I'm hoping that it's just a temporary problem since the tank is young. But I also wonder if the outbreak could have something to do with me switching from T5 to metal halide lighting. Either way it's depressing to look at right now. I thought about getting alawnmower blenny. But even if it did eat the algae that wouldn't solve the underlying problem that is fueling the outbreak.

how old is the MH's bulb?

Not even a month old.

stock or aftermarket?

Stock

hmm well that may be it. also if you kept the same photoperiod it may be the cause. 10hrs of T5 is heckuva lot different than 10hrs of MH. MH for no more than 8hrs in my opinion

I've been thinking about getting a 14k Phoenix bulb. I just haven't gotten around to doing that yet. And I did keep the same photoperiod as I had with the Nova. So at the moment the MH is on from 1-9pm.

I switched just like you to MH, and I am not seeing any algae. I wonder if its cuz I'm using a Warner Marine H2X for skimming? maybe that is helping. Also, I just switched to Phoenix 14K, and the color is terrific. Almost as blue as the aqualine 20K I used to have(i broke it while switching), I like it alot. btw, I do have a Sapphire aquatics skimmer sitting around, if you want it, for a small fee of coarse! it only has a couple of weeks use.

-mike

I just did a water change and some maintenance to the tank and figured I'd take a few pictures. Here are the ones that came out the best. The tank isn't pretty at the moment and the algae is kind of depressing to look at. I can't figure out what's causing it but I'm hopeful things will get better. It doesn't seem to be spreading anymore.

FTS:


Closeup of the algae(?) where it is worst:

stick with the waterchanges, run some gfo, manually remove as much as possible.

Does Chemi-Pure Elite have GFO in it? Because I'm planning on getting some soon.

yes. I love CPE.

Ya, I run a reactor with GFO&carbon(High end stuff from BulkReefSupply.com). It helps alot, I have always run one. Just make sure to keep up on the maintanence. Also Clavius, I sold my skimmer, sorry.

-Mike

Where do you have the reactor? In the rear of the Solana?

So I finally got the API Reef test kit. I tested my RO/DI water for phosphates to see if that could be the cause of the algae. The test result looks like it is .25 or maybe as high as .5. Hell, it could be 0 it's so hard to tell with these tests. It's definitely not higher than .5 though. Is that high enough to fuel algae growth?

My tank is in a corner, So I hang my reactor(3 little fishies) off the back. As far as Phosphates, I always test 0, and my water is 0 TDS. Where/how are you making your top-off? Do you test its TDS?

-Mike

I use RO/DI water to topoff. Same stuff I use to make saltwater. I don't test for TDS as I don't have a TDS meter yet. One of those things I've been meaning to buy. But my RO/DI unit is the Mighty Mite from Air, Water & Ice and I've only had it a few months. I used the water it makes on my old tank and never had any algae problems.

Probably worth picking up a TDS meter, they are pretty cheap, and I use mine alot. I'm always checking my water. If it ever strays from 0, I fix things. Thats probably a little overboard, but it works for me. Better safe than sorry.

-Mike

I would suggest a sea hare. Once the GHA settled in the tank, it's very difficult to totally get rid of.


Closeup of the algae(?) where it is worst:

I don't know about a sea hare. Besides, that wouldn't be solving the root cause of the algae. A sea hare would just be a temporary fix.

I've never used it before but I'm thinking about throwing the stock skimmer in to see what it does...

Are you telling me you've never used a skimmer on this tank? even the stock one, which btw, isn't so bad?

-Mike

Nope, never used one. Been thinking about buying the Sapphire one or a Tunze 9002. Just haven't gotten to that purchase yet. Partially because I really don't know much about skimmers, other than that they have to "break-in" or something...??

Alrighty, I put the stock skimmer in and plugged it in and it's... skimming, I guess. I don't really know enough to know whether or not it's working correctly though.

Let it run with the cup all the way down, and empty it every few days, and clean the cup. Then after a week or so, move it up slightly. I prefer to run it with it down, and empty more(skim wet) then run it high, and empty less(skim dry) I think it will help you tremendously with your hair algae problem. It is Soooooo much easier to maintain a tank when running a skimmer.

I run the Warner marine H2X hang on skimmer on mine, Its rated @ 80Gallons. Much more than anything you can get in the back compartment of the Solana. But my tank is 95% SPS.

Personally, I feel a nice skimmer is as important as a nice light setup. those are the 2 most important pieces of hardware to a succesful reef tank, imo.
Keep in mind tho, you are only going to skim so well with the Sapphire, or Tunze. because they are limited in size by what will fit in the back of the Solana. But any upgrade, or even stock is much better than nothing at all.

-good luck, Mike

Thanks for your help Mike, I really appreciate it. How long until I can expect to see some skimmate? And do you run your skimmer 24/7?

Pushed the cup down lower and after about 10 minutes there is already some skimmate in it. Woohoo!

Great, I pull out about 1/4" of skimmate 2x a week. Its about the color of Iced Tea. And yes I do run 24/7. It will help alot with your tank. Even with only the "stock" skimmer. btw, I do hear the new Euro-reef nanos are pretty good. you should google them. I'd say top3 that will fit in the back of the Solana are the Tunze, Sapphire, and Euro-reef. The stock one works pretty good tho, for what it is.

-Mike

Checked it this morning before heading to work. The cup was about 1/4 full of some nasty looking water. I guess it's working! Still though, I'm seriously considering the Sapphire skimmer as an upgrade.

