kmacc05 Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 I have been dealing with a type of algae that looks really close to the diatom bloom I had when the tank was newly setup. I have thought it might be dino or cyano. But it only seems to be right under where the main portion of lighting hits the sand bed. From what I have been reading, dinos and cyano will tend to spread. Correct me if I'm wrong on that (still new and trying to learn all I can before coming to the forums asking a question that has been asked several times) I have recently turned up the percentage on my AI SOL due to two sps pieces added to the system. And I have a longer actinic or night lighting period compared to others. My main question is, do moon lights and/or actinics cause algae to grow? I figured they are at such a low percentage compared to the rest of the lighting throughout the day, that they couldn't be reaching the sand bed for the algae to grow. I don't know, I may be totally off on how algae depends on light to grow, but I thought it was similar to PAR with corals. I'm sure the sand isn't being hit by any light if much at all. So, is my day time lighting schedule too long? Or, should I only have my actinics and moon lights on for an hour or two instead of 4-5? Day time lights start at 9:30am and ramp up over two hours to 75% white, blue and royal blue, and stay there until 7:30pm with a 90min ramp down period to 10% blue and 15% royal blue for actinics. Actinic stays on until 11pm. Then royal blue goes to 10% until 3am for moon light and at 3am lights shut off for complete dark. Thanks in advance and sorry if this has been covered several times in the past. I try and do all the research I can before coming here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juiceman Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 I'm thinking there's excess nutrients in play here more than your lighting schedule. Have you been siphoning out what's on your substrate each day? Is there any food settling near there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+brian.srock Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 I agree with Juiceman, the antinics/moon lights are just supplimental and will not affect algea growth. How long has your tank been up? Fully stocked CUC? Filter Media? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmacc05 Posted November 27, 2012 Author Share Posted November 27, 2012 No food settling that I can see. I only feed once every two days and I make sure to feed in very small amounts so all food in consumed in a short period. And what falls to the bottom usually gets snagged by the goby. I have siphoned out twice and just disposed of the sand since not much comes out. But when I look at it, it is exactly within the parameter of light spread. Since I only have one AI SOL mounted in the center of a 55g it is easy to see where the light hits and where it doesn't. Everything else is thriving in the tank so that only leads me to believe it could be because of the light since it is only where the light seems to hit. I only have test kits for nitrite, calcium and alkalinity. So if nitrate and/or ph is not where it should be, that could be a reason for the algae? But then again, wouldn't it spread? Any other ideas to what could be causing it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmacc05 Posted November 27, 2012 Author Share Posted November 27, 2012 (edited) I agree with Juiceman, the antinics/moon lights are just supplimental and will not affect algea growth. How long has your tank been up? Fully stocked CUC? Filter Media? I didn't think the actinics/moon lights would cause it. But just threw that out there since I keep mine on longer than most people I have talked to. Tanks has been setup for about 2 months after cycling period. CUC consists of, 5 turbos, 1 emerald, 6 hermits, 1 cleaner shrimp and 2 peppermint shrimps. Not sure if the shrimps do anything for CUC? As for filtration, HOB skimmer/refugium rated up to 90 gallons made by CPR. In last section of fuge just before gravity return is a ball of chaeto and 1 bag of chemipure. For flow, 1 mp10 and 1 korlia 450 gph. Edit: I have also added a 40 watt clip on light for the chaeto to grow in the fuge and it stays on about 12 hours a day. Not sure if that has anything to do with it. Edited November 27, 2012 by kmacc05 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juiceman Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 Are you running any carbon? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmacc05 Posted November 27, 2012 Author Share Posted November 27, 2012 I was told the bag of chemipure had carbon along with another resin that will do the same thing as carbon along with other filtration? Was told carbon is mainly ran as a water polisher and the chemipure will help more... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 Technically speaking any increase in light has the potential of increasing algae growth but I'm with the others and would look at other possibilities. Keep in mind even after the various algae cycles that occur in the first 6,8 or 12 months a tank is maturing those algaes don not die off completely and changes in environmental conditions can cause one or more to reappear. I'm under the impression Boyd's Chemipure has carbon in it also. I've opened the bags and it looks like a mix of carbon and ion exchange beads to pull out a wide range of polutants from the water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmacc05 Posted November 27, 2012 Author Share Posted November 27, 2012 If I were to put bio balls or some other source of biological filtration into the flow of the HOB fuge, would that help with any excess nutrients I may be dealing with? And how can I test for these nutrients? