Another big algea problem

[Dal]

Hi all

I hope you can help! basically I have a very bad algae bloom:mad:

I think I know the cause as a month ago I upgraded from T8's to 3x150w 10k halides and then this algae bloom started, my question is how to get rid of it, its driving me up the wall.

My tank is a 4ft bow front around 230ltrs and has been running 3 years this Christmas, I have no sump or refugium, I have around 60kg of fiji live rock, a turbo floater 1000 running 24/7, a large phosphate reactor with rowa phos, and alot of circulation. This has worked very well for me until I put the halides on.

All my paras are fine, Ammonia-0, Nitrite-0, nitrate-0.3, phosphate-0,calcium-around 380, and S.G-1.026 before top up and P.H is 8.3.
The halides were on for 8 hours a day and ive now cut it down to 7 hours to try to stop this.
My stock level is 3x clowns,six line wrasse and a royal gramma. My fish stock is low as 2 months ago I lost 2 tangs and havent replaced them as of yet prob gonna wait till i move (less fish to move)
All my corals are softies and are not very happy I'm very worried.
Inverts are a few micro blue hermits,2 large red legs,around 10 turbos,many cerith and vibex snails,a sand siffting star fish,2x boxer shrimps,1 cleaner and 1 blood shrimp. I think I need more hermits cue reefcritter:D but will this solve the problem???

I have syphoned this algea of substrate and rocks and corals and done a few water changes but it just keeps coming back. Ive tried leaving it for a week but that was a mistake as my tree polyp colony has got a fair bit smaller:( also I have to clean the glass every other day now.

I hope this can be sorted or I might go back to T8's until we move house in feb 07 and save them for the upgrade tank.

hope someone can help
Thanks in advance
Dal

[Kev]

Any chance you could a couple of pics of your system up on the board?

Kev

[Tangman]

Hi Dal. It looks like that your halides may have caused this algae, as having swopped from T8s to halides especially 10 k ones they have cause the algae. I had 10 k lamps in my halides and could not get rid of algae and i was told to swop to 20k as they have more blue in and it did the trick so i would try some different lamps in.:) HTH. Eric

[Dal]

Just taken sorry its with my phone best I can do cheers Kev
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c243/driftingdal/14102006005.jpg
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c243/driftingdal/14102006006.jpg
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c243/driftingdal/14102006007.jpg
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c243/driftingdal/14102006008.jpg

[Dal]

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c243/driftingdal/14102006009.jpg
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c243/driftingdal/14102006010.jpg

comparing this to my sig pic is rather depressing:( :eek:

[berns]

i imagine with such an increase in lighting you may have slime algea, are there lots bubble within algea?

when i changed up like yourself i had the extreme red slime/bubbles but i have a fuge that cheato was only recently added, but once cheato got hold and grew quick my slime algea starved and dissapeared, this all took 3 months.

in your case i think things may take alittle longer because there is nothing to compete with the extra food source (light is nurishment to algea), like all major changes to our boxed systems something will make use of of it straight away and in the case of extra light its always algea but algeas nearly always burn themselves out if its just extra light and not more nitrates/phosphates that have increased etc so time will be the better of it, you can speed this process up if its possible to add a fuge or similar and grow some macro algea such as cheato to compete or if not then stuff some clumps of the stuff behind your rockwork if possible

[Dal]

Hi Dal. It looks like that your halides may have caused this algae, as having swopped from T8s to halides especially 10 k ones they have cause the algae. I had 10 k lamps in my halides and could not get rid of algae and i was told to swop to 20k as they have more blue in and it did the trick so i would try some different lamps in.:) HTH. Eric

Noooooooo I was hoping you didnt say that I just spent £90 for three good price but not for a glass door stop:rolleyes:

Oh well needs must I suppose Thanks Tangman:)

[Dal]

Thanks berns ill try that first me thinks. Im waitig for some glass to be cut so i can make a refugium on with the build:D
cheers guys

[berns]

to help slow the algea growth raise your halides up another 12" so as tank not receiving such intence increase to start and slowly lower halides over following months

just curious as i see soft corals only why have gone for a triple 150w unit cause this is massive overkill for a 230 ltr tank

[Kev]

Hi Dal

I bet that system looks pretty good when the algae is under control, and you will beat it.

I don't think I can add anything more to what Tangman and Berns have said.

I personally would keep feeding to the minimum, continue with partial water changes, and cut the lighting back to 4 hours a day for the next week. Starve the stuff.

Lets see some more pics when you beat it, and I will open a beer to celebrate. :D Some good water movement in there looking at the surface.

Kev

[Dal]

to help slow the algea growth raise your halides up another 12" so as tank not receiving such intence increase to start and slowly lower halides over following months

just curious as i see soft corals only why have gone for a triple 150w unit cause this is massive overkill for a 230 ltr tank

They are already as high as they will go from the surface around 20" away as I knew when I bought them they were too much, but They were so cheap, I dont think he knew wot he had:D
I went for these with my upgrade in mind, but just wanted to try them out,


Hi Dal

I bet that system looks pretty good when the algae is under control, and you will beat it.

I don't think I can add anything more to what Tangman and Berns have said.

I personally would keep feeding to the minimum, continue with partial water changes, and cut the lighting back to 4 hours a day for the next week. Starve the stuff.

Lets see some more pics when you beat it, and I will open a beer to celebrate. :D Some good water movement in there looking at the surface.

Kev

I have cut my feeding to every other day when it started, and I will cut it down to 4 hours(that will save me a bit of elecky)
and i will have many beers sressing about this:D

Thanks for all your comments and help everyone I will let you know hopefully soon

Dal

[Kev]

good luck

Kev

[GIBBO]

AGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH Same has happened to me:( Going to see Chris at Marine Tech for advice.Anyone had same problems?

[pavlo]

I think that it is just one of those things you have to go through when you upgrade your lighting. Your parameters seem excellent so I am sure that all you need to do is keep up with the water changes and it should sort itself.

btw, I see that you are just up the road from me, I live in Strood, if you ever want any frags feel free to get in touch

Cheers

Paul

[Electric Monk]

btw, I see that you are just up the road from me, I live in Strood, if you ever want any frags feel free to get in touch

Cheers

Paul

You know what, the post above sums up the reason it's so nice to be on the forum :)

[GIBBO]

True Electric Monk:) Pity Pavlo does not live in Hull:D

[Tangman]

You know what, the post above sums up the reason it's so nice to be on the forum :)

To true EM thats what we aim to do on here, there is so much aggro and greed in the world and its nice to have a piece of heaven on here. :) Eric