alge problem

242bats

242bats

Member
ok, meowzer looks like i need a new thread, i am having a bad alge problem and am doing two changes a week, about 5% two times a week
what should i be doing? i have made a siphon with a sock on the end that i put back into the sump and suck the longer stuff off with, and that is working very good. but as for the water changes what should i do
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
More frequent larger water changes.....what type of algae?
 
ALSO....how about some test results? filtration? What do you use in the filter? What do you feed? What is in the tank (livestock) What do you have for a clean up crew/
 
Tell ALL...about your tank...every detail....age...size....do you use ro or tap?
 
anything you can think of :)
 
242bats

242bats

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by meowzer http:///forum/thread/380312/alge-problem#post_3309592
More frequent larger water changes.....what type of algae?
 
ALSO....how about some test results? filtration? What do you use in the filter? What do you feed? What is in the tank (livestock) What do you have for a clean up crew/
 
Tell ALL...about your tank...every detail....age...size....do you use ro or tap?
 
anything you can think of :)
ok, (tell all) first, i need to learn to spill algae
now to the bad part,
i have not tested in a long time,
you read the other post.
 
as for the the rest
 
the DT is 180gal reef ready
the sump is 55gal, with skimmer xp2000, filter pad, carbon, 15lbs rock, 15lbs sand, not much in the fuge at this point, but working on that
cuc 4 pepperment shrimp, coral banded shrimp, some hermits? some snails?
emperor angel close to fully changed 2.5 to 3 years
sailfin tang 2.5 to 3 years
pigmy angel 6 years
two clowns 5 years
firefish 2 years
bicolor blenny 2 years
orange goby 2 years
 
cabbage leather
lost of green start polyps
lost of shrooms
yellow polyps
torch
birds nest
small zooa
 
 
150 lbs sand about 2.5 to 3"
200 lbs rock
 
400 watt M/H 10,000k
440 watt VHO actinc fluorescent
moon at night
 
mag 9 main return
mag 5 (scwd) return
about 1000 gph power heads
 
tank is about 1.5 years old
 
alot of the fish coral and rock are older, they came from a 75gal
 
please don't kick me off of the site for not testing i will have a test kit tomorrow, will have to drive two hours, but will have one tomorrow

 
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
How big of a tank??? I like the idea already of frequent; small water changes, but you didn't really mention type of filtration, and your maintenance routine???? What are you feeding? How old are the lights? Lighting schedule? Water parameter? How much are you feeding? How often are you feeding? What about water circulation inside the DT? I won't even venture into the CUC.....they have their place and purposes, but I don't think that is the key or even an issue....Tanks are/can be run very successful without them.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
LOL...Yeah...Acrylic and I differ on the usefullness of a cuc.....I happen to think they are necessary, so when you say snails? what does that mean LOL
 
I think you need more...nassarius, astrea, cerith, turbo...to start, I also am a fan of emerald crabs
 
DON'T go crazy driving hours....LOL....order your test kit online....I get everything that way
 
you say filter pad...carbon
what does that mean..
 
also answer the lighting and maintenance questions
 
again....I have to differ with acrylic on the w/c's....I think more frequent larger ones are better (sorry Shawn) I have had issues with algae before, and that helped me a lot
 
also I started using chemi-pure elite....rinsed my food...cut down on food....etc etc
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by 242bats http:///forum/thread/380312/alge-problem#post_3309626
ok, (tell all) first, i need to learn to spill algae
now to the bad part,
i have not tested in a long time,
you read the other post.
 
as for the the rest
 
the DT is 180gal reef ready
the sump is 55gal, with skimmer xp2000, filter pad, carbon, 15lbs rock, 15lbs sand, not much in the fuge at this point, but working on that
cuc 4 pepperment shrimp, coral banded shrimp, some hermits? some snails?
emperor angel close to fully changed 2.5 to 3 years
sailfin tang 2.5 to 3 years
pigmy angel 6 years
two clowns 5 years
firefish 2 years
bicolor blenny 2 years
orange goby 2 years
 
cabbage leather
lost of green start polyps
lost of shrooms
yellow polyps
torch
birds nest
small zooa
 
 
150 lbs sand about 2.5 to 3"
200 lbs rock
 
400 watt M/H 10,000k
440 watt VHO actinc fluorescent
moon at night
 
mag 9 main return
mag 5 (scwd) return
about 1000 gph power heads
 
tank is about 1.5 years old
 
alot of the fish coral and rock are older, they came from a 75gal
 
please don't kick me off of the site for not testing i will have a test kit tomorrow, will have to drive two hours, but will have one tomorrow

 
First question!!!!! How often do you clean or change out your filter pad? What about the carbon? Do you turn you main pump off during feeding? How old are the bulbs? How many MH's? 400wer's are way overkill for the tank IMHO, but work with what your have....... How long are you running your lights? Feeding habits? What do you feed? Are you running your carbon passive or active mode?
 
