Almost ready to throw the towel in - HELP!
- Thread starter GoReef165
- Start date
I really appreciate everyone that gave me feedback.
Here's some answers to your questions on equipment, maint., water params, etc.
* Alk: 8 / Cal: 450 / Mag: 1300 / Ph 8.1 / Nitrate: 5 / Phosphate: 0.02
* 20-30gal water changes every 2 weeks NOW (never did before which might have started this).
* Running GFO in a nice reactor in the sump. I try to keep it fairly fresh but I might have to start switching it out more frequent now.
* I do Vodka dose. Been dosing for years no issues. Maybe Nick has a good point. I'm going to look into vinegar, Red Sea NO3
O4-X Nitrate & Phosphate Reducer, etc. (thoughts on this?)
* Tank is pretty packed with coral and fish. I do have a starry blenny that munches on the algae, 2 yellow tangs and 1 blue tang....plus other misc. guys.
* I've been running my own RODI unit in the garage and I keep it at 0 TDS... at least that's what the meter is telling me. I need to test it manually though. This could be an issue?
* 40 gallon sump where I use a BM220a skimmer (to me it's a beast rated at 400 gallon). GFO reactor. Running socks. Nothing else in the sump. No chaeto or anything else. No room with the skimmer and sock.
* Running (6) 80w T5s. ON at 2pm / OFF at 10pm. 2 bulbs come on at a time and turn off at a time so all 6 bulbs are on together for 7 hours. Maybe to long?
So what do you guys think about trying Dr. Tims Waste Away, Algae Fix Marine and/or adding a Sea hare? Do you think any of these would really make a big difference? Honestly if i can't get this resolved soon I'm doing something drastic like starting over. The tanks been running pretty good (never perfect) for 5 years plus but now I'm stressing over it everyday lately and it's not much fun anymore.
Here's some answers to your questions on equipment, maint., water params, etc.
* Alk: 8 / Cal: 450 / Mag: 1300 / Ph 8.1 / Nitrate: 5 / Phosphate: 0.02
* 20-30gal water changes every 2 weeks NOW (never did before which might have started this).
* Running GFO in a nice reactor in the sump. I try to keep it fairly fresh but I might have to start switching it out more frequent now.
* I do Vodka dose. Been dosing for years no issues. Maybe Nick has a good point. I'm going to look into vinegar, Red Sea NO3
O4-X Nitrate & Phosphate Reducer, etc. (thoughts on this?)* Tank is pretty packed with coral and fish. I do have a starry blenny that munches on the algae, 2 yellow tangs and 1 blue tang....plus other misc. guys.
* I've been running my own RODI unit in the garage and I keep it at 0 TDS... at least that's what the meter is telling me. I need to test it manually though. This could be an issue?
* 40 gallon sump where I use a BM220a skimmer (to me it's a beast rated at 400 gallon). GFO reactor. Running socks. Nothing else in the sump. No chaeto or anything else. No room with the skimmer and sock.
* Running (6) 80w T5s. ON at 2pm / OFF at 10pm. 2 bulbs come on at a time and turn off at a time so all 6 bulbs are on together for 7 hours. Maybe to long?
So what do you guys think about trying Dr. Tims Waste Away, Algae Fix Marine and/or adding a Sea hare? Do you think any of these would really make a big difference? Honestly if i can't get this resolved soon I'm doing something drastic like starting over. The tanks been running pretty good (never perfect) for 5 years plus but now I'm stressing over it everyday lately and it's not much fun anymore.
Even though u say it's .02 phosphates, ur probably a lot higher. At .02, there should be minimal algae growth.
Also do u have a chloramine filter on ur RO/DI? If not, I would look into adding one immediately. I recently had multiple reefers tell me about issues related to chloramines in there water. I didn't have any issues, but I got one anyways. If u have high chloramines in ur water and u recently started doing more frequent water changes, that could be why ur seeing an algae bloom.
I would still look into a larger skimmer....
Also rob, what would breaking down ur tank and starting over accomplish? It's not like ur infested with some hitch hiker. Hair algae can happen to brand new systems. U could break down ur whole tank and start fresh and still have hair algae. U need to find ur problem and fix it. From my Understanding, u can show 0tds and still have high chloramines in your water. It's a silent killer, u don't know u have it till ur tank is on a death spiral.
