algea bloom

DylanE · #1 03/14/2007, 11:15 PM

alright, so i need a little help... i have a reasonably bad algea bloom, and i dont know why. all water parameters are normal and i am running phosban and activated carbon, but everytime i remove some, by the time i get home from school its just as bad! Dont have a camera, but the algea is kinda weird looking, looks like fern leaves almost. anyone have any idea what im doing wrong? i top off with r/o water so i know thats not it at least...

xbambamx · #2 03/14/2007, 11:20 PM

over feeding? Over populated? my point is maybe its excess nutrients.. how often are you feeding?

DylanE · #3 03/14/2007, 11:22 PM

right now i got in a sixline and an algea blenny, plus a cleaner shrimp and a peppermint. i feed two or three pellets of formula one and two for the sixline, and usually whatever he misses the shrimp are all over.

xbambamx · #4 03/14/2007, 11:23 PM

everyday?

DylanE · #5 03/14/2007, 11:28 PM

yeah... i read that you should feed a sixline up to twice a day so i figured a that once a day would be okay... too much?

xbambamx · #6 03/14/2007, 11:45 PM

Well i have a sixline, i feed every three days.. and I've had him for a little over four months.. its a personal preference I guess. But i prefer to be on the safe side.. smaller tanks are so much harder to take care of man..

xbambamx · #7 03/14/2007, 11:48 PM

I have a sixline, royal gramma, pair of percs, watchman goby, and a algae blenny.. i feed every three days.. a squirt of mysis shrimp

DylanE · #8 03/14/2007, 11:51 PM

i guess i can cut back on the feeding then, i was just worried i would feed him too little. besides, later this week im getting some tigger pods in the mail for a fuge, so that should take down feedings even lower.

xbambamx · #9 03/14/2007, 11:54 PM

tigger pods? not familiar?

DylanE · #10 03/15/2007, 12:00 AM

some copods that fish feed off of, ill keep em in a fuge to breed and feed the fish. no excess nutrients because they are alive.

xbambamx · #11 03/15/2007, 12:05 AM

just try to make sure the majority are alive on delivery or it'll be pouring ammonia in your tank haha

davidryder · #12 03/15/2007, 12:57 AM

you shouldn't have to feed more than 2-3 times a week, especially in a mature tank with a lot of live rock.

algae blooms are normal... they should occur less frequently in more mature setups, but here are some things to research:

1) feeding - uneaten food is the equivalent to algae as gasoline is to a fire

2) uv sterilizers - will help destroy free-floating algae spores

3) protein skimmers - helps remove excess nutrients

4) photo period - cutting back on lighting will inevitably reduce algae growth. it can't do without it.

5) bulb age - some people will argue that older bulbs produce frequencies desirable for growing algae

6) water changes - if you use tap water, you are importing phosphates, another fuel for algae. if you must use tap water, cut back to 15% water changes every other month.

7) macro algae. caulerpa is often used to out-compete microalgae for needed nutrients.

there are many many articles that have been written about algae control. do a google search for "algae saltwater aquarium". that will give you a good starting point.

from what it sounds like, you may just be overfeeding. cut back on feeding and if that doesn't seem to help cut back on your lighting schedule.

BrianCM · #13 03/15/2007, 01:04 AM

Yes i wouldn't only feed once a day and only one pellet and maybe once a week throw an extra pellet in there for your shrimp