Ok I need help. So I have a new 75 gallon reef that has been set up for maybe a little less then a month and I'm having a TERRIABLE break out of algae. This algae is film algae and I need to scrap my glass every 10 mins. I also have a breakout of bubble algae. My water is perfect though and idk what's wrong
Algae Problem (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter KatieG
- Start date
Myclang
BOOM BOOM
If you're running your lights, I would recommend keeping them off. I would imagine if your tank has only been set up for a month, you're probably still cycling the tank, or now that you said the water is perfect it's probably just finished cycling. Have you noticed any nitrate spikes in the past week or so? This would indicate a cycle. The algae and bacteria feeds off the nitrates and will die off as the tank matures. Nothing to really worry about and you will see these blooms on and off for the first 6 months or so, until your tank settles in.
Adding a clean up crew of snails/ crabs will remove it, but it's only going to be hiding the issue at hand.
Adding a clean up crew of snails/ crabs will remove it, but it's only going to be hiding the issue at hand.
Myclang
BOOM BOOM
That's pretty high... I would look into a chiller soon, or if you have a sump try a small fan to help cool the water a bit. If your tank raises a couple more degrees and you have coral or fish, you're going to have some major problems on your hands.
brandonbaker321
Senior Member
You do not need a chiller, especially now in the winter. What you do need is a more accurate heater, possibly one with a controller. If you are still having issues with temperature in the summer, and you lack AC, then look into a chiller. The fan is not a bad idea in the meantime though.
I keep a 75g with 500w of MH and need no chiller at anytime.
Myclang
BOOM BOOM
Controller would be the best start at this point.
A 2 degree fluctuation is not necessarily bad if it is regular. I've been running for over a year with a daily 2 degree swing and using Apex seasonal temps and am getting great coral growth. Theory is that daily temp swings do exist on the reef and if your inhabitants are use to small swings they will be more tolerant of unexpected large ones.
The Apex regional temps vary from 75.0-80.5, changing slowly with the season. I use those for my low end temp. The tank is at this temp at night after it cools down from the lights. During the day I let the lights heat it up to 2 degrees above the night temp before the fans kick on. I then have an added safety that shuts down the lights at 3 degrees above the night temp.
Believe me I was very nervous following this the first year cycle, but it has worked well so I am sticking with it. I like the idea of better emulating nature.
The Apex regional temps vary from 75.0-80.5, changing slowly with the season. I use those for my low end temp. The tank is at this temp at night after it cools down from the lights. During the day I let the lights heat it up to 2 degrees above the night temp before the fans kick on. I then have an added safety that shuts down the lights at 3 degrees above the night temp.
Believe me I was very nervous following this the first year cycle, but it has worked well so I am sticking with it. I like the idea of better emulating nature.
brandonbaker321
Senior Member
I would turn your lights off for extended periods of time providing there are no tank inhabitants.
When my tank went through its cycle, I would leave the lighs off and actually take out pieces of LR and scrub them, rinsing afterward with RO water. That actually helped quite a bit, not sure if it is recommended but it worked for me.
The next thing I did was buy a yellow tang, they are awesome algae eaters. After putting him in the tank the algae was gone within days, it was great! I have had issues since as a lot of people will but hopefully this will help you get it under control a bit. Large water changes will help as well.
Myclang
BOOM BOOM
I wouldn't recommend scrubbing the live rock. The live rock is finally developing live bacteria, which in turn filters the water organically. taking the rock out, scrubbing it, etc will kill off any little bacteria, you've started to grow on it.
It'll die off in time. This is just part of the process of a new tank.
It'll die off in time. This is just part of the process of a new tank.
brandonbaker321
Senior Member
That is what I thought. Did not think it was "recommended", but its unsightly appearance was enough to get me to do it and it worked out just fine
Myclang
BOOM BOOM
I suppose it depends on when you did it. If your tank was set up for a while then removing some at time won't hurt the tank too much. With this being right after her tank cycling, it could do more harm than good and cause the tank to go back into a whole new cycle. bacteria blooms are a PIA! Definately the hardest part of setting up any tank. :grr:
Film algae is common in new tanks and often goes away once things stabilize. Things that affect algae are.
Light: amount of time on, and age/quality of the bulbs
Nutrients: amount of feeding and bio load vs. your tanks capacity to process waste.
TDS: dissolved solids in your RO water can enable algae growth. (I can tell when my DI cartridge is getting old by the increases algae in the tank)
CUC: having enough of the right kinds of clean up crew to handle algae.
Light: amount of time on, and age/quality of the bulbs
Nutrients: amount of feeding and bio load vs. your tanks capacity to process waste.
TDS: dissolved solids in your RO water can enable algae growth. (I can tell when my DI cartridge is getting old by the increases algae in the tank)
CUC: having enough of the right kinds of clean up crew to handle algae.
wildflower
Senior Member
I agree with Ben. And, make sure to do your water changes.....
liono
Senior Member
Why are you running halides if the tank is in cycling phase for only a month? Mh lighting is for Lps or sps corals. I would cut off the MH lights completely and get cheap led night lights. After your tank cycles and 6+ months or more from now turn on halides when you have corals. I would not recommend sps corals in new tanks.
the tank is cycling, its only been a month... your gunna have algae blooms throughout the cycle specially if your running the lights.
typical cycle period with no bacterial additives is around 3 months, try some special blend by microbe lift.
typical cycle period with no bacterial additives is around 3 months, try some special blend by microbe lift.