Algae problems

[Rich91]

So a couple of weeks back I noticed the algae on my glass was building up faster then normal, so I did my monthly maintenance.. Cleaned some build up in the sump, 40% water change, replaced my GFO, cut back on feeding.. My skimmer is doing its job, all my t5 bulbs have recently been changed and all but the algae build up on my glass is reappearing every 6 hours now..

My water parameters all read good.

The last thing I could think of is were I get my RODI water.... Maybe there filters need changing? :scratchch

 

[lrasser]

How long has the tank been running and what are your parameters?

 

[Rich91]

4 years mixed reef,

Ph- 8.0
Ammonia -0
Nitrite - 0.5
Nitrate - 0
Salinity- 1.025
Cal-450
Alk - 10
Mag-1,350
Temp. 78 deg F.

 

[Rich91]

I'm running a BRS GFO reactor. And I have a bubble magus skimmer 7curve it takes a lot of crap out each day. I also have filter socks I changed every 4 days

 

[watevadog5]

I have been battling hair algae as well. Running rowaphos now, upped my CUC, few more water changes. Scrubbed n siphoned what I could.

 

[Rich91]

Yea a good cuc helps a lot. But that's the thing.. The algae I'm getting is only on the glass and in the water colum.. It's like a green film. It's starting to clear up just did another water change.

 

[lrasser]

Are you sure your reading nitrite? After 4 years that should never show anything but zero if everything is stable. Sounds like a mini cycle

 

[Dan_P]

So a couple of weeks back I noticed the algae on my glass was building up faster then normal, so I did my monthly maintenance.. Cleaned some build up in the sump, 40% water change, replaced my GFO, cut back on feeding.. My skimmer is doing its job, all my t5 bulbs have recently been changed and all but the algae build up on my glass is reappearing every 6 hours now..

My water parameters all read good.

The last thing I could think of is were I get my RODI water.... Maybe there filters need changing? :scratchch

Your approach sounds thorough and I think highlights a gap in our understanding about nuisance growth.

Because we can only measure very few chemical species, we have worked very diligently to link all of our problems to these chemical species levels or to some lack of perfection in one or more of our water purification rituals. This situation is compounded by our belief or wish that there exists one cause or culprit behind each bad thing that happens.

Salt water aquariums are complex ecologies of microscopic organisms we know little about. Is the ecology stable and balanced? Is this ecology one that can only be sustained for a few years before it crashes? How sensitive are these ecologies to changing parameters? What role does luck play? Think "butterfy effect".

Who knows why microalgae suddenly starts growing? We are unlikely to find any correlation between gross measurements of water parameters and microorganism population surges. There are enough posts on this forum about algae problems when nitrate and phosphate levels are zero to make you wonder about the connection. Outside the aquarium hobby, you never read or hear "water quality good in lake so-and-so but cyanobacteria bloom closes beaches again ths year". I will stick my neck out and say water pollution as commonly defined is not behind your algae growth.

If I were you, I would enjoy the beautiful aquarium you have created, clean the glass more often, continue with prudent practices, and get comfortable with the notion that "stuff happens".

Good luck!

 

[Rich91]

Yea it almost zero. But why a mini cycle now? Is this common? I figured I was done with algae cycles by now.

 

[Rich91]

Dan thanks well said