What can I do?

shuturhole316tx · 05/08/2009, 04:57 AM

Well this is getting frustrating now. I am in Iraq and the wife is having trouble with our tank. There seams to be a layer of brown slim algie that is on the rocks and sandbed. It only seams to effect the soft corals as Zoa's ans stars do not open fully. I have sent her to LFS that by the way are an hour drive away and they have sold her useless stuff to try and fix the problems. ALL tests are zero on water (phosbates, nitrates, ect). The tank is 180 gal with a 75 gal sump, ASM G-3 skimmer, GEO cal reactor, Kalk reactor, 2 Vortech M40 PH, ACIII controler, Carbon reactor, ect.
The time when the algie started was when I had older VM 10k MH bulbs in, I bought new Radum 20k bulbs in Feb but one quit firing so I had the wife put the old bulbs back in. They were only 12 months old, and I come home in June so I thi=ought they would be ok. Well I got new phenix 14k bulbs ordered and had her install them and things looked ok. I did the 72 hours lights out and it was clear, but now it is back. I have some SPS corals in the tank that cost me more that 300.00 each so I need to get this taken care of ASAP.

Well here is the new problem: I told my wife to go and get some ChemiClean to try to corect the problem. Well the crappy stores in the area dont carry it so she got some API ALGAEFIX MARINE, and before she told me she dosed this stuff in the tank. Has anyone ever used this stuff? Is it ok? Should I have her use it again? I read some bad experiances with this stuff but it was mainly with fish. She dosed the stuff over 24 hours ago and nothing bad yet. It just makes me mad because I am not there to help her and I think I was way to hard on her about this stuff this morning.

Well let me know on advice on the product and on the problem at hand

Just to mention the LFS did not beleive my wife about the water peramitors so she took a water sample down to them and thay tested with three diffrent test kits and everything was 0, so it is not the usual suspects.

Could it be the old lights that caused the problem? I am now running the MH for 6 hours a day with the new bulbs.

THANKS,

beanoil · 05/08/2009, 05:27 AM

I wish I could help with your problem, but I haven't used those products or had that type of algae. I know it's unrelated, but I just wanted to thank you for your service to our country. I hope your time there is short and that you come home safe.

shuturhole316tx · 05/08/2009, 05:50 AM

Thank you for the concern, and I will be home in less than 30 days. That is the good news about this problem.

THE ROOK · 05/08/2009, 06:04 AM

Your levels will be 0 because the algae is consuming the phos/nitrates. Many are using the Algaefix Marine including myself. There's a current thread in the Chemistry forum. i feel that aging bulbs & not rinsing foods caused my algae problems.

I have since;

-dosing AlgeaFix Marine every three days.
-New bulbs
-Cut MH to 4 hours. Actnics still 10 hours
-Feed only every other day & rinse food well. Lots of phosphates in dry/flake foods as well as frozen. But frozen can be rinsed.

Tangweed · 05/08/2009, 06:10 AM

You said you did 72 hours no lights. Try this... five days no lights, then two days on and one day off for a week. I run my lights for a half a day twice a week and every other week I'll keep them off for a day or so. Remember it's not sunny in the ocean all the time.

shuturhole316tx · 05/08/2009, 06:50 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tangweed
You said you did 72 hours no lights. Try this... five days no lights, then two days on and one day off for a week. I run my lights for a half a day twice a week and every other week I'll keep them off for a day or so. Remember it's not sunny in the ocean all the time.

Not willing to do this as some of my SPS did not fair so well with just 72 hours of no lights. I will get the problem corected when I get home, but I am not chancing losing thousands of dollors worth of SPS from tousands of miles away. Thank you for the advice, but just not an option at this point

Tangweed · 05/08/2009, 07:11 AM

I subscribed to your thread. Keep us posted on how you make out with it when you get home.

THE ROOK · 05/08/2009, 07:30 AM

Here's a link to the AlgaeFix thread.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...readid=1595003

hobogato · 05/08/2009, 08:47 AM

john, how deep is the sand bed in the display? the reason i ask: i used to have about 3" of sand in my display and fought cyano (looked like rusty/brown slime all on the sand and rocks. i carefully siphoned out most of the sand over a few weeks taking it down to about 1" or less. since doing that (over a year ago) i have not had any issues with the slime. just my experience, maybe it can help you.

runyonh · 05/08/2009, 09:02 AM

I have used algefix berfore, on my reef tank with not problems. It took care of my alge problems. With no ill efects on corals or fish.

the_rider · 05/08/2009, 10:06 AM

Do you use a phos reactor ?? It does wonder on my setup, the only thing with Cyano is that you need to siphon it out it will not die completely, just trop progression.

My tang seems to eat cyano so i dnot need to siphon it out lol

shuturhole316tx · 05/09/2009, 04:47 AM

well i am just ticked off now as if there was not enouph to worry about one of my MH Ballest went up in smoke yesterday. Well I am not using the ALGAEFIX anymore as I have had one fish die since the first treatment. I dont know if this suff was the cause, but it is very good timeing if it was something else. I am ordering new ice cap MH Ballest and some cemiclear now so I will keep you all posted.

THE ROOK · 05/09/2009, 08:31 AM

Sorry to hear about the problems. I'm sure that it's not the Algaefix, if dosed properly. I'm on my 6th dose & the tank is looking better & better.

05/08/2009, 04:57 AM	#1
shuturhole316tx Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Killeen, TX/Camp Taji, Iraq Posts: 315	What can I do? Well this is getting frustrating now. I am in Iraq and the wife is having trouble with our tank. There seams to be a layer of brown slim algie that is on the rocks and sandbed. It only seams to effect the soft corals as Zoa's ans stars do not open fully. I have sent her to LFS that by the way are an hour drive away and they have sold her useless stuff to try and fix the problems. ALL tests are zero on water (phosbates, nitrates, ect). The tank is 180 gal with a 75 gal sump, ASM G-3 skimmer, GEO cal reactor, Kalk reactor, 2 Vortech M40 PH, ACIII controler, Carbon reactor, ect. The time when the algie started was when I had older VM 10k MH bulbs in, I bought new Radum 20k bulbs in Feb but one quit firing so I had the wife put the old bulbs back in. They were only 12 months old, and I come home in June so I thi=ought they would be ok. Well I got new phenix 14k bulbs ordered and had her install them and things looked ok. I did the 72 hours lights out and it was clear, but now it is back. I have some SPS corals in the tank that cost me more that 300.00 each so I need to get this taken care of ASAP. Well here is the new problem: I told my wife to go and get some ChemiClean to try to corect the problem. Well the crappy stores in the area dont carry it so she got some API ALGAEFIX MARINE, and before she told me she dosed this stuff in the tank. Has anyone ever used this stuff? Is it ok? Should I have her use it again? I read some bad experiances with this stuff but it was mainly with fish. She dosed the stuff over 24 hours ago and nothing bad yet. It just makes me mad because I am not there to help her and I think I was way to hard on her about this stuff this morning. Well let me know on advice on the product and on the problem at hand Just to mention the LFS did not beleive my wife about the water peramitors so she took a water sample down to them and thay tested with three diffrent test kits and everything was 0, so it is not the usual suspects. Could it be the old lights that caused the problem? I am now running the MH for 6 hours a day with the new bulbs. THANKS, __________________ Thanks, John 180 Gal Reef & Fish Starfire Tank Current Tank Info: 180 Gal, Starfire Tank, Corals, Fish, inverts, lots of money!

05/08/2009, 05:50 AM	#3
shuturhole316tx Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Killeen, TX/Camp Taji, Iraq Posts: 315	Thank you for the concern, and I will be home in less than 30 days. That is the good news about this problem. __________________ Thanks, John 180 Gal Reef & Fish Starfire Tank Current Tank Info: 180 Gal, Starfire Tank, Corals, Fish, inverts, lots of money!

05/08/2009, 06:10 AM	#5
Tangweed Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Mohnton, PA Posts: 1,002	You said you did 72 hours no lights. Try this... five days no lights, then two days on and one day off for a week. I run my lights for a half a day twice a week and every other week I'll keep them off for a day or so. Remember it's not sunny in the ocean all the time. __________________ Thanks! Jeremy Current Tank Info: 90 gal with 40 gal breeder sump / fuge, Octo skimmer, lights and some water.

05/08/2009, 07:11 AM	#7
Tangweed Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Mohnton, PA Posts: 1,002	I subscribed to your thread. Keep us posted on how you make out with it when you get home. __________________ Thanks! Jeremy Current Tank Info: 90 gal with 40 gal breeder sump / fuge, Octo skimmer, lights and some water.

05/08/2009, 10:06 AM	#11
the_rider Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Montreal Posts: 449	Do you use a phos reactor ?? It does wonder on my setup, the only thing with Cyano is that you need to siphon it out it will not die completely, just trop progression. My tang seems to eat cyano so i dnot need to siphon it out lol __________________ DT (The Zen Garden): Miracles Custom Rimless 155G (60x30x20) Marinetech Sump full equip 80G Marinetech 3200 GPH Deltec SC2560 Tunze 2x6105, 2x6055 2xKoralia 4 (In sump) Profilux III ATI Sunpower 6x54W + BLAU 6x54W FRAG : Miracles Custom Rimless (24x24x12) Illumagic M-60S Koralia 4 Live: Fish :One Spot Foxface, CBB, Trio of Royal Gramma, Borbonius Anthias, Multicolor Angel, Multifasciatus Angel, Semi-Picasso Pair

05/08/2009, 05:27 AM	#2
beanoil Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: PA Posts: 336	I wish I could help with your problem, but I haven't used those products or had that type of algae. I know it's unrelated, but I just wanted to thank you for your service to our country. I hope your time there is short and that you come home safe.

05/08/2009, 06:04 AM	#4
THE ROOK Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Springfield, MA Posts: 2,100	Your levels will be 0 because the algae is consuming the phos/nitrates. Many are using the Algaefix Marine including myself. There's a current thread in the Chemistry forum. i feel that aging bulbs & not rinsing foods caused my algae problems. I have since; -dosing AlgeaFix Marine every three days. -New bulbs -Cut MH to 4 hours. Actnics still 10 hours -Feed only every other day & rinse food well. Lots of phosphates in dry/flake foods as well as frozen. But frozen can be rinsed.

05/08/2009, 07:30 AM	#8
THE ROOK Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Springfield, MA Posts: 2,100	Here's a link to the AlgaeFix thread. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...readid=1595003

05/08/2009, 08:47 AM	#9
hobogato Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 1,517	john, how deep is the sand bed in the display? the reason i ask: i used to have about 3" of sand in my display and fought cyano (looked like rusty/brown slime all on the sand and rocks. i carefully siphoned out most of the sand over a few weeks taking it down to about 1" or less. since doing that (over a year ago) i have not had any issues with the slime. just my experience, maybe it can help you.

05/08/2009, 09:02 AM	#10
runyonh Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Melbourne Florida Posts: 188	I have used algefix berfore, on my reef tank with not problems. It took care of my alge problems. With no ill efects on corals or fish.

05/09/2009, 04:47 AM	#12
shuturhole316tx Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Killeen, TX/Camp Taji, Iraq Posts: 315	well i am just ticked off now as if there was not enouph to worry about one of my MH Ballest went up in smoke yesterday. Well I am not using the ALGAEFIX anymore as I have had one fish die since the first treatment. I dont know if this suff was the cause, but it is very good timeing if it was something else. I am ordering new ice cap MH Ballest and some cemiclear now so I will keep you all posted. __________________ Thanks, John 180 Gal Reef & Fish Starfire Tank Current Tank Info: 180 Gal, Starfire Tank, Corals, Fish, inverts, lots of money!

05/09/2009, 08:31 AM	#13
THE ROOK Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Springfield, MA Posts: 2,100	Sorry to hear about the problems. I'm sure that it's not the Algaefix, if dosed properly. I'm on my 6th dose & the tank is looking better & better.