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

[Steensj2004]

Here are some pictures. You cant see the brown hairy stuff in the sand well or the hair on the rocks(most is scrubbed off already at this point). You can clearly see the brown film on the glass though.

[brandon429]

in my opinion that growth on the glass is normal for a tank that hasnt been settled yet, lots of nutrient upwellings took place during these changeups. it needs to be manually scraped like many other tanks, the siphon+razor blade trick is great. phosphates aren't a big concern for that kind of growth which is why Im not that interested in knowing about them at this point, mainly we needed pictures. we covered 35% food grade peroxide in the thread but its buried among many pages, thats the only thing I use in my tank. 3% is a waste of time for me. I dont recommend it a lot because people will nuke their tanks w it if not careful.

 

the growth on the glass doesnt strike me as bad or abnormal for the details of your tank history, people using great topoff water and managing phophates OCD still get it, if they dont overstrip and bleach all their corals in the process. most people on here know to manage phosphates for long term prevention, however I never consider them in removing a pest at least for the purposes of the peroxide thread.

 

we need to see a full tank shot, that shows the whole tank clearly to get more details.

 

Trying clean up crews, nutrient management, this stuff is all about 30 yrs established reefing. Kinda makes one wonder if they work so well why we all still have algae issues its a crap shoot, doesnt hurt to try. you might get lucky. I never manage phosphates OCD simply because the act of a single daily feeding introduces so much waste, out of all the methods of tank care I just like to change water heavy, not test for phosphates or care what they read, and simply act directly on the algae. that may not be the way someone else prefers, its just one of many options.

 

def shouldnt give up on a tank, as any other tank you buy and stock will have the same phosphate issues down the line. the latticework that constitutes our rocks and pretty much any caco3 based substrate in our tanks will begin anew taking it up one day, the uptake/leach process driven by bacteria (they are how it gets leached or else the rock structure would just bind it and hold) is so ongoing I choose not to care about it

 

detailed phosphate management is the thing right now and it does work for some, in the right balance, its ok to try that method as well but I prefer it not for removal of a pest, but for long term prevention. we got a little more phosphate curious on the totally wrecked tanks that looked like a green forest. this tank here didnt appear totally lost eutrophic to me, just in need of more time, better export overall, and manual work to make up for letting any invader take hold.

[Steensj2004]

The brown stuff is pretty un-invasive as it stays mostly on the glass. When it does get on the rocks it scrubs off and stays gone for a long time. More snails will erradicate this as what I currently have keeps it mostly at bay. The GHA is my fear, and the GHA in the sand is my biggest worry.

[sunburn]

I highly suggest you test your clean saltwater for phosphates before you do a water change. I wouldn't be surprised if there is phosphates.

 

Have you tried carbon dosing?

[Steensj2004]

I highly suggest you test your clean saltwater for phosphates before you do a water change. I wouldn't be surprised if there is phosphates. Have you tried carbon dosing?

No carbon dosing tried yet....my supplier for saltwater has a high end TDS meter and both Salifert and Hana Phosphate tests. This was mentioned earlier. My water supply was my first suspect.

[markalot]

No carbon dosing tried yet....my supplier for saltwater has a high end TDS meter and both Salifert and Hana Phosphate tests. This was mentioned earlier. My water supply was my first suspect.

 

You did mention it, but most of us don't believe it. No offense and nothing personal, but the track record on trusting someone elses water is pretty darn poor. I would want to test the water myself using a temperature correcting TDS meter. I know I check my RO/DI unit on each startup prior to using the water.

 

Here again is another one of those temperature issues. A non correcting TDS meter might read 0 TDS in 67F water and 4 or 5 in 78F water. Big difference. It's the little things that kill you.

 

This is why successful reefing requires YOU to be in control of everything. In a pinch switch over to distilled water for a while and see if things improve.

[Steensj2004]

You did mention it, but most of us don't believe it. No offense and nothing personal, but the track record on trusting someone elses water is pretty darn poor. I would want to test the water myself using a temperature correcting TDS meter. I know I check my RO/DI unit on each startup prior to using the water.

