NOT About To Give Up On My System(Thanks to the folks on this forum)

[Steensj2004]

Ok, long story short, I am losing a battle with algae, and I cant make it slow down and go away. I'll give some background on the system.

 

-75 gallon display with about 50-60 lbs liverock and 1-1.25 inch sandbed. Radion Lights and two large Korallia Powerheads on a wavemaker.

-38 gallon sump with aprox 25 gallons of water inside. 4 inch sandbed, Raised Plenum for Nitrate control under sandbed, and Macro(Large amount of Grape Calupra and Dragons Breath), And some smaller pieces of liverock(fist size maybe a bit bigger. 3-4 pieces).

-Coralife 220 skimmer. Yeah I am aware that they are junk but I use it only for the skimmer body and the fact it hangs outside the sump. I run an aftermarket pump which turns it into a decent skimmer. It skims it ass off.

2- TLF 150 Reactors. One running GAC and one running RowaPhos for Phosphate control.

 

 

I do weekly 20-25 gallon water changes with water that has a 000ppm TDS, store I buy the water from has a TDS meter and constantly monitor thier water. I have cut back feeding so much to pervent excess nutrients I am afraid of starving my effing fish.

 

Stocking includes the following:

 

2-Snowflake Clowns

1-Sixline Wrasse

1-Spotted Mandi

1-Shark Nosed Neon Blue Goby

1-Hi Fin Goby

1-Red and white stripped goby, I forget the name

1-RBTA

Handful of snails(turbos,etc), handfull of hermits, 2 Peppermint Shrimp, 1Tiger Pistol Shrimp

 

Corals includes some SPS, LPS, and Softies.

 

Started with what looked like Dinos and GHA, and a brown film on the back glass....assumed Diatoms. I started to manually scrub what I could see with a toothbrush and clean it off the glass. The dinos went away. The GHA has been kept at bay by tireless manual removal. But it won't go the HELL away. Now I have a hair like algae in my sand, its brown and makes the sand clumpy, the strands are very short. If I leave it go it trns into green tuffs. The stuff in the sand, I siphon out...its back within 24 hours. The tank has been through water changes, blackouts, Algaefix marine, and yesterday I did a Peroxide treatment of the rocks. I removed the rocks, sprayed them down with 3% peroxide from a spray bottle, and placed in a tub with a mixture of water siphoned from the tank and peroxide. Maybe a 3-1 ratio or water to peroxide. Then after about 10 minutes I removed and rinsed in two clean buckets of saltwater and returned to the tank. While the rocks were soaking I diphones all the crap out of the sand. All the rock was replaced and I replaced 15 gallons of saltwater with clean fresh saltwater as a water change......

 

Today, the sand is f#$@ing covering in that brown,hair crap again, I see some green hair algae that hasn't so much as turned the least bit white and was waaay over doused in peroxide. Oh, and during this rant, I forgot to mention I get this yellowish brown algae in spots that is similar to the shit on the back wall on the rocks. It spreads pretty slow. Here is the BEST PART......

 

 

PH-8.2

Salin.-1.26

Nitrites-0

Nitrates-0.0 Well, the salifert test was done in TWO cups, one looked pink, but then it didn't and was so debatable as to if it was pink at all, so I did a second and stared for 10 miutes trying to convince myself it was pnk...well you get the idea, it was clear....

Phosphate-0ppm tested with both Salifert AND a Hanna Phosphate checker.

Temp- ranges from 79.4-80.1

 

 

I could show you pictures all day. Problem is,I manually remove all I can DAILY, so it doesn't look like other tanks with these problems. I am so scared I'm going to lose everything I have been spending every free moment over this thing trying to fix it. Maybe My cleanup crew is insufficient? I guess it could help to have more than what I do? Even more frustrating, My corals, even my SPS are growing GREAT! I mean, healthy as hell! Between my feeding or lack there of, and light cycle reduction, and massive chunk of macro algae I have NO IDEA how this crap has nutrients to grow on! I mean if I could gather every hair out of my tank of GHA, it wouldnt fill half a sandwich bag since I have been removing it so agressively...

 

I'm about to drag my tank outside and put it down Old Yeller style....Im at my whits end..... . I am going to go drink lots and lots of effing beer now.....

[metrokat]

The algae will take 3 days to turn white after a peroxide treatment.

 

What do your phosphates and nitrates test at?

How often do you change the rowaphos?

Are you using enough for your system?

