I confess, I have a problem.

[pyro]

OK, I've been shoving it off to the side thinking nothing too big of this until now.
I confess, I have an algae problem.
All types, stuff that grows on the glass (not too bad), hair algae (it's growing like crazy out of my sand bed and on my one rock), and bubble algae (emerald crab can't get to my emperor 400 output).
I have no readable phosphates in either my tank or my water supply. Nitrates are always at 0 (I'm guessing this is partially due to my macro tank and algae problem). Lights are down to 8.5 hours a day. I am going to rearrange the tank this weekend hopefully, then I can move the emperor over and put in a maxi-jet 600 to get some more flow through the tank.
I just noticed a small 1 X 1" patch of cyano starting. It's clear with a redish tint. The flow in the corners of my tank has always been low, but this is what really set the alarm off.
I also admit I haven't done any more than 2 water changes in the 5 months my tank has been setup. I'm going to start doing 10%-20% weekly at first, biweekly later water changes - that should help too.
Should I add another type of macro to my fuge? I only have the long stringy stuff and not too much room (the fuge is a 10g).
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[wax32]

You probably need more water movement. Do you just have the emp and the return from your 'fuge moving your water right now? And, are you running a skimmer?

 

[kaotik]

yeah, i'd agree with the water changes. Having more water movement helped control my algae.

 

[pyro]

Ok, sorry for taking sooo long to reply - tomarrow is finally my last day of school and finals are over. My sanity is slowly returning.
I plan on rearranging my rock into two hills, one in each far corner. I will probably get a couple of those dead, bleached coral pieces and incorporate those in someway. My LFS said they cover with coralline and stuff and in a couple months look fairly normal to give me a place to wedge some LPS in.
I have already replaced my daylight bulbs - when I get my paycheck on the 15 I'll buy a new actinic.
I'll move the emperor over to a side and add a maxi-jet (600 I think) on the other side. That will enable me to hide the emperor intake and add more flow.
I think I forgot to mention it was a 30g tank also.
Any suggestions/objections?

 

[xnikki118x]

No objections here! I think the flow increase will do very well. Also, what is your livestock list? Do you have anything in there that eats algae? That could be a problem, also.
Just wondering, are you still in high school, or does your college let out ridiculously late? I just finished my first year of college. Just making conversation.

 

[pyro]

Livestock:
Fish-
2 perc clowns
1 purple firefish
1 six-line wrasse
1 orange-finned tang (small and temporary)
Corals-
green star polyps
candy corals
green rasta leather
red mushrooms
Inverts-
1 Coral Banded Shrimp
4 Hermits (unkown species)
4 Snails (large - 1" turbos I think)
Going to rearrange the tank right now :yes:
Still in high school sadly - just finished junior year

. I still have to go another whole year. Hopefully going to either Pitt or Lehigh for engineering (undecided discipline) eventually.

 

[pyro]

...Scratch that idea. The large rasta leather has attached itself very firmly to 3 different rocks. All 3 of which are the largest in the tank and located at teh top center of the tiers.
Instead, I used the oppurtunity to move the filters around anyways like I had planned and add the powerhead along with vaccuum some of the junk that has built up out.
Well, looks like I'm gonna have to get a skimmer. I don't think I'm supposed to use one with the miracle mud, but I dont' have a choice with all this algae!