Algae problems

Hello, I am having some problems with algae in my tank. It's just green algae on the sand and all on the glass and starting to cover my rock. I did change my metal halide recently and I didn't realize until I ordered it that I had a 15K and my new light was 20K. My bubble tip anemone and fish seem to be doing fine, but did I cause the algae problem by the new light? Also, I was noticing some algae problems prior to this but it has gotten worse. I ordered a cleaner kit last year with hermits, snails, crabs,shrimp, serpent star, etc.. Most everything has died except star, few hermits, and few snails. A couple weeks ago the clowns attacked the shrimp and fed him to the anemone. He might have been dying anyway. What do you recommend? Also, my frog spawn has died too but my xenia is doing fine. Tank is 3-4 years old.

I have been doing this only one year. Thanks.

 

Welcome to 3reef,

What brand of bulb did you get and how old was the last bulb prior to replacement?

What is your water source?

Have you tested for Phosphates and Nitrates and do you have those values?

Are you currently using any GFO or Phosban?

What type of filtration do you have?

 

Coralife double ended 20K. Last bulb was right at a year. I thought that was why the frogs spawn was dying. My BTA seems to like the new bulb. It split about 4 months ago and both are really opened up during the day. It seems to be more opened up with the new light.

I think I know the problem. I just tested for nitrites. 80-160ppm. I have a protein skimmer. I then us Cemipure and purigen plus polyfill.

Thanks for the advice. I'm a newbie and got an established tank and I haven't had any problems for 10 months now until this. Most of my cleaners have died though.

 

In my experience members of the Cuc meet their end by either a predator of snails and crabs, swings in pH and specific gravity or starvation.

In the future change out MH at 6-9 months. Phoenix, Radium, Ushio are some very good brands to try out instead of Coralife (I have not had a Coralife but I am very familiar with their other products).

To keep a mixed reef you will need to get test kits for Calcium/alkalinity/magnesium. In the long run keeping those values and other basic water chemistry in line will save you a lot of money and frustration.

For now I would start with some water changes using only RO/DI water, reduce feedings appropriately and replacing your CUC.

If that does not work you can get more aggressive.

If you do not have access to RO/DI water, they sell it at Walmart or most local fish stores.

 

It would be my thought that your bulbs were weak to begin with and that's why growth didn't really happen until you changed your bulbs. Personally, I have used coralife bulbs before and really never had a problem with them but I am the guy that will typically use what I've got. I'm using plusrites now and they are working great! What color is the algae. Are you sure it isn't a diatom bloom or cyano bacteria?

 

+1 with every bodies advise. If I may add, what test kits are you using, and if you can, as Corailline suggested, please list all your parameters you can test for in a reef tank. If you can't test for one particular thing, you don't know what the true problem may be. Every time I learn something new on 3Reef, it's when a person lists All of their parameters honestly, and absorbs the feedback as needed. Folks tend to have very informative discussions here, and it keeps me coming back each day.

what is your:

Ammonia -
Nitrite -
Nitrate -
Phosphate -
Magnesium -
Alkalinity -
Calcium -

What size is your tank, what do you use for top off water?

PICS are a huge help!!! ;D

 

Thanks everyone. I will take some pics tomorrow. The algae is green lying on the sand and collecting on the glass. Looks like regular old slimy algae when i clean it. I had a problem with bubble algae at first but the crabs cleaned it up before they died.

I just tested for nitrites and ph quickly tonight. Ph was 8.2... Nitrites were high at 80-160 ppm. I use only water from auto fills at Walmart of publix. My top is the same... It's ATO.

It's a biocube 30, I do feed the fish daily and nems once a week. Think I feed too much?

Again the tanks been rocking along for 10 months... Same water... SP grav.. Same brand salt.

 

Still haven't had a chance to get those paramaters. The tank is at my office. I'll do a water change and delay feeds to every other day for now.

 

Here are my paramaters:

Ca 520
KH 5dKH or 89.5
Phos 0 ppm
pH 8.0-8.2
Nitrate 80
Nitrite 0 ppm
Ammonia 0 ppm.

I have two clowns, flameback angel, blue chromis, gold acessor, a serpent star, a few hermits left, a Rose BTA that split 7 months ago so now 2 that seem to both be growing. I feed them shrimp once a week.

One thing I need to change is the chemipure and purigen. I forgot that they are way over due. Also, I guess I need new cleaners as most of my snails have died.

Other suggestions? What kind of cleaner crew?

Thanks again.

 

Here is a picture.