Green algae forming

[Iain]

Hi

Can anyone help

I've been plagued for some time now by green algae forming on the glass. I
know you cannot get away from cleaning the glass, but this is just too much.
It also seems to settle on the rocks, and after a period of time the rocks
turn a deep matt green and start growing grass. Not nice I can tell you.
Nothing seems to eat it at all.

The obvious thing that I can think of is phosphate, but it measures zero, as
does my nitrite and nitrate.

I regularly replace my MH lights and keep them on for no more than 8 hours a
day.

What else could be causing it ?


cheers


Iain

[Iain]

I forgot to add, that the only way of getting rid of the algae on the rocks
is to take the rocks out and scrape it off.

Within 3 weeks, you can see it forming again.

I do regular water changes of at least 5% (5 Imp Gallons) once a week.

The last time cleaned up each rock (over a space of a week) I changed
approx 30% of the water (using RO)

I really struggle with maintaining a constant temperature. It can vary from
between 75 and up to 84 within the week (not good I know)


Iain
"Iain" > wrote in message
...
> Hi
>
> Can anyone help
>
> I've been plagued for some time now by green algae forming on the glass.
I
> know you cannot get away from cleaning the glass, but this is just too
much.
> It also seems to settle on the rocks, and after a period of time the rocks
> turn a deep matt green and start growing grass. Not nice I can tell you.
> Nothing seems to eat it at all.
>
> The obvious thing that I can think of is phosphate, but it measures zero,
as
> does my nitrite and nitrate.
>
> I regularly replace my MH lights and keep them on for no more than 8 hours
a
> day.
>
> What else could be causing it ?
>
>
> cheers
>
>
> Iain
>
>
>

[Chris \(....\)]

"Iain" > wrote in message
...
> I forgot to add, that the only way of getting rid of the algae on the
rocks
> is to take the rocks out and scrape it off.
>
> Within 3 weeks, you can see it forming again.
>
> I do regular water changes of at least 5% (5 Imp Gallons) once a week.
>
> The last time cleaned up each rock (over a space of a week) I changed
> approx 30% of the water (using RO)
>
> I really struggle with maintaining a constant temperature. It can vary
from
> between 75 and up to 84 within the week (not good I know)
>
>
> Iain
> "Iain" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Hi
> >
> > Can anyone help
> >
> > I've been plagued for some time now by green algae forming on the glass.
> I
> > know you cannot get away from cleaning the glass, but this is just too
> much.
> > It also seems to settle on the rocks, and after a period of time the
rocks
> > turn a deep matt green and start growing grass. Not nice I can tell
you.
> > Nothing seems to eat it at all.
> >
> > The obvious thing that I can think of is phosphate, but it measures
zero,
> as
> > does my nitrite and nitrate.
> >
> > I regularly replace my MH lights and keep them on for no more than 8
hours
> a
> > day.
> >
> > What else could be causing it ?
> >
> >
> > cheers
> >
> >
> > Iain
> >
> >
> >
>
>

I am no expert, not that many of us can claim that, but heres a stab.
Couple of questions first:
How big is your tank?
What kind of filtration are you running?
What do you have your tank stocked with? (fish and inverts)
Why the temp swings, what kind of heaters are you running and is there
enough water circulation around the heaters and in the tank?

Your test kits could be wrong, you might want to get your water tested at
your LFS, most do it pretty cheap, or pick up a different brands test kit if
you dont mond spending the extra $$$.

[Iain]

Hi Chris

Answering your questions

I have approx 120 Imp Gallon tank that has both inverts and fish
The filtration (and tank) was made by fit filtration (
www.fitfiltration.co.uk ) and comprises of 3 twin DLS spiral filters,
Sintered glass filter(Nitrate controler) and wet/Dry trickle filter.
I'm also running a Deltec Protien skimmer and Calcium reactor.

I think that the temperature swings are down to my lighting being in an
enclosed hood and the temp can go high. Even though I mentioned that the
temp goes down to 75, that doesn't happen very often. My heater stats are
set to 77, and typically that is what it goes down to.

