SEVERE algae problem. Brown/green slime over all rocks! Please Help!

[Cyruskayos]

Originally Posted by wildreef

Yes carbon i use as well.
Phosban is a tad expensive , but lets face it ( you need help right now )
Use it right now to help you reduce phosphates.

Here are some tank thread with picks that "i" think are great examples of opening up
( theres more im sure but time limit here finding them all for you )

It'll give ya a general though theres so many more here that are so nicely scaped
(look in tank threads)

Luvreefs23 new aquascaping
Otty's 265 (w/3 sided View)
http://www.3reef.com/forums/show-off...are-49211.html


I would scrub that rock , simply to gain the upper hand and help rid your self of this mess
of algae. ( you have some work to do, there are no simple fixes )


That power head i noticed is facing towrad the back ( pushing water along the back ? )
and you have a bow front tank, think about it ?
Your just making circles within the tank with water flow, and your rock is all bunched up in the middle ?
ehhh'????????
And yes the rock can touch the glass if you want but dont go banging it aorund like your at a rock quarry .
Is that tank made of glass or acrylic ?

Glass breaks , and arcylic seems to scratch if you sneeze wrong. ( so be carefull )

its a glass tank...and i have the powerhead pointed running across the back and then it basically goes in a circle around the tank...i pointed it that way in the first place for the hard coral i have on the top...which way should i point it?

and idk if there are many more options in my tank (rock-arrangement wise) do you really think if i were to go rearranging my rock etc i wouldnt hurt any of my fish? i have a sailfin tang, lawnmower blenny, clownfish, 3 turbo snails, and 3 other sandsifter snails.

how would i go removing my pulsing xenia from the rocks?

how would i reattach them?

my rocks are mainly large...i have one GIGANTIC rock that is the shape of a "W" or a "M" , and 5-6 other large peices...when i set up this tank, i spent 7 hours or so arranging the rock....

so i kinda dont want to go moving it because i dont think their are many more options...what can i use to scrub the rock in the position their in now? i would like to scrub the rock where they currently are and not have to remove them.

so i will get some phosban.

is their anything else i can purchase that will help? where will i put the phosban? ontop of my bioballs?

also, i need to add some sand...can i just scoop the sand in and dump it (gentely) ontop of the current sandbead? it will be going ontop of that algae....should i add it then just mix it up with my hands?


thank you!

[Bogie]

If you scrub the rock in the tank to remove algae, then definitely crank up your skimmer to wet skim to help pull it all out asap.

[Cyruskayos]

Originally Posted by Bogie

If you scrub the rock in the tank to remove algae, then definitely crank up your skimmer to wet skim to help pull it all out asap.

okay. what should i use to scrub and usually when i blow the rock off with the powerhead, it will circulate for a little bit, then the little pieces of algae will reattach themselves to my live rock, how do i prevent this and get it to float to the top?


thank you

[Bogie]

Use an old toothbrush or something similar. Don't let it settle, afterwards blow it around with your powerhead like you mentioned you have done. Not much more you can do for a quick fix.
Re-read through what ReefSparky posted on page 2 of this thread. It's only a temporary fix, so if I were you, I wouldn't spend much time or energy on scrubbing rocks, other than to make the tank look better quickly if you were expecting company or something...

[Cyruskayos]

okay...you were talking about this post right?

1. I lost the crushed coral substrate and replaced it with sand. Turns out CC harbors all kinds of detritus, leading to nitrates, leading to algae. -done.

2. I built a 10gal refugium, and put in chaetomorpha macroalgae. The fuge is lit when the main tank is not. It has a 55K "daylight" bulb. It's like sunlight overnight for the chaeto. The chaeto competes with tank algae by consuming the very same nutrients. The macroalgae is like the greedy relative who comes over and eats all your food. You're left hungry. i dont think i have room for one of these...

3. I stopped using tap water and bought a RO/DI system. Seems that tap water saturates your tank with phosphates and silicates. Algae will thank you for those important nutrients.done

4. Made sure my protein skimmer was a good one. Dissolved organics are high on the algae menu.it was $179. im pretty sure its a great one

5. I purchased a phosphate reactor and run it 24/7 with the indicated amount of phosphate removal media, and packed the rest of the way with carbon. Carbon doesn't remove organic matter like protein skimmers, but it's pretty amazing how the variables come together and provide results you might not expect. Carbon keeps your water crystal clear, and since corals are photosynthetic, this helps them grow. Coralline algae (more coral than algae) love the light too. When corals and coralline algae grow, algae doesn't fare as well. Ever see a photo of a tank with tons of green algae and corals and corallines growing? Not even once, eh? im thinking this may be the solution

By the way, it's important to run phosphate removal media in an ACTIVE way, like a chamber of some kind where water is forced through, rather than passively tossing a bag of the stuff in your sump. That doesn't do very much.

