reastablishing my salt water tank

[redneckhaven]

we, my boyfriend and I are trying to reastablish out salt water tank. we are having trouble with brown algie. it keeps comming back no matter what we do. water changes, calcium replacement, new coral rocks, we have a skimmer in place with carbin around the sump... nothing is working. any suggestions would be most appreciated... :help:

 

[wangotango]

how old is the tank? this is a normal phase for new tanks. welcome to the boards by the way.
-Justin

 

[payton 350]

are you using tap water?

 

[redneckhaven]

yes, but it is filtered. we have well water that has some mineral content to it, but it is not heavy.

 

[redneckhaven]

the tank is about 2 years old. my boyfriend sorta let it go until i came into his life and showed an interest in it. he maintained it to a point but we are still having trouble. he had a lion fish in it, but sadly it died. he has since stocked it with small fish, mostly damsels, and 1 clown fish. thanks btw for the welcome.

 

[isaac]

try to add sea hare if you have room for it, also toxedo urchin can be graite idea, and plenty of snails and hermit crabs.
Welcome

 

[scrapman]

patience... it's the name of the hobby... no instant gratification here... read/read/read/.... check/check/recheck the water parameters/fish/rocks/ requirements. Good luck and Happy New Year.

 

[daninct]

Originally Posted by redneckhaven
the tank is about 2 years old. my boyfriend sorta let it go until i came into his life and showed an interest in it. he maintained it to a point but we are still having trouble. he had a lion fish in it, but sadly it died. he has since stocked it with small fish, mostly damsels, and 1 clown fish. thanks btw for the welcome.
I'm not clear on the age of the problem. Tank is two years but have you had this algea bloom for two years? If you cleaned up the tank to start fesh this is normal. If you did not then this problem I think is with the well water. You need to filter t least or RO/DI for the best water.

 

[redneckhaven]

Originally Posted by scrapman
patience... it's the name of the hobby... no instant gratification here... read/read/read/.... check/check/recheck the water parameters/fish/rocks/ requirements. Good luck and Happy New Year.
thank you and Happy New Year to you and yours... I am reading all I can and I put some live plants in the tank it seams to be working :joy: :cheer:

 

[redneckhaven]

the allgie has been present for about 4 months. he had a lion fish in the tank, then a yellow tang. at that time all the live rock had died off. we have since , as of lately, introduced 4 damsels, and a clown fish. the water is at the exact PH level, we have checked it and the fish store in Ft Worth, the fish place, checked it....

 

[redneckhaven]

Originally Posted by daninct
I'm not clear on the age of the problem. Tank is two years but have you had this algea bloom for two years? If you cleaned up the tank to start fesh this is normal. If you did not then this problem I think is with the well water. You need to filter t least or RO/DI for the best water.
the tank has been set up 2 years. the problem has exsisted since set up date. went through red algea, red slime algea. in stalled power heads for more water movement. added calcium for suppliment. dolomite crush coral for sand bed. dead bleach coral for decorations. using airiated protien skimmer, with wet/dry sump. think problem is due to no live rock. because I have not set it up for reef situation. Only Fish. quote my boyfriend....

 

[redneckhaven]

if I add an urchin won't it strip the tank of all coral line and micriscopic algea, and beneficial bacteria that currently exsist .