Red stringy algae bloom! - Page 2

spleify · 12/21/2008, 10:30 AM

GFO=Granular ferric oxide. Rowaphos, Phosban, etc.

Chris&Mel · 12/21/2008, 10:37 AM

It's pre-bagged carbon, I threw out the box, but I think it might have been AquaClear brand. Thats probebly the cheap kind? Its what the LFS gave me when i asked for a large size (didn't know there was diferent qualities of carbon)

Michael · 12/21/2008, 10:40 AM

theres definately different types, im not sure whats readily available over there but hopefully some guys will chip in and help out, black diamond is popular i believe, i use D&D rowacarbon myself, it easy to get over here, plenty of types im sure, you need 1 which doesnt leach phos, or vertually none anyhow, under the circumstances you need a top grade

redvicki · 12/21/2008, 10:45 AM

Does your algae seem to have a lot of air bubbles in it?

Chris&Mel · 12/21/2008, 11:10 AM

Some of it does.....why?...is that bad?

redvicki · 12/21/2008, 11:20 AM

Not sure. I've been battling some red algae with air bubbles for a couple months, it's every where. Seems to kill my sand dwelling snails too. I think it is dyno? I can pull it off the sand in a sheet at times. What seems to be helping me is increasing my pH. Trying to hold it at 8.4. Turning the lights out for 3 days did nothing, changing my bulbs nothing, water changes nothing. Also I stir my sand daily in addition to raising pH. If it's what I've got you'll need good luck and a lot of patiences.

Chris&Mel · 12/21/2008, 11:44 AM

Did you try this phosban stuff?

jbird69 · 12/21/2008, 12:01 PM

I dont know what the veteran reef keepers think of Chemi-clean Red Slime Remover...but I have used it a couple times in the past with 100% positive results. All cyano gone in 48 hours and it doesnt come back. I have a mixed reef that includes lots of sps, lps, softies, mushrooms, zoas, fish...etc. No problems whatsoever with livestock. I just followed the instructions to a T...voila! success!

Jay

redvicki · 12/21/2008, 01:41 PM

No I didn't try phos-ban. From the advice I got here almost everyone said not to use chemicals if the tank is less than one year old. Also have learned that new tanks go through several stages of algae growth. This is my third . They say the chemicals will also kill or reduce any good stuff we have built up, so I've stayed away from them and battled the stuff daily. I've had three very good days now I hate to curse myself by saying it's gone, but I'm hopeful at this point.

BNS77 · 12/21/2008, 02:17 PM

I've benn going through one for the last 3 wekks, and with vigilant water changes mine is almost completely gone . I used no media of any type. It was ugly to look at it for that long, but I'm glad I didn't put any chemicals in mine.

Michael · 12/21/2008, 02:22 PM

i dont consider phosban to be a chemical in the sence you are implying, its more of a filteration aid, it wont hurt your tank if used properly, lots of reefers use it as standard

jbird69 · 12/21/2008, 02:28 PM

I think theyre refering to my post about chemiclean...
Jay

Chris&Mel · 12/21/2008, 06:17 PM

Ok...so my LFS was sold out of Phos-ban, but they sold me some sponge that claims it removes phofates, so.........i put it in.....what do you think?

Chris&Mel · 12/21/2008, 06:47 PM

bump

Chris&Mel · 12/21/2008, 08:04 PM

No body yet?....has anyone tryed this Phos pad?

Michael · 12/22/2008, 01:36 AM

i know what your refering to, personally i wouldnt bother with the sponge, if they have no phosban then try rowaphos, if they have none of that then try a different store

WaterKeeper · 12/22/2008, 09:22 AM

Phosphate removal compounds come in two varieties. Iron based and aluminum based. Both work well but there are concerns about aluminum's effect on corals. Therefore the iron based GFO are generally used. As Mike points out you are not really adding anything in using one but having phosphates bond to the media where it can be removed when the media is changed.

Vin7250 · 12/22/2008, 09:36 AM

how old are your light bulbs?? this can cause cyano to form as well. I do agree with the other posters (having gone through this myself) you must remove the nutrients that are causing the cyano rather then just up your flow and shut your lights down. This may alleviate the symptoms but not the actual problem. Run a phos reactor with GFO as well.

Michael · 12/22/2008, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Vin7250
how old are your light bulbs?? this can cause cyano to form as well. I do agree with the other posters (having gone through this myself) you must remove the nutrients that are causing the cyano rather then just up your flow and shut your lights down. This may alleviate the symptoms but not the actual problem. Run a phos reactor with GFO as well.

great post vin, your right, lighting being shut off just wont cure the problem, i see posters saying this all the time, but as you have rightly pointed out this alone wont cure the problem

Chris&Mel · 12/22/2008, 11:40 AM

Ok....so...
1 i wish i could go to another LFS, but we live in a small town and he's the only one
2 i have cut back on lights and feedings
3 i have been playing with the skimmer trying to get it to "wet skim"
4 have been doing alot of water changes
5 my bulbs are only a month old

so i put this pad in, and i think i'm just going to ride this out and see what hapens as everything I do doesn't seem to make a difference.
So....fingers crossed

jbird69 · 12/22/2008, 01:20 PM

only leave that pad in for a few days or itll start leaching phose back into the system.

