Algae Help needed (among other things)

shamanofsexy · Jun 8, 2010

Right my tank is now 6 months old. :thumbs:

But for the last two months ive been away from home so my tank has gotten letssay a little neglected. The mother has been incharge and has done what i asked a little to well. I left water for the changes and said if the water tests are fine do nothing apart from the water change.

Done my water tests today Nirite - 0 Ammonia 0 Nitrate 50 Ph - 8.2 Salinity - 1.027.

But now here the problems. My Boxer shrimp appears to have gone renegade and has killed my 16 turbo snails and 2 crabs. So now i have no snails and 2 crabs remaining.

Algae in the tank is everywhere long hairy strands looks like a carpet of grass. Predominantly under where the lighting is but it doesnt look nice.

Now whats the best way to get rid of this algae should i scrape it all off or buy something that will graze on it.

jennm · Jun 8, 2010

Might have been the hermits eating the snails... OR the 50 PPM nitrate may have also killed them.

Might want to check phosphate too... phosphate and nitrate (and light) feed the algae.

Best strategy is a series of water changes - 15% or so, every 3-4 days until the nitrate is in check (this is less traumatic than a huge water change all at once).

Manual export of the algae - get a cheap toothbrush or nail brush and scrub each rock - I usually use a bucket of waste saltwater after a water change to use to rinse the rock off after scrubbing.

Once the nitrate is back to acceptable (close to 0 as possible but at least under 20 PPM) then you might try replenishing the snails.

Hope this helps,

Jenn

smallblock · Jun 8, 2010

JennM;520623 wrote: Might have been the hermits eating the snails... OR the 50 PPM nitrate may have also killed them.

Might want to check phosphate too... phosphate and nitrate (and light) feed the algae.

Best strategy is a series of water changes - 15% or so, every 3-4 days until the nitrate is in check (this is less traumatic than a huge water change all at once).

Manual export of the algae - get a cheap toothbrush or nail brush and scrub each rock - I usually use a bucket of waste saltwater after a water change to use to rinse the rock off after scrubbing.

Once the nitrate is back to acceptable (close to 0 as possible but at least under 20 PPM) then you might try replenishing the snails.

Hope this helps,

Jenn

What she said, maybe feed a little less too nitrate has to be coming from somewhere

jeep9783 · Jun 8, 2010

scrub the rock and water changes as jenn said above and do 3 days lights off after you replace ur clean up crew...when i had the issue i replaced cuc water changes 3days lights off 2 days normal cycle then 3 days lights off again by the time it was done all hair algae gone....the 3 days off takes away the much needed light and also gives ur new cuc a chance to catch up....just my 2cents

chris

shamanofsexy · Jun 8, 2010

cheers. Will do that thanks.

shamanofsexy · Jun 8, 2010

Right so.

Changed a total of 10 gallons of water over the past two days.
Changed all the water in my filter.

Think i found the nitrate problems in my filter theree was lots of DeNitrate left in under the liver rock i have in it. I had asked for this to be removed while i was away but they was alot under one of the trays so i dont think my mum saw it.

Nitrate now reading at 12.5 so maybe another water change at the weekend.

Cleaned all of the algae off the sandbed. Left the little bits on the rocks i kinda like the way it looks with a bit of Algae on the rocks looks nice and natural.

acroholic · Jun 8, 2010

Dealing with algae has always been a multi prong strategy for me.

What I do/have done in the past for algae issues:

-don't overfeed
-what is your photoperiod? Halides do not need to be on for more than 7-8 hours a day. T5s should no tbe on for more than 10. Any more and you are just providing extra light for algae growing without benefit to your corals.
-mechanical filtration. Do you use filter socks or a pre filter sponge? And if you do, do you clean them? Mechanical filtration will get a lot of organics out BEFORE they have a chance to degrade into nitrates. Filter socks and sponges will turn into nitrate factories if not cleaned regularly.
-Do you use GFO for phosphates? This helps a lot
-So you have any type of macroalgae setup going, like a cheato refugium? this will suck up excess nutrients and you harvest the cheato to export them from your system
-get that turbo killing shrimp out of your system. turbos do a great job at eating hair algae.
-you are increasing your water changes. Good ob, but what source water are you using? Are you using RODI? If you are using tapwater, then you could be adding phosphates directly into the tank that way. AN RODI unit is a good investment if you do not already have one.

shamanofsexy · Jun 8, 2010

My lighting is L.E.D and is on for 7 hours a day.

No microalgae set up. Just a tank.

I run on berlin method in the external fitler i just have some pieces of live rock.

Water source it's always purchased from shop.

Havent tested for phospates before was told in LFS that this is reletivly unneeded untill i start putting Corals in.

acroholic · Jun 8, 2010

Phosphates r/t algae growth are an issue regardless of whether you have corals in your tank or not, IMO.

