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Unread 03/15/2014, 07:16 PM   #1
njhadfield
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Algae question

To start off, I have 90 gallon tall reef aquarium with a 30 gallon sump. I have had it now for 3 years and cannot tackle green film algae and hair algae. I run a 5 stage RO system and change out 10 gallons of water every week.

Here is my set up:
Lighting 2x 150 watt mh
2x 96 watt power compact blue actinic. 420 and 460
Running 8 hours with my running 4 hours mid day
Change out bulbs every 8 months

Running gfo and carbon reactors from bulk reef supply now for 3 years

Change out my filter socks every week, same time I do a water change.

I have about 80 reef cleaners...snails and crabs, yellow tang and lawn mower bleny.

Here is my parameters:
Ph 8.2
Ca 400
Ak 8.23
Mg 1320
Po 0.02
Nitrates 0.0 Nitrites 0.0
Temp is 79-81

I have for the last 3 months tried vodka dosing as well. Every other day dosing .3 ml


I am stumped what to do next, the only thing I have not tried was to swap out my 50lbs of rocks and starting over.

I half to scrub the film algae off twice a day if not 3 times so I don't see the snail tracks across the glass.

Any advise would be great

Thanks.


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Unread 03/15/2014, 07:25 PM   #2
Darth Polymnus
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Sounds like excessive nutrients in your water. Do you have a skimmer?


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Live rocks do not concern me, Aquarist. I want that fish, not excuses.

Current Tank Info: 90 gallon Reef
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Unread 03/15/2014, 07:31 PM   #3
Stlouphil
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How is flow in the tank? Lack of flow can keep detritus and organics in the DT keeping from getting to the skimmer to be exported.


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Unread 03/15/2014, 07:42 PM   #4
njhadfield
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I have a mag 9 for my return pump and running 2 mp40 vortex pumps. I also am running a 150 gallon rated skimmer. I only have 4 fish in the tank


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Unread 03/15/2014, 07:43 PM   #5
njhadfield
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Also I only feed a pinch once per day in the mornings


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Unread 03/15/2014, 07:49 PM   #6
Darth Polymnus
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How deep is your sand bed and do you siphon it? Why are you dosing vodka?


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Current Tank Info: 90 gallon Reef
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Unread 03/15/2014, 07:50 PM   #7
Sethjamto
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Don't know what the cause is, but your carbon dosing could be bumped up. 0.3ml every other day is very minimal for a 90. That is the starting point for vodka on your size tank. Try it every day and after a week of 0.3ml go up to 0.8ml. Stay consistent though of every day.

Here's a good read on carbon dosing: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...nftt/index.php

It may be worth a shot to help clear things up.


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8ft 300g, Reeflo Dart Gold return, MRC 48" High-flo reef sump, MRC MR4 dual beckett Skimmer, (2) Reefbreeders Photon 48's, Reef Angel, LMIII continuous water change/ATO setup..
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Unread 03/15/2014, 07:56 PM   #8
njhadfield
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Sand is about 4 inches deep, and using vodka as an addition source of carbon. When I use it my skimmer works like a champ and pulls out addition crud. From reading lots and lots of post about vodka dosing, I gave it a shot incase to pull stuff hopefully out of my rocks. Most of my corals have grown from rock to rock and rock to glass I cannot tear out the rocks without destroying my corals.


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Unread 03/15/2014, 11:36 PM   #9
Reef Frog
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Maybe your GFO is getting exhausted very quickly and you are not changing it out frequently enough. Are you testing for PO4? For me hair algae didn't grow at levels below about .1 ppm. Carbon will exhaust even faster. Is the flow through in the reactors strong enough and making good contact with all of the media and not channeling?

Detritus removal and good skimming is another thing to evaluate.

On some level it's always nutrients to blame...


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Unread 03/16/2014, 12:06 AM   #10
njhadfield
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Thanks, I am replacing GFO and carbon every other month...brs 2 stage reactor and I have the gfo rolling not to break up and turn to dust. I am using ASM G-1X Protein Skimmer. It is rated to 150 gallons and I believe I have around 75 gallons of real water. I know it isn't the best skimmer out on the market, but I am limited to space.

Yes I am using a Hanna PO checker am it's reading 0.02. And I tested 3 times today with the same numbers.


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Unread 03/16/2014, 05:09 AM   #11
oblio
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Well it certainly sounds like your trying the right things. Only comment I would have that I did see mentioned is change the sock out every other day till you get on top of things. That bag can manufacture a ton of phosphate on its own.


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Unread 03/17/2014, 05:11 PM   #12
njhadfield
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Algae war

So now now after a month now of vodka dosing and stepping up the ml's the hair is turning from green to brown with traces of white. My skimmer is going crazy and had to empty is twice today. The skinmate went from dark chunky material to almost a rust color. First time in 2 years I had to adjust my skimmer down because went wet on me. could this be the diatoms die'n off and the skimmer is in overdrive?


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Unread 03/17/2014, 05:20 PM   #13
njhadfield
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Here is another with light on


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