I have just had it! - Page 6

johnnstacy · 01/08/2006, 09:51 PM

Just wanted to update on the brown algae. Went to buy the sea hare at the lfs and they had sold it. Figures. The thing sat there for 2 months and then the day I need it, it's gone. He will try and get another one next week. In the mean time I have reduced my photoperiod on the halides from 5 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours. After taking a rock out of the main tank and putting it in the sump that just has 6500 twist light, the algae is receding some. Okay, maybe not receding but at least not growing. I may get the MH down to 3 1/2 or so if I see this method working.
I am maintaining PH at 8.2 to 8.35 and have mostly stopped using the calcium reactor and just using a kalk reactor. Alk is stead at about 8.5.
Here are a few of the latest pictures of the affected areas of the tank:

In this pic you can see the one small outcropping near the center of the photo. It seems to be spreading in this manner

Okay, one other thing worth mentioning. The chaeto in the sump. I lied in an earlier post and said it wasn't growing. In fact it is growing. Not a ton but it is. I know.....this means there has to be some phosphate right? Still non detectable and nitrates, as always are undectable.

So, what are the possibilities. In my mind there are 3:

1. When I feed there could potentially be food decaying somewhere. Not likely though with probably over 100X turnover in my tank.

2. Filter socks. I change every other day. And that is a pain in the arse. They are fairly brown though by the time I change them

3. The rock itself is made out of solid phosphate. Just kidding but even with the rock being cooked for 3 months, I suspect that the rock is still leaching phosphate.

As always, your opinions are welcomed.

wentreefgirl · 01/08/2006, 10:11 PM

Well even if you lied or not, we knew by the algae growing that something is a miss. Like I said before could be the rock but not sure. Can you get a schringe and try to extract water from one of the pore is the rock. Then test that with phosphate kit. If it has it in it then you should be able to test the water in it. Chaeto can also grow with the right lighting without nutrients. I have chaeto in my sump fuge and all my #'s are non-detectable and it is growing. I still say try the yellow tang. Also i use this stuff called marine S.A.T. I didnt think it would help me and so I tried anyway. My lfs said it would take up to 6 wks. Well, just about at that mark, things green were leaving. Perhap coincidence but i still use it jsut in case. Keep me posted.

Swanwillow · 01/08/2006, 10:13 PM

if the rock was leaching phosphate, then the macros would also be growing...

theres an interesting thread right now in the reef section (I think) about DSB's... and pictures from one person who had one, had the same problems as you, took out the DSB, and now the algae is gone...

something to dwell on? I dunno though.

Swanwillow · 01/08/2006, 10:18 PM

ok, I think I'm goin crazy, can't find the thread...

save me!!! I swear, it was here... somewhere... oh well, never mind

johnnstacy · 01/08/2006, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Swanwillow
if the rock was leaching phosphate, then the macros would also be growing...

theres an interesting thread right now in the reef section (I think) about DSB's... and pictures from one person who had one, had the same problems as you, took out the DSB, and now the algae is gone...

something to dwell on? I dunno though.

Would be great if I had a sand bed. I'd take it out....hehe

johnnstacy · 01/08/2006, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by wentreefgirl
Chaeto can also grow with the right lighting without nutrients. I have chaeto in my sump fuge and all my #'s are non-detectable and it is growing.

I did recently change the twist bulb so it is growing better now but I would have to say that there has to be some nutrient in the tank to get chaeto to grow. Be it, non-detectable, it may be either to low for the phosphate kit or it is being absorbed so quickly that there is nothing to test.

wentreefgirl · 01/09/2006, 05:51 AM

Did you suck out some fluid from the rock. Was just interested in what reading you got.

Swanwillow · 01/09/2006, 06:13 AM

n/m then

*shrugs* no clue, I'm back to lurking this thread...

sammiefish · 01/09/2006, 07:55 AM

nice anthias

johnnstacy · 01/12/2006, 03:30 PM

Update: Got the sea hare yesterday. So far he's not interested in the brown hair. I'm giving him a few days to acclimiate. Next on the list is a tossup:

yellow tang
black spine urchin

Weatherman · 01/12/2006, 03:52 PM

I'd go the urchin route.

I have rock-borers and pencil urchins in my 155 and 180, and they will strip paths clean down to the bare rock.

As for my 120, I rolled the dice and got lucky.

This litty guy eats both my rhodophytes and my Dictyota, and has even inspired my stupid Foxface to do the same. It's a Virgatus rabbitfish, a very close relative to the Doliatus.

