Algae Question

[FornoW]

Hello everyone, I have a question about some recent algae outbreaks in my
tank. The tank has been set up and running for close to two months now-
already had the amm./nitrite/nitrate cycle. But recently (past two weeks or
so) there has been a huge outbreak of brown (diatom?) algae on the glass,
mainly the back glass but also on the front and sides a bit. The brown
algae is beginning to go away but now I am noticing thousands of specks of
green algae on the front and side glass with pathces of red (not pink) algae
on the back of the tank. Also, there is more and more patches of red algae
on my rock work that has air bubbles stuck in it. The bubbles get released
and float to the surface when my hermits and snails go over them.. Is this
kind of an algae outbreak normal for a tank this young? My phosphates are
around .25mg/L, so I dont think this is the root of the problem. Thank
you for any help..

[warren bailey]

Hi

You have not mentioned what lighting you have. If your lights are old
and tend towards the yellow end of the spectrum you will get algae
blooms. Obviously depends on your lights though!

Also are you skimming? What algae eaters do you have, turbo snails?

Try cleaning off as much of the algae as possible and get some rowaphos
to try and elimanate the algaes food.

HTH

W

On 2005-03-26 22:31:49 +0000, "FornoW" > said:

> Hello everyone, I have a question about some recent algae outbreaks in my
> tank. The tank has been set up and running for close to two months now-
> already had the amm./nitrite/nitrate cycle. But recently (past two weeks or
> so) there has been a huge outbreak of brown (diatom?) algae on the glass,
> mainly the back glass but also on the front and sides a bit. The brown
> algae is beginning to go away but now I am noticing thousands of specks of
> green algae on the front and side glass with pathces of red (not pink) algae
> on the back of the tank. Also, there is more and more patches of red algae
> on my rock work that has air bubbles stuck in it. The bubbles get released
> and float to the surface when my hermits and snails go over them.. Is this
> kind of an algae outbreak normal for a tank this young? My phosphates are
> around .25mg/L, so I dont think this is the root of the problem. Thank
> you for any help..

[Matthew]

The red stuff is variously known as red slime algae, blue-green algae or
cyanobacteria. The air bubbles are normal for this stuff. Getting algae
blooms is pretty normal in a young aquarium. Keep up your water changes and
siphon off as much of the cyano as you can. It might clear up on its own
`as your tank matures but I wouldn't count on it. Your phosphates are too
high at .25. You should be looking for 0 ideally, but less than .1.
Rowaphos might help you, but you'll eventually have to deal with it at the
source. Reduce feeding, increase skimming (or more water changes).

Matthew


"FornoW" > wrote in message
news:ppl1e.22003$Ue6.152@trndny04...
> Hello everyone, I have a question about some recent algae outbreaks in my
> tank. The tank has been set up and running for close to two months now-
> already had the amm./nitrite/nitrate cycle. But recently (past two weeks
> or
> so) there has been a huge outbreak of brown (diatom?) algae on the glass,
> mainly the back glass but also on the front and sides a bit. The brown
> algae is beginning to go away but now I am noticing thousands of specks of
> green algae on the front and side glass with pathces of red (not pink)
> algae
> on the back of the tank. Also, there is more and more patches of red
> algae
> on my rock work that has air bubbles stuck in it. The bubbles get
> released
> and float to the surface when my hermits and snails go over them.. Is
> this
> kind of an algae outbreak normal for a tank this young? My phosphates are
> around .25mg/L, so I dont think this is the root of the problem. Thank
> you for any help..
>
>