Green algae out of control

[crgianotti]

I am relatively new to reef/marine tank hobby. Problem: I have a lot of green, stringy algae that I don't know how to get rid of. Specs are as follows: 35 gal tank, protein skimmer (hang on the back), trickle filter (hang on the back with activated carbon and bacteria wheels), 25 lbs live rock, one clown fish (Nemo), temp 78-80 degress, nitrate tests at close to zero, sp. gravity is .0020 approx. Compact high intensity lamps, one 10k white, one actinic blue. I must admit my 10% weekly water changes are more like 20% every other week. I use tap water (unfiltered) for both water changes and evaporation replacement. I may have been overfeeding early on, but have changed in the last 3-4 weeks.

I have a colony of Red sea xenia (?) that is flourishing, one neon green candy cane coral. In addition, there quite a few polyps (I believe) that look like grass when they are out, quite nice, but put in at night.

I had a couple of polyps and one other fish (pygmie angel) as well, but they died when I accidentally allowed the tank to over heat--just after I got the high intensity lamps in July(ooops, didn't realize they produced such heat). Protein skimmer was added July 5 (at that time I removed the trickle filter), but then red algae started to cover the substrate, and junk started collecting on surface as well as green algae began to grow. I put the trick filter back in about 2.5 weeks ago, red algae has subsided, but green algae is hard to keep up with.

I keep the lights on for about 12-14 hours.

My problem is the green algae and the accumulation of scum on the inside of the glass. Can any one give me some advice? I would be forever grateful.

Chuck

[lossman]

I am a relative newbie too but I sure do know you should not use tap water in a reef tank! Your problems probably stem from the tap water, over feeding, bacteria wheels, the over heating incident, the fact that you did not add a skimmer until recently and the fact that your tank is young. How long ago did you set your tank up?

[lossman]

btw, I don't know how to make that fancy Welcome to Reef Central thingie......but welcome!! Now that you have found this place, your tank will improve. :)

[reefwick]

It's your tap water hands down. At least the main problem definitely comes from that. If you don't have an ro/di unit and you can afford it buy one. One of the best things you will ever purchase for your tank. If that is not something you can swing right now buy distilled water from the store (steam distilled) use it for everything. Also another thing your salinity should be at 1.023-1.026. I keep mine at 1.026.

Also do you have a clean-up crew? if not get a variety 3 or 4 turbos, 10 ceriths, 10 astreas might want to stay away from crabs but that's your call. Looks like you need to do a little more research anyways. Good luck, welcome and post back if you have any further ?'s

[horkn]

yep, i blame the tap water in your case. but then theres cases like mine, where i have not used a drop of tap water in my tank since inception (over a year now), and i have a slight bryopsis problem. but i assume if i had a refugium with macro in it i wouldnt have had an issue.
now i am getting a sea hare to eat my algae. then after a few weeks, i will sell it to the next reefer that needs it...

[ihavfishues]

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a76/ginavail/welcome.gif

Someone had to do it... WELCOME!!!

I am struggling with green hair algae, too... as well as cyano... my tank is about 2 mos. old now... I started with tap water because the dingbats at the lfs told me that would be fine... of course, they also recommended I use and undergravel filter!!!:fun5:

hoping it will all cycle out!

[ihavfishues]

one other thing... one of our more reputible LFSs sells ro/di water. Don't know how much it is, but I saw a lady buying some the other day... I'm probably going to look into that this week. I have spent so much on my tank, my husband would flip if I mentioned dropping the $$$ for a ro/di unit right now! :lol:

I'm using distilled for now. Good luck!!

[lossman]

You can also purchase distilled water at your local grocery store or Sam's Club sells it by the case. Make sure it's distilled water and not drinking water.....there is a difference. :)

[crgianotti]

Wow, thanks for the response everybody. I didn't realize this was such an active forum. Sounds unanimous that the tap water is the problem. I'll get on it. I converted to salt water back in March (or there abouts), then added live rock in May.

Thanks for the all the help, folks.

Chuck

[stacerbean]

A very effective, but not so expense ro/di unit can be found at ebay. Just look for filterdirect. I'm using their unit and continue to have zero tds(total disolved solids).

[shinna]

Try knocking the lights off a bit earlier - 12-14 hrs to may 7-8 hrs for now. Get a good clean up crew working & see how it goes. The water situation - like everyone else has said- maybe needs looking at

[cshenderson]

FWIW, everyone battles algae. Since your source water is suspect at this point, RO water will go a long way in preventing Algae on the scale that you are seeing. However, for the sake of accuracy, it is important to know that RO is not a silver bullet. You will still have, and continue to get, algae. Just keep reading the posts around here and in the expert forums on chemistry and such and you will begin to get a good understanding of what makes algae tick and the methods you can employ to cut off the supply of nutrients that your water is providing. Algae is a symptom, nutrients are the source. Treat the source, eliminate the symptom.

[lossman]

cshenderson is right on the mark!! Our tank is about 7 months old now and we have been seeing one algae bloom after another.....brown, green and red. It's just part of the normal cycling process. Don't overly stress about it but do whatever you can to help ease the cycle. :)

[crgianotti]

Thanks. You guys are great. I'm down, but not broken. And on the way up.