Have a problem

[cb]

I have used our well water since I set up the tank. I also have a friend that uses our well water too. I have a diatom problem on my sand and she does not, I have brown and green algae on my back glass and she does not .. When I bought the light fixture a couple months ago it came with two used bulbs and two new bulbs so I put the new bulbs in.. So can anyone tell me what the problem might be????

 

[nas19320]

How long has the tank been setup? I beleive bulbs that are to old can cause algae to grow.

 

[aarone]

When I bought the light fixture a couple months ago it came with two used bulbs and two new bulbs so I put the new bulbs in..
is your tank near a window? sunlight causes algae blooms, well maybe im an exception my tank gets sunlight all day long (its under my window) havent had a single outbreak yet. and it works wonders for my coralline.
Do you have a fuge? If so get some macro algae and let it clear out the algae. Also, what kind of clean up crew do you have?

 

[cb]

The tank has been set up since oct of last year. I have a redlegged hermit a turbo snail a trochus snail 16 nassarius sanils a fighting conch. The tank may get a little bit of indirect sunlight due to the windows in the room but I keep the blind closed all the time on the window near the tank.No I do not have a fuge.

 

[leigh]

i'd say you probably just need to beef up your clean up crew. also, what are you feeding? phosphates could be getting in the water through the food? and lastly, how long is your photo period? ie...if you run lights 16 hrs a day you're more likely to have algae problems then if you run them 10 hrs a day.

 

[jonthefb]

id also suggest changing the bulbs! if youve got power compacts on the tank, they really should be changed every 6 to nine months.....the bulb burning out of spectrum could also be causign your nuisance algae problems!
good luck
jon

 

[fishkiller]

My experience is that different water reacts differently to light regimens or how long your photoperiod is. There may be more phosphates in your well water than in other peoples' tap water. Try reducing the hours of light a day.

 

[tgolbus]

Do you over feed the tank?

 

[cb]

No I feed a pinch of flake for the 4 fish and a krill for the anemone everyother day and I put a capful of DT's in every other day for the featherduster.

 

[leigh]

Originally posted by CB
I put a capful of DT's in every other day for the featherduster.
This could be your problem. That's a lot of DT's (even if the bottle recommends that much, i'd still do a fraction of that--not even a capful a week tops if a feather duster is your only filter feeder)
Also, we still need to know how long your photo period is to really help you determine the cause for sure.

 

[cb]

I keep my lights on about 12 hrs a day I have an anemone and some polyps besides the fish and lr.

 

[leigh]

Yeah, my vote is the DT's is the culprit.

 

[cb]

So how much DT's should I add and how often should i add it.

 

[leigh]

If your only filter feeder is the feather duster (plus whatever hitched in on your live rock, small sponges and such)...i'd try maybe half a capful a week. (or a drop or two a day). there's a lot for them to feed off in the water column as it is...one feather duster really doesn't require much supplementation. A fuge would definitely help long term. Also, if you're not already doing it, regular small water changes will help, say 5-10% weekly. Also, do you have a skimmer?

 

[cb]

Yes I have a skimmer and I change out about 4 gallons a week as a water change is this enough or do I need to change out more water? The tank is a 40g long.

 

[cb]

I first bought the DT's when I bought the anemone because the lfs told me that I need to add it to the tank for the anemone.

 

[leigh]

those water changes are fine, that's a good weekly amount, and glad you have a skimmer...a lack of one could also cause algae blooms. so yes, i'm definitely thinking it's the dt's...you're feeding your anemone krill every other day you said right? i'd definitely cut the dt's way back--half capful a week--try that for a while and see how things adjust...that's my suggestion hope it helps!

 

[cb]

I am also going to get a gorgonian and was told I had to feed it DT's will this amount also feed it sufficiently? and Thanks for all your help.

 

[leigh]

i would think so--it would in my system, but everyone's system is different. i once read someone say that they added phyto until hair algae appears than ease off a bit...i've been working off that philosophy myself and it seems to work pretty well. i personally add about a capful a week (or less) and i have sponges, corals, gorgos and feather dusters all thriving. on the flip side however i also have flocks of peppermint shrimp always releasing babies into the water column which definitely helps the ecosystem. but if i were you i'd just cut waaay back, fix the algae problem, then ease back into it--assuming the dt's turns out to be the source of the problem, then you'll be able to guage how much you can add by what's the limit before you start to have algae blooms. make sense? please, also, let me know if this fixes the problem, i'm quite curious now! -leigh

 

[cb]

I don't think I would want to get the hairalgae part and then back it off I think I will back it off now. I don't have any shrimp right now but you said that you have pep shrimp do you have any problems with them and what do they eat? I would like to add some shrimp to my tank but do not know which are best.