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Cultivated Reef

Day 11 & Algae Attack (need advice)


ross76053

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Okay, so I'm on day 11 of my first cycle. I call it a cycle even though I haven't had much of one. I've had no spikes in anything, due to the purchase of very fresh live rock & sand. As of yesterday, ammonia, nitrites & nitrates are zero. Did my second water change this morning - around 3/4 gallon.

 

So I'm cruisin' along thinkin' I'm the freakin' Reef King (not), and yesterday, I notice much more green algae growing on the rock and hair-like algae on the glass. Didn't think much of it until today, when the algae seemed to at least triple in magnitude - all over my live rock & sand. I've got tree-looking algae growing on the side of the glass (small, but with branches like a tree).

 

Since day one, the Calcium level in my tank has been very low - I'm guessing around 350 (off the bottom of the chart). Today, Alkalinity measured 2.0. I decided to try a first dose of B-Ionic.

 

I have a 10-gal. tank, and since the B-Ionic instructions say, "starting dose is 1 ml. of each component per 4 gal. of aquarium capacity per day, I dosed at 2.5 ml. per component. After the initial dose, I took a calcium reading again. No change - still off the bottom of the chart.

 

Since the instructions say the initial dose may need to be increased "significantly", with the maximum dose being no more than 1 ml./gal per day, I dosed the same amount again and took another calcium reading. Again, no change.

 

Round three of B-Ionic, took another calcium reading, no change. I stopped there in order to stay well under the 24-hour limit, and because my pH went up to 8.4.

 

I realize this is probably no big deal, but to me, it is. I have no business attempting corals until I can learn to keep freakin' algae under control. X)

 

Suggestions? (besides "get another hobby") Oh, BTW, my lights are only on six hours/day.

 

Ross

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Hey Ross,

 

This algae is just part of bringing up a new tank. I've never had a tank that didn't get the film and hair on the walls in the first couple weeks. That's the point I throw in snails... the film disappears within a day or two. The hair usually disappears on its own shortly thereafter.

 

Maybe I'm just a poor reef keeper, but in my experience, algae is going to show up unexpected during the first couple months of ownership.

 

Can't advise much on the alkalinity thing, though. Only time mine dropped that low, I just added Kent SuperBuffer in my top-off water for two days, and it was back in the double-digits.

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Ross,

 

I feel what you're going through. Thought my tank was cycled all peachy right out of the mix, then got these glass-covering algae blooms. Scrape every day, to no avail...

 

then, this past Thurs, went to the beach, picked up a dozen nerites (pipipi snails), and the glass is clean. not even the residual afterbirth of "dirty glass" algae on the front. Snails are the gifts of GOD. Natural Windex:P

 

So, go w/ snails. It's time. They've got the buffet all set up for 'em.

 

And for the GRACE OF GOD, post pics!!!

 

We're all/we've all been living through your pratfalls and shipping disasters. Throw us all a bone!!! Show us that sexy beast of a nano.

 

John

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Whats your cleanup crew? ALLL tanks get an algae bloom at one point or another, its not the end all be all. Its more like a n all you can eat snail buffet. If your current cleanup crew can't handle the amount of algae get more snails, and get a variety of types. They all have slightly different tastes. Also do more frequent small water changes to keep nitrates low while your increased amount of snails mow the lawn.;)

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Algae is the bane of my existence. Every time someone posts a picture of their tank I get hit with a wave of nausea thanks to the crystal clear glass, sand and rock. My tank has it everywhere and I keep adding to the crew and nothing works. I am at my wits end so I just scrape as much off as possible and hide my photos.

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I hear ya Crakeur, I can't remember the last time I took pictures of my 10g. The hair algae in there is insanely out of control. I manually remove 95% of it, then next morning the rocks are donning their fros again.

 

Some remedies have worked better than others at slowing down the growth, but I have yet to find a way to get rid of this stuff for more than a few days. My poor fishies are down to 1x, sometimes 2x, feedigns a week, too. Man, do they go nuts when I finally go to feed them.