Have you tried Mexican turbo snails?

[Steensj2004]

I run 2-2.5 cups in the reactor of RowaPhos.I change monthly. I've edited the first post with more info, including water perams.

 

The algae will take 3 days to turn white after a peroxide treatment.

What do your phosphates and nitrates test at?
How often do you change the rowaphos?
Are you using enough for your system?
Have you tried Mexican turbo snails?

[brandon429]

also, this sounds exactly like when used bottles of peroxide, old from the medicine cabinet have been reported as used

[tigrtraps]

The algae will take 3 days to turn white after a peroxide treatment.

 

 

Have you tried Mexican turbo snails?

 

How big is your cleanup crew? I had very similar issues around month 3-4 of my tank being up. I tripled my cleanup crew with mainly snails, watched my magnesium, and gave it time. Tank is clear of everything except some occasional bubble algae at month 6.

[Steensj2004]

also, this sounds exactly like when used bottles of peroxide, old from the medicine cabinet have been reported as used

The bottles of Peroxide we bought, brand new from the Drug Store....

 

How big is your cleanup crew? I had very similar issues around month 3-4 of my tank being up. I tripled my cleanup crew with mainly snails, watched my magnesium, and gave it time. Tank is clear of everything except some occasional bubble algae at month 6.

I suppose there might be 7 Hermits, Maybe 9 snails, I have one mexican Turbo. I have one Red Sea Star(same family as the Blue Lekia). 2 Peppermint Shrimp, One Emerald. I am aware my CUC is lacking, but they don't seem to TOUCH the GHA

[jack1978]

I'm battling GHA well. Super frustrating. I used dry rock this time around, wondering if it's leaching the phosphate. I also used that plastic light defuser grid on the bottom of the tank for the rocks to rest on.....just read a thread stating that the plastic stuff leaches phosphate. I also hooked up an algae scrubber (HOG.5) with results leaving much to be desired. Don't throw in the towel yet.

[Steensj2004]

Hmmmmm, I also used Plastic Egg Crate to raise my sandbed in the sump, as well as partition off my retunr pump and for bulkheads for the fuge(I trim Macro as it grows through with side of the fuge). Might Explain why I am having problems. But I am running a reactor, in the Sump, With more RowaPhos than is needed....sooo I would think it would help some!

[Tochtli]

How old is your tank? I had an explosion of GHA at around the 5 month mark that wouldn't go away. I got rid of it by chance, as my bulb burned out and it took about 3 days to replace it--so basically I had a 3 day long blackout. I didn't lose any coral, but my LTA did end up crawling under a rock and dying a week or so later because it couldn't get any light where it was (even after I tore my rocks apart and moved it). I haven't had any real algae problems since then.

[GHill762]

Yeah if it's a young tank it may be inevitable, many young tanks will go through that phase. Ride it out and battle it as well as you can.

[Steensj2004]

Tank has been upgraded several times. 29 gallon biocube started 6 months ago. Moved into a 40 breeder with same sump(38 gallon) after 2-2.5 months. Upgraded to the 75 a month after the 40 was set up because I went through 2 40 breeders as they both had crap seams. So this sistem has been up 2.5-3 months. Some of the sand is new a lot is old.

 

 

I'm not so worried about the rock....its the substrate I am worried about, its most agressive there. The brown stuff on the back glass and the patches on the rock, miiight be diatoms. Its not slimy and comes of easily, almost dusty which fits the description of dinos. I already had a diatom bloom after transfering the tank and it went away.....

 

Anyone care to suggest an upgrade to the CUC? The snails seem to crush the brown stuff on the back glass, dont touch the GHA?

 

 

 

Yeah if it's a young tank it may be inevitable, many young tanks will go through that phase. Ride it out and battle it as well as you can.

[Steensj2004]

More than anything I need ideas to remove this crap from the sand. I just don't understand how in the world it has enough nutrients to survive?!

[Thunil]

You could try a longspine diadema urchin. Mine demolished my hair algae, infact it got rid of almost all algae except for coraline.

 

you just have to keep an eye on them in the long run. After they eat the algae they can sometimes start eating coral

[Tochtli]

Did your sand get stirred up a lot during your upgrades? There's a chance it could be leeching nutrients and other undesirable things.You could try sifting through the very surface of the sand with a net, that should remove the algae and surface detritus, but be careful not to stir too much.

 

As for the urchin, I've had one for a while now and it really hasn't made much of an impact in my tank (other than get really big). I saw it eating a zoa polyp once but other than that I've never had any issues with it.

