bulb algae problem

[coralreefer]

I have a six bulb T5 fixture and the three white bulbs I have are going bad, causing algae in my tank. the other three, geiseman pure actinics, I got about a year ago, so they shoudnt be done. my question is that if I just keep on the actinics and take out the whites until my new bulbs come in two weeks will my algae go away? would that affect my fish or corals?
thanks

 

[bang guy]

Old bulbs don't cause algae. Excess nutrients cause algae.

 

[coralreefer]

but sometimes when T5's get old they produce a more yellow wavelength and cause algae to grow

 

[heide264]

Correct term is "encourage" or "enable" algae to grow.
I'd keep an eye on your nutrient balance (nutrients in vs. nutrients out). Maybe do a series of water changes to see if you can get things back in order easily too. Just get a jump on it, or you'll end up like me scrubbing every piece of live rock off in your tank with a grouting brush.
Have a sump? If not, might want to look into a HOB overflow and a sump of some sort. If you don't have a protein skimmer grab one as well. Also, keep an eye on the water you put into it.
Just a couple suggestions to look into - don't mean to be redundant. I wouldn't take the bulbs out or your corals will throw a fit I am sure. It might help the algae just in the sense it'll cut its light back, but it'd do the same to the corals too. I'd say its another cause =(.

 

[coralreefer]

I have a remora skimmer, a sump, and a algae turf scrubber. I just cleaned the scrubber ten minutes ago and I checked my params and my nitrates were 5 ppm at the highest. Im pretty sure it's the lights
Im also going to do a water change after I pick up some water either today or tomorrow. btw its slime algae

 

[ibew41]

can you post a pic of it?

 

[heide264]

Yeah sounds like your nutrients are good. I'd check phosphates too; sometimes they aren't proportional to nitrates if you have a kit or maybe next time you are at a LFS.
If it's slime algae try cranking up the flow a bit.
If it grows to the point its getting on your corals, I have used that red slime be gone stuff in a pinch. I would not suggest it unless its really getting bad, but it works in a pinch and might save your corals.
Can always try to cut your lighting back. If your corals aren't growing up towards the light or anything, it'll help control the issue a bit at least and keep it from getting out of hand =).
Just trying to bounce some ideas off the wall again.

 

[coralreefer]

im getting new lights in two weeks, so I think it will go away. the reason I think its the lights is because it just started showing up out of the blue