What antics to use

[cyclops]

I keep getting air bubbles on all of my rock and then it turns into red algae, I only feed every other day and my nitrates are at 10. I have a 135G tank with lots of corals. None of the corals are growing or fragging but they seem to be doing fine I feed them every 3 days. I guess I need to find out what would be the best lighting system for the tank and my corals.
If any one has any suggestions please let me know I am tired of always turning off the lights for 2 days at a time.
I currently have a 775 what light system with
2x 50/50 130w antics
1x 175w 10k
2x 175w 14k
3 BTA's
kenya tree
2 frogspawns
blue mushrooms
frizzy mushrooms
green flava brain
mushroom toadstool
2 candycanes

 

[teresaq]

how old are your bulbs?? how much flow??
What are your other water readings

 

[mr_x]

i don't think it's your lighting, unless like teresa suspects, the bulbs are old.
if the bubble tips are doing ok, i believe you have sufficient lighting for the corals you have at this time.
the bubbles/red algae are cyanobacteria. it's from excessive nutrients. what are you feeding every 3 days? do you have an ample protein skimmer for your system? what is your waterchange schedule?

 

[cyclops]

Mr X
I have a 220 Coral life supper skimmer
and 2 950 pumps that where upgraded form 750gph pumps and one 150 flow inside. I do a 45 Gallon water change every 2 -3 weeks
Everyday I give a seaweed for my tangs but every tree days I iether feed omega one flakes, brine shrimp or mysis.

 

[mr_x]

maybe it's the flake food.
how is the bio load? alot of fish? is there alot of uneaten food around after a feeding?

 

[cyclops]

Originally Posted by Mr_X
http:///forum/post/2698186
maybe it's the flake food.
how is the bio load? alot of fish? is there alot of uneaten food around after a feeding?
Mr.X
I have had 11 fish in a 135 for a year now with nothing new or anything dying, i dont think it is y bioload I am going to try nes antic lights maybe one 130 blue CF and one 130 CF 12k, cause right now I have two 130's 50/50 and 2 175w 14k metal halids.
anythoughts
stock list
blue hippo
yellow tang
Blond naso
lemonpeel angel
2 maroon clowns
royal gramma
3 striped damsels
maderin
bicolor blennie

 

[mr_x]

it's not the actinics, or lack thereof. what about the age of the lamps- old bulbs can cause issues as well.
cyanobacteria is generally caused by excess nutrients. i didn't say it was the bio load, but since you mention it, the 11 fish...are they alot bigger then they were a year ago? your bio load is larger, if so.

 

[cyclops]

Originally Posted by Mr_X
http:///forum/post/2701735
it's not the actinics, or lack thereof. what about the age of the lamps- old bulbs can cause issues as well.
cyanobacteria is generally caused by excess nutrients. i didn't say it was the bio load, but since you mention it, the 11 fish...are they alot bigger then they were a year ago? your bio load is larger, if so.
Mr X
You have been very helpful, most of the fish are the same size except for the tangs and female clown, but they are not really that bigger. I only feed every other day one cube of mysis or brine or maybe flakes if don't feed them any more than that. I do give a sheet of Nori seaweed for the tangs and lemon peel angel everyday. I think I have some bad lights I bought them 2 months ago from e-bay and they might be bad so I am going to buy 3 new 175W MH 15k bulbs and keep the 2x130w 50/50 antics which I purchased in dec 07 so that makes them 7 months old........mmmm could this be the reason???????

 

[mr_x]

i don't think 7 months will do it.
do you mean you purchased the mh lamps from e-bay? i too, bought bulbs from e-bay before and although they had very low PAR, they didn't give me algae or cyano issues. the spectrum shifted within about 2 months of running them too. it's possible.
are you thawing that cube of frozen and draining the stinky liquid before you give it to the fish?
what about your substrate- is it crushed coral or sugar sized sand?

 

[cyclops]

Originally Posted by Mr_X
http:///forum/post/2702982
i don't think 7 months will do it.
do you mean you purchased the mh lamps from e-bay? i too, bought bulbs from e-bay before and although they had very low PAR, they didn't give me algae or cyano issues. the spectrum shifted within about 2 months of running them too. it's possible.
are you thawing that cube of frozen and draining the stinky liquid before you give it to the fish?
what about your substrate- is it crushed coral or sugar sized sand?

I use aragonite sand
And I do thaw my cubes and use a syringe to suck it out and feed it to them, I am very curious now about the draining what do you mean?
Yes I purchased my halides from e-bay they where 4.99 each for 175W 14K MH

 

[mr_x]

what i do with any frozen food, is thaw it first...i use a net...and let the stinky liquid drain off. then i use the solids that are left.
someday you will purchase quality mh lamps. make sure you use the screen method(put a few screens over the tank between the light and the water, and remove one every few days until there are none left. just shortening the photo period isn't going to work.
the reason i say this is that the e-bay lamps have way less PAR than quality brands.