Algae Question

Hello everyone, I have a question about some recent algae outbreaks in my tank. The tank has been set up and running for close to two months now- already had the amm./nitrite/nitrate cycle. But recently (past two weeks or so) there has been a huge outbreak of brown (diatom?) algae on the glass, mainly the back glass but also on the front and sides a bit. The brown algae is beginning to go away but now I am noticing thousands of specks of green algae on the front and side glass with pathces of red (not pink) algae on the back of the tank. Also, there is more and more patches of red algae on my rock work that has air bubbles stuck in it. The bubbles get released and float to the surface when my hermits and snails go over them.. Is this kind of an algae outbreak normal for a tank this young? My phosphates are around .25mg/L, so I dont think this is the root of the problem. Thank you for any help..

Hi

You have not mentioned what lighting you have. If your lights are old and tend towards the yellow end of the spectrum you will get algae blooms. Obviously depends on your lights though!

Also are you skimming? What algae eaters do you have, turbo snails?

Try cleaning off as much of the algae as possible and get some rowaphos to try and elimanate the algaes food.

HTH

W

The red stuff is variously known as red slime algae, blue-green algae or cyanobacteria. The air bubbles are normal for this stuff. Getting algae blooms is pretty normal in a young aquarium. Keep up your water changes and siphon off as much of the cyano as you can. It might clear up on its own 'as your tank matures but I wouldn't count on it. Your phosphates are too high at .25. You should be looking for 0 ideally, but less than .1. Rowaphos might help you, but you'll eventually have to deal with it at the source. Reduce feeding, increase skimming (or more water changes).

Matthew