KingsX · 01/12/2006, 05:14 PM

isn't the common name for that a barhead wabbitfish???

Sindjin · 01/12/2006, 05:23 PM

Weatherman...

How do you keep your water so darn clear?

moses13 · 01/12/2006, 05:27 PM

johnstacy, I remember your original thread on this, and someone's comment that one of the tufts looks like Don King! I have some of this algae as well, and had it come and go. I had a couple urchins that I believe were consuming it, which I have since gotten rid of, and now it is back. If the sea hare doesn't work, try an urchin. I had a pencil and a purple spiny. I'm hoping the sea hare works for you.

Weatherman · 01/12/2006, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by KingsX
isn't the common name for that a barhead wabbitfish???

Yep. Barhead Wabbit or Barhead Spinefoot.

The difference between it and doliatus is that virgatus has blue spots and doliatus has blue squiggly lines.

Weatherman · 01/12/2006, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sindjin
Weatherman...

How do you keep your water so darn clear?

Oh, I donÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t know. Probably a combination of wet skimming, strong water movement and a low fish load. My 120 only has six fish: four, evil damsels, a Foxface and a Wabbit. My 180 only has five fish: Malcolm, the two tomato clowns, a yellow clown goby and a mandarin.

I am a moderate feeder, but whatever isnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t eaten gets removed very fast by the skimmer. ThereÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s just not a lot of nutrients in the water to fuel a bacteria or phyto bloom. In fact, IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ve increased the amount of food I put into my 120. The couple of acropora I have were starting to look pale and were receding a bit. Since IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ve increased the food supply theyÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ve started to regain their color and growth.

Sindjin · 01/12/2006, 06:17 PM

Thanks... I dont want to side track this thread but I guess its relevant in a way.

Im having a floating particulate issue now, but I really haven't been wetskimming as much as I should. I think that is a major factor.

Thanks again!

Weatherman · 01/12/2006, 06:23 PM

I have little bubbles and particulates floating around in my water, too. They donÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t tend to show up in the photographs unless I really tweak the contrast.

IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ll see if I can take a picture with the idea of just seeing the little stuff in the water.

--- pause while a take a picture ---

Here's a view looking up toward the water surface in my 120:

Sindjin · 01/12/2006, 06:53 PM

Hmmm... not too far off from mine. Except I had a bit of a milky haze when looking legnth wise thru my tank. Im work to clarify it.

Bugger · 01/12/2006, 07:52 PM

I have the same problem my turbos only eat the hair and then it grows back. Im thinking of adding a phosphate reactor.

JIM260 · 01/14/2006, 05:32 PM

Foxface rabbit all the way

johnnstacy · 01/15/2006, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by moses13
johnstacy, I remember your original thread on this, and someone's comment that one of the tufts looks like Don King! I have some of this algae as well, and had it come and go. I had a couple urchins that I believe were consuming it, which I have since gotten rid of, and now it is back. If the sea hare doesn't work, try an urchin. I had a pencil and a purple spiny. I'm hoping the sea hare works for you.

It was my luck. The sea hare died the next day. Yup. A purple grey mass sitting there in my tank the next day. I could get another but I'm not going to. I'm going to move to the next step. I ordered the longspine urchin and we will go from there. As a side note. About 3 weeks ago I took a rock that had a lot of this turf algae on it and put it in my sump. The only thing I have had in the sump is 1 emerald crab and 2 hitchiker crabs that I don't have a species name for. There is no algae on that rock now. Its disappearance was likely the result of one of two things. The first could be that there was little light available. Just residual light from the fuge. The second thing could have been that the crabs ate it. I did occassionally see a crab on top of the rock. This has prompted me to also order a few more emerald crabls. I have about 3 in my tank now along with those two hitchiker crabs that I just threw in. We'll check back with any new developments.

goodblasson · 01/16/2006, 01:26 AM

Hey man, I hate to say it but, I told you so. Those emerald crabs will eat that algae. Good luck I hope this solves your problem.

wentreefgirl · 01/16/2006, 05:49 AM

Throw in a yellow tang and youll be doing great.