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmacc05 Posted November 27, 2012 Author Share Posted November 27, 2012 Technically speaking any increase in light has the potential of increasing algae growth but I'm with the others and would look at other possibilities. Keep in mind even after the various algae cycles that occur in the first 6,8 or 12 months a tank is maturing those algaes don not die off completely and changes in environmental conditions can cause one or more to reappear. I'm under the impression Boyd's Chemipure has carbon in it also. I've opened the bags and it looks like a mix of carbon and ion exchange beads to pull out a wide range of polutants from the water. Does this mean that multiple diatom blooms during the first year of the tank's life would be normal? I know it takes a while for the tank to mature. During my first diatom bloom, the stuff grew everywhere like mad. Now this stuff is only growing on the sand and within the area that is hit by light. So I am confused to what it is and how to deal with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+brian.srock Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 Is your chaeto growing nicely or is it looking small and breaking apart easily? When my algea was a problem the chaeto couldn't compete with the other algae present so slowly started dying off. A lot of the broken pieces got caught in my return pump filter and helped clog detritus even more. I vodka dose my system and it's a very cheap and effective way of doing it for me. You can try that as it's only $13 a bottle One other thing that I just recently started on advise from DerrickH was start a reverse algae scrubber in place of chaeto. I've only had the scrubber up 2 weeks though so far so can't endore it 100% just yet but it makes sense and is very cheap to put together. I'm usually free during my lunch time if you want me to swing by and take a look at everything if your not too far up north. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmacc05 Posted November 27, 2012 Author Share Posted November 27, 2012 Im at lakecreek and 183 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+brian.srock Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 I can swing by tomorrow at 1 if your available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmacc05 Posted November 27, 2012 Author Share Posted November 27, 2012 That should be fine. Let me talk to my girlfriend and make sure there wont be any suprise plans made. Ill pm you my address Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerrickH Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 Sounds like dino to me, its been rampant in the last 3 months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmacc05 Posted November 27, 2012 Author Share Posted November 27, 2012 I hope I can get it under control. It looks nasty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmacc05 Posted November 28, 2012 Author Share Posted November 28, 2012 I can swing by tomorrow at 1 if your available. Sent pm with address. Im off today so Im around all day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 . . . Keep in mind even after the various algae cycles that occur in the first 6,8 or 12 months a tank is maturing those algaes don not die off completely and changes in environmental conditions can cause one or more to reappear. . . . . . . Does this mean that multiple diatom blooms during the first year of the tank's life would be normal? I know it takes a while for the tank to mature. . . . I would not consider it normal to happen in one of my tanks. But if there are some corals that die or a fish that dies that can trigger it. One instance I had happen to me was a tank that got warm when the AC failed. The tank had been very stable for a couple of years with nothing added and it did not get over 88 degrees. We only lost part of a Sinularia spp brown finger colony but it was enough to trigger an outbreak that worked it's way through just like the tank was maturing. What I would do if it was my tank would be increase water changes and syphon it off weekly and rinse out the sand in fresh water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+brian.srock Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 Swung by during lunch and took a look at his tank. Skimmer cup tube was pretty bad so we got that squared away and ro/di water is 40 ppm. Other than that everything was clean so hopefully it dies off soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmacc05 Posted November 29, 2012 Author Share Posted November 29, 2012 Thanks for stopping by. I will keep an eye on that skimmer cup and test the ro water from AT. It hasnt come back like it was the other day so hopefully it has passed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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