Mattgsa 315 gallon build

[GBRsouth]

Keep the calcium reactor for later, you'll need it then, but you won't have the demand to need it yet and will drive down your pH before you have enough coral to counter balance the pH effect of using it.

 

[mattgsa]

The algae is back despite the fluconazole treatment. I'm not sure what to do about it. Every time I use the Fluconazole, I lose corals, and the corals that do survive lose a lot of color, and it takes forever for the color to come back.

 

[GBRsouth]

The algae is back despite the fluconazole treatment. I'm not sure what to do about it. Every time I use the Fluconazole, I lose corals, and the corals that do survive lose a lot of color, and it takes forever for the color to come back.

Just leave it alone Matt. Keep dosing kalkwasser as it supports coralline algae growth to compete against nuisance algae. In time, it will correct itself as coralline grows and as you get more corals to help use up the nutrients, the algae will starve out and your tangs will eat it all.

If it is cyano, get small wavemakers to target the zone it grows on and if your ratio of nitrate to phosphate is around 10:1 it will help. (i.e. 10ppm nitrate to 0.1ppm phosphate. Or 5ppm nitrate to 0.05ppm phosphate etc.)

And then that ugly word patience, to wait for those things to make a difference. But this will actually be the quickest way to the real result you want!

 

[mattgsa]

Just leave it alone Matt. Keep dosing kalkwasser as it supports coralline algae growth to compete against nuisance algae. In time, it will correct itself as coralline grows and as you get more corals to help use up the nutrients, the algae will starve out and your tangs will eat it all.

If it is cyano, get small wavemakers to target the zone it grows on and if your ratio of nitrate to phosphate is around 10:1 it will help. (i.e. 10ppm nitrate to 0.1ppm phosphate. Or 5ppm nitrate to 0.05ppm phosphate etc.)

And then that ugly word patience, to wait for those things to make a difference. But this will actually be the quickest way to the real result you want!

I’m worried it’s Bryopsis. The last time I let it go it took over the tank.

 

[ScottB]

I’m worried it’s Bryopsis. The last time I let it go it took over the tank.

Get some of the algae pictured under some magnification, just 10X or 25X. Match that against some google images. It has a fairly distinctive "fern like" frond structure to it. If confirmed, well fluc is your only answer, and yes, that answer comes with considerable risk to some corals.

Hopefully, it is not bryopsis. Then I would agree with @GBRsouth ; ride it out.

 

[mattgsa]

I don't know how you all keep your PH up, no matter what I do it only works for a couple of days and then tanks. Nothing changes.

 

[mattgsa]

Alright, I think we have moved from hobby to obsession. I have a picture that explains it all

 

[mattgsa]

Just leave it alone Matt. Keep dosing kalkwasser as it supports coralline algae growth to compete against nuisance algae. In time, it will correct itself as coralline grows and as you get more corals to help use up the nutrients, the algae will starve out and your tangs will eat it all.

If it is cyano, get small wavemakers to target the zone it grows on and if your ratio of nitrate to phosphate is around 10:1 it will help. (i.e. 10ppm nitrate to 0.1ppm phosphate. Or 5ppm nitrate to 0.05ppm phosphate etc.)

And then that ugly word patience, to wait for those things to make a difference. But this will actually be the quickest way to the real result you want!

I have taken one sample of the algae and looked at it under the microscope. It does not have a fern-like shape. It actually looks like green hotdogs. But at least one that I saw, and some impressive root-looking structure. So back to the drawing board on what type of algae it is. The good news is I know fluconazole takes care of it for sure.

 

[mattgsa]

After going through the algae guide on the reef cleaners website again. I think I'm dealing with turf algae. I did order 5 more blue tuxedo urchins from Vossen Aquatics and they should be here tomorrow. I'm hoping that they will help keep it under control. Let m know if you know of anything else that will help eat turf algae. I do have some emerald crabs in the tank already.

 

[GBRsouth]

After going through the algae guide on the reef cleaners website again. I think I'm dealing with turf algae. I did order 5 more blue tuxedo urchins from Vossen Aquatics and they should be here tomorrow. I'm hoping that they will help keep it under control. Let m know if you know of anything else that will help eat turf algae. I do have a could emerald crabs in the tank already.

Yellow eye kole tang if you can get one reportedly eats lots of it and lawn mower blenny eats some and you're already in the right direction with tuxedo urchins and your other cuc. I think you will find the urchins will go for coralline first and then the turf algae afterwards, but they will eat it.

 

[mattgsa]

Yellow eye kole tang if you can get one reportedly eats lots of it and lawn mower blenny eats some and you're already in the right direction with tuxedo urchins and your other cuc. I think you will find the urchins will go for coralline first and then the turf algae afterwards, but they will eat it.

I have a yellow eye Kole tang; I don't think he touches it. I have read other places that blenny won't touch it either. But I'm willing to try them, I don't think they care about it being a bare bottom tank.

 

[mattgsa]

Yellow eye kole tang if you can get one reportedly eats lots of it and lawn mower blenny eats some and you're already in the right direction with tuxedo urchins and your other cuc. I think you will find the urchins will go for coralline first and then the turf algae afterwards, but they will eat it

I was studying parrotfish. I'm not going to get one, but I was reading how they love to eat turf algae. What do you all think of turf scrubbers?

 

[mattgsa]

I was studying parrotfish. I'm not going to get one, but I was reading how they love to eat turf algae. What do you all think of turf scrubbers?

That being said, assuming I'm right, should I still let it go?

 

[GBRsouth]

I was studying parrotfish. I'm not going to get one, but I was reading how they love to eat turf algae. What do you all think of turf scrubbers?

I think the turf scrubber is a great idea if you use a powerful enough light to out compete what's In the display. You can use what's in the display to seed the scrubber as well.

 

[GBRsouth]

That being said, assuming I'm right, should I still let it go?

If you have definitely ruled out bryopsis, yes I would let it go and use your scrubber idea to outcompete it.

 

[ScottB]

Alright, I think we have moved from hobby to obsession. I have a picture that explains it all

Next up is a phone cradle eye piece so you can shoot photos and videos. Or does that model USB to a laptop?

 

[mattgsa]

Next up is a phone cradle eye piece so you can shoot photos and videos. Or does that model USB to a laptop?

Actually, I was looking at digital microscopes on Amazon.

 

[ScottB]

Actually, I was looking at digital microscopes on Amazon.

Keep me posted if you go digital. I should've done that. The phone cradle is kinda bogus to be honest. Very finicky mount.

 

[mattgsa]

Well, I went ahead and bit the bullet and bought another tester. For the last couple of years I have been using Redseas nitrate test, and this whole time it has never read above 10, and I have bought several of them. Then last night I got this, any thoughts. I think there is some truth to it, because it would explain all the algae.

 

[ScottB]

Well, I went ahead and bit the bullet and bought another tester. For the last couple of years I have been using Redseas nitrate test, and this whole time it has never read above 10, and I have bought several of them. Then last night I got this, any thoughts. I think there is some truth to it, because it would explain all the algae.

Whoa that is pretty racy. I really like my Hanna HR. I was using NYOS and Salifert before. My Hanna tested lower than those other tests. No experience with Red Sea kit.