36liter macro algea tank - Blacksea

[muhoni]

İ'm interested in macro algeas for several years 

 

But it's hard to find in Turkey except some local types and caluerpa types (esp. taxifola)

 

My first try (6years ago)

 

 

 

A little bit unclean

 

 

Now, i just decided to setup a new macro algea tank

 

So, i'have started to do something 

 

Equipments 

 

45cmx27cmx30cm height

Hydor Koralia Nano

Tunze 9004 Protein Skimmer

54watt Diy Led Lighting

 

 

Photos:

 

[muhoni]

And also that's my 160liter Boyu TL-550 with sump

 

 

 

[Weetabix7]

Do you have easier and/or better access to Macroalgaes now?

[muhoni]

A little bit easier with chance

i have found those types (now, in my tank): 

 

1) Red grape caluerpa

2)Gracilaria mammillaris

3) Gracilaria variety

4) Caluerpa Profilera

5) Dictyota variety

6) Red bamboo algea

7) Green grape caluerpa

 

After 2 or 3 days shipping most part of macro algea kinds died. I attached little pieces as a frag and waiting for growing up

I'll add photos when the tank has a good decoration

 

I have a question, that's important for me. İ have trouble about that for a long time. 

 

My macro algeas are covering up with micro algeas.

 

If the high phospat levels cause that, i can use rowa phos, but i guess low phospat levels arent good for macro algeas also.

 

Any suggestions?

[devaji108]

welcome my friend. starting up a macro tank can be a challenge. it's odd as you need po4 No3 ect. for the macro but that feeds the micro too.

I added like 15 types when I started up I think I have 6 that made it. I had a bad GHA bloom for 2 months but that went away.

I would say let the tank cycles and do it thing for a bit a slowly add them.

 

my thought was if I added alot at once they would out compete the micro. maybe that would have been true on more mature tank??

 

also for what ever reason I can seam to grow greens?       

[Weetabix7]

7 hours ago, devaji108 said:

welcome my friend. starting up a macro tank can be a challenge. it's odd as you need po4 No3 ect. for the macro but that feeds the micro too.

I added like 15 types when I started up I think I have 6 that made it. I had a bad GHA bloom for 2 months but that went away.

I would say let the tank cycles and do it thing for a bit a slowly add them.

 

my thought was if I added alot at once they would out compete the micro. maybe that would have been true on more mature tank??

 

also for what ever reason I can seam to grow greens?       

 

Having difficulty growing green Macros is something I haven't run across before, that's surprising to me. What kind of light do you have? Are you able to grow Red Macros fine?

I would think that having a healthy Pod population would help in keeping microalgae growing on the macroalgae under control. Good flow would also help. 

 

@muhoni, how are things looking now?

[devaji108]

yeah the reds are growing fine. almost to good. haha I thoughts are green i tried were medians fan and shaving brush both need Ca and mag. I don think my levels where high. oh I tried hilimedad that lasted for some time but the GHA smothered it. the codium  lasted the longest 3 months or more so but dispirited. I think now I am good to add more. 

as not to hihjack this thread you can look at mice if you want and we can talk more.

 

@muhoni hows its coming?    

[muhoni]

My green algeas dead. Now i have red algeas 5-6 types. İ have waited for cycling but green hair algea is everywhere

 

İ am waiting for growing. But i am close to change tank to mini sps tank

[devaji108]

yeah I went through the same process. its takes a few months. I started running phosgaurd and removed by hand.

 

[Weetabix7]

It doesn't need to take months. 

You can get rid of it much quicker by using aggressive hand removal of hair algae in addition to spot treatment with hydrogen peroxide. 

You can do a search for threads on here on how to get rid of GHA with peroxide. 

Much more efficient. 

[muhoni]

My poor tank

 

 

[muhoni]

Diy auto top off 

with 12v 5a 5pin relay, a float switch and timer

System works with 12volt

Shaking of rw4 wavemaker starts system repeatly

I will add a protector etc to float switch

 

 

 

 

 

[Weetabix7]

I can see why you'd be frustrated with that tank, but it's fixable. 

