Algae bloom

[edwarder]

I just started a 55gal tank with a 4 inch sandbed/plenum. 10 days ago I added 55 pound of LR from Premium Aquatics. I now have green algae all over the place. Some of it looks bubble algae but the majority of it looks like little ferns. It grows on the rock, the glass, and the sand. I put 20 snails and 10 hermits in the tank but this stuff is running wild. I use RO/DI water and run 55W power compact lights 12hr/day. pH=8.2 temp 80, Nitrate undetectable. I am pretty sure that this algae growth is normal but I would like some confirmation of that. In addition, what do I do to control it?

 

[jaydse]

ya it's normal

sucks uh! i thought a r/o would change all my problems NOT! my tang & snails clean the rock but i clean the glass twice a day. i'm building a refuime (SPELLING)wrong this weekend hope it will help get rid of the bad alge.

 

[tomocean]

Yes...what you are facing is pretty typical when starting out. The "little ferns" will eventually grow long and hairy and it helps to remove the excess nutrients by harvesting as much of it as you can. There are some species that will help control your algae (emerald crabs, blue-legged hermits, some blennies, et. al.) I'm going through the same thing right now, but my coralline is finally starting to gain some ground.

 

[cerreta]

I'm with you guys. I set up an 80 gal system on 7/1 an used all live sand and live rock for immediate bioload handling, but I still had a bloom. Phosphates get leached from live rock and aids in algae growth. Test for it and use a phosphate sponge if necessary.

Do all of the above mentioned tips and also cut your lighting back to 6 hours per day for two weeks. Unless you have a lot of corals requiring the light, you are just providing energy for the hair algae. Turbo snails will help and my yellow tang picks at the stuff frequently. Oh, btw, get rid of the bubble algae or you'll regret it later.