Water Quality ?

Moosetache · 04/09/2008, 01:04 PM

Over the past couple days I have noticed that the hair algae that remains in my tank and has historically been free flowing, has become hard looking and a little bit white. More like a brillow pad I guess. My water also is a little milky looking when the lights come on, not at all bad, but just not clear and crisp like it has been.

I have tested the water and it is all reading great.....

Nitrate-0
PH-8.2
Nitrites-0
Ammonia-0
Ca-380
KH-8

Not really sure what the problem could be.

I do not run carbon currently, but may have to start.

papagimp · 04/09/2008, 01:13 PM

sounds as though the HA may be dying off some. macro when either dying/decaying or going assexual can give the water that "milkey" appearahce. If it is dying, than it's not realloy a problem but a problem that is getting fixed (high nutrients, phosphates, nitrates, ect. ) Just a shot in the dark though, based on my experience.

inachu · 04/09/2008, 01:13 PM

Carbon will help and using polishing pads and try using less light.

Moosetache · 04/09/2008, 01:20 PM

I run a phosban reactor on the tank.....so the phosphates should not be a problem. I run Chaeto in the fuge, so that shouldnt be going sexual, but there are some leftover caulerpa roots in the fuge that I have to pull out whenever I see them. I hope those arent going sexual.

inachu · 04/09/2008, 01:21 PM

But if your tank truly is healthy then just buy the water clear bottles that will bind the tiny particles together and see how that helps.

If you do not have any purple algae then I would buy some purple up as purple algae will eat the stuff before the bad algae can and will prevent bad algae outbreaks

Moosetache · 04/09/2008, 01:23 PM

I have a plethora of Coralline algae...have to scrape the walls with a blade to keep them clean. wierd, I guess there is not a clear answer here.

Moosetache · 04/09/2008, 01:24 PM

And I must say, today is the first day I have seen the water cloudy, and it is getting worse as time passes. I think I am going to turn the lights off for a while.

papagimp · 04/09/2008, 01:24 PM

Moosetache, just having a phosban reactor doesn't mean you don't have phosphates.....but having the hair algae does mean it's there. Algae needs phosphates and nitrates to thrive. If the test results are showing 0 phosphates, that's most likely due to the algae using it up as quickly as it's being introduced. So for further refererence, if you see any nuisance algae in the tank, their will be at least enough phosphate for whatevers growing.

Cheato may not be going assexual, but I was refering to the hair algae you mentioned.

but all that aside, it was just a thought, I'd recommend inachu suggestion as well, little carbon and maybe a polishing pad of sorts to help clear up the water some.

Moosetache · 04/09/2008, 01:28 PM

Yeah, there was a bunch of phosphates in there about a month and a half ago, so that is when I added the reactor. the algae has been steadily/quickly declining since about 2 weeks after I added it. There should be very little in the way of phosphates in there at this point. The Hair Algae looks worse and worse everyday, I just couldnt figure out why it took on this whitish, stiff characteristic all of a sudden.

inachu · 04/09/2008, 01:47 PM

Depending on the brand of phosphate remover he is using......

If it is those tiny BB balls then the directions say to pour them into chorline bleach to reactivate them then rinse them and let them dry until the bleach smell is gone then you can use them again. Or maybe its the USE ONCE and throw away kind.

Moosetache · 04/09/2008, 01:50 PM

Well, I have never heard about that bleach action....there is no direction for that on the bottle.

Bottle just says:

PhosBan
Julian Sprung's Marine Aquarium Formula
by Two Little Fishies.

papagimp · 04/09/2008, 02:45 PM

Purigen can be recharged that way. I've not used any phosphate media that can be recharged though and I don't believe Purigen is a "phosphate remover" but removes a multitude of "whatever".

Moosetache · 04/09/2008, 03:41 PM

Well, just had the water tested.....just having a precipitate event.

Ca - 480
Kh - 11

04/09/2008, 01:04 PM	#1
Moosetache Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 552	Water Quality ? Over the past couple days I have noticed that the hair algae that remains in my tank and has historically been free flowing, has become hard looking and a little bit white. More like a brillow pad I guess. My water also is a little milky looking when the lights come on, not at all bad, but just not clear and crisp like it has been. I have tested the water and it is all reading great..... Nitrate-0 PH-8.2 Nitrites-0 Ammonia-0 Ca-380 KH-8 Not really sure what the problem could be. I do not run carbon currently, but may have to start.

