Algae Good Or Bad?

[bollands]

yesterday i removed large amounts of blanket algea i think (it was red ish and slimey) from my live rock, i want to know if it was better for the water quality to keep the algea on the rock as a nitrate remover or if i should have taken it off long ago so the bacteria in the rock can work more effectively?

 

[Anguilla82]

if the algae was red and slimey that sounds like cyano, which is often caused by an excess of nitrate and phosphate in the water. it is best to remove it and do regular water changes to improve the water quality.
Are you using any phosphate remover (i.e. rowaphos, phosban etc....)?

 

[bollands]

yes i am in the back of my orca tl550 but im not sure about the water flow through it im going now to go add some nitrate remover liquid

 

[Anguilla82]

yes i am in the back of my orca tl550 but im not sure about the water flow through it im going now to go add some nitrate remover liquid

you shouldn't need to add any chemicals liek nitrate remover.
Just do regular (i.e. weekly or if needs be twice weekly) water changes to dilute the nitrate already present.
What is your stocking?
Often high nitrate is caused from a combination of high stocking and high feeding.

 

[bollands]

no its no chemical its just de-nitrifying bacteria. umm i have 5 small fish about 4-5 cm in length
i havent been feeding much as ive been away for a while at a few days at a time

 

[Anguilla82]

that stocking shouldn't be too bad and if you say you're not over feeding either. mmmmm

how much live rock have you got in the tank?

and how long has it been set up for?

 

[bollands]

this is what i find really wierd, i have over 25kgs of live rock 5kg of live sand, and its been set up for almost two years as i bought the set up a few months ago from a lady who had had it for 18months and i used the same water etc. this is why i dont know any ideas?

 

[SkiFletch]

What's your input water source?

 

[bollands]

lfs water lol i know its not the best and i think the previous owner didnt have much of a clue and used tap water for evaporation top up!!

 

[Anguilla82]

there is probably your problem, as tap water contains phosphate and your rock copuld've soaked up a load and is gradually releasing it, and that is what the cyano is 'feeding' off of.
I had the exact same problem with the nano i got off of Ebay. The guy was using tap water for his water changes. I struggled with algae issues for months. It is a bit of a battle but it will come good in the end! just keep testing your phosphate levels and if there is some evidenec of it then change your phosphate remover regularly.
Remove the algae by siphon when you do a water change.

 

[bollands]

thank you very much