Great tip on fragging. Ya I've scrubbed and scrubbed with a toothbrush almost every day and it's not really helping.
Nick...I think you're right about starting over. I guess I don't really have a legit reason other than total frustration and I'm tired. You got me thinking though...I might go a different route. More to come on that.
Great thought here. You're right...something is feeding my algae and it stumps me that my readings are so low.
Hey Keith, Ya I actually plan on doing this with the Kent mag. I had briopsis years ago and it killed it at 1600. Not sure what high levels will do to the basic HA but it's worth a try.
Like I said, it's embarrassing and humbling posting a thread like this when you've been running strong for so long. But I'm being real with you guys and trusting in your advise. I think I might me doing a few of these things to see once more if I can slow it down or figure out why it's happening in the first place. Reading your replies has helped me think of a few things I can do before a total redo. Like Nick said, there's no real reason to be so extreme and I guess I agree. My rocks are set up as 3 islands with one bridge connecting 2 islands together. The right and left sides are the main places I have algae problems. Maybe partially because of lack of flow? SO..I think I'll be redoing these areas, try to get more flow and do a few other things that have been mentioned in this thread.
Nick...I think you're right about starting over. I guess I don't really have a legit reason other than total frustration and I'm tired. You got me thinking though...I might go a different route. More to come on that.
Great thought here. You're right...something is feeding my algae and it stumps me that my readings are so low.
Hey Keith, Ya I actually plan on doing this with the Kent mag. I had briopsis years ago and it killed it at 1600. Not sure what high levels will do to the basic HA but it's worth a try.
Like I said, it's embarrassing and humbling posting a thread like this when you've been running strong for so long. But I'm being real with you guys and trusting in your advise. I think I might me doing a few of these things to see once more if I can slow it down or figure out why it's happening in the first place. Reading your replies has helped me think of a few things I can do before a total redo. Like Nick said, there's no real reason to be so extreme and I guess I agree. My rocks are set up as 3 islands with one bridge connecting 2 islands together. The right and left sides are the main places I have algae problems. Maybe partially because of lack of flow? SO..I think I'll be redoing these areas, try to get more flow and do a few other things that have been mentioned in this thread.
kinda battling a similar problem, except it's in my gravity fed (from display tank) frag tank.
Anyways, the reason i'm posting is b/c of the comment you made about using a baster to blow off what you can. If I may suggest, DON'T DO THAT! It just makes it spread even worse as I've found from my own experiences.
What I've been doing -- and it seems to be working -- is vacuuming it out during water changes. I use a carbon steel brush for stuff that doesn't come off easily. However, i only remove 10g per water change and this doesn't give me enough time to get full coverage. So I supplement this by running the hose to my filter socks which lets me grab even more. I found this extra step to be very important because when the algae dies off (which it has been) it generates more waste which in turn feeds more algae growth. That's why I think it seems like a never ending cycle. Since i've been doing this, I've found the algae to be much easier to remove. Presumably due to the fact that there is more die off.
It is interesting, however, that I have virtually no algae growth in the display tank. I don't have a tremendously large cuc in there, but I do have a lawnmower blenny who might be keeping it at bay.
question: how often do you find yourself having to clean your glass? For me, it's ~4 days.
Anyways, the reason i'm posting is b/c of the comment you made about using a baster to blow off what you can. If I may suggest, DON'T DO THAT! It just makes it spread even worse as I've found from my own experiences.
What I've been doing -- and it seems to be working -- is vacuuming it out during water changes. I use a carbon steel brush for stuff that doesn't come off easily. However, i only remove 10g per water change and this doesn't give me enough time to get full coverage. So I supplement this by running the hose to my filter socks which lets me grab even more. I found this extra step to be very important because when the algae dies off (which it has been) it generates more waste which in turn feeds more algae growth. That's why I think it seems like a never ending cycle. Since i've been doing this, I've found the algae to be much easier to remove. Presumably due to the fact that there is more die off.
