S
swfishguy
Guest
Is this algae or something else? It's slimy and brown looking. It's on my powerheads, rocks, and back wall. Also, best way to get rid of it.
flower
Well-Known Member
Hello...we need some answers before we can try to help:
What size tank?
How long has the tank been up?
How much rock...cured or not????
What is in the tank?
What are the exact test result numbers? (lab type, not dip sticks)
What kind of CUC if any??? (Clean Up Crew)
How old are the bulbs in the lights?
How long are the light on each day?
How much of, and what, are you feeding the fish?
Did you use RO or tap water to fill the tank and for top offs?
Last water change?
S
swfishguy
Guest
-55 Gallon
- 1 month, 2 weeks ( finished cycling after second week.
- about 40 lbs of live rock. All cured.
- hippo tang, 2 clowns, lawn mower Benny, neon damsel, neon clove polyp, hulk zoanthids, eagle eye zoanthids, purple tip frogspawn coral, whisker coral, purple death zoanthids, green ricordea, orange recordia,purple dart fish , and mandarin dragonet.
- pH: 8.18, SG: 1.022, Ammonia: 0, Nitrite: 0, Nitrate: 0, Ca: 360ppm, kH: 11dK, phosphate: 0.25 (today's test)
-20 snails, 10 hermit crabs
-Custom reef LEDs. 1 month, 2 weeks
- 9hrs
-mysis shrimp(half cube), phytoplankton for corals and pods
-distiller water ( Walmart purple cap)
- 3 days ago
- 1 month, 2 weeks ( finished cycling after second week.
- about 40 lbs of live rock. All cured.
- hippo tang, 2 clowns, lawn mower Benny, neon damsel, neon clove polyp, hulk zoanthids, eagle eye zoanthids, purple tip frogspawn coral, whisker coral, purple death zoanthids, green ricordea, orange recordia,purple dart fish , and mandarin dragonet.
- pH: 8.18, SG: 1.022, Ammonia: 0, Nitrite: 0, Nitrate: 0, Ca: 360ppm, kH: 11dK, phosphate: 0.25 (today's test)
-20 snails, 10 hermit crabs
-Custom reef LEDs. 1 month, 2 weeks
- 9hrs
-mysis shrimp(half cube), phytoplankton for corals and pods
-distiller water ( Walmart purple cap)
- 3 days ago
flower
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by SWfishguy http:///t/393258/its-everywhere#post_3497276
-55 Gallon
- 1 month, 2 weeks ( finished cycling after second week.
- about 40 lbs of live rock. All cured.
- hippo tang, 2 clowns, lawn mower Benny, neon damsel, neon clove polyp, hulk zoanthids, eagle eye zoanthids, purple tip frogspawn coral, whisker coral, purple death zoanthids, green ricordea, orange recordia,purple dart fish , and mandarin dragonet.
- pH: 8.18, SG: 1.022, Ammonia: 0, Nitrite: 0, Nitrate: 0, Ca: 360ppm, kH: 11dK, phosphate: 0.25 (today's test)
-20 snails, 10 hermit crabs
-Custom reef LEDs. 1 month, 2 weeks
- 9hrs
-mysis shrimp(half cube), phytoplankton for corals and pods
-distiller water ( Walmart purple cap)
- 3 days ago
Hi,
Okay...don't be discouraged, but I see a few problems.
Hippo tangs are dirty fish, they are big poopers and foul up the tank. also, the minimum size tank they need is 100g, and these fish can go completely flat...so to remove the fish once it outgrows your tank, you will have to remove every single rock. You will find the Hippo under the last one.
You need to give the tang and the LMB enough algae to nip at...so in a new tank, you will have to get a clip and feed them Nori or some other brand of seaweed sheets.
Your tank is way..BIGTIME too young to keep a mandarin alive. To keep one you need to have a refugium and let the pods breed for a year to have enough to feed a dragonet. Damsels grow up to be very mean evil littlwe demon fish, the Hippo, the firefish, and the mandarin are in danger of being killed by it....but I'm sure the mandarin will starve before that event.
