Tank is slipping into algae hell - help

[Roskoreef]

Originally Posted by Myka

Which Zeovit additives are you using? I'd stop dosing any that wi help fuel algae until you have that under control.

K-balance
strontium
coral booster
zeostart3
pols xtra
macroelements
sponge power
flouride/iodine complex
coral vitalizer
zeospur once a month
b-balance at daily doseage per week instead

lately have been trying zeo's cyano mixes (bio mate and zeozym, also coral snow with zeobac) because i ran out of cyanoclean.


all at recommended dosage, which ones are particularly algae fueling?

[Roskoreef]

DT Algae

[AquaAddict]

Hi,

Perhaps stop all dosing except the essentials to balance pH, kH, Ca and Mg.

Lower light levels if possible and reduce hours

Get a Tang, especially a Kole Tang - super algae eater.

Use Instant Ocean's Natural Nitrate Reducer which settles into the nooks and crannies where nitrates like to hang out. This is my favourite product.

Use RowaPhos to reduce phosphates as all tanks have phosphates no matter what - another favourite product

Good ideas already mentioned that I like are: spot feeding and lots of circulation.

Good Luck and persevere; you have a great tank and will be beautiful.

AquaAddict

[Roskoreef]

Originally Posted by AquaAddict

Hi,

Perhaps stop all dosing except the essentials to balance pH, kH, Ca and Mg.

Lower light levels if possible and reduce hours

Get a Tang, especially a Kole Tang - super algae eater.

Use Instant Ocean's Natural Nitrate Reducer which settles into the nooks and crannies where nitrates like to hang out. This is my favourite product.

Use RowaPhos to reduce phosphates as all tanks have phosphates no matter what - another favourite product

Good ideas already mentioned that I like are: spot feeding and lots of circulation.

Good Luck and persevere; you have a great tank and will be beautiful.

AquaAddict

yeah, im thinking slowly reduce most additives daily until i can fiure out whats happening.

have a yellow eye kole tang and yeah he keeps the dt pretty tidy except for cyano and bubble.

Im reluctant to use any more filtration/phosphate/nitrate reducing methods as im already messing with the zeovit guidelines by running UV aswell..

probably going to stop feeding cyclopeez aswell, maybe too messy..

[Skim]

Wow, it sounds like there is more supplements then there is water.
A few questions and some suggestions. First STOP THE SUPPLEMENTS ALL and no water change right now as you just add more trace elements when you do.
Drop the T-5's to 6 hr you can decrease more if you have to. Leave LED's at 8 hrs. I see you have Emeralds, get 2 Sea Hares if one is bigger put it in the Main and smaller in the Frag. From the pic's and the way your rock looks your tank does not look like its been running for long, how old is the set up?
This next one should get a few comments, drop one of the skimmers if it was me I would drop the 400 gal and keep the 225 and clean it everyday to keep the neck clean. You have Cyno and that's a bacteria and you don't have enough " dum to say but good bacteria " pick up some Microbacter 7 you would need the 2L bottle. You did not mention PH or Nitrate this info would help. I don't know if you are running GFO or GAC but you will need to get some. I would recommend a high capacity GFO and TLF Hydro Carbon " only carbon to ever test 0 for phosphate " and when I said pick some up I don't me little jars you can get TLF carbon in a small bucket and if you go with Rowa you can get the 5 Kg bucket. You will also need 2 reactor you could get away with the TLF 150's, and you will need some filter floss. Go to Walmart and pick a big bag of pillow stuffing just make sure it say's 100 polyester and there is no anti mold or any type of additive. You will also need a power head I recommend the Colbalt 1200 and 1/2" tubing and a 1/2" ball valve to put in line to slow the flow. OK you want to use 2 cups Hydro carbon in one reactor and 2 cups GFO as a starting point. Put some filter floss on top of the GFO specially if you use Rowa as much of it is fine and will wash away. The flow should not be more then 100 Gal for your system if the flow is too high you will not absorb much phosphate but you will lose ALK. This is key and many do not understand this and think faster is better. If you are using GFO now then I know why your ALK is on the low side and you have like no coralline algae. The other thing I just thought of, pick up some filter socks not the felt ones get the 200 or 300 micron Poly type as the Algae dies the socks will catch the algae and they are easier to clean. Lastly, patience. This will take time because your rock is full of it and your substrate is full it. It being Phosphate.

I hope this may be some help, and good luck!