My LFS suggested I had phosphate problem, so I purchased some Rowa phos from
them ( www.deltecaquariumsolutions.com ) .

Still the algae comes back.

Iain

"Chris (....)" > wrote in message
t...
>
> "Iain" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I forgot to add, that the only way of getting rid of the algae on the
> rocks
> > is to take the rocks out and scrape it off.
> >
> > Within 3 weeks, you can see it forming again.
> >
> > I do regular water changes of at least 5% (5 Imp Gallons) once a week.
> >
> > The last time cleaned up each rock (over a space of a week) I changed
> > approx 30% of the water (using RO)
> >
> > I really struggle with maintaining a constant temperature. It can vary
> from
> > between 75 and up to 84 within the week (not good I know)
> >
> >
> > Iain
> > "Iain" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > Hi
> > >
> > > Can anyone help
> > >
> > > I've been plagued for some time now by green algae forming on the
glass.
> > I
> > > know you cannot get away from cleaning the glass, but this is just too
> > much.
> > > It also seems to settle on the rocks, and after a period of time the
> rocks
> > > turn a deep matt green and start growing grass. Not nice I can tell
> you.
> > > Nothing seems to eat it at all.
> > >
> > > The obvious thing that I can think of is phosphate, but it measures
> zero,
> > as
> > > does my nitrite and nitrate.
> > >
> > > I regularly replace my MH lights and keep them on for no more than 8
> hours
> > a
> > > day.
> > >
> > > What else could be causing it ?
> > >
> > >
> > > cheers
> > >
> > >
> > > Iain
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
> I am no expert, not that many of us can claim that, but heres a stab.
> Couple of questions first:
> How big is your tank?
> What kind of filtration are you running?
> What do you have your tank stocked with? (fish and inverts)
> Why the temp swings, what kind of heaters are you running and is there
> enough water circulation around the heaters and in the tank?
>
> Your test kits could be wrong, you might want to get your water tested at
> your LFS, most do it pretty cheap, or pick up a different brands test kit
if
> you dont mond spending the extra $$$.
>
>
>

[wolf]

sorry lain, i sent this directly to you, here it again for others to read as
well......

i have battled this problem for about 6-9 mos, i can tell you this. i did a
study on it after giving up trying to get rid of it the quick way, like
scraping it off rocks, vacuuming etc.. you can use a biocide, but that
would be stupid if you have a reef. so heres what i found out.

I believe it is the worms that attacked it finally, they spawn on the hair
algae it self using it for nesting grounds. they cut the hair algae from
the roots, then the tank biodegrades the bulk of the mass that is left over.
it was a slow process but once it kicked in, i now have a green hair algae
eating machine and 90 percent of the stuff is gone.

Dont scrape off your rocks of you will be killing off the worms. go and buy
some worms if you want but you already have the basis and they will multiply
with a little patience.

I let the hair algae take over completely, and lost nothing but a micro
patch of hard coral that was destined to die anyway because i have 4NO bulbs
only. If you let the hair algae get so long(about 2-3 inches long) and
cover your whole tank you will create a breeding ground for the worms and
they will multiply, and then you will finally see a patch of hair algae that
looks like its dying and you will start to see a film develop over it
indicating its being attaked by your tank. this may take a month or two or
three. this is called letting your system cycle. when you see this
happening, then and only then vacuum out the longest hair algae that IS NOT
being attacked or you will vacuum out some beneficial organisms that are
doing the attacking. once your at that point, it will be a few more weeks
at most and all will be decimated but a few small patches. you will notice
most of the patches that will be left are the patches that are unpatiently
prematurely vacuumed stripping off the beneficial hair algae killers. if
you dont let it get long enough it will be forever before you grow up enough
hair algae killers.

my mushrooms and tube worms all survived this could of hair algae growing
over them for about 2-3 months, they are still alive and now i have more
coralline and white rocks than i did before. before my rocks were looking
sort of dark colors like something was in the tank. what you should do is
keep the nitrates down to Nill! dont assume you have a problem with
nitrates and its all locked up in the hair algae, that doesnt matter, just
assume only what your test kit tells you. dont worry abotu phosphates
anymore i went the same route and sponged my water several times and none of
it worked.

