Film Algae

My new tank is only 18 days old and is covered with neon green film algae. I am using RO water and my phosphate levels keep testing at zero but the glass and rocks are covered! I clean the glass with a mag-float and seriously an hour later i come back and its grown back, covering every inch of the glass on every side. I dont mind it on the rocks but dam it makes my tank look like crap. I know snails eat the stuff and my CUC from reefcleaner.org is comming this week but if it keeps growing like this they'll never keep up. Will it eventully go away? or lessen? my MH is on for 8 hours, Actinics are on for 10

thanks

 

its cyano. Nothing really eats it. Your phosphates test 0 cos the cyano is consuming them. If you have nothing in your tank (which you shouldnt as you are still cycling), just switch the lights off. it will die.

 

I would also like to add that silicates will contribute to the prob and with all new tanks silicates are leached into the water it is just a process of waiting them out. Also anytime a new powerhead or skimmer or anything else plastic more silicates are introduced and the cyano may flare up for a short period but will eventually subside. However, film algae is a part of this hobby one must learn to accept. I clean my glass weekly but by day 5 or so it starts to show the signs of needing a cleaning

 

yeah im with bluetang08 on that one... i have to clean my front glass atleast once a week. im not sure, in my case anyway, if its the lack of full CuC or if its just 'natural'.

 

Welcome to reefing LOL

 

being you have nothing in the tank (since it's only 18 days) I wouldn't have the lights on nearly that long, especially the halides. Matter of fact i wouldn't even put the halides on yet, the halides are whats causing the green film to bloom non stop. kill them until you have life in there and run the actinics for only a few hours a day, maybe 6. It will go away quickly after that.

 

BTW Hi everybody