What's up with my tank?? Phosphate?

[dotcommer]

I am having a similar issue in my 60 gallon tank and I have no fish, just corals and a cleaning crew for the last 8 weeks. I have cyanobacterial and I also had some green hair algae. I don't know why my phosphate are at .06 )with the Red Sea max pro test kit). I purchased the phosban reactor 150 and after using it for a week my phosphates were up .02 points to .06. My bulbs are 6 months old and my RODI water comes from my LFS.

I am in the third day of a black out to remove the cyanobacteria. I will test my phosphates once I get back home on Friday to see where they're at.

[Patrick Cox]

Well, I think I am heading in the right direction. After changing my GFO, my reactor water is now running 0.00 and the tank water tested 0.05. I will do another 15% water change this weekend. Cleanup crew is also on the way. I think if I can get the detritus under control and keep my GFO running clean, things should improve!

[csm41]

Originally Posted by jasonrstewart79

Are you leeching phosphate from those rocks? You might try checking that by pulling some rock and putting it in a container with some RO/DI and checking the PO4 reading at measured intervals. Something is introducing food for the algae that your countermeasures are not balancing out

Good point! OP, where did you get your rock and was any of it dry? I set up a tank a few years ago and used 90% dry rock. After thoroughly cleaning and prepping it (so I thought) I put the rock in the tank. I had a great skimmer, huge sump with Chaeto, phosphate reactor, etc and battled hair and slime algea constantly. It took me a long time to determine that my problems came from the dry rock. They were leaching phosphate like mad. I now use only live rock in my current tank and have no problems with niusance algea. I did read a post somewhere here on RC about a guy that went to great preparation lengths to get his dry rock ready for reef use with zero phosphates. I wish I had known that then. Nothing wrong with dry rock as long as it's prepped right.

[mgraf]

Many on here hate to hear it but, here it goes anyway.....Build an ATS. Or.... You can change more water, remove more algae manually, buy new test kits, Hanna checkers, chemicals to remove red slime, scrub your rocks with a brush, feed less and less, more water changes, remove rocks, buy new livestock only to have it not touch the algae, skim wetter, run more gfo, strip your water too fast with gfo, run carbon, run phosban, scratch your head some more, vacum gravel, feed even less.......
If you ever get tired of spending money, working on your tank all weekend, and scratching big gouges into your head. Build an ATS and over the course of 6 weeks, you can kiss that nuscence algae goodbye, and best yet, not worry about it anymore. It doesn't have to be that hard. Next, everyone will be telling you to go out and spend 500 bucks on a new skimmer. Read up on an ATS, and start enjoying your water box.

[dwculp]

Originally Posted by Patrick Cox

Also just noticed that one of my actinics is burned out and the bulbs are one year old. I guess I need to order new bulbs as well!

Old bulbs can contribute to algae growth. As bulbs age their spectrum changes and in general shift to an area that algae tend to like.

When I have algae outbreaks I usually do the following:

1. Reduce my lighting schedule and sometimes even kill the lights completely for a few days. Although your coral is photosynthetic it will survive.

2. Manually remove the offending algae during water changes.

3. Increase the quantity and frequency of my water changes.

4. Test my water frequently, run GFO etc....

[mistacheese]

I would say you're well on your way. If it was me;

I'd replace my T5's and then remind myself somehow to replace them every 8 months at most.

I'd also change my GFO every 3-4 days, (Or test your effluent from the GFO reactor) and as soon as you see anything registering PO4 replace it. It really amazes me how fast you can 'bind up' your GFO. This step doesn't need to be forever, but you need to keep at it until your nuisance is dealt with.

I'd also do 20% waterchanges and siphon off offending algae with my water removal.

HTH,
Cheese

[Gogandantess]

Originally Posted by mgraf

Many on here hate to hear it but, here it goes anyway.....Build an ATS. Or.... You can change more water, remove more algae manually, buy new test kits, Hanna checkers, chemicals to remove red slime, scrub your rocks with a brush, feed less and less, more water changes, remove rocks, buy new livestock only to have it not touch the algae, skim wetter, run more gfo, strip your water too fast with gfo, run carbon, run phosban, scratch your head some more, vacum gravel, feed even less.......
If you ever get tired of spending money, working on your tank all weekend, and scratching big gouges into your head. Build an ATS and over the course of 6 weeks, you can kiss that nuscence algae goodbye, and best yet, not worry about it anymore. It doesn't have to be that hard. Next, everyone will be telling you to go out and spend 500 bucks on a new skimmer. Read up on an ATS, and start enjoying your water box.

What is an ATS?

[zachfishman]

I thought an ATS was an auto top off system, but I don't see how that relates to algae/cyano.

[bglegs]

Algae turf scrubber...

[bglegs]

Originally Posted by zachfishman

I thought an ATS was an auto top off system, but I don't see how that relates to algae/cyano.

ato= auto top off..

[Patrick Cox]

Thanks all. I now have new bulbs, new RODI filters that test 0.0 on my Hannity checker (the water was testing 0.06), new GFO that is testing 0.0 and I am going to add some clean up crew as well. I have also stepped up my water changes so I feel like I am heading in the right direction. I still have some brown stuff showing up on my sand bed but I think after some water changes and staying on my media changes, I should be in better shape.

All tank inhabitants look healthy though. Check out the back half of this video to see my full tank...

http://youtu.be/Fy3rrsgYf6U

[Patrick Cox]

Another tank update. I have been staying on top of water changes and I keep stirring up detritus to get it into my sump so the sponge and skimmer can get rid of it. Algae seems to be under control. I do have one low flow spot where I have a bit of cyano but nothing like I did. GFO still needs to be changed at least once per week. Here is a new picture.

I am not sure why but my Duncan has stayed closed for several days. I don't know if the clowns are bothering it or what. Should I be concerned?

[Springmo]

Your leather also doesn't look very good...

[Patrick Cox]

Originally Posted by Springmo

Your leather also doesn't look very good...

Thanks. I just moved it so I think it needs some time to recover. Hope so!