Green Algae on Glass

B

b18sol6

AC Members
Feb 6, 2006
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Asheville, NC
Ive been getting a lot of green algae building up on the glass. Im cleaning it off about every other day, and it just comes right back! I have 5 turbo snails and 5 other smaller snails(dont know what kind). The turbo snails are doing a great job, but there is just trails on the glass from were they have been, and not been.

I dont get any natural light on the tank and my parameters look good.

55 gal ,45lbs LR

Phosphates-0
Nitrates-5.0
PH-8.3
amm-0

Ive been running my lights (coralife compact fl.) about 9 hrs a day. Last week I had my lights down to about 6 hrs a day but was getting the same problem with the algae. My tank is still new been up only about 3 months.
Any suggestions would be great.
 
As your tank is so reletivly new, you "are" going to be getting algae blooms, i still clean mine every other day..Its just part and parcel of a new tank..Just keep cleaning it off, eventually, it should start to get less..

Niko
 
Do you know what the factors are that could be causing it?

I understand its a new tank, but what factors affect the algae growth? What I mean, I guess, is why is it being a new tank the reason for the outbreaks?

Not trying to doubt you, I just like to know how and why things work!
 
There can be several causes for the algae growth ... the most common being NTS (new tank syndrome) as Niko pointed out ... the other being water. What kind of water are you using for your tank? Is it tap water, or RO/DI water? Tap water is one of the most common causes of an algae outbreak.

As far as NTS goes, here's a good article that talks about it: LINK

What kind of algae is it? Just some green or brown goo/film, or is it hair algae?

Cheers!
Yash
 
Ive been using RO/DI water that I get from the LFS. I use it for all my top offs and water changes.

Its a green film like on the glass. I really have to scrub to get it off. I had a problem with a brown algae a few weeks back, but I got it cleared up pretty good. Then I had red slime all along the substrate, and I got rid of it in about 4 days or so.

I just want to make sure theres not something Im doing to help this stuff keep growing. I was going to get more snails but I dont want to have too many then there food supply go down.
 
sounds like the natural algae cycle to me. in the first few months a tank will go through cycles. brown, hair like green algae and red(cyanobacteria), then hard green algae followed but the start of coralline if there is enough calcium. it takes about 5-7 months for the full cycle to complete and stable out...thats only if you take care of the tank right though. as for the clean up crew they will always miss most the glass area or just get certain spots so youll always have to clean with my halide i will always have to clean it at least every other day thats why i have a magnet cleaner.
 
Ok I get the NTS stuff, but I cleaned the glass off about 9 am and now at 630pm there is already a large green spot on the glass again. :thud:

Is this normal, or am I just one of the lucky ones??
 
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