tangreef68 · 01/16/2006, 10:59 AM

try turbo snails and electric blue hc's

01/08/2006, 09:51 PM	#126
johnnstacy Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 1,043	Update Just wanted to update on the brown algae. Went to buy the sea hare at the lfs and they had sold it. Figures. The thing sat there for 2 months and then the day I need it, it's gone. He will try and get another one next week. In the mean time I have reduced my photoperiod on the halides from 5 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours. After taking a rock out of the main tank and putting it in the sump that just has 6500 twist light, the algae is receding some. Okay, maybe not receding but at least not growing. I may get the MH down to 3 1/2 or so if I see this method working. I am maintaining PH at 8.2 to 8.35 and have mostly stopped using the calcium reactor and just using a kalk reactor. Alk is stead at about 8.5. Here are a few of the latest pictures of the affected areas of the tank: In this pic you can see the one small outcropping near the center of the photo. It seems to be spreading in this manner Okay, one other thing worth mentioning. The chaeto in the sump. I lied in an earlier post and said it wasn't growing. In fact it is growing. Not a ton but it is. I know.....this means there has to be some phosphate right? Still non detectable and nitrates, as always are undectable. So, what are the possibilities. In my mind there are 3: 1. When I feed there could potentially be food decaying somewhere. Not likely though with probably over 100X turnover in my tank. 2. Filter socks. I change every other day. And that is a pain in the arse. They are fairly brown though by the time I change them 3. The rock itself is made out of solid phosphate. Just kidding but even with the rock being cooked for 3 months, I suspect that the rock is still leaching phosphate. As always, your opinions are welcomed.

01/08/2006, 10:13 PM	#128
Swanwillow goby girl Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Bemidji MN Posts: 2,025	if the rock was leaching phosphate, then the macros would also be growing... theres an interesting thread right now in the reef section (I think) about DSB's... and pictures from one person who had one, had the same problems as you, took out the DSB, and now the algae is gone... something to dwell on? I dunno though. __________________ my advice:walk away. do nothing. til tomorrow. if its still alive, it will hopefully be fine. If you do not see it, do not try to find it. it may be hiding. just LEAVE it alone Current Tank Info: starting over! 125 gallon. Soon to be home to Blackfoot clowns, A. nigripes

01/08/2006, 10:18 PM	#129
Swanwillow goby girl Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Bemidji MN Posts: 2,025	ok, I think I'm goin crazy, can't find the thread... save me!!! I swear, it was here... somewhere... oh well, never mind __________________ my advice:walk away. do nothing. til tomorrow. if its still alive, it will hopefully be fine. If you do not see it, do not try to find it. it may be hiding. just LEAVE it alone Current Tank Info: starting over! 125 gallon. Soon to be home to Blackfoot clowns, A. nigripes

01/09/2006, 06:13 AM	#133
Swanwillow goby girl Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Bemidji MN Posts: 2,025	n/m then shrugs no clue, I'm back to lurking this thread... __________________ my advice:walk away. do nothing. til tomorrow. if its still alive, it will hopefully be fine. If you do not see it, do not try to find it. it may be hiding. just LEAVE it alone Current Tank Info: starting over! 125 gallon. Soon to be home to Blackfoot clowns, A. nigripes

01/12/2006, 05:14 PM	#137
KingsX Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Kirkland, Washington. Posts: 196	isn't the common name for that a barhead wabbitfish??? __________________ What is understood, need not be discussed. Current Tank Info: 100gal. display. 30gal fuge, 30 gal sump with PM Bullet 2 & pan-world 100px 2X 250MH,SG @ 1.022. 110 Lbs. live rock, Fiji & Marshall Isl.4x65 2 actinic, 2 daylight

01/08/2006, 10:11 PM	#127
wentreefgirl Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: New milford, ct Posts: 3,010	Well even if you lied or not, we knew by the algae growing that something is a miss. Like I said before could be the rock but not sure. Can you get a schringe and try to extract water from one of the pore is the rock. Then test that with phosphate kit. If it has it in it then you should be able to test the water in it. Chaeto can also grow with the right lighting without nutrients. I have chaeto in my sump fuge and all my #'s are non-detectable and it is growing. I still say try the yellow tang. Also i use this stuff called marine S.A.T. I didnt think it would help me and so I tried anyway. My lfs said it would take up to 6 wks. Well, just about at that mark, things green were leaving. Perhap coincidence but i still use it jsut in case. Keep me posted.

01/09/2006, 05:51 AM	#132
wentreefgirl Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: New milford, ct Posts: 3,010	Did you suck out some fluid from the rock. Was just interested in what reading you got.