04/09/2008, 01:13 PM	#2
papagimp COMAS Rocks! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Oklahoma City, OK Posts: 8,185 Blog Entries: 2	sounds as though the HA may be dying off some. macro when either dying/decaying or going assexual can give the water that "milkey" appearahce. If it is dying, than it's not realloy a problem but a problem that is getting fixed (high nutrients, phosphates, nitrates, ect. ) Just a shot in the dark though, based on my experience. __________________ 58g Softie & 75g Stoney Member, Central Oklahoma Marine Aquarium Society Current Tank Info: 58g Mixed Reef Project - Started June 2011

04/09/2008, 01:24 PM	#8
papagimp COMAS Rocks! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Oklahoma City, OK Posts: 8,185 Blog Entries: 2	Moosetache, just having a phosban reactor doesn't mean you don't have phosphates.....but having the hair algae does mean it's there. Algae needs phosphates and nitrates to thrive. If the test results are showing 0 phosphates, that's most likely due to the algae using it up as quickly as it's being introduced. So for further refererence, if you see any nuisance algae in the tank, their will be at least enough phosphate for whatevers growing. Cheato may not be going assexual, but I was refering to the hair algae you mentioned. but all that aside, it was just a thought, I'd recommend inachu suggestion as well, little carbon and maybe a polishing pad of sorts to help clear up the water some. __________________ 58g Softie & 75g Stoney Member, Central Oklahoma Marine Aquarium Society Current Tank Info: 58g Mixed Reef Project - Started June 2011

04/09/2008, 02:45 PM	#12
papagimp COMAS Rocks! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Oklahoma City, OK Posts: 8,185 Blog Entries: 2	Purigen can be recharged that way. I've not used any phosphate media that can be recharged though and I don't believe Purigen is a "phosphate remover" but removes a multitude of "whatever". __________________ 58g Softie & 75g Stoney Member, Central Oklahoma Marine Aquarium Society Current Tank Info: 58g Mixed Reef Project - Started June 2011

04/09/2008, 01:13 PM	#3
inachu Moved On Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Maryland, metro area Posts: 1,219	Carbon will help and using polishing pads and try using less light.

04/09/2008, 01:20 PM	#4
Moosetache Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 552	I run a phosban reactor on the tank.....so the phosphates should not be a problem. I run Chaeto in the fuge, so that shouldnt be going sexual, but there are some leftover caulerpa roots in the fuge that I have to pull out whenever I see them. I hope those arent going sexual.

04/09/2008, 01:21 PM	#5
inachu Moved On Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Maryland, metro area Posts: 1,219	But if your tank truly is healthy then just buy the water clear bottles that will bind the tiny particles together and see how that helps. If you do not have any purple algae then I would buy some purple up as purple algae will eat the stuff before the bad algae can and will prevent bad algae outbreaks

04/09/2008, 01:23 PM	#6
Moosetache Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 552	I have a plethora of Coralline algae...have to scrape the walls with a blade to keep them clean. wierd, I guess there is not a clear answer here.

04/09/2008, 01:28 PM	#9
Moosetache Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 552	Yeah, there was a bunch of phosphates in there about a month and a half ago, so that is when I added the reactor. the algae has been steadily/quickly declining since about 2 weeks after I added it. There should be very little in the way of phosphates in there at this point. The Hair Algae looks worse and worse everyday, I just couldnt figure out why it took on this whitish, stiff characteristic all of a sudden.

04/09/2008, 01:47 PM	#10
inachu Moved On Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Maryland, metro area Posts: 1,219	Depending on the brand of phosphate remover he is using...... If it is those tiny BB balls then the directions say to pour them into chorline bleach to reactivate them then rinse them and let them dry until the bleach smell is gone then you can use them again. Or maybe its the USE ONCE and throw away kind.

04/09/2008, 01:50 PM	#11
Moosetache Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 552	Well, I have never heard about that bleach action....there is no direction for that on the bottle. Bottle just says: PhosBan Julian Sprung's Marine Aquarium Formula by Two Little Fishies.

04/09/2008, 03:41 PM	#13
Moosetache Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 552	Well, just had the water tested.....just having a precipitate event. Ca - 480 Kh - 11