Keep the lights pumped at full volume to get the hair algae to grow fast and
to help kill off itself, it will reach a point where it will start to die
off.

i wish i could send you pics of my tank, last month i had hair algae
EVERYWHERE, and after i had a few patches being covered by this clear white
slime and alot of oxygen bubbles tied into it, i knew i was winning the
battle, then i vacuumed the bulk of what wasnt being attacked being careful
not to suck off any life(worms, sand etc..)off the rocks by only vacuuming
the tips of the hair algae and only taking what would come off with the
suction.

from the time i gave up on the hair algae and decided to do the test and put
all my bulbs back inthe tank to full brightness and just let the algae grow,
it took only abotu a month or month and half before this point where about
atleast 90+ percent of hair algae died off.

i had some leftover hair algae in the sump too covering my grape caluerpa,
that has died off too. what i have noticed is that alot of beneficial green
plant is in the tank now, like these very short types of algae that will not
become a nuiscance because its so sparse, it just looks beautiful, and a
good sized patch of feather caluerpa that is growing on a rock in the tank
that adds alot of beauty in the tank.

basically everything thrived even though the hair algae was covering 95% of
every rock and thick cyano covering 85% of the sandy bottom..

i just started a refugium about 3 mos ago that has 25lb of aragonite in it,
it must be doing great by now.

the cyano is on a retreat also.

all this with no interaction on my part, i just let the system take care of
itself..

i found that when i removed the rocks and scrubbed them down i was making
things take longer.. i found that when i was vacuuming the hair algae i was
taking off beneficial life that would eventually get a grip on killing it.
i found that if i didnt let the hair algae take its course it wasnt ever
going to go away.(this went on for about 9 hellish months) i found that my
worms multiplyed 10 fold when i started to let the hair algae just grow. i
found that if i crank up my lights if would accelerate the process. I
found that now my tank has much more beneficial life in the tank as a whole
and my critters are much more happy now after this process because the hair
algae actually killed off nothing, it just made me worry thats all. i found
that the fact that i was so frustrated it was very easy to just let the tank
alone, with no water changes for the last 3 months, i didnt even stick a
tester in the water, only salt during the time i was just letting it grow.
however i did have my water stabilized before i started this procedure.

after the mass die off, i used vacuuming the tips of the remaining hair
algae, being careful as mentioned above not to vacuum anything beneficial,
was good to do with the water change. i did a 25 percent water change, then
2 weeks later another 25 percent water change, and now my hair algae is
90-95% gone, and my nitrate is UNDETECTABLE, my refugium looks great, the
coralline is thriving, and my DKH is about 9.5. calcium is too high but
still ok at about 650ppm. i think that is from the aragonite in the refuge.

oh you mentioned your halides are on about 6 hrs a day, crank them up to
about 13hrs a day!!! and watch the system fly. my temp was a steady 77-80
the whole time, target 79degreesF

I remind you, my mushroom was covered over in inches of thick green hair
algae and he is now on a rock that looks pristene with coralling and no hair
algae and is reviving and survived this whole 9month ordeal. i wish i would
have tried this sooner...

please reply with any questions, i sometimes dont have the patience to input
all the information and skip around alot.

wolf


--
wolf

Wolfdogg's site
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~wolfdoggsite


"Iain" > wrote in message
...
> Hi
>
> Can anyone help
>
> I've been plagued for some time now by green algae forming on the glass.
I
> know you cannot get away from cleaning the glass, but this is just too
much.
> It also seems to settle on the rocks, and after a period of time the rocks
> turn a deep matt green and start growing grass. Not nice I can tell you.
> Nothing seems to eat it at all.
>
> The obvious thing that I can think of is phosphate, but it measures zero,
as
> does my nitrite and nitrate.
>
> I regularly replace my MH lights and keep them on for no more than 8 hours
a
> day.
>
> What else could be causing it ?
>
>
> cheers
>
>
> Iain
>
>
>

[Marco Qualizza]

Hey, Iain, I know it's been a while since you've posted about this, but
are you sure that your nitrate tests are good? You've mentioned both that
you have 0 nitrates, and that you have a trickle (wet/dry) filter... and
trickle filters are notorious nitrate factories...