 

Here again is another one of those temperature issues. A non correcting TDS meter might read 0 TDS in 67F water and 4 or 5 in 78F water. Big difference. It's the little things that kill you.

 

This is why successful reefing requires YOU to be in control of everything. In a pinch switch over to distilled water for a while and see if things improve.

I ma close friends with my LFS owner. He is a very small operation and has been doing this for 30}+ years. I have stood there and watched him test the water. I am in his store 5 out of 7 days in the afternoon after work. I see him change his RO/DI filters etc, I even started testing phosphates myself to be sure. Lots of people have suggested this too. I guess the only missing piece is the temperature. His store stays Cool at about 76 degrees.... I still didn't see anything to note via my Salifert phospahte test at home though..... I donno, either way I can't be off that much based on how perticular he is and my tests? Can I?!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maybe I should get my own RO/DI unit. I jsut dont have anywhere to leave it hooked up at all times in my Condo. Unless I could hook it up and make only what I need then take it back down?Would this work?

[markalot]

Probably not, but sometimes it's these little things that are the most difficult to track down.

 

What kind of RO/DI does he have? How fast does it make water? Phosphate tests never work for me, I just assume I have them.

[Mr. Microscope]

I battled algae for close to a year; manual removal, GFO, water changes, H2O2. Nothing really did the job with the exception of H2O2 that did a horrible number on my SPS. For me, carbon dosing solved it. I've been using Vitamin C as my carbon source and the algae literally withered away and died. No manual removal required. The only problem now is that I am running an ULNS and again my SPS aren't happy. I think amino acids and carbohydrates are the answer here, but still experimenting.

[Steensj2004]

Came home to a stand with at least 1/2 inch water in it. Fairly certain my sump is leaking....while my overflow container for my Skimmer was full....the water keeps coming out from under the sump. I am praying it is just residual from the Skimmer issue.....fml

[Steensj2004]

I battled algae for close to a year; manual removal, GFO, water changes, H2O2. Nothing really did the job with the exception of H2O2 that did a horrible number on my SPS. For me, carbon dosing solved it. I've been using Vitamin C as my carbon source and the algae literally withered away and died. No manual removal required. The only problem now is that I am running an ULNS and again my SPS aren't happy. I think amino acids and carbohydrates are the answer here, but still experimenting.

Any chance I could get the rundown on this process? Interested in trying it, possibly asap. Thanks!

[Sunar357]

That bites, bud! Was it just residual then?

[Steensj2004]

Yes...thank God I caulked and sealed the stand.....

[frankdontsurf]

This thread made my tummy ache. I hope you get it together dude, you must be pulling hair...human hair.

[Steensj2004]

Well, the cleaner pack from ReefCleaner arrived today. They have initiated operation ,"Algae fix," and are executing algae with extreme prejudice. I wish I would have bought more limpits and fuzzy chitons, they are MACHINES! I have in fact been pulling hair. I spend lots of time staring at my tank drinking beer and wonder wtf to do,lol. People on here are amazing help, I'm confident ill be victorious!

[jack1978]

Well, the cleaner pack from ReefCleaner arrived today. They have initiated operation ,"Algae fix," and are executing algae with extreme prejudice. I wish I would have bought more limpits and fuzzy chitons, they are MACHINES! I have in fact been pulling hair. I spend lots of time staring at my tank drinking beer and wonder wtf to do,lol. People on here are amazing help, I'm confident ill be victorious!

 

Putting together an order myself as we speak.

Good luck!!

[brandon429]

I have heard great things about them for years, company ran by good people.

[justin carnecchia]

I'm wondering if the brown hair like stuff is cyno. I had a pretty bad cyno outbreak and started fighting it with GFO, it soon stopped forming the slimy mats and instead started forming string like stuff, like what you're describing. The good news is if that is the case then Chemiclean should clear it up.

Long story short though if your seeing gha then you're nutrient levels are probably higher than they should be. A better clean up crew will help, as will keeping detritus to a minimum (not overfeeding and stirring things up so the filters can get it). You can increase the GFO and try biopellets for the nitrates too, but ultimately stopping it at the source is probably more effective. So more efficient feeding, better water movement, and making sure you're using rodi water.