01/09/2006, 07:55 AM	#134
sammiefish Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: 1000 Islands- Best FW diving in the world! Posts: 249	nice anthias

01/12/2006, 03:30 PM	#135
johnnstacy Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 1,043	Update: Got the sea hare yesterday. So far he's not interested in the brown hair. I'm giving him a few days to acclimiate. Next on the list is a tossup: yellow tang black spine urchin

01/12/2006, 03:52 PM	#136
Weatherman Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Ft. Lauderdale, FL Posts: 1,619	I'd go the urchin route. I have rock-borers and pencil urchins in my 155 and 180, and they will strip paths clean down to the bare rock. As for my 120, I rolled the dice and got lucky. This litty guy eats both my rhodophytes and my Dictyota, and has even inspired my stupid Foxface to do the same. It's a Virgatus rabbitfish, a very close relative to the Doliatus.

01/12/2006, 05:23 PM	#138
Sindjin Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Tampa Posts: 1,436	Weatherman... How do you keep your water so darn clear? __________________ SeaTest Hydrometer?.... $8.00 Seachem Marine Test Kit? ...$24.00 The look on my wife's face as I'm staring out into our 35 acre lake and wondering how much salt I'll need?... Priceless. Current Tank Info: 120 gallon, DIY Stand & Canopy, 2-250w 14ks w/ 2- 110 VHO actinics, ASM G-3, 50g sump, 46x tank turnover.

01/12/2006, 05:27 PM	#139
moses13 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: CA Posts: 390	johnstacy, I remember your original thread on this, and someone's comment that one of the tufts looks like Don King! I have some of this algae as well, and had it come and go. I had a couple urchins that I believe were consuming it, which I have since gotten rid of, and now it is back. If the sea hare doesn't work, try an urchin. I had a pencil and a purple spiny. I'm hoping the sea hare works for you.

01/12/2006, 06:17 PM	#142
Sindjin Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Tampa Posts: 1,436	Thanks... I dont want to side track this thread but I guess its relevant in a way. Im having a floating particulate issue now, but I really haven't been wetskimming as much as I should. I think that is a major factor. Thanks again! __________________ SeaTest Hydrometer?.... $8.00 Seachem Marine Test Kit? ...$24.00 The look on my wife's face as I'm staring out into our 35 acre lake and wondering how much salt I'll need?... Priceless. Current Tank Info: 120 gallon, DIY Stand & Canopy, 2-250w 14ks w/ 2- 110 VHO actinics, ASM G-3, 50g sump, 46x tank turnover.

01/12/2006, 06:23 PM	#143
Weatherman Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Ft. Lauderdale, FL Posts: 1,619	I have little bubbles and particulates floating around in my water, too. They donÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t tend to show up in the photographs unless I really tweak the contrast. IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ll see if I can take a picture with the idea of just seeing the little stuff in the water. --- pause while a take a picture --- Here's a view looking up toward the water surface in my 120: Last edited by Weatherman; 01/12/2006 at 06:34 PM.

01/12/2006, 06:53 PM	#144
Sindjin Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Tampa Posts: 1,436	Hmmm... not too far off from mine. Except I had a bit of a milky haze when looking legnth wise thru my tank. Im work to clarify it. __________________ SeaTest Hydrometer?.... $8.00 Seachem Marine Test Kit? ...$24.00 The look on my wife's face as I'm staring out into our 35 acre lake and wondering how much salt I'll need?... Priceless. Current Tank Info: 120 gallon, DIY Stand & Canopy, 2-250w 14ks w/ 2- 110 VHO actinics, ASM G-3, 50g sump, 46x tank turnover.

01/12/2006, 07:52 PM	#145
Bugger Moved On Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: ontario Posts: 1,104	I have the same problem my turbos only eat the hair and then it grows back. Im thinking of adding a phosphate reactor.

01/14/2006, 05:32 PM	#146
JIM260 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Southeastern Michigan Posts: 191	Foxface rabbit all the way __________________ Been out of reefing 11 years. Back in with a glass 240 (96x24x24), 150g fuge, 50g sump. Lord help me.... Plan on going LPS, soft, fish, inverts. Current Tank Info: 240 mixed reef LPS, softies, clams, fish, anemone

01/16/2006, 01:26 AM	#148
goodblasson Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Louisiana Posts: 131	Hey man, I hate to say it but, I told you so. Those emerald crabs will eat that algae. Good luck I hope this solves your problem.

01/16/2006, 05:49 AM	#149
wentreefgirl Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: New milford, ct Posts: 3,010	Throw in a yellow tang and youll be doing great.

01/16/2006, 10:59 AM	#150
tangreef68 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 301	try turbo snails and electric blue hc's __________________ 58 gallon LPS / Zoanthid