| One of the most common reasons why people | | | | in your tank. Older bulbs do not burn with the |
| leave the marine aquarium hobby is due to | | | | same intensity or spectrum that they did when |
| nuisance algae. There is no doubt that it can | | | | they were new. Because of this they can |
| become a real heart breaker after spending so | | | | become a source for problem algae growth. They |
| much time and effort at this hobby only to be | | | | need to be replaced at regular intervals. You |
| defeated by such a small organism as algae. | | | | should research the type of bulb you are using |
| Just about everyone who has ever set up a | | | | and how long they will last before replacements |
| marine tank has to deal with nuisance algae at | | | | are needed. You should really document when you |
| one time or another. Typically it will start showing | | | | buy the bulbs so that you know when they need |
| up near the end of your tanks cycle, about 3 to 5 | | | | replacing. |
| weeks after your setup. Some of the time it will | | | | Water flow or should I say the lack of it, |
| go away on its own, in a few weeks, as your | | | | throughout your aquarium can also have an |
| aquarium has a chance to stabilize. Even if the | | | | impact. Advances in the design of power heads |
| algae do disappear, there is always a chance it | | | | have come a long way in resent years. The kind |
| could return. | | | | of flow coming out of them is a lot better now. |
| What are algae? | | | | An upgrade might be just what you need. |
| Essentially, they are organisms that produce their | | | | The level of nutrient concentrations also has a big |
| own food by a process called photosynthesis. | | | | impact on populations. Many types of hair and |
| There are many forms that can range from kelp | | | | slime algae will start growing in response to |
| to caulaerpa to those brown dots growing on the | | | | excess nutrients, especially nitrates and |
| panels of glass in your aquarium. For this | | | | phosphates. Regular water changes go a long way |
| discussion we will concentrate on just the nuisance | | | | to directly reducing the amount of nutrients in |
| algae. | | | | your system. Good phosphate removing |
| Some of the more crucial factors that affect | | | | compounds are readily available at the local fish |
| algae growth in your reef aquarium are light, | | | | store. Some people run them in a reactor all the |
| water flow, nutrient concentrations, and | | | | time. |
| competition for those nutrients. | | | | Finally we come to nutrient competition. Many |
| Of all these factors, light has the greatest impact. | | | | people grow Macro algae in their sump in an |
| A typical coral reef in the wild has very high light | | | | attempt to out compete the nuisance algae. |
| intensity. One way to kill it is to deprive it of light. | | | | Chaeto is a great macro for this job. It is fast |
| In your reef, the quantity, spectrum, and duration | | | | growing and will use up plenty of nutrients. This |
| of your lights all influence not only what types of | | | | works very well in a lot of cases. |
| algae are present, but also, the abundance. | | | | I hope this short discussion has been of benefit to |
| The age of the bulbs in your lighting system has a | | | | you. |
| direct effect on the kinds of algae that can grow | | | | |