To Skim or not to Skim

mommyfishy

mommyfishy

New Member
Hi new to the forum. I have a few questions I have a 26 gallon bowfront tank with 11pounds of LR and CC. I am getting this green hair algea all over the bottom of the tank. Last time this happend I had a redslime algea bloom. I have a Carbon Filtration sytem like you use for freshwater with no bio wheels. My levels are perfect I use RO DI water and I use real ocean water from the catalina water company. I just lost a nemo yesterday and a snail I think I am fixing to loose my other nemo. I need to know if I need a skimmer I am planning on adding more live rock and some live sand. I heard I need about 3 pounds to go on top of my CC. If I need a skimmer what kind would be the best to get for my little fishies.
Thanks I would post pictures but I don't know how
 
mommyfishy

mommyfishy

New Member
Thats what I would like to know. I just looked in my tank and I think that my pom pom crab died to
Don't know probably need to go to the LFS and have them test for phospates and the stuff I don't have a tester for
 
hot883

hot883

Active Member
Your water levels are not "perfect" or your inhabitants would not be dying off left and right. Your testers may be off or another idea is that your specific gravity (salt level) may be WAY off as well. Is there a local fish store you can take a sample of your water to? Skimmer would not help you at this point I'm afraid.
 
promisetbg

promisetbg

Active Member
Your tank does not have enough LR.One of your problems.
Do not add LS over CC..remove CC and add LS.You will need approx. 40-50 LBs.
Hair algae is there feeding off excess nutrients.How often are you doing water changes?
Please show all parameters including phosphates.
Adding a skimmer will be tough without a sump...although Aqua-C makes an excellent hang-on skimmer.It may detract from the look of your tank.
I recommend setting your tank up like a SW tank IE:
overflow/sump/skimmer/return pump/additional powerheads for circulation.
And..WELCOME to SWF.com!
 
mommyfishy

mommyfishy

New Member
okay The only thing that has died is the nemo. I found my pom pom he was hiding in my big chunk of LR okay I will get you the measurments. Yes the salt was off a tad so I fixed that. If the green hair is feeding off the nutrients then how to I get rid of them and I do have a 400 Power head. More with the levels in the morning.
Leetice
 
jmick

jmick

Active Member
If you have hair algae then you have excess nutrients in your tank. First, I am not familiar with the company you get your water from and recommend you mix your own water with RO/DI. I agree with Promise to get rid of the CC but I’d replace it with fine oolitic sand (4-5 inch bed) and more live rock (the rock will seed the sand in no time). I have a Aqua-C Pro skimmer on my tank and I love it…a skimmer is a must have.
 
mikeyjer

mikeyjer

Active Member
First of all, how old is the tank? What you mean by perfect water condition? Need the levels, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, PH, Salinity, etc. How long are you leaving your lights on, algae LOVES Nitrate. How much are you feeding? Are you siphoning your CC during water change? Better to change that CC out and put LS instead, better off down the road. :happyfish
 
mommyfishy

mommyfishy

New Member
okay here are my levels for what I can test for. I don't know about the salinity I checked it and its in betweent the lines thats all the LFS told me it had to be.
Ammonia=.25
Nitrate=0
Nitrite=0
PH=8.2
Temp about 73
Lights are on about 10-12 hours a day I have the dual satellite lighting with the moonlight in it. dual daylight 6700/10000 and dual actinic 420nm/460nm
I usually turn the white light on in the morning for about an hour before I turn the blue light on and then and hour before I turn the lights off I turn the white light off and leave the blue light on. The lights usually get turned on at 10am and off at 10pm. I have done some research on this but just not familiar with the terms. I didn't know you had to siphen the CC I need to copopods to feed the scooter bleeny and if I siphon won't that mean I will get rid of those.
We try and do water changes every two weeks but I have to add a gallon of fresh water to my tank about every other day do to evaporation.
Okay if you need anything else let me know. I woke up this morning and Nemo looks like he got in a fight don't know what he would fight with I don't have any other fish in the tank right now except for the blenny.
The tank has been great except for the last week or so maybe its just a cycle. I had to treat the tank two weeks ago to get rid of the red hair algea I treated it with Chemi-Clean. Okay this is all I have thanks for all the help. Hubby just told me that I have Argonite reef sand in the tank not CC. Man am I dumb!! The tank is 6 months old. I would show you a picture if I could figure out how to attach them. LOL
:help:
 
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