Green Algae Problem with new tank

[Sam Samy]

Hello All:
I've just upgrade my 48 Gallon tank to a 90 Gallon with new 400W(6500K) metal halide and 2 X 110 VHO Actinics. My problem is that I'm starting to see green hair or green branch type algae growth on the tank glass and on some rocks. I've never had this problem with my 48 before. The new tank has being running for about a week, with my 25W UV. The Nitrite/Ammonia/Phosphate are all 0 and Nitrate is 5ppm. PH is 8.3, salinity 1.025, temp average from 76 to 82...

I've been scraping the aglae off the glass and the rocks, but do not understand why this is happening. The only thing I can think of is the new lighting system for the 90 gallon...

Your thoughts and comments would be greatly appreciated...Thanks...

[ruck'n'reefer]

Do you have any herbivores?
With light comes algae!
Snails (ie.turbos) tangs, salarius blennies, as well as many other herb's will help your situation if you are without them.
You will always have to scrape the glass though.

[Sam Samy]

Hi Rob,

I have some blue legged hermits, turbo snails, bubble bee snail...But, it seems that the green hair aglae is growing on the sand, pipes, and rocks(starting to go out of control)...What tangs and other herbivores will help???

[smokinreefer]

i had an algae problem a week ago, long 1-1.5" thn, feathery green hair/filamentous algae. due to a tank cycle i believe...upgraded tanks and lights.

i bought a yellow tang, within an hour he was munching this stuff down. in a couple days he cleared the sandbed, thats right i had hair algae on the sandbed images/smiles/icon_sad.gif and now after a week he has mowed it down off the back glass panel of the tank. 6' tank.

and now there is very little of this stuff left. he has now started to eat the grape caulerpra that has begun to flourish in the tank. thank god images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif i am a very happy camper, my yellow tang is awesome! images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

he is nice and plump, and i havent even had to feed him veggies yet. and i have a ton of caulerpra in my refugium i can feed him too.

so if your tank is big enough for a tang, then get one, preferably a zebrasoma sp.. i think that they are better grazers, cuz of the way their mouths are shaped.

HTH

[SuperFudge]

Sam,

I agree,if you bumped up your tank size almost double,you should probably do the same with your herbivour population.
1 snail per gal is a good goal,and as stated above Zebrasoma are excellent grazers.

I dont believe Nitrates on their own are the culprit,you might want to try another phosphate test kit (not the tabs...no good IMVHO.)

Whats your alk at?
Skimmer?

Oh Ya.... and WELCOME to the Canreef BB! images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

Marc.