Ongoing algae battle, feeding to much?

Tommy081708 · 09/24/2014, 07:36 PM

I have a 6 month old 55 lps mixed reef. Great parameters except I can't get nitrates under 5ppm. I've tried alot of different things. Am I possibly overfeeding? Tank habitants are 10-12 pieces lps/softie, niger trigger (temporary), firefish, flame angel, diamond gobie, mandarin, pipefish, purple lobster, various hermits, snails, and a newly discovered black stomatella. I feed one basic sized frozen cube of various contents every day. Twice a week I broadcast ROE. Is that to much? I feel as if the trigger eats up almost the entire cube so I feel as if I should feed more but I don't. Photoperiod is only 8hrs high blues and whites with 4 hrs actinic at night. Seems like I have to do a 4hr mass equipment removal/algae scrubbing every 2 weeks and it seems that's not quite how this goes

any suggestions or tips greatly appreciated. I ordered some of that API algaefix stuff, figured id give that a whirl as one of my last thought out options. Before mass cleaning and after pics below.

cherubfish pair · 09/24/2014, 10:14 PM

What are you doing for skimming and water changes?

ecksreef · 09/25/2014, 06:03 AM

So that is two weeks of algae growth? Is it mainly the glass you clean? I have to clean the glass weekly. I just thought that was normal maintenance

Force4000 · 09/25/2014, 08:01 AM

A lot of frozen foods like Mysis Shrimp are frozen in water with nitrates that should be siphoned out if possible before feeding. At least this is what I was told by my local lfs.

Tommy081708 · 09/25/2014, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cherubfish pair

What are you doing for skimming and water changes?

I have an eshopps skimmer, forget which model exactly but its more than enough. That tank I try to do w/c 10% weekly but with the lfs 30 mins away and no ro/di unit yet, its kind of a pain because i have to keep both tanks topped off with ro/di. The other tank I'm having an algae problem as well but its newer.

Tommy081708 · 09/25/2014, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ecksreef

So that is two weeks of algae growth? Is it mainly the glass you clean? I have to clean the glass weekly. I just thought that was normal maintenance

Yes, that was about 2 weeks worth (I hadn't cleaned the glass the whole time on account of I work 19 hrs a day) but its not just the glass, that stuff covers absolutely everything. When I do these mass cleanings I take everything out of the tank and clean in the sink, what I can't take out (skimmer, emperor filter) I take a toothbrush to. I recently gave I and finally added some hermit crabs despite my true hate for, and they've taken care of alot of it on the rocks and what not. Still having rampant growth on equipment and glass though.

Tommy081708 · 09/25/2014, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Force4000

A lot of frozen foods like Mysis Shrimp are frozen in water with nitrates that should be siphoned out if possible before feeding. At least this is what I was told by my local lfs.

I've heard this as well but to me that just seems a tad to redundant of a thing to worry about. RHF wrote an article on removing nitrates from foods and basically what he said is that the amount of possible nitrates/phosphates your putting into the tank isn't even on a comparable scale to even consider worrying about. I don't ever really question what he says so I pay it no mind.

ecksreef · 09/25/2014, 12:00 PM

Doesn't really look that bad to me. Keep cleaning glass and add some snails. My powerheads get algae but eventually a snail gets to it, or I wipe it off while I do the glass.

Tommy081708 · 09/25/2014, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ecksreef

Doesn't really look that bad to me. Keep cleaning glass and add some snails. My powerheads get algae but eventually a snail gets to it, or I wipe it off while I do the glass.

Which snails would be best? I have some of those trochus snails and they're absolutely worthless.

philosophile · 09/25/2014, 03:02 PM

When you're scrubbing the rocks, you're not rinsing it with tap water are you? I would try to minimize the rock scrubbing... the more you take the rocks out, the more likely you'll have bacteria dying in the rock and not doing their job, cleaning the water so you don't have the algae problems that you do. If you scrub rock, scrub it when you have just done a water change, and keep the rocks submerged in the water you're going to throw out.

For your problem, I would probably say turbos, but its always better to get a mixed variety so if one snail doesn't eat the stuff, another probably will. I like Ceriths, Turbos, and Trochus.... When I has astrea snails, they ate everything and were great workers.... but they would fall off rockwork and die from being upside down. Your tank looks like it could probably support astreas without having a huge falling hazard, so you should consider them as well.

foundnemo11 · 09/25/2014, 06:16 PM

Have you tested your Tds from or water?

Tommy081708 · 09/26/2014, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by philosophile

When you're scrubbing the rocks, you're not rinsing it with tap water are you? I would try to minimize the rock scrubbing... the more you take the rocks out, the more likely you'll have bacteria dying in the rock and not doing their job, cleaning the water so you don't have the algae problems that you do. If you scrub rock, scrub it when you have just done a water change, and keep the rocks submerged in the water you're going to throw out.

For your problem, I would probably say turbos, but its always better to get a mixed variety so if one snail doesn't eat the stuff, another probably will. I like Ceriths, Turbos, and Trochus.... When I has astrea snails, they ate everything and were great workers.... but they would fall off rockwork and die from being upside down. Your tank looks like it could probably support astreas without having a huge falling hazard, so you should consider them as well.

Yes I was scrubbing the rock under the faucet :/ Good point though, noted. I wound up leaving the lfs with no snails, I just can't bring myself to accept that they will be all over the glass, taking away from the aesthetically pleasing view.

ca1ore · 09/26/2014, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tommy081708

I have an eshopps skimmer, forget which model exactly but its more than enough.