On Mon, 29 Mar 2004 21:35:24 +0100, Iain wrote:

> Hi Chris
>
> Answering your questions
>
> I have approx 120 Imp Gallon tank that has both inverts and fish The
> filtration (and tank) was made by fit filtration ( www.fitfiltration.co.uk
> ) and comprises of 3 twin DLS spiral filters, Sintered glass
> filter(Nitrate controler) and wet/Dry trickle filter. I'm also running a
> Deltec Protien skimmer and Calcium reactor.
>
> I think that the temperature swings are down to my lighting being in an
> enclosed hood and the temp can go high. Even though I mentioned that the
> temp goes down to 75, that doesn't happen very often. My heater stats are
> set to 77, and typically that is what it goes down to.
>
> My LFS suggested I had phosphate problem, so I purchased some Rowa phos
> from them ( www.deltecaquariumsolutions.com ) .
>
> Still the algae comes back.
>
> Iain
>
> "Chris (....)" > wrote in message
> t...
>>
>> "Iain" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> > I forgot to add, that the only way of getting rid of the algae on the
>> rocks
>> > is to take the rocks out and scrape it off.
>> >
>> > Within 3 weeks, you can see it forming again.
>> >
>> > I do regular water changes of at least 5% (5 Imp Gallons) once a
>> > week.
>> >
>> > The last time cleaned up each rock (over a space of a week) I changed
>> > approx 30% of the water (using RO)
>> >
>> > I really struggle with maintaining a constant temperature. It can
>> > vary
>> from
>> > between 75 and up to 84 within the week (not good I know)
>> >
>> >
>> > Iain
>> > "Iain" > wrote in message
>> > ...
>> > > Hi
>> > >
>> > > Can anyone help
>> > >
>> > > I've been plagued for some time now by green algae forming on the
> glass.
>> > I
>> > > know you cannot get away from cleaning the glass, but this is just
>> > > too
>> > much.
>> > > It also seems to settle on the rocks, and after a period of time the
>> rocks
>> > > turn a deep matt green and start growing grass. Not nice I can tell
>> you.
>> > > Nothing seems to eat it at all.
>> > >
>> > > The obvious thing that I can think of is phosphate, but it measures
>> zero,
>> > as
>> > > does my nitrite and nitrate.
>> > >
>> > > I regularly replace my MH lights and keep them on for no more than 8
>> hours
>> > a
>> > > day.
>> > >
>> > > What else could be causing it ?
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > cheers
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > Iain
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> >
>> >
>> I am no expert, not that many of us can claim that, but heres a stab.
>> Couple of questions first:
>> How big is your tank?
>> What kind of filtration are you running? What do you have your tank
>> stocked with? (fish and inverts) Why the temp swings, what kind of
>> heaters are you running and is there enough water circulation around the
>> heaters and in the tank?
>>
>> Your test kits could be wrong, you might want to get your water tested
>> at your LFS, most do it pretty cheap, or pick up a different brands test
>> kit
> if
>> you dont mond spending the extra $$$.
>>
>>
>>
>>

[CapFusion]

"Marco Qualizza" > wrote in message
...
> Hey, Iain, I know it's been a while since you've posted about this, but
> are you sure that your nitrate tests are good? You've mentioned both that
> you have 0 nitrates, and that you have a trickle (wet/dry) filter... and
> trickle filters are notorious nitrate factories...


Trickle filter is notorious nitrate factory but if he have ton of algae
growing like a forest, it absorb it and the nitrate test kit will not get
the correct reading. Actually, you do not need a test kit to see by your own
two eye-ball that your tank have nitrate.

