Algae out off control!

I don't do water changes that often. I would like to say about once every 2 months or so in my 36gal. The diatoms or hair is feeding off of somthing in the tank untill that somthing is gone then they will keep growing. I would let them grow and remove the clumps of them that way you know you are taking it out of the tanks (what ever they might be growing on that is) If you are having large blooms then you might be getting false readings of phosphates. Seeing that the algae is taking up the phosphates to survive you will show non in your test. Thus the only way to take out phosphates is to take out algae or diatoms. Now on to how you take it out. You can take out your rocks and scrub them with a clean tooth brush or pickup off of sand, running a good skimmer will help with this also(infact that was the biggest cleanup item for my tanks). Take your time and don't worrie so much. I have noticed that with this hobbie time heals most of your problems and the more you mess with a situation the more it gets worse.
Hope this helps and good luck

 

I forgot that if you grow other algaes like calupra or cheato this will also help in removing the unwated phosphates and silicates that help grow cyano and diatoms and hair algae.

 

i have like a cactus shaped algae called helimetilda? yet again i cant spell it! but i have just read that someone has found what they think is bryopsis in my tank (it looks like green leafy feathers !) and i did realise till just now that thts a REALLY Bad thing to have! im starting to think i should give up now!

 

ok so i have stopped panicin and have done a bit off reserch and im swaying more toward feather calp rather then bryopsis just cause i have looked at some picture off both on the net and to me it looks more like the feather one but i could be wrong! my husband pulled alot off it out yesterday so i cant get a better close up off it till some grows back. Is the feather one bad?
thanks K

 

Yes, good for you! Do more researching, there are fern like macros that are o.k. the only draw back is they can have intrusive root systems. If one doesn't mind a little pruning everything is good. It's all an aventure!

 

I have to constanly prun my calupra and it can be a pain I did panic at first but then relized that I could keep it under control. Don't know much about byropis.

 

HI again! I have a quick question : before i did my water change 4 days ago i took a nitrate reading off 20 + so did the water change and took out as much cyano as poss then left it to settle then took my nitrate again and it was 10 with little cyano growth so moved the powerhead to bottom of the tank to add very strong current. Again i took the nitrate reading 3 days after the water change and it was barely 5 and loads more cyano. So iguess my question is how do i lower my nitrate when they barly read 5? how do you lower nitrate if the cyano is eating it before you get a chance to lower it?! so i guess i need something to out grow the cyano and eat the nitrate before the cyano does, like that other algae you have in your tank?
Also im not sure my phos are adding to it as my pho in my tank from the start were 0.025 so i added two loads off rowaphos to my chem filter and it dropped to 0 and has sat at that for the past 2 months.

As you can see from my pictures the cyano is back again but just not where the tunze is directly blowing at the floor off the tank! its speading over all my rocks at the top and botton now so im worried it will smother my mushrooms.

I have to admit i did really over feed in the first 3 months off my tanks life i was feeding 2 times a day with pellet & frosen food and putting way to much in that would sink to the bottom off the tank! (this was due to being new to fish really!) since i realised about 3 weeks ago i now feed once ebery 4-5 days and only feed little at a time so all gets eated. Could this have caused the cyano problem?

Im going to clean out my chem filter next month so i read its best not to put new everything in all at once as it nocks the good bacteria but i have two lots off the rowa phos one that been in there from the start (bout 4-5 months ago) and one thats about 1 & half months old that i added to help get the phos down and the same thing with the carbon one lot from the start off my tank so its about 4-5 months old and another lot i put in about 1 & half months ago when i added my other 305 filter. What do you think would be the best way to renew them all without affecting the filter?
Thanks k

 

O.k. Ready, set, here goes! As far as changing out filter media, it is always wise to change only one media at a time. Now, when you are talking about 2 different type of media (carbon vs phosphate remover) you can change one of each because they are essentially accomplishing two separate reactions. So, change 1 lot of phos and 1 lot of carbon, which of course will be the oldest. For now, to help things along you may use Chemiclean Red Slime Remover. I (and many others) have used this. It works. Takes on average only 1 "round" with it. It tells you to add an air stone in your sump or tank to keep up the oxygen levels. I (being negligent) didn't read all the instructions the first time I used it and didn't add the air stone and did not have any adverse reactions but it is always good to follow their recommendations.
As far as feedings go, you can feed every other day but limit it to small feedings.
I believe we talked about protein skimmer, phosphate reactor and the such to rid undesirable nutrients from the tank. Give the Halemeda a chance to establish itself (2-3 weeks) and the Nitrate will should disappear.
Anything else, let us know.

 

Thanks for the great advice again!
K

 

I see you also have a fluval 405. canaster filter.. So do I..
If you don't keep them clean now and then, they can really build up your nitrates BAD...

Canaster filters are very well known for this.. producing nitrates....
BUT, If you keep it clean, then no problem from it..
Just a thought..

Good Luck, Larry