If you are getting your water from Walmart...why don't you go to the water station and pay 37 cents a gallon? Distilled water is boiled water, not RO.... RO water is filtered 5Xs and is cheaper than distilled.
I never heard of PH being 8.18...so that is maybe a typo? It should be no lower than 8.0 and no higher than 8.4 ...What type of test kit do you use?
Your calcium is very low for a coral reef, it should be around 400 to 500ppts.
Phosphates feed algae....so .25 isn't too bad, but you need to work on it to go to 0
What about power heads? If you have low flow over the rocks, junk accumulates on them and they look grey and fuzzy.
Originally Posted by SWfishguy http:///t/393258/its-everywhere#post_3497276
-55 Gallon
- 1 month, 2 weeks ( finished cycling after second week.
- about 40 lbs of live rock. All cured.
- hippo tang, 2 clowns, lawn mower Benny, neon damsel, neon clove polyp, hulk zoanthids, eagle eye zoanthids, purple tip frogspawn coral, whisker coral, purple death zoanthids, green ricordea, orange recordia,purple dart fish , and mandarin dragonet.
- pH: 8.18, SG: 1.022, Ammonia: 0, Nitrite: 0, Nitrate: 0, Ca: 360ppm, kH: 11dK, phosphate: 0.25 (today's test)
-20 snails, 10 hermit crabs
-Custom reef LEDs. 1 month, 2 weeks
- 9hrs
-mysis shrimp(half cube), phytoplankton for corals and pods
-distiller water ( Walmart purple cap)
- 3 days ago
Hi,
Okay...don't be discouraged, but I see a few problems.
Hippo tangs are dirty fish, they are big poopers and foul up the tank. also, the minimum size tank they need is 100g, and these fish can go completely flat...so to remove the fish once it outgrows your tank, you will have to remove every single rock. You will find the Hippo under the last one.
You need to give the tang and the LMB enough algae to nip at...so in a new tank, you will have to get a clip and feed them Nori or some other brand of seaweed sheets.
Your tank is way..BIGTIME too young to keep a mandarin alive. To keep one you need to have a refugium and let the pods breed for a year to have enough to feed a dragonet. Damsels grow up to be very mean evil littlwe demon fish, the Hippo, the firefish, and the mandarin are in danger of being killed by it....but I'm sure the mandarin will starve before that event.
If you are getting your water from Walmart...why don't you go to the water station and pay 37 cents a gallon? Distilled water is boiled water, not RO.... RO water is filtered 5Xs and is cheaper than distilled.
I never heard of PH being 8.18...so that is maybe a typo? It should be no lower than 8.0 and no higher than 8.4 ...What type of test kit do you use?
Your calcium is very low for a coral reef, it should be around 400 to 500ppts.
Phosphates feed algae....so .25 isn't too bad, but you need to work on it to go to 0
What about power heads? If you have low flow over the rocks, junk accumulates on them and they look grey and fuzzy.
S
swfishguy
Guest
ph is read by my RKL and I used API saltwater and master reef kit to test the water. I also dose with kalkwasser for my pH. s for the mandarin. I order pods every week. I got a shipment of 4,000 coming in to tomorrow. I already have 1000 in the Refugium and I put 1000 in the main display which could have diminished by now due to the mandarin. I bought some seaweed sheets but none of them seem to be interested in it, not even the CUC. As for my powerheads, I have (2) 1600gph, up top, and (2) nano 450gph near the base. What's the best way to lower the phosphate? Also, I do not currently have a water station accessible to me other I would have went their instead. I would have been purchased an ro/di unit but I stay in an apartment and landlord said I can't equip that.
flower
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by SWfishguy http:///t/393258/its-everywhere#post_3497320
ph is read by my RKL and I used API saltwater and master reef kit to test the water. I also dose with kalkwasser for my pH. s for the mandarin. I order pods every week. I got a shipment of 4,000 coming in to tomorrow. I already have 1000 in the Refugium and I put 1000 in the main display which could have diminished by now due to the mandarin. I bought some seaweed sheets but none of them seem to be interested in it, not even the CUC. As for my powerheads, I have (2) 1600gph, up top, and (2) nano 450gph near the base. What's the best way to lower the phosphate? Also, I do not currently have a water station accessible to me other I would have went their instead. I would have been purchased an ro/di unit but I stay in an apartment and landlord said I can't equip that.
