Lighting and algae growth.

[bettybefink]

I have an Aqua Medic 250 metal halide over my 29 gallon tank. I don't think it's too much light, but I don't know. It seems to make algae grow pretty quickly though. Do I need more inverts to eat the algae or will less lighting be the only way to get rid of my algae problems? I got this light cuz I'd like to have corals someday when I have more money, and I got a really good deal on it.

 

[isistius]

how long have you had the tank set up? what type of tank are you planning to have? fo, fowler, lps, sps, sofites? do you have any more specs on the light? i.e. wattage of bulb - is it a 250w mh? if it is, that's ok, but a serious light for such a small tank. no worries tho.
what else is in the tank?
btw- welcome to the boards

 

[lexluethar]

Without knowing more specifics it will be difficult to say. And it depends on the algea you are getting. I too added a 150 watt MH to my 29 gallon and had an algea bloom. It is a mixture of light and nutrients. For hair algea and the green stuff buy more snails to keep up with it. You should only be feeding about once a day, and if doing that you are still getting a lot of algea growth cut back your light hours. I cut mine from 9 to 7 hours this week to help with cyno.

 

[bettybefink]

I forgot to say what kind of algae...oops! Mostly hair algae on my LR, some brownish stuff on the sand where the critters don't stir up the sand. I would like to have some more soft corals, that's why I got the light. I have one smallish colony of zoos, but even with the light I have they are stretched up towards it, instead of flat against the rock. The light is an Aqua Medic HQI 250w with the 10000k dual spectrum bulb. I only feed once a day. I have four fish, an anenome, small colony of zoos, sea star, emerald crab, coupla snails, and I used to have hermits, but I haven't seen those lately. Keep advice comin' please!

 

[lexluethar]

Okay, i believe the brown stuff on the sand is diatoms - this usually pops up when your tank is new, and as all the levels even out this will go away. If you only have a 30 gallon tank 250 HQI is PLENTY of light, and your zoos will just direct their heads towards the light. Don't worry, you have adequate lighting, no matter where you put your zoos - even though it may look as if they are "stretching" for some light.
The hair algae should be taken care of by the snails. I would have about 5 or 6 snails in your tank - possibly more if your algea keeps growing. You have two choices, either purchase more hermits and snails to keep up with the hair algea or clean your tank more often. I would also increase your flow - how many power heads do you have? Hair algea can accumulate where there is little flow (along with other algea), redirect some of your powerheads to ensure there are no dead spots (no flow spots) in your tank.
How old is your tank?
Can you give us the parameters of PH, AM, NI, NA, Calcium, Alk, and salinity?
How often do you feed? How much?
How long are your lights on?

 

[bettybefink]

-tank is prob. 6 mos. old
-feed once a day, they usually eat it all
-one powerhead on the opposite side of the tank from the filter
-I don't have a test kit yet
-lights are on prob. 10 hrs./day
How often should I be cleaning my tank???

 

[dinogeorge]

In my opinion the amount you feed has more of an impact on algae growth than even your lights. Excessive feeding, and I think every one of us have been guilty of this, is the cause of excessive algae growth. This may not be your cause, but it’s something to consider. My lights are on timers and so I never change them. But if I see an algae bloom, I reduce my feeding a bit and the problem is resolved.
Good luck man.

 

[mikeyjer]

Did you say you have a Starfish?? At 6 months, your asking for it, do some research on Starfish, they need well established tank to survive, it may look good now, but it can take them a while to die.....You should cut your lighting schedule down to 6hrs per day and making sure it's not close to a window where it gets day light. Do some water changes and get some astrea snails. That should help with the issue.

 

[lexluethar]

Two things, you need more flow in your tank and you need to buy test kits. You will have no idea what is going on in your tank or what the problem is without kits. You need to be testing Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, PH and Salinity. You are really asking for a tank crash without keeping on top of things. You should be doing 10% water changes per week or 15% every two weeks. Cleaning the tank is just based on preferrence, water changes is what is the most important - but without testing your water you don't know if a change is needed.
Concerning flow - I have three power heads in my tank along with a HOB filter, and I too have a 30 gallon. You need more flow - this will help clean the system (assuming you have a filter going) and reduce your hair algea problem because it probably is growing where there is no flow. And as Dino said, you need to control your feeding. "They usually eat it all" is vague, just feed once a day and as much as they can eat in two minutes - and without a proper cleaning crew (hermits, snails, crabs, shrimp) all that food stuffs will build up in your tank.

 

[perfectdark]

Did you have the lights from the beginnng? This will help to determine if you have diatoms or silicates. You can test for phosphates but its not a 100% acurate seeing as though there are 3 different types of phosphates and some are binding, which wont show on tests.
How often do you do water changes and how often do you do them? Any major things happen that have forced you to do a lot of water changes in a little time?

 

[bettybefink]

I do 20% water change every other week and I've been using the light since I set up the tank. The hair algae comes and goes, but it's especially fierce now. I'll figure it out somehow.