CapFusion,...

[CapFusion]

"CapFusion" <CapFusion...@hotmail..,com> wrote in message news:...
>
> "Marco Qualizza" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Hey, Iain, I know it's been a while since you've posted about this, but
> > are you sure that your nitrate tests are good? You've mentioned both
that
> > you have 0 nitrates, and that you have a trickle (wet/dry) filter...
and
> > trickle filters are notorious nitrate factories...
>
>
> Trickle filter is notorious nitrate factory but if he have ton of algae
> growing like a forest, it absorb it and the nitrate test kit will not get
> the correct reading. Actually, you do not need a test kit to see by your
own
> two eye-ball that your tank have nitrate.
>
> CapFusion,...
>
>

[wolf]

well, hope he read this, but, my tank is doing wonderfully now, it seems
that i let the hair algae grow up so much, that it ate all the nutruents
out, and bred its own killers. That was my intention, succession. I was
letting the environment take care of itself. Seems my system is doing
perfect now. I have a self grown reef, everything in the tank short of the
one muchroom was born and raised in there, or grew off cured base live rock.
Took about a year and a half, bit for those that like to watch the biology
more than a store bought coral, this is the way!

Im moving, and talked a family member into taking my tank as im going too
far to be taking it with me. So maybe i will see it again someday, what a
shame, i will miss my dear hobby!!! :-(

