GREEN ALGE IN REEF TANK

Question
HELLO DAVID! I JUST SET UP A 120G REEF TANK (4WKS) AND THE 3RD WK OF CYCLE AFTER BROWN ALGAE,GREEN ALGAE START TO GROW ALL OVER MY TANK IS THIS IS OK? its part of the cycle? i have a sump protein skimmer its running,filter sock its working i add some macro algea to the refugium temp its @78-79 does magnesium can help? m/h its running about 7 hrs a day (300w)as far ca,ph,alk their looking good, do i have to do a water chge 10 or 20% ...pls  heelp!!! thank you have a awesome day!!!

Answer
Hi Ruben,

All great questions.

In regards to your aquarium being only 4 weeks new, the answer is "yes", it's definitely normal to experience periodic algae blooms. After about eight weeks, (while maintaing your calcium and pH levels) small patches of purple and mauve coralline algae should begin to appear here and there... these coralline species being the more dominant and more desirable species of algae.

However at times, if you experience high nutrient-rich levels in your system, you may find an outbreak of certain species of algae starting to become a nuisance. For example, some hobbyists may experience an outbreak of the Valonia species (Bubble Algae, Sea Pearls) and hair algae.

If an algae outbreak should happen, by keeping your protein skimmer running in tip top condition, along with immediately reducing nitrate, limiting silicate, checking and experimenting with your lighting, checking carbon dioxide (algae need carbon dioxide in order to grow), keeping the filter system clean, and by adding herbivores, you will be able to quickly restore your aquarium's algae level back to normal and keep the algae at bay.

Regarding magnesium: Seawater is composed of 11 major ions (also known as elements). These constituents make up 99.9% of the dissolved substances in seawater. They are: chloride, sulfate, magnesium, calcium, potassium, and strontium. These major ions are "conserved", an important part concept regarding the chemistry of seawater. While the total amount of these ions can vary locally, i.e., the salinity of the water can be different in different locations, the relative proportions of these ions remain constant. The importance of this fact is that organisms such as corals are adapted to a specific set of chemical conditions in the seawater that surrounds them, and this why the maintenance of any marine aquarium involves testing and adjusting the chemical conditions of the water in the tank.

Magnesiums main relationship is with calcium, which interacts and helps to maintain a more stable pH, by buffering the water.  The Magnesium Element in terms of ppm (Parts Per Million) in seawater would test around 1,290 ppm, the ionic form is Mg+

I wish you luck with all your saltwater aquarium endeavors!

Regards,
David

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