Algae problem

Does your tank get any direct sunlight?
What is your substrate?

 

i Do weekly water changes and pull off all i can but it just grows back!!

The system is around 18 months old, the tank is the RED SEA MAX 130D,
it has a filter system in the back and the skimmer needs cleaned every 2 days.
I have 25 kg of live rock.
Beneth the twin return pumps i have a media sack with active carbon in it, and below that a sack with ceramic tube media.
Under the tank i have a po4 reactor.
dont really know what else to tell you?

Appart from i love keeping these marine creatures, and that the problem im having with the algae is really getting me down!!

 

no direct sunlight, the tank is around 2 meters from nearest window.

I have about a 3 inch bed of aroganite sand.

 

Ok here comes the self proclaimed expert me.
PO4 and NO3 may be at zero because the algae is using it. but do you have low range test kits? ones that can go below 1 ppm?

caulerpa probably won't out compete hair algae, but its not hurting anything.

What type of phosphate media do you use?


suggestions
you could get a sea hare.
you could try running biopellets, bacteria could probably out compete your algae

 

I am not a big fan of the ceramic tube media. What filter?

Here's my issue. Nitrogen cycle is three parts. 1) Ammonia to Nitrite. 2) Nitrite to Nitrate and 3) Nitrate to ammonia. Steps 1 and 2 require aerobic bacteria. Step 3 requires Anerobic bacteria and I have read some articles which theorize that the anerobic bacteria needs to be in close proximity to the aerobic in step 2.

Ceramic tube media and fliters don't get you the anerobic zone the way you'd like to have them. The media and the filter may be "nitrate factories" in your tank. Even though you are testing nitrates at zero, it could well be because your algae is just eating it up when it enters the tank.

I'd consider major cleaning of the filter at a minimum... possibly getting rid of it. Getting rid of the ceramic tube media.... and adding a sump with deep sand bed. The key benefit of DSB is providing the anerobic zone.

Just some thoughts to consider.

Mark

BTW-- I have no filter on my system. Many folks do. I get some other opinions and not go just off mine.

 

Im using sera phosvec granules.
Biopellets? I have ceramic tubes in media sack? is that the same thing?
oh and im using SERA test kits. good/bad?

 

Biopellet and ceramic tubes are not the same.

I'll get you a link on biopellets.

M

 

Thanks Mark,

So in your opinion i should get rid of the tubes?
I have no room for a sump unfortunately.
Sould i add more sand to the main tank?

 

One example biopellet

I use EcoBak from Warner Marine. Biopellets encourage bacterial growth to consume phosphates and nitrates and thus compete with algae for nutrients.

M

 

Or should i go back to putting my po4 media in a sack, and turning my po4 reactor into a fluidized sand filter??