Little help with algae or whatever it is

[Scott Jungdahl]

I been having more algae growth than usual.
135 gallon reef
What Changed -
added LED lights
Week later
20% water change
Rearranged rock
Week later
20% water change
week later
20% water change
The water changes were an effort to fight green algae.
Now what I am getting looks very much like the brown stuff (was green at last cleaning) you get with a new setup but not as bad.
It is very light bio load
I use a sump with rock in it and an external filter pump
I know I need a skimmer but no budget at moment and hadn't needed one before.
The fish and coral are doing well. The coral amazingly better since new lights.
No feeding changes except now automatic with Neptune AFS

I want to add more liver stock but not sure what is happening.

Any suggestions?

 

[zuatrapatuarte]

It might be the liver stock... :D

 

[Aquarian]

What are you using for water RO or tap?
Changing the lighting can bring on a algae bloom.
Have you tried to shorten your photo period?
Also I would stay away from the liver stock it will give yor fish bad breath. :D

And welcome to LR

 

[Scott Jungdahl]

I use RO water. I will try shortening the lighting period.

Any other ideas please beside liver stock. An obvious typo

 

[mariobrothersleeve]

How old is the set up? What is the phosphate level? Moving rocks could release the phosphates from the sand bed and the live rock could still be releasing if in a new setup. Protein skimmers only take out 30% of doc's, so the water changes are a great thing. How heavy is your cuc?

 

[Scott Jungdahl]

The tank has been up for a year. Unfortunately no phosphate test kit. I have hermits and snails, quite a few may need more, don't know.
My test kit includes Nitrate, Nitrite, Ammonia and high PH
Nitrates are at 5ppm

 

[mariobrothersleeve]

I would start turkey battering the lr and vacuum the sand bed during w/c. In your filter, install some pillow stuffing and change it 2 ' per week. Best way I know of getting rid of phosphates and nitrates. Killing your lights down only offers a bandage and physically removing waste is the key

 

[Scott Jungdahl]

I'm changing my filter medium today. I will vacuum bed and sump next water change which I have now decided to move up on my schedule.
Thanks
keep em coming guys!!!!

 

[Scott Jungdahl]

Would micro bubbles cause excessive algae?

 

[Lesely]

we recently moved our rock scape around at one end of the tank and put some live rock from the sump in, we got a slight diatom outbreak at that end of the tank only. It is slowly disappearing it has been about 4 weeks now. When you said it looks like the stuff you first get in your tank, maybe that's what it is ?

 

[Scott Jungdahl]

It certainly looks that way. I'm still doing a good system cleaning. Already changed my filter medium. I will change again after cleaning.