Over run tank

;D Hi 3reefs,

My tank has been gradually overcome with all types of algae. I have had red algae and used redaid?(threw out packaging) and it has seemed to be gone. This has led to an increase to all other algae. I have been using tap water to add water but changed 1 month ago. I am running seachem phosguard in my 404 and i am in my third week of using this but no change to the algae and in fact it is still increasing. every thing in the tank is great all tests are good, corals are growing.

can you give me some help

austchippy

 

are you using ro/di water????tap water is not good.

 

I have just started to use ro water for the last month just. I have the two blue lights on for 10 hrs and the 2 x metal heliade for approx 6.5 hrs. clean the tank every 3-4 weeks and change 40-50 lts at this stage.

 

what are your phosphate levels?are you over feeding?did anything die?do you have any clean up crew in your tank?scarlet hermit crabs are good algae eaters..how old is your tank anyways

 

Have read that some are using purigen by seachem.

 

G'Day austchippy, you must be a carpenter aye?

If the tank is less than one year old and the algae isn't smothering the corals or sand bed then I would simply leave it alone. At worst scub the rocks a bit with a toothbrush and use a turkey baster to loosen any detrius, but apart from that there is not much you can do to avoid to algal cycle. If the tank is older than one year then you probably have other issues which will need addressing.

John

PS, stop using additives for the moment, but keep using the phosgard

 

Thanks for the response,

Hi allaboutfish - phosphate is "not to bad"(fish store) but try phosguard the said. Everything else is all good - only one death and that was a bubble tiped enemone and he got sucked up the 404 about 2-3 months ago. All corals are powering on and growing. My tank is approx 6-7 months old but at this stage I only have a cleaner shrimp, will need to get some scarlet hermit crabs(thanks for the tip)to help elgae problem. I feed mostly 2 times a day and only enough for 30 seconds or so, all the fish are hungry as they school when i get home(geat guard dogs hey) and go the food straight away.

Hi JohnO
yeah it is all over the coral bed but i clean this when I do water changes. What do you mean by additives??. Reef Calcium and Reef Plus I started approx 3-4 weeks(ah ha)as my calcium levels were at 280ppm. From the time I started with the blue atinic and the reef additives my rock and corals haved powered on and infact new corals have appered.(goodie goodie). Do you thik i should stop these JohnO?. Is this helping the algae?

Hi Saltydog

I will look up purgin and find out about it as I have not heard of this one.

 

Suppose to be real good. Cleans up all the inpurities and you can wash it in beach when it gets to dirty and put it back in. On reef central alot of folks say it works real well.

 

Here is a link to Purigen

 

[quote author=austchippy link=board=Algae;num=1106692757;start=0#6 date=01/28/05 at 02:59:55]Thanks for the response,

Hi JohnO
yeah it is all over the coral bed but i clean this when I do water changes. What do you mean by additives??. Reef Calcium and Reef Plus I started approx 3-4 weeks(ah ha)as my calcium levels were at 280ppm. From the time I started with the blue atinic and the reef additives my rock and corals haved powered on and infact new corals have appered.(goodie goodie). Do you thik i should stop these JohnO?. Is this helping the algae?
[/quote]

Sorry mate, additives was a bad term to use I meant that you should stop using things like " redaid " for the time being. Supplimenting the Calcium and Alkinlinity is fine

John