Need some general help please!

[treefly]

I know my 32gal biocube needs some help, but I need some help helping it. Below I have my all my parameters listed, my lighting schedule listed, the chemicals I have to use, and the filter media I’m using. I have pictures and videos of my tank both at day and night so you can see how the coral reacts. I just kinda need some general ideas on the best way to clear up my water, keep the purple algae from covering all the glass, and upgrade this thing maybe so everyone in there will be happy! I usually change 10 gallons every 3 weeks or so. I believe that is all. Also any placement tips or lighting tips would be loved too. I’m open to all knowledge and help. Thankyou!

 

[geologeek]

Can you test for anything else, such as alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, phosphate?

Your salinity is a touch high, pH a touch low.....

Having coraline algae is not a bad thing per se, but the only real way of getting it off your glass is to get and algae magnet with a blade, or get your arm wet and get in there with a razor and get scraping! Then you need a good clean up crew that can help keep on top of it.

How old is the setup? It's not looking too bad and as they say in this hobby.....go slow and let it grow.

You clearly have good polyp extensions, so things are not overly upset with you.

Just tweak a few parameters slightly and slowly........

What salt are you using? And can you test any more parameters???

Oh and if you don't, maybe use some carbon, just to help with chemical warfare between the softies and sticks in a small tank......

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

The purple algae is coraline, and many people want it in their tanks and many even buy bottles of coraline to try to get it growing in their tank.

I think you are adding a lot of snake oils to your tank, you don't need all that.

What is the alkalinity? This is the most important parameters for corals.

sorry I am not understanding what your question is, what do you mean your water is not clear? What do you mean "when you add ph and ammo it shows green but you know both need to be fixed"?

What type of filtration are you running? What type of light do you have? Any powerheads in the tank?

 

[Waters]

Salinity is high and nitrates are low but other than that I don't see any issues other than the glass needs a good scraping.

 

[Bruttall]

The only thing I see in this picture that is slightly useful is the Microbacter7. The rest of that crap is crap. snake oil.

Are you able to test for molybdenum and strontium? then how can you know if you are dosing the correct amounts? Or maybe you are over dosing?

Go to your LFS buy a Triton ICP test. send it in.

You have 0 nitrates. That is an issue, Nitrates are Food for corals.

I see a couple of PH Buffers, I have never seen one actually work for more than 5 minutes. If you want to raise PH increase the oxygen levels in your tank area with fresh air or add a skimmer.

my 2 cents.

 

[treefly]

Can you test for anything else, such as alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, phosphate?

Your salinity is a touch high, pH a touch low.....

Having coraline algae is not a bad thing per se, but the only real way of getting it off your glass is to get and algae magnet with a blade, or get your arm wet and get in there with a razor and get scraping! Then you need a good clean up crew that can help keep on top of it.

How old is the setup? It's not looking too bad and as they say in this hobby.....go slow and let it grow.

You clearly have good polyp extensions, so things are not overly upset with you.

Just tweak a few parameters slightly and slowly........

What salt are you using? And can you test any more parameters???

Oh and if you don't, maybe use some carbon, just to help with chemical warfare between the softies and sticks in a small tank......

The set up is like a year old. I just didn’t k is if there was a way to keep the coraline algae off other than constant scraping. It grows insanely fast. I’ve already cleared the glass of that much more than once. I don’t have a way to test the other things quite yet, but Christmas is right around the corner haha. My salt comes in the water I buy. We have a reef shop with 3 grades of water and I buy their best grade. Coral pro or something I believe it is called. Thankyou for the tip on carbon!

 

[treefly]

The purple algae is coraline, and many people want it in their tanks and many even buy bottles of coraline to try to get it growing in their tank.

I think you are adding a lot of snake oils to your tank, you don't need all that.

What is the alkalinity? This is the most important parameters for corals.

sorry I am not understanding what your question is, what do you mean your water is not clear? What do you mean "when you add ph and ammo it shows green but you know both need to be fixed"?

What type of filtration are you running? What type of light do you have? Any powerheads in the tank?

Well I don’t use any of those chemicals at all yet. I’ve only used the microbacteria when setting up. The filter is what comes with the biocibe32. It has a protein skimmer and the media I posted a pic of. With my ap tester it tests your ph, and your ammo, then it’s has a chart where you find your two numbers, and it has 3 colors(green,yellow, and red, red being bad green being ok) but mine says it’s in the green but I know my ph needs to be up.

 

[treefly]

The only thing I see in this picture that is slightly useful is the Microbacter7. The rest of that crap is crap. snake oil.

Are you able to test for molybdenum and strontium? then how can you know if you are dosing the correct amounts? Or maybe you are over dosing?

Go to your LFS buy a Triton ICP test. send it in.

You have 0 nitrates. That is an issue, Nitrates are Food for corals.

I see a couple of PH Buffers, I have never seen one actually work for more than 5 minutes. If you want to raise PH increase the oxygen levels in your tank area with fresh air or add a skimmer.

my 2 cents.

