Green algae problem on glass
- Thread starter winsbxnyc
- Start date
- Location
- 11756
Lots of nutrients in the tank.
- Location
- 11756
What are your parameters? Fish load? Skimmer? Phosban? Carbon? How often are you changing water? Using RO/DI?
- Location
- Westchester, N.Y
Are using bio pellets?
- Location
- Staten Island
why would you think its the bio pellets?
- Location
- New Jersey
As Kris said before What are your parameters right now?
- Location
- 11756
To those saying it's old bulbs, are you telling me that new bulbs don't grow algae? That's like people saying if sunlight hits your tank you're going to have loads of algae. It's true if your tank is nutrient rich, but if there's nothing for algae to feed on it's not going to grow.
If the nutrients aren't there to grow algae, will algae grow regardless of the age of the bulbs? Probably not.
Back to the original poster, what are your params? Don't bandaid the problem, fix it.
If the nutrients aren't there to grow algae, will algae grow regardless of the age of the bulbs? Probably not.
Back to the original poster, what are your params? Don't bandaid the problem, fix it.
I only mentioned the bulbs because I was told that with time the spectrum shifts making more suitable for algae growth. When my bulbs were old (especially actinics) i was cleaning algae off the glass everyday. Once I changed them it would take almost a week for the algae to become noticeable on the glass (same husbandry). I'm not saying that nutrients don't play a role, but light is def a factor as well.
I experience the same problem, was cleaning green algae every 2 days off my glass. I was doing weekly water change so I didn't know what was the cause. I knew my light bulbs were old and needed replacement. Never taught light had anything to do with it but after I replace the bulbs I only clean it once a week and it's not a lot of algae like before. I'm using MH and Compact Actinics, I only replace the Actinics.
- Location
- 11756
I'll stick to my guns here and say that while algae will grow better with a lower K output from a bulb, changing the bulbs IS NOT fixing the problem, it's putting a band aid on it.
For example I start off with a 14k bulb, no algae for 8 months. Suddenly my spectrum shifts and now the bulb looks like a 10k (dramatic? yes), I start to see a ton of algae growing. I start to wonder why I'm having algae when all along I've had none, it MUST be the bulb. You change the bulbs and the algae decreases and growth is slow enough so your CUC can handle it.
Did you fix the problem? In my opinion, you did not. The problem is still there (nutrients) but you've put a band aid (new bulbs) on it to temporarily slow the growth of the algae to a manageable rate. In another 8 months, you'll have the same problem and it may be even worse as nutrients build up in your system for another 8 months.
All I'm saying is don't look for a quick fix, get to the bottom of the problem and you'll be happier in the long run and have a much happier & healthier system.
My $0.02
For example I start off with a 14k bulb, no algae for 8 months. Suddenly my spectrum shifts and now the bulb looks like a 10k (dramatic? yes), I start to see a ton of algae growing. I start to wonder why I'm having algae when all along I've had none, it MUST be the bulb. You change the bulbs and the algae decreases and growth is slow enough so your CUC can handle it.
Did you fix the problem? In my opinion, you did not. The problem is still there (nutrients) but you've put a band aid (new bulbs) on it to temporarily slow the growth of the algae to a manageable rate. In another 8 months, you'll have the same problem and it may be even worse as nutrients build up in your system for another 8 months.
All I'm saying is don't look for a quick fix, get to the bottom of the problem and you'll be happier in the long run and have a much happier & healthier system.
My $0.02
- Location
- Westchester, N.Y
Using Bio Pellets will cause an increase of build up on glass. I had to clean the glass everyday when I was running Pellets. One of prices you had to do when running bio Pellets. Happens to almost everyone as some time of point. But in this case he's not using pellets. So three things that can help change bulbs like stated. What is your phosphate ? lowering Nurtrients.....not over feeding nor over stock with to many fish....... Water movement ..........Hows your skimmer working lately..........one more thing are you using RO/DI if so what is your TDDS ..... You could be adding nurtrients with bad filter or DI needs to be changed....
Last edited:
Sponsor Reefs
We're a FREE website, and we exist because of hobbyists like YOU who help us run this community.
Click here to sponsor $10:
