High KH causing algae bloom?

[taat2d]

Can a high KH be causing a brown/green second algae bloom? I'm using a Nutrafin test kit. I know eveyone here is going to tell me to use a Salifert but noone has them. My reading is 190mg/L. The saltwater "safe" zone on this test kit is between 105-125 mg/L. Can my dosing be causing this to happen? I was using 2part, but haven't added any in 2 weeks. I've just been feeding the corals, and adding liquid supplements for the corals. PLEASE HELP.........:letitallo

 

[Deanos]

Please read

 

[taat2d]

The tank is a 65gal. I am using a sump with a mag7 return pump. Using 2 Koralia #3's. I have 125lbs LR and 80lbs LS. The tank was started on Feb 16. I do weekly 10% water changes from the 3rd week on. Using ONLY RODI water. Also using a Coralife 125 Superskimmer. 234w T5 lighting on timers. 10 hours a day. Specific Gravity is 1.23. Ammonia is 0. My nitrites are 0.1mg/L. My nitrates are 0mg/L. All testing is being done with Nutrafin test kits. As for dosing I'm using; Strontium 2x week, Iodine 1x week. Stopped dosing the 2 part. And dosing the corals 3x week switching betwen Zooplex, Phytoplex, and Coral Accel. I have 2 percula clowns, 1 yellow tang, 1 purple firefin, strawberry pseudo, 2 blue/green chromis, 1 yellow wathman goby, and 1 coral banded shrimp. Feeding every Monday, Wednsday and Friday a TINY pinch of Formula One, and on Tuesday and Thursday I feed only freeze dried Ocean Nutrition green marine algae. As fr corals I have a toadstool, 2 zoo frags, sm mushroom rock, finger leather, med chubby finger leather, small colt, small carnation, small trupmet, chocolate polyps, small yellow polyps, small plate fungia. This is everything I hope I'm not leaving anything out. I hope this is enough for you guys to help me with.

 

[Deanos]

I believe your bloom is due a couple of things:

• Immature tank (less than 2 months old)
• Coral dosing schedule (none listed require feeding, except maybe the carnation :scratch

 

[meschaefer]

Your tank is very young. You will see that your tank goes through a number of diffrent cycles, not just the amonia cycle. One of these is an algae cycle. You have a very large fish load for a six week old tank.

I woud stop dosing all of the addiatives, IMHO they are not needed. You want to continue dosinig the two part, but you need to accuratly measure your calcium and alkalinity and dose only as much as needed to maintain your levels. this will encourage corraline algae wich will help keep other types of algae under control.

You can find salifert test kits at a number of our Forum Vendors, as well as many places online.

 

[taat2d]

I believe your bloom is due a couple of things:

• Immature tank (less than 2 months old)
• Coral dosing schedule (none listed require feeding, except maybe the carnation :scratch

REALLY??? I don't need to feed the corals???? Since nly the carnation needs feeding how often should it be done? Could this also be the reason my skimmer is going crazy with bubbles? Should I do more of a water change to bring down the KH to a more reasonable level? Or will it level off after I stop dosing the tank?

 

[Deanos]

Oh yeah...in my opinion, the kH has little to do with the algae bloom.

 

[taat2d]

Deanos can you recommend feeding for the corals? I almst forgot I have a coral that looks like a see thru pinkish reddish jelly. The name starts with an M. Of course I forgot the name. I have to get a pic of it. I don't know if it needs feeding. The mane was somthing like Mondvar or something like that. I thought it was an open brain or something in that family but it's nt so I'm told.

 

[taat2d]

I am starting to see some pink corraline growth on the glass, and what looks to to be a bright green corraline growth on some of the rocks. You recommend dosing the 2 part even though the KH is soo high?

Your tank is very young. You will see that your tank goes through a number of diffrent cycles, not just the amonia cycle. One of these is an algae cycle. You have a very large fish load for a six week old tank.

I woud stop dosing all of the addiatives, IMHO they are not needed. You want to continue dosinig the two part, but you need to accuratly measure your calcium and alkalinity and dose only as much as needed to maintain your levels. this will encourage corraline algae wich will help keep other types of algae under control.

You can find salifert test kits at a number of our Forum Vendors, as well as many places online.

 

[meschaefer]

I am starting to see some pink corraline growth on the glass, and what looks to to be a bright green corraline growth on some of the rocks. You recommend dosing the 2 part even though the KH is soo high?

I don't think your KH could be that high. Not only that but your are mixing your scales up. KH is measured in dKH and alkalinity is measured meq/L. I am not familiar with your test kit, so I don't know what it is doing.

Step one is to get your levels in line. You want a KH of about 8 dKH or an akalinity of 2.86 meq/L and calcium of about 450. Get those into place and your PH will fall into place. Then figure out how much alkalinity you are using in a day, and then dose just enough of a balanced two part to bring it back into place. Your corraline will grow quickly at that point and will suplant some of your nuisance alage.

 

[cali_reef]

Higher than normal Alk level has been documented to reduce the growth of macro algae.

 

[drperetz]

...

I agree with people stating that ur tank is too young, and your bioload and the overfeeding is causing these unnecessary blooms. I speak from my personal experience. I have experimented with overfeeding and it didnt produce any exceeded growth but the damn algae.:squid: