A couple of issues with new tank setup

Fun $ Pit · 12/22/2007, 05:34 PM

First of all - Hello all! I've been a forums troll for a while now, but now I need some advice.

I have a 90G tank with 29G sump and I have a couple of issues recently. The main one I am concerned with is a bryopsis (hair algae?) outbreak. I believe my problem is lack of RO/DI water - feel free to flog me, I know, I know.

I have been using one of those single stage resin tap water filters, but I doubt it's been good enough. I don't have a TDS meter yet so I couldn't even guess how bad the water is. Now, I just setup a phos reactor a couple of days ago and it seems the hair algae has exploded in growth. It was a brownish color, but now is green and growing worse than ever. Is this the "gets worse before getting better part?" I have been feeding 2 Tsp of frozen food and a strip of greens daily to my 5 fish and cutting down to feeding frozen every other day for a while. Lights (6 light T5) are cut down to actinics from 10a.m. to 11 p.m. and brights from 4p.m. to 6p.m. to our ric and shrooms get some light. The water params are good with 0 Trates, 0 Trites, 0 Amm, 8.4 PH, 1.023 Sal, 320 Calc, 1500 Mag (just raised via Epson salts), water temp @ 78 degrees.

My other issue is the amount of evap I am having lately. Seems like it has increased in the last couple of days from maybe a half gallon to maybe 2 gallons. What can cause this?

Thanks in advance for any feedback and advice you can give.

Larry and Mandi

Blown 346 · 12/22/2007, 07:08 PM

The hair algae will start to get better, in the mean time I would pull out what you can. For the water evaporation, this sounds normal in winter. I have about 3 gallons of water day evaporate from my 90.

fatdaddy · 12/22/2007, 07:16 PM

Do you add Kalkwasser? I found this to help as coraline algae competed with the hair algae. It seemed that where coraline started growing, the hair algae couldn't.

Also, what about those water machines at walmarts & super markets? That's usually RO water that you could finish with your DI filter.

fatdaddy · 12/22/2007, 07:25 PM

Do you add Kalkwasser? I found this to help as coraline algae competed with the hair algae. It seemed that where coraline started growing, the hair algae couldn't.

Also, what about those water machines at walmarts & super markets? That's usually RO water that you could finish with your DI filter.

12/22/2007, 05:34 PM	#1
Fun $ Pit Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Collierville, Tennessee Posts: 302	A couple of issues with new tank setup First of all - Hello all! I've been a forums troll for a while now, but now I need some advice. I have a 90G tank with 29G sump and I have a couple of issues recently. The main one I am concerned with is a bryopsis (hair algae?) outbreak. I believe my problem is lack of RO/DI water - feel free to flog me, I know, I know. I have been using one of those single stage resin tap water filters, but I doubt it's been good enough. I don't have a TDS meter yet so I couldn't even guess how bad the water is. Now, I just setup a phos reactor a couple of days ago and it seems the hair algae has exploded in growth. It was a brownish color, but now is green and growing worse than ever. Is this the "gets worse before getting better part?" I have been feeding 2 Tsp of frozen food and a strip of greens daily to my 5 fish and cutting down to feeding frozen every other day for a while. Lights (6 light T5) are cut down to actinics from 10a.m. to 11 p.m. and brights from 4p.m. to 6p.m. to our ric and shrooms get some light. The water params are good with 0 Trates, 0 Trites, 0 Amm, 8.4 PH, 1.023 Sal, 320 Calc, 1500 Mag (just raised via Epson salts), water temp @ 78 degrees. My other issue is the amount of evap I am having lately. Seems like it has increased in the last couple of days from maybe a half gallon to maybe 2 gallons. What can cause this? Thanks in advance for any feedback and advice you can give. Larry and Mandi __________________ Thank you. Drive Thru! Current Tank Info: 180G - See my Gallery

12/22/2007, 07:16 PM	#3
fatdaddy Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Northeast Florida Posts: 1,191	Do you add Kalkwasser? I found this to help as coraline algae competed with the hair algae. It seemed that where coraline started growing, the hair algae couldn't. Also, what about those water machines at walmarts & super markets? That's usually RO water that you could finish with your DI filter. __________________ "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." -- Aristotle

12/22/2007, 07:25 PM	#4
fatdaddy Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Northeast Florida Posts: 1,191	Do you add Kalkwasser? I found this to help as coraline algae competed with the hair algae. It seemed that where coraline started growing, the hair algae couldn't. Also, what about those water machines at walmarts & super markets? That's usually RO water that you could finish with your DI filter. __________________ "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." -- Aristotle

12/22/2007, 07:08 PM	#2
Blown 346 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Rockford, Illinois Posts: 6,596	The hair algae will start to get better, in the mean time I would pull out what you can. For the water evaporation, this sounds normal in winter. I have about 3 gallons of water day evaporate from my 90.