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10/04/2017, 12:24 PM
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#1 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 6
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New to AF but need help please!!
Ok so its my first post on here, I am on another forum but have seen the support for AF seems a lot better on here so decided to make an account.
I'm looking to keep an SPS / LPS dominant tank and I have done some research and opted for Aquaforest components 123 with NP pro and Pro bio s, I also have the ABE & V ready to go. I don't have the salt yet as i need to use up the DD Pro salt I have left over. My tank is a Red Sea Max E260, this is running the sump in the back with the stock skimmer. I have 2 x AI Hydra 26 HDs and I have added a Jebao SW8 for additional flow. the tank has now been running about 7 weeks and currently I only stock 2 snow flake clowns, 5 hermit crabs and 5 torchus snails. Coral wise i only have a goni and and encrusting goni so far. I want to start using the AF products, however I am currently suffering an outbreak of green dust algae so I need a bit of advice in regards to using NP Pro and Pro bio s. The tank was started with dead rock, using Dr Timms. After 4 weeks the tank finished its cycle, i added my fish and corals however 10 days later I woke up and the tank was covered in algae. i think this was partly down to me over feeding. The highest the phosphate read was 0.08 during the initial 4 weeks which fell to 0.03 just before I put my first fish in so not particularly high. I was however cycling with lights off and when the corals wen in I started running a 12 hour lighting period so maybe a mix of the light and over feeding caused it. I am using 0TDS water that i make so I know its not my source water. Anyway, moving forward a week I have carried out 3 10% water changes to try to cure the problem. I also started dosing the NP Pro and pro bio s at half the dose per day, 4 days ago. The algae keeps coming back 15 mins after scraping the glass and i need some help! My current tank params are as follows: Salinity - 1.025 KH - 7 Ammonia - 0 Nitrite - 0 Nitrate - 0 Phosphate - 0 Lighting period - now 9 hours I have a bag of GFO phosphate remover in the sump with some carbon and some siporax. Other than that nothing else running. Now my parameters show no nutrients and that I am running an ULNS. However as the algae is locking up the phosphates and nitrates and it keeps coming back there must be some in there. My question is do I continue to dose NP Pro and Pro Bio S without the addition of ABE & V until the algae goes, or do I start doing it now? I don't want to starve my corals but i don't want to feed the algae. Sorry for the overload of information, I'm hoping the more information i give the better someone may be able to help. I have also attached a couple of pictures. You can see how clean everything was and what it looks like now. If anything this has now got worse and the water is very cloudy. Please help!!! Jay |
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10/04/2017, 02:03 PM
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#2 | |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Northwest/ Indiana
Posts: 191
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Quote:
First I'd like to say it will be ok. Your tank is very young and it will go through some ups and downs the first year really. Continue to dose to pro Bio s and np Pro . Your correct in thinking that you do have Phosphates this light dusting shows it and it not unusual. You need to take your time and give your tank a chance to mature. Corals should be slowly introduced over time and in my humble opinion you went a little fast adding them. Pro Bio s and np Pro work well but need Several weeks to start working well. If you want to you can increase the dose of those just a little. For such a small coral cast I would not dose the ABVE yet. Also until you see a need to dose components 1,2,3 then you can wait on that also. When you see your water changes are no longer meeting the demand concerning your calcium, Alkalinity, and magnesium then you will start those . Again with such a small coral cast it will most likely be some time. I've seen many people use " dead rock " and a very common complaint is that they leach Phosphates . I would not be surprised that this is your source . Most importantly relax and let things settle in a little. Keep dosing the np Pro and Bio s, and keep testing.   Also if your water is very cloudy this could be a bacterial bloom. These happen sometimes in New tanks. I couldn't really tell from the pictures. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
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10/04/2017, 02:37 PM
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#3 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 6
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Thank you! It has sort of put my mind at rest. I hadn't started dosing the 123 or ABEV at all yet, I just didn't want to strip all nutrients from my system and make the corals suffer. The water got really cloudy at one point but it has started to clear since the water changes but it is still cloudy. My guess was the bacterial bloom.
Will doubling up on the pro bio and Np pro make my system more vulnerable to the Cyno from unbalanced phos and nitrate levels? |
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10/04/2017, 03:11 PM
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#4 | |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Northwest/ Indiana
Posts: 191
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Your welcome. You know cyano is a funny thing. I've seen tanks with all kinds of cyano issues for different reasons. My suggestion.... if you start to see some cyano , feed a little more and cut back on the Pro Bio s and np Pro. I use Pro Bio s and np Pro. Zero cyano issues.  Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
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10/04/2017, 03:34 PM
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#5 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 6
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Do you use any other AF products or only the Np pro and pro bio s? Tank looks great!
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10/04/2017, 05:51 PM
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#6 | |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Northwest/ Indiana
Posts: 191
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Quote:
I use all Aquaforest products. Af Probiotic salt Pro Bio s Np Pro Components 1,2,3 Af carbon Af phos minus AF ABVE Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
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10/05/2017, 03:41 AM
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#7 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 6
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Do you mind me asking what params you run your tank at? And what is your maintenance schedule? Do you have a tank thread?
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10/05/2017, 07:11 AM
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#8 | |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Northwest/ Indiana
Posts: 191
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Yes I do have a tank thread but it's not on this forum. It's on the other very large Reef forum. I can't post a link here because it will get x'd out. But it's on Reef.......... 2 .............. Reef . I have tons of info on my build from start to present day. I document my parameters etc... On the other sight my user name is 120reefkeeper Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
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10/06/2017, 04:05 AM
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#9 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 6
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Ok great! Il take a look. The only thing I am not so sure on now is running the system as ULNS. Is it easy to just adjust the dosing of the NP pro and pro bio s to keep a bit of nutrients in the tank (once algae is clear)?
Would I be better using reef salt instead of pro biotic salt? Im just concerned that any **** in parameters with ULNS are highlighted more so. |
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10/06/2017, 07:06 AM
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#10 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 6
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Also do you have to remove tank water when dosing the 123 solutions? The guy at my LFS said my salinity wont rise with them...but as per other balling methods you have to remove water. in a bit confused.
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10/06/2017, 07:12 AM
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#11 | |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Northwest/ Indiana
Posts: 191
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New to AF but need help please!!
Quote:
You can use Reef salt just fine. For now with the algae continue dosing and increase your GFO Usage . This will help get ride of the Phosphates faster. I think you'll be just fine. If you don't see a light dusting of algae on your glass about every three days, then your to lean. About every two to three days is normal. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
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10/06/2017, 07:17 AM
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#12 | |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Northwest/ Indiana
Posts: 191
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Quote:
You do not have to remove tank water when dosing components 123. Your LFS Is correct. I've never had any salinity issues. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
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