algae, algae & more algae

[joselastra]

i cant seem to kick my algae problem. ive been using an RO/DI filter for the past six months, all my levels are good(nothing detectable, and my nitrates are less than .10ppm) However, my phosphate level is .25. Ive even been running phosban for 3 weeks now.

 

[NYreefNoob]

if using frozen food might want to rinse it first, and 3 weeks isnt a long time and what kit are you testing with

 

[joselastra]

an API kit. what else is there that i can use, not to escatic about API kits?


question, i feed froz food exclusively, how do i rinse it w/o losing all the small particulate food?????

 

[Wes]

first thing i would do is replace the phosban. If your phosphate levels are high you can exhaust the media pretty quickly.

 

[joselastra]

phosban has been replaced twice already.

 

[wxl14]

What size tank, What kind of filtration do you have, How often do you feed. How many fish. what kind of cleanup crew do you have? How long has your tank been running.

 

[efisher]

see if you can get a hand on a Hanna phosphate tester. I bet your phosphates are not 0. I was shocked when i got mine a last year. phosphate can take sometime to come down it leech's into the sand,rocks,etc. Just keep up the water changes every few days and replace the phosban weekly.

 

[Mario]

Has anybody had experience with www.aquariumwatertesting.com?
I just ordered their initial test kit that you mail in with your water sample and they send back to you (via email) the results. They use Mass Spectrometry and HPLC (supposedly)

You may want to try this? I dont know..

see if you can get a hand on a Hanna phosphate tester. I bet your phosphates are not 0. I was shocked when i got mine a last year. phosphate can take sometime to come down it leech's into the sand,rocks,etc. Just keep up the water changes every few days and replace the phosban weekly.

 

[Killerdrgn]

Has anybody had experience with www.aquariumwatertesting.com?
I just ordered their initial test kit that you mail in with your water sample and they send back to you (via email) the results. They use Mass Spectrometry and HPLC (supposedly)

You may want to try this? I dont know..

It's $$$ for a single shot test. But i know people have used it.

 

[tommy818]

what size tank what size skimmer what additives do u use what salt mix u use need more info to help u

 

[cybermeez]

question, i feed froz food exclusively, how do i rinse it w/o losing all the small particulate food?????

I use a brine shrimp net. The mesh is very tight and it works great.

 

[efisher]

thats what I use when i feed frozen which is every once in awhile. I have switched to [FONT=&quot]Spectrum TherA-A Anti Parasite and my fish are nice and fat.
[/FONT]

 

[Mario]

It's $$$ for a single shot test. But i know people have used it.

Its four separate tests each with about 10 parameters (except pH which they dont do)- my Chem 101 which I vagely rememeber bears out their premise that pH will change over time in a sample test tude

Hope this helps

I will let you know on another post what the values are when I get the results

 

[joselastra]

55g, wet/dry(in process of removing bio balls now, almost there more than 2/3 removed over the course of 2 wks.) M?C skimmer, 15-20 hermits, tiger cuk, sand cuk, sand star, 8-10 turbo snails, 4 mex turbo snails, 5 nas. snails, 4 emerald crabs, lawnmower blen.

fish: cherub angel, watchman goby, royal gramma.

tank has been running for over a year.


my phosphate level IS NOT at 0, its at .25.

hopefully i didnt miss anythng

i dose kalk. add strot, essential elements, and iodine. and mag(which i test for)

 

[tommy818]

not familar with your skimmer but it should be rated for a tank larger than your tank size adding strontium can lower your alk which should be kept above 8.0.finish removing the bio balls and stop the essential elements and the iodine.although i use iodine whitch i believe is essential it can stimulate algae growth.use a two part additive b-ionic to get your alk cal levels up and invest in a phos reactor witch is inexpensive.high cal and alk will encourage coraline growth and help eliminate micro algae.also continue dosing kalk for all your makeup water

 

[cybermeez]

high cal and alk will encourage coraline growth and help eliminate micro algae.

How high is high for Ca and Alk? I switched to Seachem reef salt a few months back. I like it, but I find my Ca is consistently above 500 and the Alk around 10 or 11. In balance, but hight according to everything I've read.

 

[wxl14]

how bad is the algae problem can you show us pictures. Also how long do you have your lights on.

 

[joselastra]

no camera, sorry. its bad, but it was worse. i already run a phos reactor. on a scale of 1-10, w/10 being that all in the tank is covered i would say im a 5.​

 

[prattreef]

.25 PO4 is very high and is your main problem( you are looking for .05 or lower). If you have been using Phosban for a few weeks already, I can't imagine how high it was. The question you really need to answer is why/how it got that way???

You seem to be on the right track. I'd:
1) continue using the phosban,
2)perform a series of water changes
3)manually pull as much of the algae as you can several days in a row
4) give your rocks a good cleaning with a turkey baster
5) rinse your frozen food as described AND cut back feedings to 4 times a week for a few weeks.
6) Turn off your lights for a couple of days ( your corals will be fine)
7) get better test kits
8) check your RO/DI filters to see if they need replacing ( this is a likely source of the problem).

Good luck.

 

[tommy818]

try useing 20k bulbs suppllemented with actinics keeping lighting more in the blue spectrum will help. agre mostly with comment except for no lights cut down halides but run your actinics.also try lowering your tank temp to around 77 degrees.algae tends to thrive in warmer temp.make sure the water u are changing is phosphate free.