need some help with algae please!

[lalebeq]

ok so i am new to the Boards but there is a lot of knowledge so i was hoping to tap some....

My tank is a nano 3.5gallon custom job.. side to side 12 inches; back to front 7; and top to bottom 10
filteration is a Aquion 10
i have a maxi 400 for flow
i have about 7 lbs of Live rock
i have one small fish and he scavenges so i don't feed
a lot of softies
green slimmer
Blasto
Dendro
and a mystery stony coral
all under 8 GU10 3x1 LEDs 30degree optics (4white and 4 blue) in a custom hood about 6 inches off the water

so i am getting AMAZING results on coral i mean growing so nicely 2 zoas turning into 11 in less then a month Blasto growing great

but i am also really battling the Green hair algae seems the blues kick on all OK but then the whites kick on and after about 3 hrs i start getting bubbles on my rocks under the algae so i know its growing...

cycle is down to just 5.5 hrs on whites and 8 hrs on blues

all my water lvls seem ok calcium a little high at 520ppm and ph at 8.5 but all others seem in line

do top offs with RODI from LFS and 15% water changes weekly again Salt water from LFS

i dont knwo what i am doing wrong but its getting to be a struggle

any thought or help would be nice...

 

[rdnelson]

Have you tested the salt water from the LFS? If it has phosphate in it you may not see it in your tank because the algae is consuming it quickly. I would do a full blown test on the LFS water just to see what all is in it.

 

[lalebeq]

ok i will try that

 

[rdnelson]

There a lots of good lfs but lots of bad too. If they are trying to cut down on overhead because business is slow, they may not have changed the filters in their RO/DI and you may be importing stuff you don't want. At least if you test it before you put it in the tank you will no what your base line is.

 

[lalebeq]

oh i know ... just never really thought about the basics like water hehe

 

[jennm]

It all starts with water quality

You mentioned not feeding but are you supplementing with anything? If so, what?

Algae needs light and food. Light is a given.. the "food" is coming from somewhere. The trick is figuring out where.

What are you testing your calcium with? (And other params, for that matter...)

Jenn

Edit: It all starts with water quality

You mentioned not feeding but are you supplementing with anything? If so, what?

Algae needs light and food. Light is a given.. the "food" is coming from somewhere. The trick is figuring out where.

What are you testing your calcium with? (And other params, for that matter...)

Jenn

 

[lalebeq]

i am useing API test kits for all my testing and a refractor for salt

i am not supplementing with anything i used to use an A B combo but i stopped many moths ago i do a water change every week thats it

 

[jennm]

Hmmm API... not the best test. I'd double check your results with a better kit. It's unlikely that your CA is that high without supplementing.

What kind of salt are you using?

Jenn

 

[lalebeq]

i get the Salt water pre mixed from the LFS

 

[jennm]

Ask what they are using - that will help. For example, if they are using Instant Ocean, and you aren't supplementing, I'll bet the farm that your CA is NOT 520. I had somebody come in sure that their CA was 625 (!!) with an API kit, and it was actually 275 (Seachem kit - checked against the reference solution).

Please post a full set of parameters, including alk and phosphate.

Jenn

 

[lalebeq]

ok so ashamed to say Phosphates it the only kit i dont have...

if i buy a kit what brand do u suggest?

 

[rdnelson]

Don't feel bad lalebeg. She chews me out every time I walk into her store because I am using API. LOL But what can I say, I bought the kits before I started going to her store and didn't know any better. I will say this, what every she tells you, you can take to the bank. Jenn is one of the "Good" lfs.

 

[lalebeq]

Jen = my new best friend!!!

hehe

 

[rdnelson]

lalebeq;705576 wrote: jen = my new best friend!!!

Hehe

+10000000

 

[jennm]

Hey now, Richard... I don't chew you out I prefer "gentle persuasion..."

You'll get different answers on this. Personally I prefer (and use) Seachem. You'll also hear Elos, Salifert mentioned too - all are quality tests.

API is the cheapest (cost-wise) test on the market and almost every dealer sells them for that reason. (I don't...) This is one of those things that you really *do* get what you pay for. Better to spend a bit more and get something that gives you some accuracy.

Phosphate tests don't come with the standard "bundled" kit, and IMO it's a parameter that is too often overlooked. In addition to feeding nuisance algae, too much phosphate can interfere with other biological processes such as calcium absorption.

Jenn

 

[lalebeq]

do you sell your stuff online Jen?.. a cursory glance at the website and didnt notice

 

[rdnelson]

How about we compromise and say "Scolds me". LOL

There is one kit that does have the phosphate but we won't mention that name. LOL

 

[jennm]

I am probably already treading into "commercial" territory here... PM me if you like. I don't e-tail but I can ship small wares by Priority Mail.

Jenn

 

[oil_fan]

About the only tests that I trust from API is ammonia and the very basics. As you really just need to know that you have a problem. But for accurate results, you get what you pay for.

Calcium is a perfect example. It probably has one of the widest ranges when testing. Even Salifert has read low on me. After retesting vs the reference solution from a kit I have of Seachem, I realized it was a higher that I thought it as. Not as bad as the example that Jenn mentions though. But still.

 

[the-bubonic-one]

One thing I haven't heard mentioned is critters. Do you have any natural algae eaters? Blue legs? crabs? something to counter the algae growth?