Skim

[Roskoreef]

Originally Posted by Skim

Wow, it sounds like there is more supplements then there is water.
A few questions and some suggestions. First STOP THE SUPPLEMENTS ALL and no water change right now as you just add more trace elements when you do.
Drop the T-5's to 6 hr you can decrease more if you have to. Leave LED's at 8 hrs. I see you have Emeralds, get 2 Sea Hares if one is bigger put it in the Main and smaller in the Frag. From the pic's and the way your rock looks your tank does not look like its been running for long, how old is the set up?
This next one should get a few comments, drop one of the skimmers if it was me I would drop the 400 gal and keep the 225 and clean it everyday to keep the neck clean. You have Cyno and that's a bacteria and you don't have enough " dum to say but good bacteria " pick up some Microbacter 7 you would need the 2L bottle. You did not mention PH or Nitrate this info would help. I don't know if you are running GFO or GAC but you will need to get some. I would recommend a high capacity GFO and TLF Hydro Carbon " only carbon to ever test 0 for phosphate " and when I said pick some up I don't me little jars you can get TLF carbon in a small bucket and if you go with Rowa you can get the 5 Kg bucket. You will also need 2 reactor you could get away with the TLF 150's, and you will need some filter floss. Go to Walmart and pick a big bag of pillow stuffing just make sure it say's 100 polyester and there is no anti mold or any type of additive. You will also need a power head I recommend the Colbalt 1200 and 1/2" tubing and a 1/2" ball valve to put in line to slow the flow. OK you want to use 2 cups Hydro carbon in one reactor and 2 cups GFO as a starting point. Put some filter floss on top of the GFO specially if you use Rowa as much of it is fine and will wash away. The flow should not be more then 100 Gal for your system if the flow is too high you will not absorb much phosphate but you will lose ALK. This is key and many do not understand this and think faster is better. If you are using GFO now then I know why your ALK is on the low side and you have like no coralline algae. The other thing I just thought of, pick up some filter socks not the felt ones get the 200 or 300 micron Poly type as the Algae dies the socks will catch the algae and they are easier to clean. Lastly, patience. This will take time because your rock is full of it and your substrate is full it. It being Phosphate.

I hope this may be some help, and good luck!

Skim

Sorry should have mentioned, plan is to run full zeovit, have been the whole time...thus alk of 7 or so goal and ph is 8.08-8.32

Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk

[Roskoreef]

Originally Posted by WarDog

Whoa! Are you committed to run full zeo?

Yup thats the plan, maybe i should turn up the zeo reactor flow for faster nutrient export but im worried for some lps i have

Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk

[WarDog]

I am running zeo and my tank is the same age as yours. I am not having any of the problems you seem to be dealing with. DON'T PANIC! I will send you a PM, but don't wait up for it. It's going to take me a while to write it, and I'm currently arms deep in my tank, lol.

[Myka]

Originally Posted by Roskoreef

K-balance
strontium
coral booster <----
zeostart3
pols xtra <----
macroelements <---- not sure about this one
sponge power
flouride/iodine complex <----
coral vitalizer <----
zeospur once a month
b-balance at daily doseage per week instead <----

lately have been trying zeo's cyano mixes (bio mate and zeozym, also coral snow with zeobac) because i ran out of cyanoclean.


all at recommended dosage, which ones are particularly algae fueling?

I pointed arrows are them above.

FWIW, I've had better luck using Prodibio BioClean for algae issues than any zeovit additives, but if you're wanting to stay committed then maybe Warren has some ideas for you. I agree that you're breaking the Zeo "rules", which is working against you rather than for you.

[Roskoreef]

ok update, what i did in the last few days,

first thing, put on socks....later in the day put on filter socks,

-took all the branch out that was holding up the eggcrate, stuff collecting around it..put some magnets from frag racks underneath the corners, works ok..

-turned up flow on gyre 130 in frag tank to 100%

-manually removed as much algae as possible, blew off any cyano, and left bubble algae alone in both tanks

-30hr blackout in frag tank

-then reduced light in frag tank to 6hrs T5 - 7 Bulb

- feeding way less, target feeding corals without flow...have been feeding less cyclopeeze and am considering not feeding it a all. Im pretty sure all the deitrus in both tanks is moestly cyclop...

-halved feeding amout in main tank

-after feeding i have been doing daily 10 gallon water changes and vacuuming up anything.

-halved additive dosing for this week, will stop most completly for a bit... it doesnt feel right to cut off most of what i was dosing for the last while, Ithing the corals would probably be better tapering off everything.

results -

Brown slimy stuff in frag tank pretty much gone, i think the eggcrate is "new" maybe could be the reason of the brown stuff.

cyano has come back a little bit here and there, i just keep blasting it whenever i have time, seems to be under control-ish.

bubble algae remains the same..all over in small batches, not really growing but it would take another 5- 10 crabs to get it done i think.


As for possibly considering dropping UV, i dont have a sand bed at all anymore, what else would be anti-zeo?