I would pull the rocks out of the aquarium, remove all hair algae by hand, then use hydrogen peroxide on the places on the rock where hair algae was growing while the rock is out of the aquarium. Don't put peroxide right on top of Macro, rinse in SW, then return rock to tank. Would also be good to scrub rock w/toothbrush while out of tank during peroxide treatment. 

Completely remove sandbed and replace with new, shallower sandbed. Do weekly water changes and stir up the new sandbed every time one is done. Vigorously blast or swish water into all rock crevices when doing a weekly WC to get detritus out, then remove it in WC. In the U.S., we use a turkey baster to help w/this. 

Do a 100% Water Change.

Make sure you have enough snails to keep new hair algae growth in check. 

Consider adding more live rock to the tank. 

 

What is in the glass in the back of the tank?

What is in the bag in the right rear side?

 

You have the tank in a lovely room, wouldn't it be nice to have that tank looking as beautiful as the wall it is on?

 

I think it's really cool that you've designed that auto topoff, but I have no expertise in that area so I can't comment on it critically. 

 

[devaji108]

yeah  I agree tank is totally fix able. mine has been there it has come a long way since.

I have never tried the peroxide treatment but there are lots of threads on it.

also another thing its kinda new I forgot the name starts with a F. from what I hear it does a good gob with GHA. and macro safe. now that is just all hear say so take it for whats its worth. but a quick search on beating GHA will bring it up I am sure.

 

very nice work on the ATO!      

[Weetabix7]

1 minute ago, devaji108 said:

yeah  I agree tank is totally fix able. mine has been there it has come a long way since.

I have never tried the peroxide treatment but there are lots of threads on it.

also another thing its kinda new I forgot the name starts with a F. from what I hear it does a good gob with GHA. and macro safe. now that is just all hear say so take it for whats its worth. but a quick search on beating GHA will bring it up I am sure.

 

very nice work on the ATO!      

 

Pretty sure you're thinking of Fluconazole.

Also, listen to Deva, he's dealt with this and knows from experience that it's beatable. 

[devaji108]

1 minute ago, Weetabix7 said:

 

Pretty sure you're thinking of Fluconazole.

Also, listen to Deva, he's dealt with this and knows from experience that it's beatable. 

 

Yup that's it!

was to lazy  to Google it. haha 

and yeah I have been there :/ thing  good in nature happens fast, but the bad stuff now that happen in a heart beat. 

hang in there bud with a  lil work & effort  you will get it looking great. 

[muhoni]

I failed about macro algeas. I did something wrong i guess, maybe intense ligthing or detrius material. I transported all tiny macro algea pieces to main tank to a portable refigium. 

 

Now i've cleaned up everything. Looking for new ideas.  

 

[Weetabix7]

3 hours ago, muhoni said:

I failed about macro algeas. I did something wrong i guess, maybe intense ligthing or detrius material. I transported all tiny macro algea pieces to main tank to a portable refigium. 

 

Now i've cleaned up everything. Looking for new ideas.  

 

 

Nice start. 

What kind of corals do you like?

[WV Reefer]

4 hours ago, muhoni said:

I failed about macro algeas. I did something wrong i guess, maybe intense ligthing or detrius material. I transported all tiny macro algea pieces to main tank to a portable refigium. 

 

Now i've cleaned up everything. Looking for new ideas.  

 

Oooh....... I like this! 

[Nixperience]

I'm starting a macro section in my tank. Hope it works out for you. Do you think maybe you didn't have enough nutrients in the tank? Maybe start with a bioload of a few fish to add nutrients and then the algae should have nutrients to feed on. Especially green because they uptake more nutrients than red. 

[muhoni]

Thank you for comments. I am thinking about sps corals but it seems very hard. 

[muhoni]

[muhoni]

[YHSublime]

Very nice, I like the new direction. Those rock nems will most likely start breeding, and those ricordea will split. Give it a year or two and you might have a rainbow in there!

[muhoni]