6. Took the bioballs out of my wet/dry. I did this because I read that bioballs are "nitrate factories." I think nowadays that clean bioballs are safe, and as long as detritus doesn't collect on them, nitrates won't have a chance.
i think ill be alright...my nitrates are 0
7. I upgraded my lights, making sure that an old, tired bulb's wavelength ouput wasn't contributing to algal growth.this could also be the solution...im thinking my bulb is old...o tangsterrrr!!!

.....so basically i have 2 possible solutions...does all of that sound alright^^^ im thinking its either my bulb or/and i need to run phosban

opinions?

[Bogie]

...And maybe something funny with your RO/DI still, even though your test reads 0 phosphates? They gotta be getting in there somehow. Either in the Food or the Water? What else is added? So maybe time for a new filter membrane? Otherwise there might be an abundant source of silicates/phosphates in the rock/sand in your tank. Are you certain it was 100% aragonite sand?

[Cyruskayos]

Originally Posted by Bogie

...And maybe something funny with your RO/DI still, even though your test reads 0 phosphates? They gotta be getting in there somehow. Either in the Food or the Water? What else is added? So maybe time for a new filter membrane? Otherwise there might be an abundant source of silicates/phosphates in the rock/sand in your tank. Are you certain it was 100% aragonite sand?

not really...

what do you recommend i do? should i remove all of the sand i have and replace it? where is a good place to get aragonite sand for cheap? should it be wet or dry sand?

[Bogie]

You'll have to look on the label on the bag.
I think Aragonite Sand is basically calcuim carbonate from pulverized crushed coral. The main thing is it does not contain silicates. Silicates are found in most other common sands, such as used in sandboxes and to mix in cement, etc... Silicates are a food source for algae, and algae will thrive on it.

The bags with wet sand are usally livesand, aragonite sand in saltwater with live bacteria in it - bacteria to break down the ammonia->nitrite->nitrate. Dry aragonite sand is just void of the live bacteria.

Check where you got the sand to see what kind it is. If it's common silicate-based sand, then it's all got to go. The best sand is the finest (smallest grain size) aragonite live sand you can find, in my opinion.

[Tangster]

Originally Posted by Cyruskayos

not really...

what do you recommend i do? should i remove all of the sand i have and replace it? where is a good place to get aragonite sand for cheap? should it be wet or dry sand?

Call Richard or Scott,,, Richard will be easiest I think Tell him Roger said to help you out what the aragonite I'd recommend Custom sea floor Its best to try Richard in the afternoon if you get Shannon she can help you alos.
276-3474
Oh you in Colonial Heights is that shop still around there John and Shirley Shuber ran it A&K Aquariums It used to be on Washington St in Petersburg Just down from Ft Lee's main Gates . Just curious as he and I where all getting in the local Marines sales along the same time frame in 1971 or so . Petersburg got a tad bad and they relocated to Colonial Heights about 85 or so .

[R34dawn]

Originally Posted by Bogie

You'll have to look on the label on the bag.
I think Aragonite Sand is basically calcuim carbonate from pulverized crushed coral. The main thing is it does not contain silicates. Silicates are found in most other common sands, such as used in sandboxes and to mix in cement, etc... Silicates are a food source for algae, and algae will thrive on it.

The bags with wet sand are usally livesand, aragonite sand in saltwater with live bacteria in it - bacteria to break down the ammonia->nitrite->nitrate. Dry aragonite sand is just void of the live bacteria.

Check where you got the sand to see what kind it is. If it's common silicate-based sand, then it's all got to go. The best sand is the finest (smallest grain size) aragonite live sand you can find, in my opinion.

The only difference between Argonite and silica sand is that the silica sand has no buffering capabilities compared to the argonite kind, that is basically crushed coral etc, I have used and are currently using silica sand with no adversed effects about 60lbs and 30lbs of fiji pink, and haven't had any algae problems. bottom line is the whole aquarium is made of silica and if there was a problem with that probably would be made of something else,with the exception of acrylic ones.
You can read it for your self at the link below
Reefs.org: Where Reefkeeping Begins on the Internet - Silica Sand