Your Walmart does not have a refill station??? That's a first for me.
You hadn't mentioned a refuguim, so I'm glad you do have one and are ordering pods.
I had API test kits, but there is no 8.18...what does RKL stand for?
Running Chemipure or something along those lines should help to bring down Phosphates.
Kalkwesser should be dosed by a drip method, like an IV, the amount added should match what is evaporating (water you add for top offs). 8.18 if that is a true number...is way too high for your PH if 8.4 is the highest it should be. You should always test to be sure you even need to dose anything in your tank...water changes should keep the parameters like PH, where they should be.
How much movement do you have on the surface of the tank water? It should look like it is almost like boiling for movement.
Originally Posted by SWfishguy http:///t/393258/its-everywhere#post_3497320
ph is read by my RKL and I used API saltwater and master reef kit to test the water. I also dose with kalkwasser for my pH. s for the mandarin. I order pods every week. I got a shipment of 4,000 coming in to tomorrow. I already have 1000 in the Refugium and I put 1000 in the main display which could have diminished by now due to the mandarin. I bought some seaweed sheets but none of them seem to be interested in it, not even the CUC. As for my powerheads, I have (2) 1600gph, up top, and (2) nano 450gph near the base. What's the best way to lower the phosphate? Also, I do not currently have a water station accessible to me other I would have went their instead. I would have been purchased an ro/di unit but I stay in an apartment and landlord said I can't equip that.
Your Walmart does not have a refill station??? That's a first for me.
You hadn't mentioned a refuguim, so I'm glad you do have one and are ordering pods.
I had API test kits, but there is no 8.18...what does RKL stand for?
Running Chemipure or something along those lines should help to bring down Phosphates.
Kalkwesser should be dosed by a drip method, like an IV, the amount added should match what is evaporating (water you add for top offs). 8.18 if that is a true number...is way too high for your PH if 8.4 is the highest it should be. You should always test to be sure you even need to dose anything in your tank...water changes should keep the parameters like PH, where they should be.
How much movement do you have on the surface of the tank water? It should look like it is almost like boiling for movement.
S
swfishguy
Guest
I don't use the API high ph kit. I prefer my reef keeper light pH probe readings. I run the kalkwasser through drip method but to maintain the pH. I'm not sure as to why the calcium is still low. My pH is after 8.00(8.0) and less than 8.40(8.4)
S
swfishguy
Guest
And the movement is raging. Not still at all...like rapids.
flower
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by SWfishguy http:///t/393258/its-everywhere#post_3497327
And the movement is raging. Not still at all...like rapids.
I'm afraid I have reached my limit of help. The only thing I can think of is to increase the CUC to include {{{shudder}}} hermit crabs. They love brown algae, unfortunately they also feast on snail meat, and kill them for their shells.
IF it is even an algae...it could be cyano. It isn't always red....what I find odd is that you have a phosphate reading, that much algae or cyano would give you a false reading of 0...unless.... your phosphates are so off the charts high that .25 is still readable. If that's the case then a phosphate reactor would help, as well as increased water changes.
Do you rinse your frozen food before feeding the fish?
Originally Posted by SWfishguy http:///t/393258/its-everywhere#post_3497327
And the movement is raging. Not still at all...like rapids.
I'm afraid I have reached my limit of help. The only thing I can think of is to increase the CUC to include {{{shudder}}} hermit crabs. They love brown algae, unfortunately they also feast on snail meat, and kill them for their shells.
IF it is even an algae...it could be cyano. It isn't always red....what I find odd is that you have a phosphate reading, that much algae or cyano would give you a false reading of 0...unless.... your phosphates are so off the charts high that .25 is still readable. If that's the case then a phosphate reactor would help, as well as increased water changes.
Do you rinse your frozen food before feeding the fish?
S
swfishguy
Guest
Yes. I rinse it always with some of the tank water. I guess I will shortened the light time and get some chemipure.
flower
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by SWfishguy http:///t/393258/its-everywhere#post_3497344
Yes. I rinse it always with some of the tank water. I guess I will shortened the light time and get some chemipure.
