Hair algea everywhere!

ut

Sure

 

I don't see where a water change will do you much good .. Pick off some or get a proper amount of janaitors to do the job and get a ferric Oxide media going ASAP.. What type of skimer are you using ? Also you have a 180 Right ?

 

I told him the same thing.....maybe now that you said something it will register...

 

Hell what do I know But when I see water change I just think huuum people get lulled into the mind set a water change will fix everything .. Like right here they did water changes weekly I have done 2 in 9 months and the growth and health and looks of the corals are far more then they used to be.. We have a pallet of salt and its been setting there I'd rather find and fix the problem rather then dilute it..

 

Shaddup Otty... everytime I listen to you I get out my CC. My wife is going to divorce me...

Tangster I've got a ASM G2 runnnig on my 180.

So from what I'm understanding from everyone I should get more clean up crew members and run some phos ban or something similar.
As for the cause you've got me. This thing ran fine for 6 months and I added some rock and bam algae out the ying yang.
I don't think overfeeding is the issue. I'm probably underfeeding if anything. Bioload should be the issue, I've only got 4 fish in there.
I've noticed my cheato won't grow in the fuge but hair algae grows like no tomorrow...

 

What kind of rock ? I'm telling you guys Cheado is junk! I sell it but damn if I'd use it.. Again the refugium was a simple set and forget idea! Then the smart guys all johnny come lately's all jumped on it then baaam! If 12 hrs of light is good then 24 would have to be better! Not to mention the fast flow rates all want to get in the refugiums.. And it was the 24/7 lighting and the flows rates that gave them the problems with the higher plants going asexual to preserve it's self and messing up their tanks . Cheado is nothing more then aquarium tumble weed

 

It's a mixture of marshall islands and fiji rock. I don't know what's up with the cheato and mangroves other than my flow is too slow for them...

I'm looking at phosphate reactors now. Might as well do that when Otty and I are hooking up the closed loop this weekend...

 

Look for what its worth its either Mangroves or algae.. They both require a different environment totally.. MANGROVES need water blasting through their root systems as fast as you can The way I had mine set up was in a long trough type deal like from the supplier Aquatic eco systems the trough was 8 ft long and 2 ft wide and 18 inch deep and I had about 12 plants in there and the entire systems waters went through the trough . Worked very well like with an algae scrubber fast flows and high oxygen and Cheado needs faster flows then all of the plants from the Caulerpa family But not near as much as the mangroves..

If you put the mangroves in a fast flowing water area and lots of M/H or natural sun then they will take off. I just airlayerd several and set them in the tubs with 15,000 GPH pumps moving the water past them..

As for the rock ? it may well be they where a sink for excess nutrients and it will take months to collect all the stuff leaching from them.. A reactor would be the best way and use a good Ferric oxide Phosgurad is good but won't hold on to the bound up PO4's like the iron or ferric oxide will.

 

I don't think I've got enough flow through the fuge for either the cheato or the mangroves. I'm running about 20 to 25 gallons per hour through there.
I'd do the calurpa thing but I've heard horror stories about it going asexual.

I'm going to get a reactor tomorrow if I can get to Premium Aquatics before they close.
Do you think the phosguard will work if I change the media out more often than recomended? The reason I ask is I know they have that stuff. I've never even heard of ferric oxide???

I'm sure you're right on par about the rock being a sponge for all kinds of bad stuff. I never had a algae problem until I added the last batch of rock. I don't know 100% that the rock did it but it would be quite a coincidence if it wasn't the rock.

 

Look a refugium only works with slow flow .. Ever seen a fast moving marsh swamp ? LOL And the fools that scream about their plants going asexual did it them selves to the plants . I have seeded several hundred refugiums with grass I have had in my fuge for 17 yrs or more and I have never had it go asexual!
I think it was Toonon maybe Tyree ? who came up with the 24/7 as I recall it about 10 yrs ago maybe someone else ??? But I knew after many yrs of running algae scrubbers and mangroves THAT IT WAS GOING TO HIT THE FAN SOONER OR LATER .. ): Its common sense! plants need light to uptake CO'2 and night to release oxygen.. And if they can't loose their waste products they will go asexual to save themselves Its really basic common sense.. Like I say you can't buy that like a college degree

And cheado is just tumble weeds it only can adsorb whats in the water column unlike a rooted plant that can work the Sand and uptake the methanes and sulfides as food like over a plant or grass septic tank!