wolf


"wolf" > wrote in message
k.net...
> sorry lain, i sent this directly to you, here it again for others to read
as
> well......
>
> i have battled this problem for about 6-9 mos, i can tell you this. i did
a
> study on it after giving up trying to get rid of it the quick way, like
> scraping it off rocks, vacuuming etc.. you can use a biocide, but that
> would be stupid if you have a reef. so heres what i found out.
>
> I believe it is the worms that attacked it finally, they spawn on the hair
> algae it self using it for nesting grounds. they cut the hair algae from
> the roots, then the tank biodegrades the bulk of the mass that is left
over.
> it was a slow process but once it kicked in, i now have a green hair algae
> eating machine and 90 percent of the stuff is gone.
>
> Dont scrape off your rocks of you will be killing off the worms. go and
buy
> some worms if you want but you already have the basis and they will
multiply
> with a little patience.
>
> I let the hair algae take over completely, and lost nothing but a micro
> patch of hard coral that was destined to die anyway because i have 4NO
bulbs
> only. If you let the hair algae get so long(about 2-3 inches long) and
> cover your whole tank you will create a breeding ground for the worms and
> they will multiply, and then you will finally see a patch of hair algae
that
> looks like its dying and you will start to see a film develop over it
> indicating its being attaked by your tank. this may take a month or two or
> three. this is called letting your system cycle. when you see this
> happening, then and only then vacuum out the longest hair algae that IS
NOT
> being attacked or you will vacuum out some beneficial organisms that are
> doing the attacking. once your at that point, it will be a few more weeks
> at most and all will be decimated but a few small patches. you will
notice
> most of the patches that will be left are the patches that are unpatiently
> prematurely vacuumed stripping off the beneficial hair algae killers. if
> you dont let it get long enough it will be forever before you grow up
enough
> hair algae killers.
>
> my mushrooms and tube worms all survived this could of hair algae growing
> over them for about 2-3 months, they are still alive and now i have more
> coralline and white rocks than i did before. before my rocks were looking
> sort of dark colors like something was in the tank. what you should do is
> keep the nitrates down to Nill! dont assume you have a problem with
> nitrates and its all locked up in the hair algae, that doesnt matter, just
> assume only what your test kit tells you. dont worry abotu phosphates
> anymore i went the same route and sponged my water several times and none
of
> it worked.
>
> Keep the lights pumped at full volume to get the hair algae to grow fast
and
> to help kill off itself, it will reach a point where it will start to die
> off.
>
> i wish i could send you pics of my tank, last month i had hair algae
> EVERYWHERE, and after i had a few patches being covered by this clear
white
> slime and alot of oxygen bubbles tied into it, i knew i was winning the
> battle, then i vacuumed the bulk of what wasnt being attacked being
careful
> not to suck off any life(worms, sand etc..)off the rocks by only vacuuming
> the tips of the hair algae and only taking what would come off with the
> suction.
>
> from the time i gave up on the hair algae and decided to do the test and
put
> all my bulbs back inthe tank to full brightness and just let the algae
grow,
> it took only abotu a month or month and half before this point where about
> atleast 90+ percent of hair algae died off.
>
> i had some leftover hair algae in the sump too covering my grape caluerpa,
> that has died off too. what i have noticed is that alot of beneficial
green
> plant is in the tank now, like these very short types of algae that will
not
> become a nuiscance because its so sparse, it just looks beautiful, and a
> good sized patch of feather caluerpa that is growing on a rock in the tank
> that adds alot of beauty in the tank.
>
> basically everything thrived even though the hair algae was covering 95%
of
> every rock and thick cyano covering 85% of the sandy bottom..
>
> i just started a refugium about 3 mos ago that has 25lb of aragonite in
it,
> it must be doing great by now.
>
> the cyano is on a retreat also.
>
> all this with no interaction on my part, i just let the system take care
of
> itself..
>
> i found that when i removed the rocks and scrubbed them down i was making
> things take longer.. i found that when i was vacuuming the hair algae i
was
> taking off beneficial life that would eventually get a grip on killing it.
> i found that if i didnt let the hair algae take its course it wasnt ever
> going to go away.(this went on for about 9 hellish months) i found that
my
> worms multiplyed 10 fold when i started to let the hair algae just grow.
i
> found that if i crank up my lights if would accelerate the process. I
> found that now my tank has much more beneficial life in the tank as a
whole
> and my critters are much more happy now after this process because the
hair
> algae actually killed off nothing, it just made me worry thats all. i
found
> that the fact that i was so frustrated it was very easy to just let the
tank
> alone, with no water changes for the last 3 months, i didnt even stick a
> tester in the water, only salt during the time i was just letting it grow.
> however i did have my water stabilized before i started this procedure.
>
> after the mass die off, i used vacuuming the tips of the remaining hair
> algae, being careful as mentioned above not to vacuum anything beneficial,
> was good to do with the water change. i did a 25 percent water change,
then
> 2 weeks later another 25 percent water change, and now my hair algae is
> 90-95% gone, and my nitrate is UNDETECTABLE, my refugium looks great, the
> coralline is thriving, and my DKH is about 9.5. calcium is too high but
> still ok at about 650ppm. i think that is from the aragonite in the
refuge.
>
> oh you mentioned your halides are on about 6 hrs a day, crank them up to
> about 13hrs a day!!! and watch the system fly. my temp was a steady 77-80
> the whole time, target 79degreesF
>
> I remind you, my mushroom was covered over in inches of thick green hair
> algae and he is now on a rock that looks pristene with coralling and no
hair
> algae and is reviving and survived this whole 9month ordeal. i wish i
would
> have tried this sooner...
>
> please reply with any questions, i sometimes dont have the patience to
input
> all the information and skip around alot.
>
> wolf
>
>
> --
> wolf
>
> Wolfdogg's site
> http://www.home.earthlink.net/~wolfdoggsite
>
>
> "Iain" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Hi
> >
> > Can anyone help
> >
> > I've been plagued for some time now by green algae forming on the glass.
> I
> > know you cannot get away from cleaning the glass, but this is just too
> much.
> > It also seems to settle on the rocks, and after a period of time the
rocks
> > turn a deep matt green and start growing grass. Not nice I can tell
you.
> > Nothing seems to eat it at all.
> >
> > The obvious thing that I can think of is phosphate, but it measures
zero,
> as
> > does my nitrite and nitrate.
> >
> > I regularly replace my MH lights and keep them on for no more than 8
hours
> a
> > day.
> >
> > What else could be causing it ?
> >
> >
> > cheers
> >
> >
> > Iain
> >
> >
> >
>
>