[up.left]

You cant take anything out of the water column by putting something in. I would stay away from products such as chemiclean. Just Make sure the water out of your ro/di system is 0 tds and that you are feeding only what you physically see the fish eat for awhile. Like one flake or squirt with a baster at a time while observing. You have a nutrient source coming for somewhere. Improving the over all maintenance schedule is the best thing you can do. Although a clean up crew brings personality to the tank I dont believe any crew can clean better than your own hands. You are just adding more nutrients to the system by adding a clean up crew. Just know that everything comes in cycles. By keeping up on your maintenance and controlling the water quality while holding off on additions i have seen fields of algae die within 21-30 days. Just remember it aint going to remove its self. The only real algae that is troublesome for me would be bubble algae since they release spores but i just constantly remove it while doing my normal routine it doesn't spread fast anyways. As far as your photos the brown looks like normal algae i get on my glass every day. I scrape everyday to prevent film/glass hugging algae from growing. As far as the cyano on the sand, just increase the flow on that area and work on the quality of the water. Always been told that you keep water not an aquarium. Corals and fish are the reward for your ability to do so.

[Steensj2004]

The mats on the sand grow into green hair when not suctioned. my water quality was fine before the algae came around. At some point it went south, obviously. I don't believe it was my maintainance, its been pretty established im leeching phosphate somewhere. I just can't imagine I am overfeeding, I regularly worry I'm starving my fish to avoid nutrients....

[Snow_Phoenix]

Have you tried getting a tuxedo urchin? I tackled my GHA problem by reducing my light cycle to 4 to 6 hours a day and getting an urchin to eat up whatever algae that pops up on the glass. So far it's working quite well.

[Steensj2004]

Have you tried getting a tuxedo urchin? I tackled my GHA problem by reducing my light cycle to 4 to 6 hours a day and getting an urchin to eat up whatever algae that pops up on the glass. So far it's working quite well.

 

My light cycle has been reduced to about the same as yours. I got a long spine from my LFS. Problem was the ones he got didn't ship well and were on the way out when the arrived. It died, unfortunately, I thought I could save it but most the spines fell off in the bag on the way home. Might try a tuxedo if I can find one for sale. Thanks for the advice, urchins are apparently good at GHA. Should a ordered one with my reef cleaners order.....DOH!

[Steensj2004]

Update as of 5:00am today. New CUC still doing work, I believe they are going to take it to this stuff. There is something different about these hermits from John, they are eating the shizah outta my algae! I am trying to procure a controller via the marketplace here. Hopefully with automated control I will be able to fine tune monitoring and controlled for an even more stable environment. Anyone care to suggest a controller between Apex and RKL(or any other good controller) Still open to suggestions, I'm open to carbon dosing as mentioned before, but Ihate adding chemicals to my tank:(. On a positive note, my new goby has been out and about! Apparently, he is over his new tank jitters!

[markalot]

I think the cleanup crew was a good idea, but I would stop adding anything for a while and try to figure out where the phosphates are coming from. There is no simple solution to this.

 

I do think lack of a good crew might have been part of the problem. You can run really low nutrients, but then you'll be like me, complaining of dull coral colors.

[Steensj2004]

Stocking has been sparse as a whole.....apparently the h202 dip has helped more than I thought. Only a few spots returned and the CUC is declaring their own personal,"Jihad" on that. Only real issue now is the sand, which the CUC is also working on. Last siphon of sand produced some good results. Aprox. One half of the sand that was siphoned hasn't experienced regrowth, the other half is showing a reduction in spread. I do wish I would have ordered more Limpets and Fuzzy Chitons, they are absolutely abusing this algae in the rocks. I have been doing small water changes every couple days to they and hand export whatever is in the tank.Apparently, the 10 gallons I'm changing ever other day is eliminating whatever is fueling this stuff. I'm beginning to believe I had a short nutrient spike when this all began, and there is just enough now to sustain it. It hasn't been able to spread as much as survive. So I wonder if I just was approaching things wrong with only manual removal at first. Apparently a proper CUC, spot treatment, manual removal, light reduction, and Water changes was my best option, all being used at once....I do no, fingers crossed from here.