How do you know? That you are having algae issues suggest that it may in fact not be enough. One cube of food is nothing; I feed my tank 5 cube-equivalents per day and have no algae. Key is to have adequate export mechanisms, and lots of animals that will eat any algae that has the audacity to try to grow in the display.

As you have discovered, manual removal of GHA is singularly useless - at least it is if your goal is to eradicate algae permanently, as opposed to just making the tank look a bit better for a while. Although I've not used it myself, I have read some credible accounts of sucess with algae fix, so that may be an option. Also, do you run GFO or GAC?

echopiece · 09/26/2014, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Force4000

A lot of frozen foods like Mysis Shrimp are frozen in water with nitrates that should be siphoned out if possible before feeding. At least this is what I was told by my local lfs.

There is a link out there somewhere from Randy Holmes regarding rinsing your foods. If I'm not mistaken, rinsing the food decreases PO4 by like 0.00001 ppm for the total tank volume. Sure its something, but is it worth it?

Found the link: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2119200

ca1ore · 09/26/2014, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by echopiece

There is a link out there somewhere from Randy Holmes regarding rinsing your foods. If I'm not mistaken, rinsing the food decreases PO4 by like 0.00001 ppm for the total tank volume. Sure its something, but is it worth it?

Found the link: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2119200

I am sure that's true, however, there is a less obvious reason to rinse some foods. My skimmer is quite sensitive to feeding, and since I feed 4 times per day, without rinsing I'd be killing the head on my skimmer for a good chunk of the day.

echopiece · 09/26/2014, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ca1ore

I am sure that's true, however, there is a less obvious reason to rinse some foods. My skimmer is quite sensitive to feeding, and since I feed 4 times per day, without rinsing I'd be killing the head on my skimmer for a good chunk of the day.

So you've observed your skimmer with rinsing food and not rinsing, and the rinsing didn't hurt the head? Mine always comes back within an hour, regardless.

tanksfishtank · 09/26/2014, 06:20 PM

Turn lighs off for a couple of days, and remove phosphates and nitrates.

ca1ore · 09/26/2014, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by echopiece

So you've observed your skimmer with rinsing food and not rinsing, and the rinsing didn't hurt the head?

Correct.

outssider · 09/27/2014, 04:56 PM

get Mexican turbo snails. They are on the the rocks 90 percent of the time not on the glass.

09/24/2014, 10:14 PM	#2
cherubfish pair Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Libby, Montana Posts: 7,061 Blog Entries: 1	What are you doing for skimming and water changes? __________________ pairo chero Thanks for looking at my build thread and subscribe to it if you already haven't yet! Current Tank Info: thirty rimless

09/25/2014, 08:01 AM	#4
Force4000 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 156	A lot of frozen foods like Mysis Shrimp are frozen in water with nitrates that should be siphoned out if possible before feeding. At least this is what I was told by my local lfs. __________________ Aqueon 55g long, custom stand, Aqua C Remora, 4x54w T5 Aquatic Life fixture.

09/25/2014, 03:02 PM	#10
philosophile Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 1,149	When you're scrubbing the rocks, you're not rinsing it with tap water are you? I would try to minimize the rock scrubbing... the more you take the rocks out, the more likely you'll have bacteria dying in the rock and not doing their job, cleaning the water so you don't have the algae problems that you do. If you scrub rock, scrub it when you have just done a water change, and keep the rocks submerged in the water you're going to throw out. For your problem, I would probably say turbos, but its always better to get a mixed variety so if one snail doesn't eat the stuff, another probably will. I like Ceriths, Turbos, and Trochus.... When I has astrea snails, they ate everything and were great workers.... but they would fall off rockwork and die from being upside down. Your tank looks like it could probably support astreas without having a huge falling hazard, so you should consider them as well. __________________ 90 gallon mixed reef XPS1000SSS skimmer, 2 radions gen 1, tunze osmolator w/ kalk dispenser, 70 lbs pukani, mp40w x2; 1 tomini, 1 clown 2 mandarins. Vinegar dosing, and micro bubble scrubbing.

09/25/2014, 06:16 PM	#11
foundnemo11 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 839	Have you tested your Tds from or water? __________________ I am a compulsive liar, and a millionaire. Current Tank Info: 75 gallon mixed reef, mostly sps, bubble magnus skimmer nac5, Reefbreeders Photon48, hippo tang, kole tang, 2 clownfish, 3 chromis, 1 cleaner wrasse, 1 cleaner shrimp, crabs/snails

09/25/2014, 06:03 AM	#3
ecksreef Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 165	So that is two weeks of algae growth? Is it mainly the glass you clean? I have to clean the glass weekly. I just thought that was normal maintenance

09/25/2014, 12:00 PM	#8
ecksreef Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 165	Doesn't really look that bad to me. Keep cleaning glass and add some snails. My powerheads get algae but eventually a snail gets to it, or I wipe it off while I do the glass.

09/26/2014, 06:20 PM	#17
tanksfishtank Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Bettendorf, IA Posts: 335	Turn lighs off for a couple of days, and remove phosphates and nitrates.

09/27/2014, 04:56 PM	#19
outssider Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Reseda, Ca. Posts: 1,717	get Mexican turbo snails. They are on the the rocks 90 percent of the time not on the glass.