Honestly I think you could easily do 10% 2x a week or better yet 5% every other day to get your levels down....Without tests it's hard to say what your levels are, but I'm sure you'll find them elevated fueling the algae growth. The key is getting them back in check and that will be with water changes!!!!! Water changes....
 
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Lose the flakes.....get some good frozen foods like mysis, marine cuisine.....etc....flakes are potato chips in disguise....LOL
 
 
242bats

242bats

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by acrylic51 http:///forum/thread/380312/alge-problem#post_3309636
 
First question!!!!! How often do you clean or change out your filter pad? What about the carbon? Do you turn you main pump off during feeding? How old are the bulbs? How many MH's? 400wer's are way overkill for the tank IMHO, but work with what your have....... How long are you running your lights? Feeding habits? What do you feed? Are you running your carbon passive or active mode?
 
Honestly I think you could easily do 10% 2x a week or better yet 5% every other day to get your levels down....Without tests it's hard to say what your levels are, but I'm sure you'll find them elevated fueling the algae growth. The key is getting them back in check and that will be with water changes!!!!! Water changes....
 
at this point the filter pad at every change the carbon every other week, i do not turn the pumps off at feeding
i saw that coming, bulb about 8 months, 1 400 MH 10,000k 4 VHO 110w acinic, feed flakes, every other day , carbon water is flowing over the carbon in a tray in the sump?
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Try shutting down the return pump during feeding for 15-20 minutes. What happens is that food is drawn down to the filter pad and decays....as the tank continues to run the water continually runs through, over decaying matter; defeating your efforts. Have you tried running the tank without the filter pad?
 
242bats

242bats

Member
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by acrylic51 http:///forum/thread/380312/alge-problem#post_3309666
Try shutting down the return pump during feeding for 15-20 minutes. What happens is that food is drawn down to the filter pad and decays....as the tank continues to run the water continually runs through, over decaying matter; defeating your efforts. Have you tried running the tank without the filter pad?
ok, i wll try shutting the "return only not the power heads down" for feeding time. and no i have not ever run without a filter pad

 
the pad is IMO is only there for the larger @#$%% that goes over the overflows in the tank, at this point there is alot of @#$%%
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Yes just the return pump shut it down during feeding......Why is there alot of ******???? Are we talking food?
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
OH....let me give you a tip
 
you can go to Walmart and buy a package of quilters polyester batting...it's like $5 for a bag....I cut it into pieces to fit in my sump tray.....and it lasts for months and months....I could change it daily and who cares.....it's pennies

 
I do not put carbon in my sump tray.....if anything I use a phosphate pad...I just cut it to size.....
 
what other filtration do you have??? (sorry if you posted already)
 
242bats

242bats

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by meowzer http:///forum/thread/380312/alge-problem#post_3309691
OH....let me give you a tip
 
you can go to Walmart and buy a package of quilters polyester batting...it's like $5 for a bag....I cut it into pieces to fit in my sump tray.....and it lasts for months and months....I could change it daily and who cares.....it's pennies

 
I do not put carbon in my sump tray.....if anything I use a phosphate pad...I just cut it to size.....
 
what other filtration do you have??? (sorry if you posted already)
oh thanks, is just ordered more filter pads $70 LOL that was way before i started this post, whats so bad about that is there are about 10 bags of that in the front room, can you tell me what the wifes hobbie is
that is all the filer i have
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by 242bats http:///forum/thread/380312/alge-problem#post_3309697
oh thanks, is just ordered more filter pads $70 LOL that was way before i started this post, whats so bad about that is there are about 10 bags of that in the front room, can you tell me what the wifes hobbie is
that is all the filer i have
HAHA...well now you know for the next time anyway....a lot of people on here use it....so apparently you know how cheap it is....I cut 9x10 pieces ..place it in the tray...and toss it as often as I want.....In a year I am only on my second $5 bag
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top