I have not used any of those except the microbacteria. How can I add slight nitrates?

 

[Bruttall]

I have not used any of those except the microbacteria. How can I add slight nitrates?

Every tank is different, but for mine, I just have to feed more. Flake usually, but this will also cause a rise in Phos, there is a balance to it all. Usually just regular feeding will be enough or it has been for me, others may have different input for this.

 

[Waters]

I have to dose nitrates every once in a while but as stated, feeding more will often take care of it (just watch phosphates).

 

[kevgib67]

Fellow Biocube 32 here, as stated a razor blade will take it off the glass but you could add a tuxedo urchin who would gladly munch on it all day especially since I don’t see a lot of other types of algae in your tank. Down the road you might need to supplement feeding the urchin nori strips every once in a while. Shoot for phosphate (I didn’t see it listed) of .05-.1 and nitrates 10-15. Feed more and turn off your skimmer for a while or remove the collection cup if you want it to still oxygenate the water.

 

[treefly]

Fellow Biocube 32 here, as stated a razor blade will take it off the glass but you could add a tuxedo urchin who would gladly munch on it all day especially since I don’t see a lot of other types of algae in your tank. Down the road you might need to supplement feeding the urchin nori strips every once in a while. Shoot for phosphate (I didn’t see it listed) of .05-.1 and nitrates 10-15. Feed more and turn off your skimmer for a while or remove the collection cup if you want it to still oxygenate the water.

Thankyou very much for the advice! I’ve for sure been more on the under feeding than over side of things.

 

[Cali Reef Life]

Ditch the alage medicine on the right. scrape your glass twice a week and add carbon. Remember carbon gets used quickly so smaller amount maybe 1/3 of a cup replace every 2 or 3 weeks.

 

[Dburr1014]

@treefly
Coral looks good. Nothing dying?
Your system is a year old and you have lots of coraline algae. That's a good thing but a real PITA to clean, I'm in the same boat.

I read all the comments on the snake oil stuff you bought. You really don't need it.
To get the water clear use the filter cartridge. Looks like it has carbon in it.

Be very careful about adding nitrates. You should really know your phosphate number before fiddling with nutrients. If you have zero phosphate and zero nitrate, you want to raise phosphate first... Nitrate second.
But you need to know both numbers.

Your system has been up a year, if no dying coral, and your nitrate is zero, then where the problem?

Coral use ammonium over nitrate. If you feed your fish, they are feeding the coral. Sure, it's nice to register nitrate but, it's not the end of the world if you're not.
Get the po4 number first before adjusting anything.

My system is chronically low on no3. I'm fact, I just registered 0.9 no3 after 1.5 years. Coral are fine and growing. Click my build thread for my resume.

 

[treefly]

Ditch the alage medicine on the right. scrape your glass twice a week and add carbon. Remember carbon gets used quickly so smaller amount maybe 1/3 of a cup replace every 2 or 3 weeks.

Ty!!

 

[treefly]

@treefly
Coral looks good. Nothing dying?
Your system is a year old and you have lots of coraline algae. That's a good thing but a real PITA to clean, I'm in the same boat.

I read all the comments on the snake oil stuff you bought. You really don't need it.
To get the water clear use the filter cartridge. Looks like it has carbon in it.

Be very careful about adding nitrates. You should really know your phosphate number before fiddling with nutrients. If you have zero phosphate and zero nitrate, you want to raise phosphate first... Nitrate second.
But you need to know both numbers.

Your system has been up a year, if no dying coral, and your nitrate is zero, then where the problem?

Coral use ammonium over nitrate. If you feed your fish, they are feeding the coral. Sure, it's nice to register nitrate but, it's not the end of the world if you're not.
Get the po4 number first before adjusting anything.

My system is chronically low on no3. I'm fact, I just registered 0.9 no3 after 1.5 years. Coral are fine and growing. Click my build thread for my resume.

Ty for your reply. I’m mostly just wanting to know how to make these guys thrive and what I can do to better the bicube. The only issues w it h the coral I’ve had so far is my flower pot doesn’t open all the way and my monti has lost some color. The plate also doesn’t stay inflated all day. I’m thinking maybe they’re hungry

 

[Dburr1014]

Ty for your reply. I’m mostly just wanting to know how to make these guys thrive and what I can do to better the bicube. The only issues w it h the coral I’ve had so far is my flower pot doesn’t open all the way

How long has this been going on?
I have some LPS that sometimes might not open for a day or two then back to normal.

and my monti has lost some color.

This could be low po4 or something else. You do water changes so I tend to believe it's not elements.

The plate also doesn’t stay inflated all day. I’m thinking maybe they’re hungry

It may get enough light then close up. Do you know your par numbers? I didn't see them listed.

All these problems could also be from fluctuating salinity levels. You'd be surprised how coral react to high or low salinity levels.