Chris&Mel · 12/22/2008, 02:08 PM

Ok, so 3-4 days......or 1-2?
Thanx

12/21/2008, 10:30 AM	#26
spleify Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 9,579	GFO=Granular ferric oxide. Rowaphos, Phosban, etc. __________________ Make it a Great Day!!!! Current Tank Info: 60 gal SPS cube, with 25 gal refugium, 400W MH, DIY Lumenarc III, DIY skimmer, DIY stand and canopy. 40 breeder LPS with 40 gallon sump, DIY stand, 250W MH

12/21/2008, 10:37 AM	#27
Chris&Mel Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: BC, Canada Posts: 597	It's pre-bagged carbon, I threw out the box, but I think it might have been AquaClear brand. Thats probebly the cheap kind? Its what the LFS gave me when i asked for a large size (didn't know there was diferent qualities of carbon) __________________ I let my wife think she is the brains of this operation Current Tank Info: 60 gal ,36" sun dial T-5, super skimmer 220, #2&#3 korilia's, marineland 20gal sump, 80pd's LR, 30 pd's LS

12/21/2008, 10:40 AM	#28
Michael NTTH Rookie Help Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Gloucester, England,UK Posts: 7,808 Blog Entries: 6	theres definately different types, im not sure whats readily available over there but hopefully some guys will chip in and help out, black diamond is popular i believe, i use D&D rowacarbon myself, it easy to get over here, plenty of types im sure, you need 1 which doesnt leach phos, or vertually none anyhow, under the circumstances you need a top grade __________________ Don't be afraid to ask questions, we in the new to the hobby are here to help you [For My Tank Spec,Photo Album,Articles and website, click on my name] MY Very Kindest and Warmest Regards , MIKE Current Tank Info: I have a 92 gal Corner Tank, and way too many pieces of equipment to list really, (proud member of the reef central corner club)

12/21/2008, 11:10 AM	#30
Chris&Mel Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: BC, Canada Posts: 597	Some of it does.....why?...is that bad? __________________ I let my wife think she is the brains of this operation Current Tank Info: 60 gal ,36" sun dial T-5, super skimmer 220, #2&#3 korilia's, marineland 20gal sump, 80pd's LR, 30 pd's LS

12/21/2008, 11:44 AM	#32
Chris&Mel Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: BC, Canada Posts: 597	Did you try this phosban stuff? __________________ I let my wife think she is the brains of this operation Current Tank Info: 60 gal ,36" sun dial T-5, super skimmer 220, #2&#3 korilia's, marineland 20gal sump, 80pd's LR, 30 pd's LS

12/21/2008, 10:45 AM	#29
redvicki Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Missouri Posts: 499	Does your algae seem to have a lot of air bubbles in it?

12/21/2008, 11:20 AM	#31
redvicki Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Missouri Posts: 499	Not sure. I've been battling some red algae with air bubbles for a couple months, it's every where. Seems to kill my sand dwelling snails too. I think it is dyno? I can pull it off the sand in a sheet at times. What seems to be helping me is increasing my pH. Trying to hold it at 8.4. Turning the lights out for 3 days did nothing, changing my bulbs nothing, water changes nothing. Also I stir my sand daily in addition to raising pH. If it's what I've got you'll need good luck and a lot of patiences.

12/21/2008, 12:01 PM	#33
jbird69 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: The beautiful State of Jefferson Posts: 2,751	I dont know what the veteran reef keepers think of Chemi-clean Red Slime Remover...but I have used it a couple times in the past with 100% positive results. All cyano gone in 48 hours and it doesnt come back. I have a mixed reef that includes lots of sps, lps, softies, mushrooms, zoas, fish...etc. No problems whatsoever with livestock. I just followed the instructions to a T...voila! success! Jay __________________ Broke Back Mountain is not a movie, its the pile of dead ninjas in Chuck Norris' back yard

12/21/2008, 01:41 PM	#34
redvicki Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Missouri Posts: 499	No I didn't try phos-ban. From the advice I got here almost everyone said not to use chemicals if the tank is less than one year old. Also have learned that new tanks go through several stages of algae growth. This is my third . They say the chemicals will also kill or reduce any good stuff we have built up, so I've stayed away from them and battled the stuff daily. I've had three very good days now I hate to curse myself by saying it's gone, but I'm hopeful at this point.

12/21/2008, 02:17 PM	#35
BNS77 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Concord, NC Posts: 124	I've benn going through one for the last 3 wekks, and with vigilant water changes mine is almost completely gone . I used no media of any type. It was ugly to look at it for that long, but I'm glad I didn't put any chemicals in mine.