Why and how with tank water? A fish net held under running water (even tap) is just fine. Once the cube is melted...invert the net into the tank and let the fish eat. Just make sure the little piggies in a hurry don't get netted...I lost a blue/green chromis that way, I didn't notice him (green net) and he must have fallen out of the net on route back to rinse it for a final time before storing it till next feeding...I found him on the carpet dead by my chair that I walked past.
Originally Posted by SWfishguy http:///t/393258/its-everywhere#post_3497344
Yes. I rinse it always with some of the tank water. I guess I will shortened the light time and get some chemipure.
Why and how with tank water? A fish net held under running water (even tap) is just fine. Once the cube is melted...invert the net into the tank and let the fish eat. Just make sure the little piggies in a hurry don't get netted...I lost a blue/green chromis that way, I didn't notice him (green net) and he must have fallen out of the net on route back to rinse it for a final time before storing it till next feeding...I found him on the carpet dead by my chair that I walked past.
gradymo
Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by SWfishguy http:///t/393258/its-everywhere#post_3497276
-55 Gallon
- 1 month, 2 weeks ( finished cycling after second week.
- about 40 lbs of live rock. All cured.
- hippo tang, 2 clowns, lawn mower Benny, neon damsel, neon clove polyp, hulk zoanthids, eagle eye zoanthids, purple tip frogspawn coral, whisker coral, purple death zoanthids, green ricordea, orange recordia,purple dart fish , and mandarin dragonet.
- pH: 8.18, SG: 1.022, Ammonia: 0, Nitrite: 0, Nitrate: 0, Ca: 360ppm, kH: 11dK, phosphate: 0.25 (today's test)
-20 snails, 10 hermit crabs
-Custom reef LEDs. 1 month, 2 weeks
- 9hrs
-mysis shrimp(half cube), phytoplankton for corals and pods
-distiller water ( Walmart purple cap)
- 3 days ago
Why don't you use the green cap water from Wal-Mart? It's RO water.
Originally Posted by SWfishguy http:///t/393258/its-everywhere#post_3497276
-55 Gallon
- 1 month, 2 weeks ( finished cycling after second week.
- about 40 lbs of live rock. All cured.
- hippo tang, 2 clowns, lawn mower Benny, neon damsel, neon clove polyp, hulk zoanthids, eagle eye zoanthids, purple tip frogspawn coral, whisker coral, purple death zoanthids, green ricordea, orange recordia,purple dart fish , and mandarin dragonet.
- pH: 8.18, SG: 1.022, Ammonia: 0, Nitrite: 0, Nitrate: 0, Ca: 360ppm, kH: 11dK, phosphate: 0.25 (today's test)
-20 snails, 10 hermit crabs
-Custom reef LEDs. 1 month, 2 weeks
- 9hrs
-mysis shrimp(half cube), phytoplankton for corals and pods
-distiller water ( Walmart purple cap)
- 3 days ago
Why don't you use the green cap water from Wal-Mart? It's RO water.
S
swfishguy
Guest
The green cap is mineral water. it says on the label enhanced with minerals for the taste.
S
swfishguy
Guest
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///t/393258/its-everywhere#post_3497354
Why and how with tank water? A fish net held under running water (even tap) is just fine. Once the cube is melted...invert the net into the tank and let the fish eat. Just make sure the little piggies in a hurry don't get netted...I lost a blue/green chromis that way, I didn't notice him (green net) and he must have fallen out of the net on route back to rinse it for a final time before storing it till next feeding...I found him on the carpet dead by my chair that I walked past.
I get some of the tank water out in a bowl. placed the food in the net and dip it. then i pour the water through the net with the food in it over the sink. I do that not to waste ro water and to not use tap water to rinse it.
Originally Posted by Flower http:///t/393258/its-everywhere#post_3497354
Why and how with tank water? A fish net held under running water (even tap) is just fine. Once the cube is melted...invert the net into the tank and let the fish eat. Just make sure the little piggies in a hurry don't get netted...I lost a blue/green chromis that way, I didn't notice him (green net) and he must have fallen out of the net on route back to rinse it for a final time before storing it till next feeding...I found him on the carpet dead by my chair that I walked past.
