Tank cycling - algae explosion

[testhead1313]

Okay, so I am cycling a new tank (58 gallon) and am having a massive algae bloom. Seriously epic proportions; I swear you can watch this stuff grow. It's only on the glass thus far, no bryopsis or hairy stuff (well, a bit, but it's contained). I went through a brief cyano outbreak (some is still around on the sand bed), but the glass needs to be scraped twice a day to see anything ! I am running two 39W T5s (1 actinic, 1 ultra blue) from 6:30AM-10:00PM, and two 175W MH from 1:00PM-8:00PM. I am using Crystal Sea salt and RO/DI (6ppm...more on this later), not feeding, and the rock came from another reefer in a pre-established tank. The tank is out of direct sun, but it has been a bit too warm (84+) lately, but I bought a fan today to cool the surface, so it was consistenly at 81. I know I'm still in the cycle because my ammonia is high (best I could tell by the damn test is it's greater than 0, but less than 25 mg/l), nitrates and nitrites at 0, and pH at 8.0. I have not yet tested for Ca or Alk, but I began dosing B Ionic tonight, so I will start soon. Hmmm, what else? Obviously, I have no fish yet, but I did throw some Xenia and snails in and they seem to be doing well. I don't have my fuge online yet, but I did throw some macro in the tank tonight from another tank. I have dual venturi skimmers in my sump that are doing an okay job thus far.

So, is this normal? I wish I could get some good pictures so you won't think I'm just over-reacting. Anyhow, could I be getting phostates in that 6 ppm (tested after RO, before DI) that's coming in the RO? Is the temperature the cause? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Also, what test kit for ammonia has the greatest contrasting colors in your opinion (I go to HD, look at 50 swatches and say they all look white ). Thanks again
Chris

 

[denvig]

(tested after RO, before DI) What is it after DI? How long has the tank been running? Is the rock fresh or fully cycled? Or was it out of the other tank for some time? How much rock?

 

[Moe_K]

RO water testing at 6 ppm?
Jeez, test the tap water.

6 ppm will get you a nasty bloom.

 

[MarkO]

6 ppm phosphates? Are you sure? That would be extremely high. Off the chart on most test kits. I'd test again with another kit (if you have on, or can borrow one).

 

[testhead1313]

I haven't tested it after the DI because I thought DI produced erroneous results. The tank has been up and running for a little over two weeks. The rock was fully cured and had not been out of water at all. I have 70 lbs. of rock in the tank. Thanks
Chris

 

[aweeks95]

how long has the tank been up? i think the actinic are on too long...might not be part of the cause but i have mine on at 1:00 pm and then the white pc on at 2:00 pm...the white pc goes off at 10 and the actinic off at 11.....that is how i have mine timed. as far as everything else, depending on the length of time it's been running, you could just have a phase to go through. i think you might have to wait and keep testing. i'm not an expert, but i have come along way with this site to help me, so keep checking back. others will be able to offer more specific ideas...

ANDY

 

[testhead1313]

Not 6ppm phosphates, 6ppm TDS. Moe, you think this could be the cause?

 

[testhead1313]

Woohoo, 100 posts!

 

[testhead1313]

My TDS meter is inline, so I will check the DI tommorow. The tap coming in is at 74. Hmmm, only 91% removal. Time to order more filters. Any other ideas, advice, or experiences? Thanks again
Chris

 

[Moe_K]

Not 6ppm phosphates, 6ppm TDS. Moe, you think this could be the cause?

Ah, I thought it was 6 ppm phosphates.

I don't know much about TDS, sorry.

 

[denvig]

6 ppm TDS befor the DI is not bad. The DI unit should bring that down to 0. Your running your T5s for about 15 1/2 hours this seem a little long I would cut that back to 10 hours or less. You don't have anything in the tank yet that needs that much light so you could cut it way down for a while. Also what kind of flow do you have?

 

[testhead1313]

I was thinking about reducing the photoperiod on the actinics, so I will do that today. Maybe 12-9? If the bloom continues, I'll drop the halide photoperiod. Flow is lacking right now, but I am ordering powerheads today. I have a wavemaster and rotating hydors for the powerheads. I want to get either Maxi-jet 900s or 1200s. Would 1200s be overkill in a 58? Three 1200s x 295 gph = 885 + return pump 600 gph = 1485 gph (25x per hour). or three 900s x 230 gph = 690 gph + return pump 600 gph = 1290 gph (22x per hour). Then again, they are on a wavemaker, so flow would be reduced. Anyhow, let me know what you think. Thanks

 

[Jim Tansey]

If your using the rotating hydors use the 1200 using them with the 900 reduces the flow to much. I just tried them with the 900 this weekend and the flow is much to low.

Jim

 

[MikeG]

I also wouldn't waste the B-Ionic right now, with nothing in your tank there really isn't any calcification taking place so calcium and alkilinity shouldn't change much. I wouldn't add anything until you have reliable test kits.

 

[Pat H.]

Part of your problem could be exhausted DI cartridge as others have suggested. Here's a quote from RHF's article "Reverse Osmosis/Deionization Systems to Purify Tap Water for Reef Aquaria"

>Several issues arise relating to the depletion of the DI resins that aquarists need to be aware of. Primary among these is that when a DI resin becomes depleted, that does not simply mean that the water passes through just as it came from the RO effluent. It may actually be much worse from an aquarist?s perspective. The reason for this is that while the DI resin is functioning properly, all ions will be caught. But when it is depleted, not only the new ions are coming through and might show up in the product water, but so are all the ions that ever got into the DI resin in the first place. The total concentration of ions coming out of the exhausted DI resin will not be raised as compared to the RO's effluent, but which ions are released may be very different<

Here's a link to the article.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-05/rhf/index.htm

This might be worth looking into if you have not changed your DI in a while.
I was very surprised.

Randy has a lot of great articles on just about everything! I think I might have left the hobby if I didn't find his article on Calcium and Alkalinity.
Anyway, I hope this helps.
-Patrick

 

[testhead1313]

Okay, TDS after DI is 0. Jim, I agree the 1200s would be best; I will order them tonight. I was dosing B-ionic in an attempt to get coralline algae to begin taking over. Correct me if I'm wrong, but coralline algae will, like macroalgae, compete with microalgae for nutrients and thus reduce the explosion, correct? Thanks again for all of your advice.
Chris