"quick" rant, sorry, I have to vent

[gexkko]

So I've been having a diatom/bubble algea problem as of late in my 29g(as many people do). I had the problem beat, then I added an Odysea 250w halide hood with 2x65w actincs. The addition of the halide lighting pretty much set forth a bloom, which I expected. I have a nitrate problem (I can't get it below 20ppm), even though I've got what is supposed to be a superb skimmer for my system (AquaC remora w/maxijet 1200), a 20g sump/fuge with cleaner clams and chaeto, and only three fish (clarkii, cb, bicolor pseudo) which get fed a small amount once per day.
Basically I've been fighting the nitrates for a while, and the algea was a new problem. I figured my tank would adapt, but in the mean time I would manually remove the algea to prevent it overgrowing my corals and wait for the tank to stabilize (while also seeking new solutions for my nitrate problem). Much to my chagrine, the slime started creeping up my finger leather and over my lone zoo hitchiker polyp.
I decided it was time to take chemical action while I worked to resolve the source through other means. I went down to my trusted lfs to talk to a guy who hasn't steered me wrong yet. Unfortunately, the only person available was the owner. I knew he was the owner, and having not worked with him before, I figured he would be fairly knowledgable, at least as knowledgable as the employee I really trusted.
As I was explaining my problem, he kinda stared into space. Then he went on this diatribe about how tanks need 2 1/2 weeks to balance things out, that what I'm seeing now is the result of 2 1/2 weeks ago. He just wasn't listening. I was trying to find the additive that removes slime algea whilst I worked to resolve the source through more conventional means.
Every time I tried to explain that, he went off on how tanks need 2 1/2 weeks to stabilize and how I shouldn't trust the adive of 17 people (I had mentioned hearing conflicting things from various sources, where he got 17 people I do not know). I told him I knew the source of the bloom: my nitrates and my recently added halides. The look he gave me when I told him I had the hood I previously described said "good luck, you are going to fry everythign you have." Excuse me if I have a desire to keep SPS at some point in my tanks life and absolutely love the look the halides give my tank, not to mention my current corals absolutely love it.
His response was "good luck." Then he went on another rant about how in his 36 years of experience he'd never seen a product that removed algea in freshwater and was pretty sure nothing existed in saltwater. It was when he started comparing his fw experience to my sw dilema that I decided to hunt down my trusty pal. Oh, I forgot to mention, he asked me why I wasn't doing 10% water changes daily, even though every other parameter (minus a small .25 spike in ammonia after a fish death which I think was collected using cyanide, but thats another story) has been superb. He seemed quite confused that I was hesitant to remove that much water for 20ppm nitrates every day, not to mention burn through the $55/bucket salt I use (btw, I do weekly 10-15% water changes).
My parameters (in case anyone asks)
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: Between 20 and 40 (my test goes from 20 to 40)
Phosphate: 0
pH: 8.0
Ca: 440-480 (its still fluctuating as I adjust my kalk mixture)
dKH: 10
Anyway, the employee referred me to the product I wanted, but he also suggested a seachem product called purigen (which he said he uses in all his tanks). I decided to try that first before adding chemicals to kill the slime. In the mean time, I'm using a small pipet to blow the slime off my corals.
Sorry for the rant. I know it wasn't over anything huge, but it was absolutely frustrating to sit there and have the store owner talk down to me when he obviously didn't even understand what I was talking about. I went in looking for a suggestion to fix my overall problem as well as a suggestion to fix my immediate dilema, and couldn't get more than "you can't do anything."

 

[murph]

Probably just a cranky LFS owner who did not want to be there in the first place with a bit of "old timers disease" (set in his ways) and positive that his methods are the only ones that work.
First off if you want to use an antibiotic to get rid of your slime algae there will most likely be no problem. Google "Red Slime Remover". This product will most definitely work.
First manually remove as much of the slime as possible to avoid any mass die off that could cause water quality problems. Turn off your skimmer and dose according to instructions. These products will make skimmers overflow.
Allow three days for the product to work followed by a few large water changes to the system and then turn your skimmer back on and make sure its not overflowing. If it is do another water change.
The water changes will bring your nitrates down. Now adjust your kalk drip/mixture strength to bring your PH up to 8.4 and your alk to the high normal ball park. Sorry I cant give a alk number here my kit just read low normal high. Cyanobacteria growth is inhibited by higher alk. Encrusting algea like coraline on the other had will love these slightly elevateded levels and many corals do better at these levels also IMO.
Of course monitor all levels during this process. Since Red Slime Remover is an antibiotic there is an outside chance there could be some disruption of your bio-filtration but in an established tank there should be no problems.
PH and alk also need to be monitored until you find just the right mixture strength and drip rate to maintain targeted levels. FYI from my experience dripping kalk will not raise calcium levels but once this level is brought to the proper range with a calcium additive will maintain that calcium level. Your present calcium levels are in the right ball park anyway.

 

[gexkko]

Thanks for the advice. I'm going to get a alk supplement to try to bring it up. I'm going to continue to remove the cyano manually for the next few days before I move the tank. If after the move the problem still persists, I'll purchase some of the antibiotic and give it a shot.
I wasn't aware that higher alkalinity inhibits cyano growth. If I had known that, bringing it above 10 dKH would have been one of my first goals. Once again, thanks for the advice.

 

[murph]

From my experience you should be able to raise the alk by adjusting your kalk drip routine ie mixture strength/drip rate. I would try that before using other additives.
Whats your situation as far as sump/fuge and sand bed depth and salt mix brand?
Since you have to move the tank it might be a good time to try a deep sand bed. It can do wonders for nitrate control. You should not have to sink a bunch of money in more LFS sand either. A mixer of your existing sand and some Old Castle play sand that most Wall marts stock makes for a good mixture.
Once again; dont worry about the LFS thing. I have one in my area that swears running a skimmer 24/7 is horrible for a tank and should only be used a few days a month. Go figure