What was the shop's rationale for telling you this?

shamanofsexy · Jun 8, 2010

Acroholic;521473 wrote: Phosphates r/t algae growth are an issue regardless of whether you have corals in your tank or not, IMO.

What was the shop's rationale for telling you this?

Not a clue. Could have gotten more money out of me by selling it me so there was no benefit for the shop to tell me not to have it.

ralph atl · Jun 8, 2010

You must export the same or more nutrients than you put in. Overfeeding, tap water, high phosphate foods, etc. 
 
 
Phosphate reduction/ removal and high trates could be the answer. Wet skimming with a skimmer that is rated at least double your water volume. If you cannot get a fuge or sump (you can maybe make a "Rubbermaid sump with cheato in it for a few bucks) you can get a $35.00 hang on phosphate reactor for your tank and put some GFO in there. In the future, you'll most likely need a refugium with Macro algae. 
 
 
If you choose GFO, you’ll need to start VERY SLOWLY! Use 25% of the recommended media, slowly increasing every week. You need to acclimate your tank inhabitants over at least a 2 month period especially is you have any stony corals. Once acclimated you’ll need to change your Iron based media in the phosphate reactor more often. Your media will get saturated within 2 weeks or so depending upon how much is bound up in your rocks, tank, algae, etc. Use less media, change every 2 weeks. Use a great test kit like DD Merck, Hack, or colormeter. If you already have a fuge & reactor, be aggressive & change the media every 2 weeks.
 
 
 
When you do your water change, take the end of the hose and suck all the algae down like a vacuum. It'll take a few water changes, but it works (especially after the phosphate remover kicks in)
 
Use a phosphate reactor with some phosar or ROWA or whatever, and something to lower nitrates like a fuge, AZNO3, Vodka, VSV or other carbon source. 
 
 
check out:
 
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-11/rhf/index.php">http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-11/rhf/index.php</a>
 
[IMG]http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-09/rhf/index.php">http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-09/rhf/index.php</a>
 
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/july2003/chem.htm
 
[IMG]http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php">http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php</a>
 
[IMG]http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-05/eb/index.php">http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-05/eb/index.php</a>
 
[IMG]http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/august2003/chem.htm">http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/august2003/chem.htm</a>
 
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1349443
 
[IMG]http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/sept2002/chem.htm">http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/sept2002/chem.htm</a>
 
 
 
VSV:
[IMG]http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/index.php">http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...nftt/index.php</a>

[IMG]http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1225324">http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...readid=1225324</a>
 
 
[IMG]http://www.atlantareefclub.org/forums/showthread.php?t=22849&highlight=vodka">http://www.atlantareefclub.org/forum...ighlight=vodka</a>

smoothie · Jun 8, 2010

Dayum Ralph. He's set now. God job man!
The boxer shrimp will definitely take out your snails. I would honestly get rid of him or triple the cleanup crew and spot feed the shrimp if you keep him.
If you are coming this way this summer I have a 20tall baffled off for a fuge and drilled to adapt to an existing system you can nab. Just have to be a paying member for the garage O freebies

ralph atl · Jun 8, 2010

I guess the LFS must be correct! Lol!

smoothie · Jun 8, 2010

mysterybox;522023 wrote: I guess the LFS must be correct! Lol!

Pshhhhh. I'll send you the paddle

shamanofsexy · Jun 8, 2010

mysterybox;522023 wrote: I guess the LFS must be correct! Lol!

Well its easy to believe someone who's trying to save you money lol.

Will pick up a test next time i head into town.

Cheers for all the links. Luckily im off all weekend so will work through them all inbetween the world cup games.

jennm · Jun 8, 2010

Smoothie;522017 wrote:
If you are coming this way this summer I have a 20tall baffled off for a fuge and drilled to adapt to an existing system you can nab. Just have to be a paying member for the garage O freebies

Smoothie... OP is in the UK, so I doubt they'll be headed your way anytime soon

Jenn

smoothie · Jun 8, 2010

JennM;522050 wrote: Smoothie... OP is in the UK, so I doubt they'll be headed your way anytime soon

Jenn

:doh:

shamanofsexy · Jun 8, 2010

Smoothie;522089 wrote: :doh:

I used to have a sig letting people know but only members can have sigs now.

Thanks for the offer though

Algae Help needed (among other things)

shamanofsexy

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jennm

Active Member

smallblock

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jeep9783

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shamanofsexy

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shamanofsexy

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acroholic

Active Member

shamanofsexy

Member

acroholic

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shamanofsexy

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ralph atl

Active Member

smoothie

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ralph atl

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smoothie

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shamanofsexy

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jennm

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smoothie

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shamanofsexy

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