Thinking about upgrading to either the Tunze 9002 or this Euro Reef skimmer:
http://www.nanoreefsystems.com/nano-protei...ana-34g-hob.asp

But it sounds like the Euro Reef one is a hang on back skimmer, which wouldn't work for me. So it looks like I'll probably be going with the Tunze.

I think the Euroreef hangs on the back but sits in the back compartment. I could be wrong tho. Lemme google it. brb......

ya, see here....

Yeah, that's way too tall unfortunately. Looks like it's going to be the Tunze 9002. Thanks for finding that image Mike.

Checked the skimmer earlier. It hasn't even been running 24 hours and it already pulled out some nasty water. The cup was about half full. Though the skimmate should probably be darker.

ya it is tall, but you cant see it from the front, it is blocked by the light. And as far as skimmate, i prefer to run wet, and pull out more, that run dry and pull out less.

-mike

Got some new stuff:

New duncans:


Blastomussa merletti:


Caulastrea:


Yumas:


Purple Monti Cap:


Orange Monti Cap:


Green Monti Cap w/brown polyps:


Sand bed:


Bad FTS:

Looks great!, Hey Matt, I just ordered a Euro-reef skimmer. My Warner marine is just too big for this tank, so i thought I'd try out the ER. I'll give you more details when its running.

-mike

Thanks! I'm interested in how the Euro Reef works for you. I'd buy it but I wouldn't be able to use it since I use the glass top.

Got an awesome multi-headed Frogspawn today in a trade. Some pics, just kindly ignore the hair algae/cyano:





A head I broke off:

just curious, when you got the sunpod you mentioned it didn't quite work with the wood trim, how did you get it to fit?

Well it still doesn't quite fit. It's hard to explain but since the wood trim makes the top a little wider than 20" the Sunpods right leg kind of pulls the inside of the light out a tad. Again, hard to explain. It fits on top with the wood trim. Just not perfectly.

1/13/10

Ugh. This tank is stressing me out big time right now. It's depressing to look at. Stupid hair algae/cyano doesn't seem to be going away. I bought 3 more Turbos today so hopefully they will help a little with the hair algae. But I still can't figure out what the root cause of this crap is. I don't think it's my RO/DI water but I'm going to get a TDS meter soon to check and see.

And I finally received my order from Foster & Smith today. So I now have one unit of Chemi-Pure Elite in the tank. Hopefully that will help some. Also in the order was some Selcon and a pair of grabbers (which are really nice by the way). I wish I had ordered these grabbers a long time ago.

You know, I run a fuge(Chaeto) in my 2nd compartment with a JBJ nano-led, on an opposite light cycle to my main lights.This helps a lot with giving the algae a place to grow. Have you thought of running one?

http://www.marinedepot.com/JBJ_Nano_Glo_4_...-FIRFRL-vi.html

hope this helps.
-Mike

btw, Euro-reef skimmer up and running. will give update when I get home. So far, looks awesome!

I had a fuge in the rear of my old 12g Aquapod for awhile. It seemed like more trouble than it was worth though. I kept having to clean the glass so the light could get through to the chaeto. I'm sure it would probably help in this tank. But I can't imagine trying to get down there in the 2nd compartment to clean the glass.

I use one of these, no biggie. But the fuge would probably help starve the Hair Algae in the display.

-Mike

http://www.marinedepot.com/Kent_Marine_Pro...IMTASLH-vi.html

Pygmy Angelfish has joined the party.

Algae situation seems to be improving. But I haven't seen my six-line wrasse today so I'm a little worried about that. STILL having a micro-bubble problem with this tank. For the life of me I cannot figure out where they're coming from.

1/19

The good news: Algae situation has improved dramatically. I'm convinced that adding 1 unit of Chemi-Pure Elite has played a big part in it.

The bad news: Six-Line Wrasse is MIA. No clue what has happened to it.

A video update: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-htLV9JqmA

Some pictures:

FTS:

Nice, I bet turning your skimmer on had a huge affect on your Algae problem, more than Chemipure! looking good, could you 6-line have jumped?

-Mike

btw, this Euro-reef skimmer absolutely kicks but! Worth every pennie. Altho the sapphire was pretty decent, this skimmer is MUCH better. IMO...

It couldn't have jumped because I have the top on the tank 24/7. So I really have no clue what could have happened to it. This is the second fish to just disappear. The first one was a regular firefish. I'm not going to replace the six-line though. As much as I liked it I think 2 clowns, a purple firefish and a Pygmy angel is about right for this tank.

1/21

So... an interesting day. I figured my Six-Line Wrasse was dead because I hadn't seen it in several days. Then today I go to top off the tank and I notice what looked like a big glob laying on top of the filter floss in the second chamber. Turns out it was the Six-Line! So I thought, hey, at least there is a body so I know what happened to it. And I go to pick it up out of the filter floss and it moves! SOMEHOW it was still alive. I quickly picked it up and got it back in the tank and it swam away into the rock and disappeared.

I don't know when it jumped back there. It couldn't have been too long ago because I don't see how it could have lived for long in that back compartment. It looked like it had just enough water flowing through its gills to keep it alive.

Not long after this I went ahead and fed the tank like normal. The six-line didn't come out at all so I figured it probably had about a 50/50 chance of survival after that ordeal. But I continued to sit in front of the tank for awhile and eventually it came out and swam around. Then I noticed that the Pygmy Angel occasionally chased after it. So I'm guessing that it jumped into the back while being chased by the angel. Which is odd. You would think it would be the other way around.

Anyway, we'll see if the six-line makes it through the night. But otherwise, the tank is looking great and is nearly free of algae!