Lowering Nutrients

[cosigner]

Ok... I very new to keeping SPS and I started feeding a little too heavy. I now have hair algae on the false wall that my snails can't get all gone.

I have a BC14, I have the first chamber housing my heater and have removed the false floor, the second chamber is holding caulerpa algae (led lit 24 hrs/day), and the third chamber is holding the return pump and an air stone just to help oxygenate the water. I also have a nano koralia @ 425 gph(?)... and an oscillating head on the stock pump.

My LR is minimal with a 2" bed. I have tons and tons of pods and other creepy crawlies all over.

Lighting is handled by a full spectrum led system that I built and I just cut the photo period back from 11hrs to 8½hrs. The leds are on a sunrise simulator.

My parameters stay pretty stable and I rarely test. The bio load is 2 mocha clowns, 1 hi-fin Goby, 1 pistol shrimp, and a cuc of approximately 12 hermits and 4 snails. My corals include 1 Birdsnest frag, 1 Pocillopora frag, Acro Lokani frag, 2 Monti Caps, 2 small Zoa frags, and two tiny silver/blue Xenia.

I've cut back on feeding to half the amount and half as often... so .5ml ea of oyster feast and phyto feast once at night. I feed my fish one small pinch, once a day.

What step should I take to get my water quality better (cleaner)? Should I do just keep doing smallish water changes every other day and some algae scrapping along with it? Or let the snails do there job and just do the WCs? I have a Remora skimmer with a maxijet 1200 that I could add to the middle chamber.

Thoughts? Opinions?

Edit: Sorry for the misspellings and other random bad grammar. Blame it on my phones awesome "autocorrect."

 

[hiimsean]

A skimmer and more waterchanges will do wonders.

 

[cosigner]

That's kinda the way I was leaning... thanks for the response. I'm so wanting a larger tank than this thing!

 

[jdwells]

I have a 90 reef ready I'll sell ya. But I'm trying to get my nutrients down too. More water changes is the last thing I can try.
You might put some GFO and/or carbon in a high flow area. I'm running mine in a reactor but I don't think you'd have the room for that.
You might also try a total blackout for a couple days although I don't keep SPS so I don't know how they would do with that.


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[cosigner]

Thanks... PM sent

 

[ringo®]

Carbon dosing is an option if you have a proper skimmer.

 

[jdwells]

I've never tried carbon dosing but it scares me. lol


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[franciscosalazar]

If you're unsure about carbon dosing, look into Continuum Bacter Clean M along with using a skimmer.

 

[cosigner]

Ok, so I thoroughly cleaned the rear cchamberstoday and cut my hood to clear my Remora skimmer. Also did a 4 gallon water change. We'll see how it goes!

 

[heathlindner25]

Cosigner;920805 wrote: Ok, so I thoroughly cleaned the rear cchamberstoday and cut my hood to clear my Remora skimmer. Also did a 4 gallon water change. We'll see how it goes!

Multiple water changes....right?

 

[cosigner]

I'll do another one tomorrow. And the next... etc... lol

 

[heathlindner25]

for what it's worth, it's going to be extremely difficult to keep SPS in 10 gallons of water

 

[cosigner]

heathlindner25;920820 wrote: for what it's worth, it's going to be extremely difficult to keep SPS in 10 gallons of water

We're going to upgrade soon, just not sure what exactly is want. We looked at a 56 Column tank today that was nice!

 

[cosigner]

Made a 2 gallon WC this morning and scrubbed the algae off the false wall, my nano-reef koralia, and the ossilator. Skimmer is removing slightly wet nutrients.... got my eye on a 40 breeder. Hopefully they'll have it Thursday.

 

[sidvicious]

Water changes but I've found using a poly filter with the combination of Chemi Pure Elite will work magic.

Edit: When using chemi pure elite though you don't need to use purigen, would just be a waste of money just use one or the other.

 

[cosigner]

Sidvicious;920973 wrote: Water changes but I've found using a poly filter with the combination of Chemi Pure Elite will work magic.

Edit: When using chemi pure elite though you don't need to use purigen, would just be a waste of money just use one or the other.

Thanks for the advice man... I'll definitely look into it. I'm running a phosphate sponge material, carbon, and a little zeolite. Should I do away with these if I went with the poly?

 

[sidvicious]

No problem my friend. I would, just stick with a poly filter and chemi pure elite.

 

[jennm]

I'd cut the phyto, and the oyster feast. Once a week, maybe twice. And feed the fish every other day.

That combined with water changes should fix you up.

The solution to pollution is dilution

Jenn

 

[cosigner]

Sidvicious;920988 wrote: No problem my friend. I would, just stick with a poly filter and chemi pure elite.

Thanks...

Edit:

JennM;921076 wrote: I'd cut the phyto, and the oyster feast. Once a week, maybe twice. And feed the fish every other day.

That combined with water changes should fix you up.

The solution to pollution is dilution

Jenn

Yeah, that's what a friend suggested too...

 

[cosigner]

The water parameters are stable, the water is looking clear and polished, and my Pocillopora is extending it's polyps slightly! Hopefully in a few more weeks this little set back will be history. Thanks everyone for all of your input.