plumbing question in a reef

[cameltowing]

i have a 150 display and a 100 display sump. been up 2 years and have massive amounts of hair algea and no real coral growth. i have 5 or 6 power heads messily scattered. tank is not drilled. running 1/2 inch pvc to a 3/4 inch float valve and a small pump back up. im wanting to ditch some of these powerhaeds and flow more water through the sump. i have a QUIET ONE 4000HH pump to pump up but how do i get more volume down to the sump?
can i get some examples of what your running for water flow?
thanks

 

[snapperboy]

The equipment you have sounds sufficient for flow and you don't need a WHOLE lot in the sump. I'd evaluate how much your feeding, check for phosphates / nitrates, waste buildup, and are you using ro-di water? skimmer? How much / long on the lighting?

 

[cameltowing]

ro water and changes once a month. canister filter with charcoal and phos ban in the display. skimmer in the sump. a little jebo one. 400w halide x2 20,000k plus 2 400 w 6500k flood lights. on 5 to 6 hours a day. feed little flake every 3 days. frozen shrimp th the corals once every 2 weeks. alk is low and calcium is off the charts. been adding alk booster the last week but no changes. i remave a sandwich baggie full of hair algea once a week. flow is the only thing left i think. i used some lace rock from the lfs as fill and thats when the algea came. coraline is growing on the rock but not the glass. i have 4 different kinds of benefical algea in the sump and its growing good. a lot like grocery bags full of it. the back glass looks like a lawn in the display. i'll see if i can find pics
thanks

 

[autofreak44]

i dont think the jebo skimmer will cut it for a 250 setup, whats it rated for?
also just a thought try turning on your lights for like 8 hours a day...
whats ur water paramaters?

 

[snapperboy]

Well, i think you may have answered your own question. The lace rock may have leeched something into your system

. I'd try some sort of phosphate remover / sponge. Last time I added manufactured rock to a system i soaked it in bleach water for a day, then let it air out in the sun for 3 days, then a saltwater soak for a week w/ powerhead airating the water. Hope that helps in the future somehow, for now good luck

...too bad LMB'ies can't mow together like my neiborhood

 

[snapperboy]

Just a thought.. how old are your lights? Over a year :scared: ? Have you replaced any bulbs recently or around the time of he outbreak?

 

[cameltowing]

outbreak started when i added the new rock and added the halides. there 6 or 7 months now. sump has pc's that are 1 1/2 years but no hair algea in the sump. i bought 30 mexican turbos today to see if theyll help. i see my asirth snails and hermits eating the algea, (i have a few hundred of each) but i guess they cant keep up.

 

[joncat24]

sounds to me like the best things you could do is get some phosphate remover( purigen) and get a bigger skimmer. The skimmer will remove the disolved organics that fuels the algae. I am not downing jebo at all. I have odyssea light and jebo sterilizers on my 180, but that skimmer is no way big enuf for your setup.

 

[cameltowing]

what kind of insump skimmer would you reccommend. in order for the skimmer to work sufficentally how much water transfer from the main into the display do you reccommend? my return pump is only pumping a couple gallons an hour. is that enough?? thanks again

 

[joncat24]

I dont understand about the couple of gph...how does your water get to sump and back? Do you have a hang on overflow box or what??
I just bought a new ETSS reef devil for my 180 and I think once it gets broke in , it will be awesome. There are a ton of good skimmers out there, just depends on your sump size and what kind of room you have.

 

[snapperboy]

How tall is your 100 gallon sump? I use the Red Sea Berlin XL skimmer and it pulls out the goopiest green stank you've ever seen. For whats in stock on this website, the classic hang on or XL are great skimmers for the $$$.