algae bloom advise

[mdvm]

About 3 weeks ago I started having an algae bloom. All my water is green. I am still trying to figure out why. I have a 55gal w/ ls and lr the tank has been running for about a year and never saw this before. All my readings a ok and confirmed by the LFS except my phosphates are a little high. I have been using phoshgaurd for the same period of time with no change in results. After I noticed this bloom I purchased a Ro/di unit.
I have done 2 water changes since this started. My question is there anything Im ovwerlooking and could it be my lighting getting old, 110w pc about 10 months old. I have no other algae growth since adding the ro/di water.

 

[banshee]

Lights could be the culprit. My PC bulbs would last about a year. Try running some carbon. It usually clears up water pretty fast.

 

[mdvm]

Thanks banshee for the advise, do you think I should remove the phosgaurd and replace it with charcol?

 

[beaslbob]

I had green water in an my macro algae culture tank after adding some new macros. The macros were basically dead and released nutrients into the water. After allowing the system to recover I finally turned off the lights for a week. The water has remained clear since.
So you could just turn off your lights and the green water would clear up. But without another way of consuming the nitrates and phosphates, your water quality would suffer and the green would return when the lights are restored. If you have established plant life other than the green water then lights off would be a good first step. It would allow the other plant life to catch up with the suspended algae. If you do not have other plant life then add some and try the reduced lighting.

 

[worldchanger]

Happened to me to! Did lots of water changes didn't really help. If you can cut back on lighting that helps tremendosly. Took 3 weeks for mine to clear. Try not to let it get to you too bad it will pass and clear up. When it happened to me after about two weeks I was ready to shoot a hole in the tank but it finally cleared. Best of luck!

 

[beaslbob]

Agree. And when it finally starts to clear up it clears up in a day or two. so you have the ugly tank for days and weeks thinking you are doing nothing then all at once it's clear.

 

[mdvm]

Well thanks for the words of encouragement, I do not have any other macro in the tank. I did turn the lights of for about 2 days and the tank began to clear then I went back to my reg light schedule and back to where I started. Still trying to figure out the source.

 

[banshee]

I would use activated carbon. You can usually find some at your LFS.
How long do you run your lights?

 

[mdvm]

10 hours a day

 

[beaslbob]

Originally posted by Mdvm
Well thanks for the words of encouragement, I do not have any other macro in the tank. I did turn the lights of for about 2 days and the tank began to clear then I went back to my reg light schedule and back to where I started. Still trying to figure out the source.
the best thing to do is add other macros to the system then do the light thing. That way when it clears it will stay clear.