Carbon and GFO Vs Biopellet Reactor Vs UV Steralizer Vs Algae Scrubber

[ocsurferdad]

Hello,

I am trying to figure out what would be the best method of attack for pesky red algae for someone in my position. You will see that I am using vibrant but even holding it seems to make the condition worse

First off here’s my set up-
Tank: 93 Gallon Corner
Lighting: 1 OceanRevive and 1 a360x-Tuna Blue above, 1 a360x-refugium below
Sump: 25 Gal old school with carbon pad filtration over bioballs which drip into refugium space where chaeto is grown.
Return: DCP 10,000
Skimmer: Reef Octo 120-EXT
Powerhead: 850gph Hydor

Water Parameters-
Salinity 0.0126
pH 8.15-8.3
Ammonia 0
Nitrate <5
Nitrite 0
Phosphates 0.02-0.2 have a hard time keeping them down
Calcium 440
Alk 12.3ish

Media:
ChemiPure-Elite I use 2 50 gal bags and replace 1 of them every 45 days so there’s consistently a fresh one

Additives:
Vibrant 10ml weekly

Feeding:
1 cube emerald entre Monday and Thursday
Saturday or Sunday 1/4tsp Reef Roi
All other days a pinch of flake food

Fish:
2 Clowns
1 Yellow Tang
1 Lawnmower Blenny
1 Sand-sifter Blenny
1 Blue Wrasse

Clean up crew:
~10 Turbo Snails
~5 Nassarius Snails
Few hermits and emeralds

So I guess I’m wondering what would be the best option or combination from here?

1. Adding UV sterilizer to kill off or reduce algae and protozoa
2. Adding Carbon & GFO reactors to reduce phosphates
3. Adding biopellet reactor to hopefully increase algae eating bacteria population
4. Add an algae scrubber

I realize they all have different ways of addressing various underlying issues, but I was hoping to get some opinions or other ideas. Any feedback is appreciated. If I missed something you would like to know just ask.

 

[ReefBeta]

First thing noticed in the picture, all the probes you have in the tank, they shouldn't be totally submerged except for the temp probe. The black connector part should be kept out of water, or they might leak and fail prematurely.

Back to the algae question. You said red algae, is that cyano? If so, all you need is a round of red slime remover. Didn't see much algae in your tank, maybe more pictures to highlight them?

Also you have chaeto refugium already, it will be easier to just power it up, by either turning up light intensity, or increase photo period. A well run chaeto refugium is enough to strip a system empty of nutrient, so I don't think you need to add yet another nutrient export system.

About activated carbon, it won't really help much on algae problem. But you should change them more often. Each bag of it is staying in your tank for 90 days, that's really long. Usually recommend change every 2 weeks, I won't go longer than 3 weeks between replacement. You can use less each time. Carbon staying in tank for too long is tend to clog up and lost effectiveness, also have potential to leach back to the system.

The first thing I will really change is the clean up crew. You need a lot more for a 90 gallon. Start with 1 critter per gallon. You have 20ish there, so you need another 60ish more, mix with snail, hermit, urchin, emerald crab, sand shifter, etc. Pick your favorite kind and be diversify.

 

[ocsurferdad]

Thank you for imparting your wisdom zsxking.