'picOrdea' by ZROGST [Ricordea florida Species Tank]

[Mstefa1]

I had hair algae from the original liverock, although it has exploded in the last week. The snail, Norris, has been in the tank for about 2 weeks now. I do agree though, if I was to do it again I would not have introduced him without fully removing the algae and QTing him.

 

I've just been trying to keep ontop of water changes (doing twice the normal volume since the initial bloom - 1g (20%) 4x a week. I scrub the backwall and rocks right before the water change, and rinse the particulate filters an hour after. I'm changing food from reef nutrition to fauna marin pellets to try and cut down on nutrients introduced.

 

Water changes alone won't do it. I've been through it. You need to reduce your light to slow down the growth and reduce what is fueling the hair algae which is most likely phosphates.

[BadCrab]

Water changes alone won't do it. I've been through it. You need to reduce your light to slow down the growth and reduce what is fueling the hair algae which is most likely phosphates.

 

As I said, I'm trying to reduce excess feeding nutrients. Would rinsing or replacing my particulate filters on a daily or twice daily bases help? I'm assuming I should be trying to avoid rinsing with tap water (which admittedly I've been doing with a lot of equipment)

 

One thing I could do is activate Coral Acclimation mode on the controller and reduce light by.. 20-40% for a few days?

 

I'm currently using 2 tbsp of Phosban as well. Any other recommendations?

[Mstefa1]

As I said, I'm trying to reduce excess feeding nutrients. Would rinsing or replacing my particulate filters on a daily or twice daily bases help? I'm assuming I should be trying to avoid rinsing with tap water (which admittedly I've been doing with a lot of equipment)

 

One thing I could do is activate Coral Acclimation mode on the controller and reduce light by.. 20-40% for a few days?

 

I'm currently using 2 tbsp of Phosban as well. Any other recommendations?

 

Assuming your replacing your particulate filters weekly? Are you using floss or disposable filter pad and not sponges?

 

Have you tested for phosphates? How often are you replacing that phosban? I struggled with phosphates on my PicO when I started but have seam to have gotten under control now. Irrelevant of my phosphates I discovered my intensity was too high.

 

Reduce your light to the lowest that your corals will tolerate. When I dealt with it I was using a MH so I was only able to reduce my photo period, not intensity.

[BadCrab]

I replace the Coralife cut-to-fit filter pads every Monday. (they claim are 100% machine washable and reusable though.)

 

Tomorrow I plan on exchanging the phosban, but it is currently on a 4 week cycle. I'm open to using other phosphate reducing media though. I only got a small test bottle of phosban.

 

I have been testing for phosphates, but only with an API kit (buying Hanna Checker for phosphorous when it runs out.) It showed 0 or very close on both tests I've run so far (more tomorrow!)

 

I'm going to try reducing overall lighting intensity by a few percent a day.

[Red_Blenny]

This is why I'm so glad I used all dry rock.... Although I do miss the excitement of surprise hitchhikers.

 

Agreed, it's cool to find mushrooms/stomatellas gets you excited..., but Aptasia/Hydroids/Bryopsis/Bubble Algae makes you want to toss it into a bucket of muriatic acid.

 

@Zrogst = try using some sort of phosphate pad, not bulletproof but it'll reduce some po4

[Mstefa1]

If you have phosphates, the media is likely used up in days, not weeks. If phosphates are not a problem then 4 weeks is an acceptable change out time. For now, I'd change it out weekly with your filter pads.

[BadCrab]

Did a water change today, as scheduled. Exchanged carbon and phosban with new media. Replaced filter pad and added new second pad (this one coated in phosphate reducing resin.) As water flows over the bio baffle it now encounters: Dense Filter Pad > 2 tbsp Phosban > 2 tbsp ROX Carbon > Phosphate Filter Pad > Black Filter Floss > Pump

I was a bit too tired to do water tests, I'll do them tomorrow. I did snap a few shots to share, most of them are with 0/5/15 lighting so very blue:

[Deleted User 4]

Very nice and minimalistic. And there goes that furball 2nd to the last picture.

[Hexadron]

Wow! Everything loks great ZRO!

[BadCrab]

Planning on adding sexies soon if LFS doesn't have them, going to have the owner pick some up next weekend in LA. Maybe a pedersons too.

[Hexadron]

Oooh, can't wait for the sexies. I have always liked them. Was it just two, or were you going to have a group?

[BadCrab]

I'd like a group - the goal being to settle and cue any resulting larvae in a separate tank...

 

Probably 3 now, max of 5 because I also plan on adding 1-2 pedersons.

[Hexadron]

Oh sweet! Can't eait to see them. It's gonna be sexy.

[Deleted User 4]

Just remember.....if you don't feed the sexies, they will start nipping on your ricordias....I had to get rid of them in my picO back in the days because they were killing all my zoas, ricordias, acans and other lps.

[BadCrab]

Yes, plan on target feeding them, then the Rics per OP schedule. Waiting for my Fauna Marin LPS pellets to get here...

[Deleted User 4]

Tank is looking fresh. And I'm starting to like the way the ai is mounted on the right side only

[Hexadron]

Yes, plan on target feeding them, then the Rics per OP schedule. Waiting for my Fauna Marin LPS pellets to get here...

Nice that's like one of the only foods I don't own by them! (went a little crazy on the FM food selection) Let me know how you like it.

[Mstefa1]

I think you need more rock but everybody's entitled to their opinion! Let me know how you make out with the sexies. I was planning on 3 myself but I think I need to get the pistol in there first. Once the pistol stays in it's borrow I should be able to keep both on opposite sides of the tank.

 

Good thing you didn't do test. I think you need to test before you do your water / media change or many hours later. If you test right after you do your water change you may not be seeing the entire picture.

[BadCrab]

That's a good point Matt. I should have plenty of time tonight to run tests

[Acielot]

I think you need more rock but everybody's entitled to their opinion!

I agree because with that little bit of rock, it's going to be covered in ricordea in no time. Perhaps a taller branchy piece of tonga.

[BadCrab]

The rock doesn't need to bare and exposed to act its part in biological filtration right? I do have another larger piece of real reef that has been in the sump of the solana, but I'd rather keep the sparse iwagumi-inspired rockwork as is - it's a tiny tank.

[TristanC]

It may just be the pictures but it looks like you run the lights very blue. What %'s do you have (not that it matters I'm just interested)

[BadCrab]

It may just be the pictures but it looks like you run the lights very blue. What %'s do you have (not that it matters I'm just interested)

 

15/25/25 at the moment, yes I like the 20,000k+ temperature look A lot of the pictures are taken when my boyfriend gets off work and the AI Controller has started to dim the whites for sunset.

[TristanC]

15/25/25 at the moment, yes I like the 20,000k+ temperature look A lot of the pictures are taken when my boyfriend gets off work and the AI Controller has started to dim the whites for sunset.

Oh ok, I gocha, Nothin wrong with 20k+ 15-25-25 isnt too terribly blue.

[timothybui]

^{Making me want to stock the entire front of my tank with ricordeas.}