Our tank still has algae?

Question

We got a saltwater tank, in a 75 gallon fish tank with crushed coral...We cleaned our tank twice in a week and algae keeps coming back and PH is low.. What should i do?

Answer 1

For one, try to get the pH up into the proper range - 8.0-8.4 depending on what you're keeping. I've found Kaulkwasser is best for this - just mix about a teaspoon of power in a plastic bottle with water and wait for any undissolved power to settle - then use a medicine dropper to add 1 dropper at a time 1-3 times each day, depending on the size of the tank, until the pH gets where it should be.

If this is a true algae, continue water changes, but I'd suggest getting the source water tested. If there are nitrates or phsphates in the water you use (tap water), these only "fertilize" the algae more, so water changes won't help in the long run. You may need to do a mixture of tap water and reverse osmosis water (availble bottled, or at self-serve dispensers [Culligan water] in larger supermarkets/Super WalMarts). You can also get a phosphate absorbing pad to use in your filter.

If you don't have photosynthetic organisms (clams, corals, anemones), you can cut down on the amount of time your lights are on, or turn them off completely until the algae is under control.

Add a cleanup crew of a few different species of snails, some hermit crabs, and maybe an urchin of you don't mind them eating the coraline algae on the live rock as well.

Another solution is to buy a desirable macroalgae (Caulerpa, Chaetopmorpha) to compete with the nuisance algae. You have to keep the Caulerpa trimmed, or it will overgrow the tank as well.

If this is a slime coating (red slime algae) this is actually a bacteria rather than an algae.

Answer 2

Lighting is the big issue I feel. As well as your water quality. If you have any source of sunlight comming in, please take measures to cut down any direct exposure of sunlight on the tank. The lighting as well, limit the lighting times to about 8 hours a day total. That's plenty enough for any plants you might have in there. How much and how often are you doing your water changes? If you are doing them less frequently, move the times up you do them to more frequent. If you are only changing out 10%, the move the changes up to about 25% ect... but do not exceed 50% of your total water. This will help you keep the other fuel source for algea, nitrates, down.

JV

Answer 3

Try putting it where less direct sunlight will hit the tank.

Answer 4

ditto to copper