I get some of the tank water out in a bowl. placed the food in the net and dip it. then i pour the water through the net with the food in it over the sink. I do that not to waste ro water and to not use tap water to rinse it.
flower
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by SWfishguy http:///t/393258/its-everywhere#post_3497539
I get some of the tank water out in a bowl. placed the food in the net and dip it. then i pour the water through the net with the food in it over the sink. I do that not to waste ro water and to not use tap water to rinse it.
Well I suppose as long as you don't pour the water back into the tank is fine, that was my primary concern.
Originally Posted by SWfishguy http:///t/393258/its-everywhere#post_3497539
I get some of the tank water out in a bowl. placed the food in the net and dip it. then i pour the water through the net with the food in it over the sink. I do that not to waste ro water and to not use tap water to rinse it.
Well I suppose as long as you don't pour the water back into the tank is fine, that was my primary concern.
snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///t/393258/its-everywhere#post_3497318
If you are getting your water from Walmart...why don't you go to the water station and pay 37 cents a gallon? Distilled water is boiled water, not RO.... RO water is filtered 5Xs and is cheaper than distilled.
Flower, ... Distilled water is boiled, however, it's the evaporated water that is collected and condensed into pure water, leaving minerals, solids, and everything else behind. It is pure, just like RO water. The only thing you have to look out for with distilled water is high copper concentrations - because you really don't know if the cooling/condenser has copper tubes or not and it may introduce some copper ions into the water. Other then that, perfect. You just pay a little more then necessary by using distilled water.
Originally Posted by Flower http:///t/393258/its-everywhere#post_3497318
If you are getting your water from Walmart...why don't you go to the water station and pay 37 cents a gallon? Distilled water is boiled water, not RO.... RO water is filtered 5Xs and is cheaper than distilled.
Flower, ... Distilled water is boiled, however, it's the evaporated water that is collected and condensed into pure water, leaving minerals, solids, and everything else behind. It is pure, just like RO water. The only thing you have to look out for with distilled water is high copper concentrations - because you really don't know if the cooling/condenser has copper tubes or not and it may introduce some copper ions into the water. Other then that, perfect. You just pay a little more then necessary by using distilled water.
snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
I would personally invest in an RO unit first.....
Then I would use that investment and make my own saltwater for water changes. One of my closest LFS didn't know they were basically selling tap water... even though they ran an RO Unit, their water was dirty. When I showed them their TDS, he didn't seem ashamed or concerned about it at all. So, just make sure that you are getting what you are paying for.
If you take a turkey baster and blow it off your rocks, most of it should come off... then do your water change.
The trick is to make sure it doesn't come back, so weekly or twice a month water change may be necessary - however, each time you do it, make sure you stir up the detritus in the tank with a turkey baster or deep clean with a powerhead and then siphon out as much of the "gunk" as possible.
Increase your skimming/filtration/water flow. This means buying a better skimmer, filter and buying a more powerful powerhead. This will keep most of that from building up - especially with regular 25% water changes.
Then I would use that investment and make my own saltwater for water changes. One of my closest LFS didn't know they were basically selling tap water... even though they ran an RO Unit, their water was dirty. When I showed them their TDS, he didn't seem ashamed or concerned about it at all. So, just make sure that you are getting what you are paying for.
If you take a turkey baster and blow it off your rocks, most of it should come off... then do your water change.
The trick is to make sure it doesn't come back, so weekly or twice a month water change may be necessary - however, each time you do it, make sure you stir up the detritus in the tank with a turkey baster or deep clean with a powerhead and then siphon out as much of the "gunk" as possible.
Increase your skimming/filtration/water flow. This means buying a better skimmer, filter and buying a more powerful powerhead. This will keep most of that from building up - especially with regular 25% water changes.
S
swfishguy
Guest
My tank isn't currently drilled with an overflow. I might just take it all out and get it drilled. Do you think that would have a better effect because right now it seems all the gunk gets caught up in my siphon overflow. Also, if I do this, will my live rocks and fish be ok in buckets for say 24hrs till the silicone seals from me adding the acrylic overflow box?
