green dust algae on glass

[painkilla55]

yea never had it before but its basically green diatoms i guess my tangs are loving it but i hate how it looks. any ideas snails are working hard but idk what else to do. also any help on clarifiing water would be great i think my skimmer is not letting it happen.

[Big_Pun]

not really an emergency buy algae magnet cleaner and wipe it off. it's just algae from nutrients in water and grows nicely cuz all the light......

[BBQHILLBILLY]

this is a cycle for sure. I just experienced it. Ride it out dont feed it. no sw changing and no minerals in the tank. it will consume what it needs and die out.
does it cloud up the glass walls everyday?

[painkilla55]

yea not super bad like brown diatoms but at least half that speed

[BBQHILLBILLY]

It may get worse if it hasnt allready. I just picked up a bunch of snails and emeralds. Is yours a new tank, or just random? it will get clearer sooner than you think.

[painkilla55]

this ones been running for like 3 months never had this prob in any of my other tanks but also didnt have MH lights but snails are working and skimmer is getting and overhaul just a nusense really just wondering if anyone else had this prob. i know a uv sterelizer would help

[BBQHILLBILLY]

Ive read good and bad at sterilizers. Ive never given them a chance thats why I held on to mine. At the same time, I have not ran the sterilizer, and I got through the cycle.
It did take a couple of weeks. I believe my cycle came from the Black Hawaiin sand I have. I didnt clean it so I got a good cycle.

[BBQHILLBILLY]

Your sump/refug may be better to put your coral in. Keep an eye out for corals that start to close. It will pass. Kinda ride the storm out.
I dont have any fish in the dsa65 yet.

[350gt]

Tank has been up 3 months, I doubt it's a cycle.......

pics would help...

[350gt]

More tank specs? How's flow? Is it covering up the sand too? What's your filtration like?

[BBQHILLBILLY]

diatom bloom

[350gt]

diatom bloom



I read that..... But it doesn't take a tank 3 months to cycle.....


She posted tank has been up 3 months.....


instead of jumping to simple conclusions, why not get more info on the tank?

[350gt]

What is your light cycle?

[ducati996]

I get the same thing sometimes and my tank has been up for a year so I doubt mine is a diatom bloom its more of my light cycle being too long

[painkilla55]

no not covering sand flow is good have a koralia 1 as well as my return pump i also have a koralia 4 in the tank but seems too powerful for tank and fish running chem-pure essential elements purple up i use phytoplex and chomaplex for my electric scallops
filtration is a wet/dry filter rated for a 75g tank i have a protein skimmer and a rio 1700 in there all params are at next to perfect lvls fish and corals are very happy

[painkilla55]

i run 8 hr cycle starting at 9 blues for an hour then mh kicks on for 6 then blues for an hour.

[350gt]

Stop using purple up!!

Setting yourself up for disaster IMO.....


Are you using ro/di water? Your own or store bought?

[350gt]

i run 8 hr cycle starting at 9 blues for an hour then mh kicks on for 6 then blues for an hour.


Should be okay.... I doubt that's it...


could cut them back a little to be on the safe side... I think Chris was running his Mh for only 4 hours.... Lets see if he chimes in.

[painkilla55]

Whats wrong with purple up just trying to cause some major coraline growth . I do use ro/di from my own filter which is dead on for san antonio water.

[350gt]

Another thing.... What type of corals??


softies love a dirty tank.... Any sps in there??


Im the phosphate king! So I know what I'm talking about lol...

they are though the roof... Sps and some lps are not too happy... My zoas and shrooms are loving it!

[350gt]

Whats wrong with purple up just trying to cause some major coraline growth . I do use ro/di from my own filter which is dead on for san antonio water.


I wouldn't dose unless you are constantly testing.....especially phyto, it's just adding **** to a already dirty tank...



what kit are you using to test?

[Big_Pun]

algae on glass will arise as long as there are nutrients such as food for fish and corals and light. if you read GFO instructions they all state to change when algae starts to appear on glass more frequently, GFO removes phosphates which algae feeds on. it's nothing crazy but all tanks get algae on glass that's why we all buy algae cleaners for glass. you can control how fast it appears by removing phosphates with GFO or water changes with good quality water(ro/di) and by not feeding so much.

hate to tell you this but scallops don't last long no matter how much you feed. reason you don't see too many in tanks. also if you want a reef tank with inverts and corals I would rethink filtration.

[Flyride95]

I have the same thing going on in my tank. But my tank has only been up for a month and a half. What I have noticed to do is cut back your light cycle and add more snails and wait it out. I bought a blue dot sea hare and he is chowing down lol.

[Big_Pun]

you can't rush things in this hobby just let them happen. dosing purple up just elevates calcium and adds dead coralline. your rocks will turn purple on there own over time. if it's that important they sell man made rock dyed purple for like 10-12 bucks a lb

[The_wolfeman]

Did you get your skimmer working? I remember talking to you earlier. The skimmer will take out excess nutrient that's feeding the algae. And if all you're feeding is a scallop cut back on the phyto and chromaplex.

[painkilla55]

Ive got a condi n rose tip anem xenia n green mush and a sailfin,nasso and a perc clown. N no i cleaned skimmr n now wont bubble up right

[BBQHILLBILLY]

huh:bigsmile:

[Big_Pun]

how old are light bulbs, what size tank?

[painkilla55]

Not sure on bulbs n tank is a 45 corner

[txav8r]

As your tank progresses you will pay money to get rid of the purple.
Lots of work cleaning it off the glass.
Go slow. It will get there.

[350gt]

My tips...

1st off your skimmer isn't working properly... Buy another or get it fixed... What kind is it?


stop dosing, you are adding nasty stuff to a dirty tank.....


replace bulbs, if you don't know how old they are, assume they need replacing..... Older bulbs will give unwanted results(I've heard)