Algae blooms and dieing coral.

[rmoore89]

Hey everybody I'm new to the site, and about 4-5 months into my first saltwater tank. I have crabs, snails, a starfish, a cucumber and 8 different zooanthids in my tank. I didn't add anything until 3 months into the tank and everything was ok. All my water parameters are within range and so is my selenity. It's a 30g tank, I got a coralife light putting in 156w total. I have a protein skimmer with a maxijet 1200 pump running it. I'm running carbon and phosphate remover in the skimmer, and have an 800gph powerhead. I have 30lbs of live rock and about an inch to an inch and a half of live argonite/sand at the bottom. I've been having an algae bloom problem for almost a month now, and it's starting to kill my coral also. If I leave my lights off for a day or 2, the blooms go away and the tank is almost perfectly clear. I did a 10 gallon water change yesterday, and let my lights run today and the water is already starting to discolor again and cloud up green. I have no idea what can cause this or why it keeps happening. I really don't want to lose the $ I have in coral because it's been kind of expensive and my girlfriend has also helped me buy some. If anybody has any ideas or needs more information to help me out it would be greatly appreciated. Again, I'm new so maybe it's something small I'm missing. Oh, and if it matters I cured the rock in the sand when I first got my tank, before I did anything else I had let it run for a month curing and letting everything "set-up". I mix my own saltwater with R0 water from a lfs and instant ocean salt mix. I don't think I've forgotten anything else, thank you for looking everybody.

 

[luvmyreef]

Do you have any fish in this tank? If so, what are you feeding them? How old is your bulbs? And how long do you normally leave your lights on? You should also get a phos test kit. And, you might switch your carbon to chemipure elite. It also might be coming from the ro water from a lfs. I would suggest you buy your own unit. You never know how often they change their filters. Oh, and 4-5 months is still too early to have a starfish, it will most likely starve.

 

[rmoore89]

No fish, the bulbs are almost a month old. The actinics run for 10hours and the daytime for 4. My lunar LED are on for 5 at night. My phosphate levels are within range, had them tested by my friend the other day. The R0 filters are expensive, that's why I have been using my LFS's water. The starfish is just a serpent star and I wish the LFS woulda told me it was gunna starve this early. They told me it'll eat whatever the shrimp, snails, and crabs don't eat. I had the tank clear for almost 2 months, then got a yellow tint to the water, so I did some water changes for that. About a month later this green started and like I said, I can't get it to go away and now the corals starting to die. Thank you for the info, will look at the chemipure elite, and try finding a cheap r0 unit. Does the Chemipure stuff come in a bag to put in my skimmer? I think they actually told me about that at the LFS. Oh, and I only put in about a pinch of flake every other day.

 

[luvmyreef]

Well, I would definitely try the chemipure elite. You change it out like every three months. How often do you change your carbon now? Anyway, It does come in a bag, but I have never placed it in my skimmer. Flake food contains phos and ash, etc. it can cause a nice little bloom of algae, I wouldnt add it anymore. Why are you adding flake with no fish anyway? for the star? You can feed the star other stuff, but I would take it back if I were you. Yes, the actual membrane is expensive for RO/DI units, but not for the carbon or micron cartridges. You can get the carbon ones for 4.99 and a three pack of the micron for 19.00. And you dont have to replace the membrane for quite awhile. Def. worth it. Keep us updated.

 

[rmoore89]

Seems the shrimp enjoy the flakes and idk why, it's a small pinch and I let them just eat it right from my hand. I change the carbon every other week, I have a pad and I double layer it in the box that hangs on the skimmer in the water. I wish this was a nice little algae bloom =[. If I leave the lights on for 2 days, I can't even see my rock anymore. I was wondering if there could possibly be something growing in the sand since I cured rock in it that could be causing these problems? I'll see if the LFS will take the star back, just have to wait until monday to do so. Thanks for the quick replies.

 

[meowzer]

Do you have a filter? One issue may be putting the carbon in your skimmer

or the fact that you have no filter??????

 

[luvmyreef]

I dont think that it is coming from your sand. It is usually caused from phos levels, excess nutrients, some types of macroalgae, etc. i would also recommend using a HOB filter like the aquaclears, you can mod it to hold macroalgae like chaeto. Or just get a small refugium. What is the temp of your tank btw?

