Help! Massive algae growth

[IsaacOrth]

Hello! I have two 55 gallon aquariums and I have been dealing with crippling algae growth. One tank will regrow algae within days of removing it. My fish are doing good but the algae has made it so can't see into the tank. My lead suspicion is a nutrient imbalance because I have RO water with a mineralizer on it. All the windows are blocked off and my lighting has no affect on the algae growth. How can i figure this out? My other 55 gallon tank has loads of plants in it and it used to have the algae problem but I didn't do a water change in it for a few months and it is now algae free. Is that because the algae used all the nutrients and then died or what. Please help. Thanks!

 

[Guyb93]

My understanding of algae is as you say there is normally something unbalanced normally lighting or nutrients, have you tried adding some floating plants or fast growing stem plants to soak up the nutrients and out compete the algae

 

[IsaacOrth]

My understanding of algae is as you say there is normally something unbalanced normally lighting or nutrients, have you tried adding some floating plants or fast growing stem plants to soak up the nutrients and out compete the algae

No, I have not tried floating plants in that specific aquarium. I have a Tidal 110 and tidal 55 I think and since they are HOB they suck in the floating plants because of their skimmers. I could try it again, what type of floating plants would you recommend.

 

[Guyb93]

I’m using Salvinia just because I like how the root stays small and it seems to be indestructible, but maybe some hornwort would work nicely might be too dense to be sucked up by the hob filter

 

[IsaacOrth]

I’m using Salvinia just because I like how the root stays small and it seems to be indestructible, but maybe some hornwort would work nicely might be too dense to be sucked up by the hob filter

Okay. I will look into that.

 

[IsaacOrth]

Is phosphate the only mineral that grows alage?

 

[Guyb93]

Is phosphate the only mineral that grows alage?

Not 100% but I’d assume nitrogen is needed also

 

[Colin_T]

Pictures of the tanks and algae so we can identify it?

Algae can grow anywhere there is light and water. If there is too much light, not enough plants, or too many nutrients, you get algae.

 

[IsaacOrth]

 

[IsaacOrth]

 

[IsaacOrth]

 

[IsaacOrth]

Pictures of the tanks and algae so we can identify it?

Algae can grow anywhere there is light and water. If there is too much light, not enough plants, or too many nutrients, you get algae.

Those are the algaes

 

[StevenF]

Hello! I have two 55 gallon aquariums and I have been dealing with crippling algae growth. One tank will regrow algae within days of removing it. My fish are doing good but the algae has made it so can't see into the tank. My lead suspicion is a nutrient imbalance because I have RO water with a mineralizer on it. All the windows are blocked off and my lighting has no affect on the algae growth. How can i figure this out? My other 55 gallon tank has loads of plants in it and it used to have the algae problem but I didn't do a water change in it for a few months and it is now algae free. Is that because the algae used all the nutrients and then died or what. Please help. Thanks!

Plants and algae need nutrients to grow Algae actually needs far less nutrients than plants. But for some reason when there are enough nutrients in the water for plants to grow Algae doesn't do well (no one knows why). RO water has no nutrients (I am assuming 100% RO in both of your tanks). So the only source of nutrients are your yourfish or than fertilizer (I am assume you are not using a fertilizer). IF you are not doing any water changes in your algae free tank then the nutrients from your fish are enough to keep the plants growing and the algae is not thriving.

As to the new tank it might take some time for nutrient levels to get high enough without a water change and or you need more fish tomato more nutrients. We have no idea what type of fish you have in either tank or how many. In my experience light levels have very little effect on algae growth. If you can see the algae you have more than enough light of it.

As to fertilizing the water RO water creates some challenges. Most fertilizers assume your tap water had some nutrients so some fertilizer don't add nutrients to there bottles or not enough. For starters you should monitor the GH (general hardness a measure calcium and magnesium n the water)Some fish like a low GH number whiles other need a higher one for good health and plants also need a little bit of it. Most people using RO water add a GH booster mainly for the fish but also for the plants. 1 degree of Gh is generally enough for plants.In my RO tank. Sometimes the substrate has calcium and magnesium in it but as of right now we don't know. So be foreI go further what is the normal naintence for both tanks, 100% or or a mix of RO and tap, water changes, GH, KH, PH numbers for both tanks and stocking information are needed.

 

[StevenF]

Is phosphate the only mineral that grows alage?

Plants and algae need the following to grow, light, water, CO2, Nitrogen, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphate, sulfur, Chlorine, Iron, Manganese, Boron, Zinc, Copper, Molybdenum, Nickel.

For plants if only one is missing plants won't grow and eventually will die. As to algae its nutrient requirements are so low my RO water storage container has algae and the total dissolved solids in it is 1ppm (As low as I can measure and plants will not grow in water with a TDS of 1ppm).

 

[Stan510]

'Didn't do a water change for months and the algae cleared" Say that on ukaps or any other plant board and they would ban you. But,you would be right. That's the best way in lo tech to keep the water clear and the algae off the rocks.
Clean the PRE filter! Often!..but just top off the water. When things are balanced maybe make a small water change once a month. 20% or so.