Help me figure out why I cant control this green algae!

Discussion in 'Algae' started by familiar1985, Dec 11, 2010.

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  1. familiar1985

    familiar1985 Bristle Worm

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    No tap water here. I use 0 TDS water only.

    I skim wet. I don't feed frozen food. I feed a pinch of formula 2 flake and seaweed to my tang every other day.

    Circulation is 2 Tunze 6055, 1 Vortech mp40, 1 modded maxijet, plus return. However the tunze are never on at same time and my maxijet turns on and off every 8 seconds. Vortech is making wave. Return is eheim 1262. If everything was going at once max flo is about 8000gph. Since i have everything turning on and off except for return and wave pump (30% to 100%) Im guessing my constant flow is around 5500gph and tank is 100g
     
    Last edited: Dec 11, 2010
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  3. 2in10

    2in10 Super Moderator

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    What's our circulation in gph? How often do you change water and how much? How often do you change your filtration material?
     
  4. familiar1985

    familiar1985 Bristle Worm

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    I just listed circulation in last post. about 5500gph constantly. I change 15% every week. I change carbon once every month and GFO when i notice phosphate go up or once evry 2 months as suggested on instructions. I have a bunch of extra powerheads i can add also
     
  5. Guy

    Guy Spaghetti Worm

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    To keep phosphates low to none, I'd reccomend Purigen. As for the already existing algae, Turbo Snails do a pretty good job. :)
     
  6. 2in10

    2in10 Super Moderator

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    Carbon should be changed every two weeks or it starts to become a nitrate factory. I would change the GFO monthly or sooner until you beat this problem. Also manual removal will help. Do you have a refugium? Must of missed the flow numbers. I would also suggest blowing of the rocks before each water change to remove accumulated detritus.
     
  7. 2in10

    2in10 Super Moderator

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    Purigen isn't as effective as GFO. It does help with nitrates more.
     
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  9. familiar1985

    familiar1985 Bristle Worm

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    I can change carbon every couple weeks. High capacity GFO can be changed half as often as regular GFO. Regular GFO is 1 month and high capacity is 2 months. Also i don't notice any difference when there is fresh GFO in tank or when I'm coming up on the 2 month mark. I don't think it is fully done working at the end of 2 months. When it stops working i should be able to see increased algae growth or get higher phosphate readings. I do manually remove algae about once a week. I pretty much try to get all the algae in the tank and i do blow the detritus etc... off rocks before doing water changes. I do have refugium with sand rock rubble and chaeto.
     
  10. familiar1985

    familiar1985 Bristle Worm

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    I dont have any problems with nitrate i doubt carbon is the issue. Only 1 fish in tank and i barely feed.

    I really am beginning to think the source is the sand or the rocks? Can this be possible? because i dont bring in much food or phosphate in any way. It must already be inside the tank.
     
  11. ChrisBs

    ChrisBs Purple Spiny Lobster

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    is the tank near a window or ne thing
     
  12. familiar1985

    familiar1985 Bristle Worm

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    1 of the sides is by a window. I keep a shade on the window though to keep as much sun out as possible. It might get a hint of sun at sunrise through the sides of the shade but algae is all over the place.