S
swfishguy
Guest
Quote:
Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33 http:///t/393258/its-everywhere#post_3497599
I would personally invest in an RO unit first.....
Then I would use that investment and make my own saltwater for water changes. One of my closest LFS didn't know they were basically selling tap water... even though they ran an RO Unit, their water was dirty. When I showed them their TDS, he didn't seem ashamed or concerned about it at all. So, just make sure that you are getting what you are paying for.
If you take a turkey baster and blow it off your rocks, most of it shld come off... then do your water change.
The trick is to make sure it doesn't come back, so weekly or twice a month water change may be necessary - however, each time you do it, make sure you stir up the detritus in the tank with a turkey baster or deep clean with a powerhead and then siphon out as much of the "gunk" as possible.
Increase your skimming/filtration/water flow. This means buying a better skimmer, filter and buying a more powerful powerhead. This will keep most of that from building up - especially with regular 25% water changes.
Also, I am planning on getting an R/ODI unit soon. I just have to get my finances in order so I am on a budget. I was thinking about these I have seen on ebay from trusted sellers.
Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33 http:///t/393258/its-everywhere#post_3497599
I would personally invest in an RO unit first.....
Then I would use that investment and make my own saltwater for water changes. One of my closest LFS didn't know they were basically selling tap water... even though they ran an RO Unit, their water was dirty. When I showed them their TDS, he didn't seem ashamed or concerned about it at all. So, just make sure that you are getting what you are paying for.
If you take a turkey baster and blow it off your rocks, most of it shld come off... then do your water change.
The trick is to make sure it doesn't come back, so weekly or twice a month water change may be necessary - however, each time you do it, make sure you stir up the detritus in the tank with a turkey baster or deep clean with a powerhead and then siphon out as much of the "gunk" as possible.
Increase your skimming/filtration/water flow. This means buying a better skimmer, filter and buying a more powerful powerhead. This will keep most of that from building up - especially with regular 25% water changes.
Also, I am planning on getting an R/ODI unit soon. I just have to get my finances in order so I am on a budget. I was thinking about these I have seen on ebay from trusted sellers.
snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by SWfishguy http:///t/393258/its-everywhere#post_3497768
My tank isn't currently drilled with an overflow. I might just take it all out and get it drilled. Do you think that would have a better effect because right now it seems all the gunk gets caught up in my siphon overflow. Also, if I do this, will my live rocks and fish be ok in buckets for say 24hrs till the silicone seals from me adding the acrylic overflow box?
An easier fix would be to drill the tank directly on the back glass and fit a "glass holes overflow box" onto the back of the tank. You would need to move the tank to drill it though. But, you wouldn't have to do any silicone work or wait 24 hours before setting the tank up again.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SWfishguy http:///t/393258/its-everywhere#post_3497770
Also, I am planning on getting an R/ODI unit soon. I just have to get my finances in order so I am on a budget. I was thinking about these I have seen on ebay from trusted sellers.
I'd try to find something with better customer support. I like air water ice for their RO Units. Their refills are a lot cheaper than some places as well.
Originally Posted by SWfishguy http:///t/393258/its-everywhere#post_3497768
My tank isn't currently drilled with an overflow. I might just take it all out and get it drilled. Do you think that would have a better effect because right now it seems all the gunk gets caught up in my siphon overflow. Also, if I do this, will my live rocks and fish be ok in buckets for say 24hrs till the silicone seals from me adding the acrylic overflow box?
An easier fix would be to drill the tank directly on the back glass and fit a "glass holes overflow box" onto the back of the tank. You would need to move the tank to drill it though. But, you wouldn't have to do any silicone work or wait 24 hours before setting the tank up again.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SWfishguy http:///t/393258/its-everywhere#post_3497770
Also, I am planning on getting an R/ODI unit soon. I just have to get my finances in order so I am on a budget. I was thinking about these I have seen on ebay from trusted sellers.
I'd try to find something with better customer support. I like air water ice for their RO Units. Their refills are a lot cheaper than some places as well.