It is interesting, however, that I have virtually no algae growth in the display tank. I don't have a tremendously large cuc in there, but I do have a lawnmower blenny who might be keeping it at bay.
question: how often do you find yourself having to clean your glass? For me, it's ~4 days.
in regards to the high chloramines, I agree that we reefers in this area need to use Pentek chloraplus filter to combat the chloramines. however due to my own recent experience I learned the without the protection from chloramines your RO membrane will "break through" and the TDS meter will jump up rapidly. so the fact that he has 0 TDS I think is may be ok for now but would say he needs to get new filters soon. Also the chloramines are indeed bad your tank in the fact that it can cause poor health in corals and maybe fish. it should not cause algae to grow though as it is not a food source, its a sterilizer more or less built of chlorine bonded to ammonia.
you problem will lie in an over abundance of food source for the algae. yes do more water changes, as much a 50% every 2 weeks. I always do 50% although is like every other month. clean water made to match in temp will not hurt anything. im sure you change your filter socks often right? that's a food factory it left to long. your dead spaces in your tank could use a clean up. I have a lot of dead space that has deep settled layers of crap and I cant reach them to clean them but I have not had to much problems I think in part to the chaeto in the sump for when it does release its nitrates.
also very important.... how old are your test kits? they do expire. I found that when they do go bad they kinda tend to show the water as being with in normal limits. so check that to be sure you can trust your test.
you problem will lie in an over abundance of food source for the algae. yes do more water changes, as much a 50% every 2 weeks. I always do 50% although is like every other month. clean water made to match in temp will not hurt anything. im sure you change your filter socks often right? that's a food factory it left to long. your dead spaces in your tank could use a clean up. I have a lot of dead space that has deep settled layers of crap and I cant reach them to clean them but I have not had to much problems I think in part to the chaeto in the sump for when it does release its nitrates.
also very important.... how old are your test kits? they do expire. I found that when they do go bad they kinda tend to show the water as being with in normal limits. so check that to be sure you can trust your test.
I often get side tracked with other hobbies and ignore my tank and I even thought about getting rid of it once or twice (hope my tank does not read this), but then I start to "clean it up" and then add something new and bam I recall why I love it so much. im sure you can turn this algae problem into a fun problem solving project.
Here's my experience with GHA. I added in some bad egg crate which leached a bunch of stuff into the water allowing the GHA to explode. I took each rock out and scrubbed all of them individually but still didn't stop the GHA from out growing everything. I did try adding Sea Hares but they couldn't stay alive more than a few days in the tank for some reason. Blue leg hermits IME didn't do anything. I had Tangs and a Lawnmower Blenny which didn't touch the GHA. In the end, I ordered like 30-40 Scarlet Hermits and they actually destroyed the GHA from the start. After several weeks, there were several tiny patches of GHA and after a month or so nothing left and never came back so I sold off most of the Scarlet Hermits as the negative thing I have with them are they crawl on and over any corals so they would puncture my acans with their legs causing them to recede.
Thanks for the info. As for my HA issue. I replaced my GFO, ramping up my Mag to 1800 with Kent, turkey basting my rocks and keeping clean socks in the sump. I also took my vodka dosing offline. Not sure I'm going back. I might just try to do more frequent water changes instead of relying on Vodka to eliminate nitrates.
Over the weekend I tore the tank apart, removed most all the live rock, scrubbed it down and re-aqua scaped. After doing this I can now see what one of my major problems was. I had so much detritus in my back corners where the flow was almost non-existent. Also, my overflow box was filled with it. I cleaned out the overflow and also cleaned up my sand bed where these dead spots were. The tank has been completely re-scaped and it actually looks pretty cool. More open caves and areas for flow which will keep the detritus down. I bought a WP40 powerhead and will be mounting it in the lower back corner to keep the tank moving. I removed a lot of larger colonies once I had this all torn apart too. Tank looks fresh and I'm excited about it again.
Over the weekend I tore the tank apart, removed most all the live rock, scrubbed it down and re-aqua scaped. After doing this I can now see what one of my major problems was. I had so much detritus in my back corners where the flow was almost non-existent. Also, my overflow box was filled with it. I cleaned out the overflow and also cleaned up my sand bed where these dead spots were. The tank has been completely re-scaped and it actually looks pretty cool. More open caves and areas for flow which will keep the detritus down. I bought a WP40 powerhead and will be mounting it in the lower back corner to keep the tank moving. I removed a lot of larger colonies once I had this all torn apart too. Tank looks fresh and I'm excited about it again.
Hope ^ that fixes your problem. I think flow is tough to achieve in a large grown out SPS tank. I see a lot of old mature SPS tanks online, and some will have 4 huge Tunze pumps. I always thought that was crazy, but with those large colonies, u need that kind of flow. I think adding that pump will make a big difference. Good luck bud
