About at wits end

[Mad Reefer]

Ok I just cleared some macro out of the Fuge. I have a sand bed in the fuge and it seems to be quite dirty.Could this be fueling the algae in the main tank? Get rid of sand in fuge? I hooked a temp. filter in there to help clear it up.
Chaeto and Culerpa sp? its not grapes... looks kinda like a T. Flat on top. Its been growing really well But the Chaeto has taken over, any preferences.

The filter has been running for a little while now and it looks much better down there, ( display tank still looks like hell ). I am tempted to tear out all the LR and scub the whole thing down, but I dont want to get that drastic yet. Ill give it some more time.

Thanks again for all your help guys... and girls Rob

Also... will all the little pieces os Chaeto that sucked into the display tank cause problems....omg i hope not.

 

[jovreef]

are you getting the RO/DI water from a store or is it yours? if you have an ro/di filter did you get it from ebay? There is a major ro/di seller on ebay that is REAL cheap, he uses cheap di filters. Check your TDS before the DI and after, I'm sure someone around you has a TDS meter they will let you use!

 

[NanoReefer]

In my experience, after about a year my hair algae cleared up. I had it bad enough that I was going to break down the tank, it was growing on corals, sand, rocks and glass. The more I cleaned it the worse it came back. Finally I said the heck with it (I was tired of having my hands in the tank all the time) and stuck half the rock in my sump with no light for several months and was going to switch it when it just started to disappear on it's own.

Hang in there do your water changes clean the visible stuff, but I would say don't sweat it too much, from what I have read here saltwater tanks can "cycle" for about a year, first is bacteria then the algae seems to "cycle".

Steve

 

[denvig]

I am tempted to tear out all the LR and scub the whole thing down, but I dont want to get that drastic yet. Ill give it some more time.

If I were to suggest what not to do this would be it. Hang in there don?t overfeed, keep up the water quality and wait it will get better.

 

[dz6t]

I got some live rocks from someone who was moving out of state. All of them were covered with horrible hair alge. No matter what I tried, the alge won't go way. Until one day I threw a bag of Chemi-pure in the tank, the alge went away on its own.

 

[Triggerfish]

1st thing is you're gonna have to test the water you are adding to the tank.
you can borrow my TDS meter and PO4 kit..don't have a silicate kit.

yes,,at times tanks can go through random algae blooms that can just basically go away..but that could take awhile..
i drive by Brockton daily,,so i could meet you somewhere if you want.
or you could meet me at the Taunton Petco...

also,,try some mexican turbos, they eat most hair type algaes as well as everything else..LovelyPets 6/$15

 

[Mad Reefer]

Thanks Triggerfish... I have a PO4 test kit (Seachem) and I always get a low reading. Let me know what is best for you , I have the next 2 days off work (Tues and Wed). I could meet you in Taunton Petco, do you work there? I could bring some water samples if that would be easier. I do have 3 turbos left out of 6 that I got as a clean up crew. Three died mysteriously. ( the little bulldozers)
If you would rather meet somewhere else ,let me know.... and thats again. Pm me and let me know

 

[stevertr]

I think you should give another shot with the Chemi-Clean.... Then don't forget after the Chemi-Clean treatment, you need to do a 30% water change.

Then I'd get an algae blenny and let him go to town. He'll love that stuff!!

 

[Triggerfish]

ya,,i'm working over there p/t now..yes,,times are tough..
you get a low reading from the tank or from your RO/DI filter?
if you want i could meet you right off the exit tomorrow 17 or 18 to hand of the meter or you could swing by..working tues,wed,fri 5:30.

pm me for cell #
Tom

 

[scavdog]

Mad Reefer,

Can we get a more detailed rundown of the system? Whats the gallonage? What is your PH, Alk and CA? All these are critical parameters, that if unbalanced, can lead to issues. How often do you perform water changes. How do you supplement calcium and alk, if at all?

If I were to take a guess, I would say diatoms or dinoflagellates. Is it golden brown and stringy?

Also, what kind of sand did you use for your sandbed? Silica sand has been known to be a cause of diatom blooms.

Red Cyano

Diatoms



Here is a good FAQ regarding algae control:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/algaeconMar.htm

The more info you can provide the easier the problem will be to diagnose.

best of luck,
Joe