[tigrtraps]

Reef Cleaners packs are a tried and true way to go. The thing is, other then maybe an urchin, nothing is going to take away that GHA overnight. It's a drawn out process and it sucks to watch. It does go away as the tank gains maturity though.

 

Also, when I went up to my 65 gallon I took most of my rock from my old 28gal NanoCube with me. The NanoCube had been up a year. New sand, good amount of new dry rock and I also got GHA and stringy brown diatom type algae in the 2-4 month areas for the 65 gallon.

[ryno920]

Your tank is 10 times the size of mine, but has less snails. Check out reefcleaners.org to beef up your CUC. I always end up with way more than I order. Get a good variety of ceriths, nassarius, and astrea snails. I don't have any experience with them, but I've also heard of conchs and chitons working well. May not hurt to add a few more hermits too.

 

Also, give it some time. Three different tanks in six months doesn't give the system much time to establish itself.

[GHill762]

My tank went through a gnarly GHA outbreak a few months in. The entire back glass and almost all rock was covered.. Got super diligent with water changes and got rid of it.. My tank goes through small cycles with algae but it stays nearly sterile looking as far as algae in the DT.. even bubble algae and cotton candy algae (I actually hoped the cotton candy would stick around)..

[Steensj2004]

Ill check out reef cleaners. My biggest Problem is that I work on weapons systems for the Navy on the government side. My work schedule doesnt allow for me to be home to get them and I work weekends(most saturdays)..... I just lost a long spine urchin. I dont believe it was anything to do with my system. My LFS owner ordered several and none made it. The shiping was really hard on them, one of the 4 he ordered was DOA, and mine and the others were already losing spines....I was hopping he would come around. Thanks, I think I will try and figure out a way to order from Reefcleaners.

[Tamberav]

Do you clean the sand? how deep is it? Sounds like it is full of nastys since the crud loves to grow on it.

[Mykel416]

You need more CUC!! John at reef cleaners is a great guy to do business with.

[Steensj2004]

Looked at reefcleaners. They have ,"Quick crews" based on tank size. I put in a request for a custom crew. I already have nassarius snails, so I copied the quick crew minus the nassarius snails, and added a few other things that based on the description would benefit me. 85.00 shipped overnight. Only problem is I need it delivered Saturday, and my order requires overnight due to some of the stuff in the package. Problem is anything ordered today ships Wednesday. Finger over the by button but i need it shipped Friday overnight, otherwise it could all be dead. I just called my boss and we have this Saturday off, which is SUPER rare. After seeing the suggested CUC from RC, i am WAAAAAAAY behind the power curve on a CUC..... Can you select a day for them to ship your order?

 

As far as cleaning the sand, I do siphon the surface, but I end up sucking up tons of sand if i get to aggressive.....

 

 

Right now I am looking at :

 

75 Dwarf Cerths

25 Florida Cerths

2 Fuzzy Chitons*

1 Fighting Conch*

22 Nerite Snails

10 Limpets*

 

85.00 shipped overnight to my door. The stuff with a star are things I added to the basic 75 cleaner pack the offer. I added these based on their description of algae consumption...The seem to be a good addition. Any objections to this? I would wait for the custom suggestion from them, but want to order asap to ensure Friday shipment overnight as long as the will do that? Anyone want to weigh in on this? The site says anything ordered today ships Wednesday, will they ship on Friday for me so the arrive Saturday?

[markalot]

That clumping junk in the sand is a pain, but it will stop. My 20, now 46 suffered through this and then one day it did not come back after I removed it. Just the aging process.

[Steensj2004]

I will be ordering a cleaner pack from Reefcleaners.com tommorow, I also have an MP10 coming Saturday to increase flow. I think my flow is lack in, I'm under the impression to little flow can cause problems like this too.... so new power head and huge CUC upgrade, good start?

[markalot]

Yep, flow improves everything.

[tigrtraps]

I will be ordering a cleaner pack from Reefcleaners.com tommorow, I also have an MP10 coming Saturday to increase flow. I think my flow is lack in, I'm under the impression to little flow can cause problems like this too.... so new power head and huge CUC upgrade, good start?

 

This I would say is the perfect way to go. Now, in a month I'd hope most of your algae problems are greatly diminished. I wouldn't expect great results any earlier then that. Very glad to see you aren't tossing the tank. Algae is a monster to fight.