Should I just remove my refugium???

rocknut · 07/12/2008, 01:58 PM

My tank has been set up for just about 13 months, and with the exception of a little coral tissue recession during the winter (heater failure) everything has been going great, with one small exception: starting about 3 months ago I started to get thick maroon and green cyano algae across the sand bed of my refugium. At this point, I knew the lights over the fuge were probably overdue for replacement, and figured this was the likely cause (in the previous 10 months the sand bed had been spotless.) I made that change, but the algae only continued to get worse. I then added a small powerhead to the fuge, hoping the increased water flow might solve the problem, but it didn't seem to have any effect. I then vacuumed about half of the sand bed out, and then changed out all of the filter on my Spectrapure Max Cap RO/DI system. I did several small water changes (10% each, in addition to my weekly 10% change.)

Still no improvement. Now, about a month ago the algae has spread to the sand bed of the display tank.
My water parameters look good:
Alk = 9.6 dKh (Salifert)
Po4 = 0.008 (Rowa Merck)
pH = 8.12 (avg)
CA = 400 ppm (Salifert)
Mg = 1400 (Elos)
I use RowaPhos media (changed every six weeks regardless of change in phosphate readings). I also use ESV GAC which I change out monthly. The halide lights over the tank were just changed at the end of May (right at the one year anniversary).

At this point I am wondering if I should just vacuum out the refugium all together, because it seems to be where the problem started? The chaeto macro algae that is in the fuge barely grows, and I only have to clean the micro algae off of the glass about once a week, so I can't believe that the tank just has high nutrients. The tank is exclusively SPS, and I haven't seen any decrease in coloration, even though growth has slowed down a bit. Any suggestions?
Thanks in advance!

aquaman67 · 07/12/2008, 02:09 PM

At about the year mark all three tanks I have set up got Cyano.

I dosed Red Slime Remover and it never came back.

I'm just sayin'.... that's what I did and would do if I was you.

You'll now get the parade of increase flow, change bulbs, cut back feeding, turn the light off for a few days, ect. All of which I tried before I used the "nuclear option" which actually worked.

stagefright13 · 07/12/2008, 02:24 PM

Yeah lights have alot to do with it. I had a German 10k bulb for my MH that grew NO algae. Then I replaced it with what I thought was the same bulb. It grew algae! I looked at the bulbs and they were totally different inside.

But at the 1 year mark on a tank you may expect some algae. Nothing happens fast in a reef tank except disaster. Just starve it out. Don't bother with a test kit. Just change the water alot.

I'm not a chemical fan. There ain't any chemicals in the water your pets came from. At least hopefully not. Altho our tanks are much smaller than an ocean.

07/12/2008, 01:58 PM	#1
rocknut Rocky Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Gilbert, Arizona Posts: 822	Should I just remove my refugium??? My tank has been set up for just about 13 months, and with the exception of a little coral tissue recession during the winter (heater failure) everything has been going great, with one small exception: starting about 3 months ago I started to get thick maroon and green cyano algae across the sand bed of my refugium. At this point, I knew the lights over the fuge were probably overdue for replacement, and figured this was the likely cause (in the previous 10 months the sand bed had been spotless.) I made that change, but the algae only continued to get worse. I then added a small powerhead to the fuge, hoping the increased water flow might solve the problem, but it didn't seem to have any effect. I then vacuumed about half of the sand bed out, and then changed out all of the filter on my Spectrapure Max Cap RO/DI system. I did several small water changes (10% each, in addition to my weekly 10% change.) Still no improvement. Now, about a month ago the algae has spread to the sand bed of the display tank. My water parameters look good: Alk = 9.6 dKh (Salifert) Po4 = 0.008 (Rowa Merck) pH = 8.12 (avg) CA = 400 ppm (Salifert) Mg = 1400 (Elos) I use RowaPhos media (changed every six weeks regardless of change in phosphate readings). I also use ESV GAC which I change out monthly. The halide lights over the tank were just changed at the end of May (right at the one year anniversary). At this point I am wondering if I should just vacuum out the refugium all together, because it seems to be where the problem started? The chaeto macro algae that is in the fuge barely grows, and I only have to clean the micro algae off of the glass about once a week, so I can't believe that the tank just has high nutrients. The tank is exclusively SPS, and I haven't seen any decrease in coloration, even though growth has slowed down a bit. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance! __________________ "I ain't no physakist---but I knows what matters..." -Popeye the Sailorman Current Tank Info: Envision 150 gallon, ATI 8x54w, 30" Venturi skimmer, Neptune Apex flow and dosing

07/12/2008, 02:09 PM	#2
aquaman67 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Tennessee Posts: 7,629	At about the year mark all three tanks I have set up got Cyano. I dosed Red Slime Remover and it never came back. I'm just sayin'.... that's what I did and would do if I was you. You'll now get the parade of increase flow, change bulbs, cut back feeding, turn the light off for a few days, ect. All of which I tried before I used the "nuclear option" which actually worked.

07/12/2008, 02:24 PM	#3
stagefright13 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Hatboro, PA USA Posts: 899	Yeah lights have alot to do with it. I had a German 10k bulb for my MH that grew NO algae. Then I replaced it with what I thought was the same bulb. It grew algae! I looked at the bulbs and they were totally different inside. But at the 1 year mark on a tank you may expect some algae. Nothing happens fast in a reef tank except disaster. Just starve it out. Don't bother with a test kit. Just change the water alot. I'm not a chemical fan. There ain't any chemicals in the water your pets came from. At least hopefully not. Altho our tanks are much smaller than an ocean.