 

[rmoore89]

Tank had a spike a couple weeks ago before this outbreak, and went to 86 F. It's been at roughly 78-80 F since then. Meowzer, my skimmer has a box that sits in the tank, the pump on one side and a small opening on the other, it used to have this pad thing in there, but I replaced that with the carbon mat and phosphate remover stuff. I have no other filters except for my live rock, and I was suggested to get a regular filter too. The tanks only a 30g and I thought about trying to turn an old 10g tank I have layin around into a refugeum.

 

[meowzer]

HMMM...what kind of skimmer is it? Just out of curiosity, I'd like to see what you are talking about.
I also agree with tossing the flakes....if you want to feed your crabs and shrimp try some frozen foods like mysis...and only a tiny amount at most...
and I also agree with getting more filtration....

 

[luvmyreef]

Instead of using the 10 g for a refugium, you can get a small square fish trap, remove the top, super glue a couple suction cups to the back, place it in the tank on the back, add a small amt of chaeto and a piece of live rock to hold it down at first, it has holes in the bottom for flow, and there you go! The chaeto will grow like crazy. A small in the tank refugium! Oh and with the chemipure elite, you should be able to ditch the phos remover. That is what the "elite" is for. goodluck.

 

[rmoore89]

http://www.***********.com/AquaC_Rem...I-ACRM-vi.html
That's my exact protein skimmer and I have the optional box. Meow.
Luvmyreef thank you much, I'll try that, how far down do I put the fish trap? Will I put the top level with the top of the water, or does it go to the bottom?

 

[luvmyreef]

Put it with the top of the water, so that some light gets to it,and water flows over the top, it already has holes in the bottom to help with flow, and that's it.

Except for saying byebye to your nitrate levels. haha

 

[rmoore89]

I have really low nitrate right now, it's strange. Thank you Luv, went out and picked up an aquaclear filter after you and meow had suggested it. I'll see if it helps at all tomorrow, if not, then I'll have to wait until I pick up the chemipure. The new aquaclear has a spot to put it, so do you think it would be better in that filter or on the protein skimmer box?

 

[shrimpy brains]

Your phosphate and nitrate levels will be low, because the algae that keeps growing in your tank is feeding of of them. The idea of the refugium(intank or out) is that the macro algae uses up these polutants, hopefully before the nuisance algae gets a chance.
Try cutting the actinics back to 8 hrs. It might help some.

 

[luvmyreef]

Originally Posted by Rmoore89
http:///forum/post/3285906
I have really low nitrate right now, it's strange. Thank you Luv, went out and picked up an aquaclear filter after you and meow had suggested it. I'll see if it helps at all tomorrow, if not, then I'll have to wait until I pick up the chemipure. The new aquaclear has a spot to put it, so do you think it would be better in that filter or on the protein skimmer box?
It is not strange to have low levels when you haven't got any fish. Or the feeding of them. My nitrates stayed around 20 no matter what I did, until I started using the chaeto, now it is a constant 0!!! And, yes add the chemipure elite to the filter. You can also add the chaeto to it, but you need to add a little clip on light for it unless your light will reach it. And yes, the macroalgae feeds off the same thing the other algae does, so it will help. Goodluck!

 

[rmoore89]

Thanks guys, I was running actinics for 5hours and the days for 4 before, and the blooms still came through. As of this morning I can barely see into my tank again. I picked up the Aquaclear HOB filter for mechanical filtration, and I'm waiting to see if it improves the water any. Do the usual lfs sell chaeto? Right now the water has actually gotten worse. I'm not able to see all of my live rock anymore, these blooms take over my tank FAST. Corals still not opening and looks to still be dieing off.

 

[luvmyreef]

the reason your coral is dying is due to lack of light. The algae is blocking it. You really need to do a large water change, put in the chemipure elite right after the change, and add the chaeto. Some local stores have it.

 

[rmoore89]

Will do, but I don't think I'll be able to do it until friday -.-, just gotta hope the coral lasts that long, can I leat chaeto live right in the tank, or is it a better idea to try to keep it in the box of the aquaclear or even the protein skimmer?

 

[luvmyreef]

Well, you could keep the chaeto in the tank, but your critters might start to eat it. But I really would do a large water change, etc as stated above as soon as you can. One thing is for sure. zoas are pretty hardy.

 

[luvmyreef]

You know, I did forget to ask but....what kind of sand did you use in this tank? Nevermind, I just reread the initial post.