12/21/2008, 02:22 PM	#36
Michael NTTH Rookie Help Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Gloucester, England,UK Posts: 7,808 Blog Entries: 6	i dont consider phosban to be a chemical in the sence you are implying, its more of a filteration aid, it wont hurt your tank if used properly, lots of reefers use it as standard __________________ Don't be afraid to ask questions, we in the new to the hobby are here to help you [For My Tank Spec,Photo Album,Articles and website, click on my name] MY Very Kindest and Warmest Regards , MIKE Current Tank Info: I have a 92 gal Corner Tank, and way too many pieces of equipment to list really, (proud member of the reef central corner club)

12/21/2008, 02:28 PM	#37
jbird69 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: The beautiful State of Jefferson Posts: 2,751	I think theyre refering to my post about chemiclean... Jay __________________ Broke Back Mountain is not a movie, its the pile of dead ninjas in Chuck Norris' back yard

12/21/2008, 06:17 PM	#38
Chris&Mel Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: BC, Canada Posts: 597	Ok...so my LFS was sold out of Phos-ban, but they sold me some sponge that claims it removes phofates, so.........i put it in.....what do you think? __________________ I let my wife think she is the brains of this operation Current Tank Info: 60 gal ,36" sun dial T-5, super skimmer 220, #2&#3 korilia's, marineland 20gal sump, 80pd's LR, 30 pd's LS

12/21/2008, 06:47 PM	#39
Chris&Mel Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: BC, Canada Posts: 597	bump __________________ I let my wife think she is the brains of this operation Current Tank Info: 60 gal ,36" sun dial T-5, super skimmer 220, #2&#3 korilia's, marineland 20gal sump, 80pd's LR, 30 pd's LS

12/21/2008, 08:04 PM	#40
Chris&Mel Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: BC, Canada Posts: 597	No body yet?....has anyone tryed this Phos pad? __________________ I let my wife think she is the brains of this operation Current Tank Info: 60 gal ,36" sun dial T-5, super skimmer 220, #2&#3 korilia's, marineland 20gal sump, 80pd's LR, 30 pd's LS

12/22/2008, 01:36 AM	#41
Michael NTTH Rookie Help Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Gloucester, England,UK Posts: 7,808 Blog Entries: 6	i know what your refering to, personally i wouldnt bother with the sponge, if they have no phosban then try rowaphos, if they have none of that then try a different store __________________ Don't be afraid to ask questions, we in the new to the hobby are here to help you [For My Tank Spec,Photo Album,Articles and website, click on my name] MY Very Kindest and Warmest Regards , MIKE Current Tank Info: I have a 92 gal Corner Tank, and way too many pieces of equipment to list really, (proud member of the reef central corner club)

12/22/2008, 09:22 AM	#42
WaterKeeper Bogus Information Expert Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 16,147	Phosphate removal compounds come in two varieties. Iron based and aluminum based. Both work well but there are concerns about aluminum's effect on corals. Therefore the iron based GFO are generally used. As Mike points out you are not really adding anything in using one but having phosphates bond to the media where it can be removed when the media is changed. __________________ "Leading the information hungry reefer down the road to starvation" Tom Current Tank Info: 130 Now out of service and a 29

12/22/2008, 09:36 AM	#43
Vin7250 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Connecticut "The Big East" Posts: 1,144	how old are your light bulbs?? this can cause cyano to form as well. I do agree with the other posters (having gone through this myself) you must remove the nutrients that are causing the cyano rather then just up your flow and shut your lights down. This may alleviate the symptoms but not the actual problem. Run a phos reactor with GFO as well.

12/22/2008, 11:40 AM	#45
Chris&Mel Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: BC, Canada Posts: 597	Ok....so... 1 i wish i could go to another LFS, but we live in a small town and he's the only one 2 i have cut back on lights and feedings 3 i have been playing with the skimmer trying to get it to "wet skim" 4 have been doing alot of water changes 5 my bulbs are only a month old so i put this pad in, and i think i'm just going to ride this out and see what hapens as everything I do doesn't seem to make a difference. So....fingers crossed __________________ I let my wife think she is the brains of this operation Current Tank Info: 60 gal ,36" sun dial T-5, super skimmer 220, #2&#3 korilia's, marineland 20gal sump, 80pd's LR, 30 pd's LS

12/22/2008, 01:20 PM	#46
jbird69 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: The beautiful State of Jefferson Posts: 2,751	only leave that pad in for a few days or itll start leaching phose back into the system. __________________ Broke Back Mountain is not a movie, its the pile of dead ninjas in Chuck Norris' back yard

12/22/2008, 02:08 PM	#47
Chris&Mel Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: BC, Canada Posts: 597	Ok, so 3-4 days......or 1-2? Thanx __________________ I let my wife think she is the brains of this operation Current Tank Info: 60 gal ,36" sun dial T-5, super skimmer 220, #2&#3 korilia's, marineland 20gal sump, 80pd's LR, 30 pd's LS