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Ah....gotcha....so in other words, I'm not alone. Makes me feel somewhat better, and sorry for you guys.

 

Brianc_4, cleanup crew is listed in my signature line - 4 Astreas and 3 hermits. The snails are going to town - I think I actually heard one burp this morning. But it's almost as if the algae grows in right behind them.

 

I'll probably add a couple more snails today, keep on top of the water changes, and scrape away. I'd like a couple of Turbos, but can't seem to find them locally right now.

 

Although probably unrelated, I'm still concerned about my very low Calcium level. Three rounds of B-Ionic didn't touch it - the reading is still off the bottom of the scale.... ???

 

I'll try to post a general tank pic when I get home from work.

 

Ross

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the low calcium contributes slightly in an indirect fashion as a booming coralline population would help deplete some of the available nutrients and keep the other algae from gaining footholds. give the b-ionic about a week, two tops. you should begin to see coralline spotting and 'dusting' on your rocks. stay to the adage 'good things happen slow, bad things happen fast!'

 

a couple of more astrae should do fine. a couple of blue legs for the hair is what i always use. get'em (hermits) small if you can. good luck!

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BustytheSnowMaam

Hi,

 

Try increasing your photoperiod so that the "good" coralline algae can grow. Remember it's all part of the process and don't get discouraged.

 

Tasha

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Does anyone get the feeling that B-Ionic is inconsistent? Any idea whether this has to do with the product being inconsistent, or sold past shelf life, or if the efficacy is dependent on some other variable in the tank?

 

I hear nothing but love-it vs hate-it stories! I have never used the stuff, personally.

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Just took a pic of the tank - doesn't look that bad from a distance.

 

Edit - Wow.. this isn't the pic I attached. I have no idea what this is....

 

Ross

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I've got lots-o-corralline aglae and some great color, but check the top of the rock on the right. That's a fro if I've ever seen one. I scraped off the algae on the right side of the tank.

 

Oh, and I just bought a book, wet off the press - "Algae - A Problem Solver Guide", by Julian Sprung & Ricordia Publishing (Miami, FL). About 75 pages, published in July. I should be finished with it by midnight. :D

 

Edit - Hmmm....this isn't my pic either, although it's a nice tank.... what's going on here?

 

Ross

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i haven't really heard any bad stuff about b-ionic. ??? usually any non-positive statements i've seen are only during the first couple of weeks of use. it's not like turbo calcium. it's a full spectrum additive that slowly builds your alk and ca. at one point you should reach saturation and then you should change your dosages.

 

i've only been using it for about a year and a half (former kent user) so i don't have the range to really comment over a lot of batches though.

 

that being said, these guys ARE making it in brooklyn for cripes sakes! :P who knows what or who's in these mixes! water from the east river! : (jk, take it easy, i was born in queens) :D

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WELL IT DOSNT SEEM TO BE THAT BAD OF A OUT BREAK I HAVE SEEN WORSE, HELL HAD WORSE...LOL, TRY ADDING SOME MACRO ALGAE TO THE TANK, SOMETHING LIKE CALURPA OR HALIMEDIA, IT MIGHT HELP ROBB THE OTHER OF NUTRIENTS, GOOD LUCK

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Hey Ross,

 

I would go get some more hermits, for the green hair algae. Call me crazy, but I have 15 blue leg in my 15 gallon and they do a great job of keeping it under control. Good luck man, the tank is coming along.

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How's the 6400K bulb? Does anyone think that a 6400K bulb provides for stronger green fuzzy algae growth than a 10000K bulb? Thought I read that somewhere, but can't really remember (brain cells weaker than beer cells).

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I think that 10K compact fluorescent grows more green algae than any other single spectrum, but I haven't been very scientific about it. But I can say that 10K's work great in counter-lit refugiums!

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