in the coral will also grow algae. Any kind. If you starve the algae, you stave the coral too.

Your algae is growing because the conditions in your tank are ripe for it, not because of white lighting. This is especially common with today's methodology of dead/dry rock, bare bottom or dry sand... it just creates a perfect breeding ground for algae.

 

[jambi]

Any type of light that can grow dinos in the coral will also grow algae. Any kind. If you starve the algae, you stave the coral too.

Your algae is growing because the conditions in your tank are ripe for it, not because of white lighting. This is especially common with today's methodology of dead/dry rock, bare bottom or dry sand... it just creates a perfect breeding ground for algae.

So can you recommend a good amount of these three lights-per light? And by the way, I do use live rock and gravel. Also, I completely changed out all the water a month and a half ago to get rid of red bubble algae. It's gone now....

 

[jda]

Forget about the light. You are going to need some consumers. Ceriths, astreas, emerald crabs, urchins, etc. will all get the job done. You might need a good bit of them and just one or two. Check out reeftopia.com and pick out an algae cleaner pack. Ceriths are incredible in small places. Emerald crabs have always destroyed bubble algae for me.

 

[canadianeh]

Maybe increase your WC frequency instead of doing it every 3 weeks? Feed enough to what fish can eat right away. Do you have refugium?

 

[jambi]

Forget about the light. You are going to need some consumers. Ceriths, astreas, emerald crabs, urchins, etc. will all get the job done. You might need a good bit of them and just one or two. Check out reeftopia.com and pick out an algae cleaner pack. Ceriths are incredible in small places. Emerald crabs have always destroyed bubble algae for me.

I will try that then. Several of those I have never heard of. I do however have one emerald crab. I also have 3 or 4 hermit crabs and a snail. Not enough I guess. Thanks!

 

[jambi]

Maybe increase your WC frequency instead of doing it every 3 weeks? Feed enough to what fish can eat right away. Do you have refugium?

Really? OK, but it gets expensive. I have to order that Pacific water and shipping is tough at 5 gal each. Also I do not know what "refugium" is.....Hmmm..

 

[jda]

Ceriths and nerites will destroy film, slimy and real algae on the glass and rocks. Astreas are great all-around algae eaters, but do not seem to be as productive. If you have a lot of bubble algae, then you sometimes need several emerald crabs. Urchins are great, but they will also eat coralline algae and they can get a bit clumsy since they are larger.

Nassarius snails live in the sand and eat left over food - these do not eat algae. Avoid these for what you are trying to do. They can much on some detritus, but they cannot live on it for long. They really need to eat food to do really well, or have a few of them in a super large tank.

 

[canadianeh]

Really? OK, but it gets expensive. I have to order that Pacific water and shipping is tough at 5 gal each. Also I do not know what "refugium" is.....Hmmm..

where is your location? You have to order an actual saltwater from pacific ocean every 3 weeks? Can't you not make your own saltwater? Get some good salt and RODI unit and make your own salt water. How much water you change every 3 weeks?

Refugium is a place where you purposely grow macroalgae such as chaeto. So the idea is to focus the algae growing in refugium instead in the DT. You can use space in your sump if you have any, or you can do hang on back style refugium.

I would encourage you to read up more about saltwater hobby and watch videos on YouTube about refugium and other subjects related to keeping saltwater tank. BRS makes "beginner" videos that I personally find very helpful.

 

[jambi]

where is your location? You have to order an actual saltwater from pacific ocean every 3 weeks? Can't you not make your own saltwater? Get some good salt and RODI unit and make your own salt water. How much water you change every 3 weeks?

Refugium is a place where you purposely grow macroalgae such as chaeto. So the idea is to focus the algae growing in refugium instead in the DT. You can use space in your sump if you have any, or you can do hang on back style refugium.

I would encourage you to read up more about saltwater hobby and watch videos on YouTube about refugium and other subjects related to keeping saltwater tank. BRS makes "beginner" videos that I personally find very helpful.

So I buy this: . I have just had such good luck with it. I only have a 14 nano biocube. That's really all the room I have.

 

[Chibils]

If you can't mix your own saltwater for whatever reason, check with a local fish store. All the ones I've ever been to sell fresh mixed saltwater for $1 per gallon or less.

A cheaper long-term solution is to buy a" reverse osmosis deionization" unit (commonly known as an RO/DI - start here), which produces perfectly clean water. You hook it up to your water supply and turn it on, and it will filter the water. You then mix it with a commercial sea salt mixture (brands like Instant Ocean, Tropic Marin, Red Sea, etc - start here) and use it to do water changes.

Simply removing the waste that builds up in your aquarium (uneaten food, poop, etc.) by water change is the most straightforward and effective way to reduce algae growth. Those waste products break down into substances that algae feeds off of. It is by far more impactful than changing the color of your lights.

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Can you tell us more about your aquarium? What kind of equipment you use, how long it's been set up, what kind of fish or other animals you're keeping in it? There are no dumb questions here, we all have lots to learn about this hobby.

 

[jambi]

I actually have a RO/DI we just had installed, so I can get that myself for free. I suppose I should just man up and mix my own as you suggest. I can get Instant Ocean just up the street. I used to buy RO water and do it, but I just seemed to have less issues with the Pacific water. Still, I think you're right.

So I have been changing 5 gallons every 3 weeks. What might you suggest?

I have a 14 Bio cube. I have actually had it for maybe 7 years now. I really only wanted corals, but they suggested a few fish so I have 2 clowns. 4 years old now, I'd say. 3 or 4 hermit crabs, 1 Turban snail (they seem to die easily), 1 Emerald Crab, Live rock, sand (dolomite?), a bubble protein skimmer, and I recently replaced the hood with a new one with LED's in it.

I have a Hammer Coral, and the rest I am not sure of the names. I know one of the "stalks" is a Duncan, but maybe dead.

I welcome ANY advise. I do love this hobby. I am in North Carolina in Southport--on the coast.

 

[Chibils]

I hesitate to give you any advice inside the tank, since I've been tankless due to life circumstance for quite a while. The other info doesn't tend to age as fast. There are a lot of knowledgeable people on this board, who can probably help you better than me.