30 Gallon SPS Reef Build

lubeck

lubeck

Active Member
I've never had issues with algae until after I stopped vodka dosing I've done religious 20% water changes from the beginning always blowing off the rocks of debris (almost everyday in the DT).
I don't really think its just the rock, I think changing the lighting recently isn't helping. Adding vitachem, selcon to the food prob wasn't helping either.
I'm not sure if I can agree that increasing flow won't help export nutrients to the fuge sump. I do agree that I need to figure out the source though.
 
lubeck

lubeck

Active Member
Oops I forgot, the reason for dosing was to achieve an ultra low nutrient system and polyp extension. And so I could feed as much as I wanted. I didn't have any issues before I started dosing.
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Ok.....Why not go back to the very basics then.....You said you had no issue before before hand.....Back to basics of numerous water changes, and switching light could be a factor in the equation, but the dosing and trying to achieve low nutrient, but I think some of that could have attributed to loss of colors in your corals which I think you indicated earlier on........What is your fish load and sort that you wanted the ability to feed "as much as you wanted".....Is it possible we over complicated things at times.......
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lubeck http:///t/387844/30-gallon-sps-reef-build/400#post_3503666
I've never had issues with algae until after I stopped vodka dosing I've done religious 20% water changes from the beginning always blowing off the rocks of debris (almost everyday in the DT).
I don't really think its just the rock, I think changing the lighting recently isn't helping. Adding vitachem, selcon to the food prob wasn't helping either.
I'm not sure if I can agree that increasing flow won't help export nutrients to the fuge sump. I do agree that I need to figure out the source though.
I'm not saying increasing flow is a bad thing in anyway.....When you say exporting nutrients are you referring to stuff settling out in the display tank....If that's the case I see your point in increasing flow, but if your not seeing things settle out in the tank, not quite sure how increasing water flow through the sump will accomplish stripping excess nutrients.
What was the purpose of dosing vita chem and selcon......Both IMO aren't needed for whatever reason.....I do agree adding this stuff is more a pollutant than anything you gained from their use.
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
Did not want to go back and look but a more up to date picture of the sump is in order here. What is the flow through the sump.
By the way live rock is not a filter other than it may trap detritus and keep it from floating around in the tank. Life rock is just a repository for life. Some of that life is the bacteria that resides on all hard surfaces in the tank The bacteria, along with the other organisms, are "filtering the water" of nutrients.
If your sump is as packed as you say, and you do not have adequate filter media in place from the display just before entering the sump then yes your rock in the sump is acting as the collector of the larger particles of junk and as this rots the nutrients are returning to the display. IMO and IME it is not enough to have all of the equipment that you are trying to reduce nutrients with if you are not filtering via floss, pads, socks etc. etc that large particle of junk from the water.
 
lubeck

lubeck

Active Member
Ok.....Why not go back to the very basics then.....You said you had no issue before before hand.....Back to basics of numerous water changes, and switching light could be a factor in the equation, but the dosing and trying to achieve low nutrient, but I think some of that could have attributed to loss of colors in your corals which I think you indicated earlier on........What is your fish load and sort that you wanted the ability to feed "as much as you wanted".....Is it possible we over complicated things at times.......:%%:
Well I'm not sure I understand but I can say I still do weekly water changes, I never stopped. If anything I waited 8 or 9 days but that isn't the issue. As much as I wish dosing didn't fade the color of my corals I just can't go back to it. I'm the master of over complicating things for sure. I've stopped adding vitachem and selcon. I bought it for my flame angel. I stopped using it just about two to three weeks
 
lubeck

lubeck

Active Member
Henry I'm going to go take a pic now of the sump but I haven't used a sock for months. Interesting enough it's been so long I wouldn't be surprised if it wast around the time before the hair algae started. Notice I said before. I had this struggle with not wanting to use filter media but I guess I need to just man up and start using socks again.
 
lubeck

lubeck

Active Member
This is a full sump shot

Left side where drain is


Right side of sump


I can tell you the sump was not always full. It started with three pcs of LR and more recently have been adding more and more from the DT as time goes on.
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
Yup you should be filtering with media the water just before it enters the sump. Looks like you can actually see the detritus buildup on the Chaetomorpha.
 
lubeck

lubeck

Active Member
Ok and yes there is build up on the Dying cheato. I will make up some new water and remove all LR and clean it from the poo drain all the water from the sump and put it all back with a sock. Sound good?
 
lubeck

lubeck

Active Member
Need some input i think i figured out why i have HA!?! I just got done cleaning out the sump and rocks. It was gross.
I realized that all of my rocks in my sump are completely free from hair algae. Does this mean its my lighting in my DT that's causing the hair algae??
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
No, it just means that your display tank has more favorable conditions for hair algae growth. I.E. the reason why your chaeto is probably dying is because your refugium light is not intense enough to sustain it, same for hair algae. Your display tanks lights are probably really bright - and therefore conditions favor hair algae in the display rather than the sump.
If you build a scrubber and use it properly, your hair algae problem will go away within a matter of weeks. UAS's are the norm these days - and would probably fit well in the space that you have.
 
lubeck

lubeck

Active Member
So for now if I start feeding once every other day it should take care of the HA? I will try it and maybe think about adding a scrubber later.
 
kiefers

kiefers

Active Member
Lol...... where do you plan on putting the scrubber? Lol you already have tight quarters in that sump.
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
There is no silver bullet for taking care of the hair algae. Good maintenance is the only way.
*****HIGH JACK ALERT*********HIGH JACK ALERT*********HIGH JACK ALERT*********HIGH JACK ALERT****
Hello Keith!
*****RETURNING CONTROL TO OUR THREAD AUTHOR*****
 
mason

mason

Member
Ive got a silver bullet, consider taking three hours to read all this, see if you don't think your HA will disappear as well. LInking to this site saves me from typing everything here...if you want to discuss it after reading Im all ears. The point of what Im about to link to you is that you do not have to control nutrients to have an algae free tank, sounds hard to believe I know, but how's the last 20 years of algae knowledge working for you>? Same for many people, we needed new ways to fight and here's one. at least I collect before and after pics for proof, its something you might consider using. The thread wouldn't be so large if it didn't work. You can have your tank rid of all HA in one week. You will retreat every few months, thats about it.
Its not that specialized filtration (GFO) and prefilters etc/lighting alterations etc won't work, its that they have an incredibly low cure rate, its inconsistent or we wouldn't have a thousand problem algae threads online. With this treatment, we have cure rates in the 90% range. better stats at least..
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2082359&page=41
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Yeah, I have read your thread on RC. (The big forum) and I was quite impressed with using hydrogen peroxide as an algae treatment.
Great tanks by the way, Brandon.
 
mason

mason

Member
Hey thanks for considering it. I like to offer it especially in cases where normal approaches havent worked, at least its an option. good luck its a tough battle in large tanks I know!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top