CUC advice?

[bryan oestreich]

running a 65 gallon reef.
current inverts:
1 coral banded shrimp, 1 cleaner shrimp, 2 peppermint shrimps
3 super tongan nassarius snails
like 4 banded trochus snails
about 4-5 turban snails
1 brittle starfish
2 red tip hermits
1 scarlet hermit
1 baby feather duster hitchhicker
xmas trees fan worms (about a baseball size rock, maybe a little bit smaller.

I clean entire tanks glass once a week, twice a week I do the front glass (viewing purposes)
my lighting is 2 16" full spectrum LED fixtures (55x3watts each) I run them 50% blue and 25% white. white are one 8hrs a day and blues are on about 10hrs a day.

questions or advice I have or need, have a lot of diatom algae on glass and sand and some hairy aglae on rock.

do I need to increase my CUC and what would you recommend?

 

[cloak]

No, don't add any more janitors to the tank. You need to figure out what's causing this algae to grow and reduce that. In most cases it's either Phosphates, Silicates or a combination of the two. The link below goes into some detail about these.

http://www.reefcleaners.org/nuisance-algae-id-guide

 

[bryan oestreich]

No, don't add any more janitors to the tank. You need to figure out what's causing this algae to grow and reduce that. In most cases it's either Phosphates, Silicates or a combination of the two. The link below goes into some detail about these.

http://www.reefcleaners.org/nuisance-algae-id-guide

ya I have not got a good phosphate test kit, I been using api and tells me I have 0ppm. had LFS test it, show a little but cant remember how much but just alittle. I do 15% water changes weekly, feed once a day with Mysis and blood worms. 2-3 times a week I use reef frenzy and phyto for coral

 

[bryan oestreich]

I was thinking of turning my aquaclear 70 into a refuge. would it help with phosphates and nitrate problems?

if so and I do convert it. how do I still add activated carbon to the tank? could I put the bag on the import side of the aquaclear by the baffle?

 

[ndz98]

+1 on what cloak said. I would also make sure magnesium levels aren't too low. I experienced a slight algae problem for a little bit but the cause of that was my low mag levels I believe because as soon as I brought them back up the algae all dissapeared.

 

[bryan oestreich]

+1 on what cloak said. I would also make sure magnesium levels aren't too low. I experienced a slight algae problem for a little bit but the cause of that was my low mag levels I believe because as soon as I brought them back up the algae all dissapeared.

I use red sea for mag test. everytime I test I get about 1200. is that too low? if so how do I bring it up?

 

[ndz98]

I use red sea for mag test. everytime I test I get about 1200. is that too low? if so how do I bring it up?

Your mag isn't that low. Between 1250-1350 ppm is what I usually go by but I don't think mag is your issue with the algae in this case. You could try to raise it to higher levels to get rid of the algae.

 

[chefjpaul]

How many fish in the tank?
Do you run a skimmer?
Rodi water?

I have tried the hob / aqua clear fuge a long time ago, i found its just not enough volume to do anything. Waste time and money.

 

[bryan oestreich]

Your mag isn't that low. Between 1250-1350 ppm is what I usually go by but I don't think mag is your issue with the algae in this case. You could try to raise it to higher levels to get rid of the algae.

what would I do to bring it up? is there a magnesium additive I could dose?

been dealing with this for over a month now and im on a lose. I brought my lights down 50% intensity, one feed once a day instead of 2. I blow rock of with turkey baster so the rock can filter properly. there is usually no exra food when I get done feeding maybe a piece or two on sand but I know either my starfish or hermits will take care of it within an hr or 2. I use ro/di water (not my own LFS's). my protein skimmer is only rated for a 70gallon and I wonder if that is the issue but cant afford a new one right now will be a while so im hoping that's not the issue. by collection cup fills up about once a week maybe 5 days. and you can tell its working. everything is thriving coral fish inverts. I haven't had any death but a orange linkia starfish a month ago but he was out of tank before it could do any damage. and I removed a huge atlantic anemone I had cause we started going around the tank stinging everything

 

[chefjpaul]

what would I do to bring it up? is there a magnesium additive I could dose?

been dealing with this for over a month now and im on a lose. I brought my lights down 50% intensity, one feed once a day instead of 2. I blow rock of with turkey baster so the rock can filter properly. there is usually no exra food when I get done feeding maybe a piece or two on sand but I know either my starfish or hermits will take care of it within an hr or 2. I use ro/di water (not my own LFS's). my protein skimmer is only rated for a 70gallon and I wonder if that is the issue but cant afford a new one right now will be a while so im hoping that's not the issue. by collection cup fills up about once a week maybe 5 days. and you can tell its working. everything is thriving coral fish inverts. I haven't had any death but a orange linkia starfish a month ago but he was out of tank before it could do any damage. and I removed a huge atlantic anemone I had cause we started going around the tank stinging everything

Do you test the tds of this lfs water?

 

[bryan oestreich]

How many fish in the tank?
Do you run a skimmer?
Rodi water?

I have tried the hob / aqua clear fuge a long time ago, i found its just not enough volume to do anything. Waste time and money.

6 fish, leopard wrasse, pajam cardinal, lawnmower blenny. purple dottyback, chalk bass, and a true perc.
skimmer is being used only rated for 70gal. cant afford another one for a while. tank use to be in a 30g hence why I bought a smaller skimmer. didn't think I would upgrade as quick as I did.

okay wont waste time on the fuge then thanks for advice.

 

[bryan oestreich]

Do you test the tds of this lfs water?

have not. haven't gotten a tds meter yet. I was thinking of going that route

 

[chefjpaul]

I don't see MG being an issue here.

 

[bryan oestreich]

Do you test the tds of this lfs water?

I had a 30gal before this tank and I used the same LFS water the whole time and had no problem. the only thing change was the lighting. but I have them set low intensity and there 18" about the water surface

 

[chefjpaul]

Post a pic of the tank, I'm sure @brandon429, or someone will chime in here to get this remedy.

 

[bryan oestreich]

Post a pic of the tank, I'm sure Brandon or someone will chime in here to get this remedy.

tank was completely cleaned last night. don't think you will see anything that could help but I can post one up later tonight when I get home

 

[chefjpaul]

The diatoms are mainly from silicates in the water or new plastics. From my experience it's usually lower quality water filters.

Hair algae could be from many things, husbandry, and high tds water are the two main, then under filtration and just dirty rock.

 

[bryan oestreich]

The diatoms are mainly from silicates in the water or new plastics. From my experience it's usually lower quality water filters.

Hair algae could be from many things, husbandry, and high tds water are the two main, then under filtration and just dirty rock.

I did put a new powerhead in a week ago. that is new plastic, didn't think of it

 

[bryan oestreich]

here is a picture of my tank

here is a pic of I would imagine red algae? Can any body give an idea of what it is

 

[chefjpaul]

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/reef2reef-pest-algae-challenge-thread-hydrogen-peroxide.187042/