Bubble Algae and Diatoms

[rk4435]

I'm attaching a picture to see if you guys think I have Bubble Algae.

Also, I've been out of town for a week and have a bad diatom outbreak on my sandbed.

My attempt at starting a refugium failed miserable and I wound up with an algae bloom in my sump. My Chaeto had some dark spots on it so I tossed it last weekend and left the fuge light off all week while I was gone.

<span style="color: Red;">So...... Would the diatom outbreak on the sandbed in the display have something to do with the fuge failure or could it be my Reefbreeder light that I added two weeks ago?</span>
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[dawgface]

Looks like cyano to me, not bubble.

The cause, one, the other, both and possibly more.....

There is soooo many unanswered questions and blanks you need to fill in before we can answer that is not even funny. Any answer to your question without further information from you should be highly discounted.

Start with

How long tank has been set up
Inhabitants
Last addition
Last change besides refugium, date
Parameters
Test kits used

Second, why do you think your refugium was a failure?

 

[jrhunter0000]

Same here is it red/pink? can you take a pic under normal whites?

 

[jennm]

Those are air bubbles, not bubble algae. Cyano often traps air bubbles but so can other types of algae too.

Let's start at the beginning - what are your parameters?

What changed when you went on vacation? Less maintenance? Over-feeding? Temperature spike? (if you turned up your AC temp your tank could have overheated)...

Lots of potential causes - let's figure it out so you can get rid of it.

Jenn

 

[rk4435]

I use Salifert and Seachem test kits. My PO4 is .02 and my Nitrates are 5. Nitrates are a bit higher than usual. I change my Carbon every two weeks and I am at the two week mark.

I was gone in mid June for 12 days so I did have a skipped weekly water change, I tried to compensate by doing a larger than usual change. There was what appeared to be a cyano outbreak on my overflow when I returned from vacation.

My temp is 79.5, I actually have my heater set lower but the temp won't drop. I hoped that removing the glass and adding screen tops would help but it hasn't in the two weeks since. Salinity is 1.024.

The tank has been running for 11.5 months and it was a consolidation of a 29 biocube and 36 bowfront, I added more live rock when I consolidated.

I have been having cyano outbreaks since December. I added reactors for Carbon and GFO. In late April I had to tear down the tank to catch a rougue lobster. At that time I removed the crushed coral substrate and added a finer live sand based on feedback from other members.

I think my fuge failed because the Whole area had a major algae bloom and the chaeto was dying. I tossed it and turned off the fuge light, it looks better now but I am going to remove the live rock from the fuge and manually clean the area with the next water change.

 

[rk4435]

I forgot to mention I do use RO/ DI water. I changed the filters two weeks ago when my meter showed .002 ppm.

 

[jennm]

Did you use a new membrane? If so did you flush the new membrane first?

 

[rk4435]

The air, water &ice folks told me that the membrane is good for five years.

 

[jennm]

Maybe, maybe not. Depends on a number of factors including the quality of the source water and the amount of water you are processing. Most under hobbyist use in this area are good for 2-3 years in my experience but your mileage may vary.

So you did not change the membrane, just the prefilters, correct?

Any chance of someone over-feeding while you were gone?

 

[jrhunter0000]

JennM;970247 wrote: Maybe, maybe not. Depends on a number of factors including the quality of the source water and the amount of water you are processing. Most under hobbyist use in this area are good for 2-3 years in my experience but your mileage may vary.

So you did not change the membrane, just the prefilters, correct?

Any chance of someone over-feeding while you were gone?

Correct id change every 3 years. Did you buy the rodi new or 2nd hand?

 

[jennm]

It also doesn't hurt to back-flush your unit every now and then. That will prolong the life of the membrane too.

 

[rk4435]

Correct Jenn, I only changed the pre filters. I picked the unit up used, it currently has 24 months on it.

 

[jennm]

Well, even with a tiny TDS that's probably not what caused the bloom.

Overfeeding, parameter swing - any of those possible?

 

[jrhunter0000]

Whats your lighting schedule as well?

 

[snowmansnow]

I've learned that, and i'm sure some will back me, many of our problems come from trying to FIX stuff that we just can't stand.

if your parameters are in check and the algae isn't encroaching on live stock then I would make very subtile changes and have lots of patience.

 

[rk4435]

The new RB light is on for a total of 9.5 hours per day, but it is very low level blue for three of those hours. It I reaches the max I have it at (25 white / 30 blue) for four hours otherwise it is ramping up or down. I haven't stepped it up weekly like they recommend because of the bloom.

A friend suggested a Fighting Conch for the diatoms. I'm not familiar with them.