Need some input on a couple of issues.

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Well I have a few issues I would like some input on.

Nitrates 0
Phosphates 0
TDS of top off 0-2

1. Hair Algae: Ok well I have these patches of green hair algae that has popped up over many spot on my rock. I have never had HA problems before. I am skimming good and I am using GFO. Lately I scrape the glass and literally the next day the green film is back.

2. My monti's (setosa, encusting) are losing color like fading out. They had been deep in color. Not sure what is going on.

Any ideas with this limited info?

 

[Tahoe61]

Perhaps feed more since your system is running as basically a ULNS. Next change up your clean up crew or add to it. Some urchin types love GHA and perhaps you need more snails to assist with the green film algae on the glass.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

I have 2 clowns, 2 chromis, and 1 tang.

Here is how I feed.

Hang Nori about every 2 days
Pinch of flake food a day. (every once in a while 2)
Cube of frozen. (once a day)

Opinions on that feeding amount?

 

[StikHedRon]

Cube of frozen is prolly too much, you don't have 0 phos and 0 trates if you have algae. Just my 2 pennies

 

[TUSI]

Nitrates 0 could be false the hair algae is feeding on it that it shows you 0 on your test kit. What test kit do you use for phospates ? Double check that. Check also your Mag cause if the setosa is fading Your Mag could be low. Is your green color on corals crisp in your tank?, Is it only the reds that are fading ? What is the potassium level at? and last and not least where is your iodine / iodide at?

 

[StikHedRon]

Cut feeding completely back to like every other day, hit your water changes and change out gfo weekly. Should see a decrease in green film, then you'll know your making up ground on your po4

 

[Tahoe61]

How large is your tank? That is not a lot of food for a larger tank. As indicated by your Phos and Nitrate values your current feeding regime is not influencing those values.
Perhaps try food types specifically for corals like Reef Roids. I am not a big fan of Amino Acids but some sps growers swear by them. Are your bulbs old?

 

[StikHedRon]

How large is your tank? That is not a lot of food for a larger tank. As indicated by your Phos and Nitrate values your current feeding regime is not influencing those values.
Perhaps try food types specifically for corals like Reef Roids. I am not a big fan of Amino Acids but some sps growers swear by them. Are you bulbs old?

He's feeding a cube to 5 fish, seems like a lot

 

[TJ's Reef]

Hey Rev, seems a very reasonable or expected part of its maturing as your system is still quite young and just beginning to establish any balance of anything yet. I've stated this on several threads and Forums on the pluses and minus's of using Dry Rock.... no unwanted pests but takes years to reach filtering potential. It has been awhile since I looked at your build thread and do not recall if you have any LR or even room for 'Clean' LR in your sump or not but could nearly guarantee you that by placing even 20lbs of quality LR in your system anywhere would give you much much more stability. If you were only many 100's of miles closer would gladly stop by to give you a hand. As stated above the Nitrates and Phosphates as they become available are going straight to the algae, which is not necessarily bad... just not eye pleasing. Are you running a refugium on this yet ???

Cheers, Todd

 

[saltyhog]

Agree with the above if you have algae problems your Nitrates and phosphates aren't 0 that's just a function of what the algae are doing. I had the same problem when my tank was a 4-5 months old. I had some rock boring urchins that came as hitch hikers with my LR and they grew from thumb size to 3 1/2" across in a hurry. They cleaned up the hair algae in no time. Just keep good husbandry, cut back on feeding a little and make sure your CUC is adequate for your size tank. I bet it clears up without any big changes being needed.

 

[feh]

I doubt the NO3 and PO4 readings with algae in the tank. Did you give the dry rock an acid bath? Plus keep in mind if this is the new tank it hasn't had time to mature so algae outbreaks are likely.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

I say cube but its really a piece that I break off from my frozen food. The tank is a 120g.

 

[StikHedRon]

I say cube but its really a piece that I break off from my frozen food. The tank is a 120g.

Alright that don't sound too bad.

 

[Dtech07]

Your tanks going through a bacteria swing from heavy positive that starves out the hair and other unlinked algae to negative which slopes the I liked algae to grow.
My tank had went through the same thing last summer and the first sign were my encrusting corals.
I checked my tank and found one of my power heads magnet was cracked and leaking into the tank plus a ALK spike. I removed the power head , stopped GFO, started with Dr Tim's Waste Away half dosing (the increased green slim on your glass daily) two and half bottles later (depends on your size of tank) my tank is striving again better than before.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Just tested my Mag and it was around 900.

 

[Dtech07]

Just tested my Mag and it was around 900.

Even with low mag it will effect your coral growth PE ect I'm sure you know that but if your glass is filming up more often then there's more to than a Mag issue.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

I am going to start dosing the mag to get it up to around 1300.

 

[Dtech07]

you better because your LPS and SPS are probably starving for Ca and Alk.

 

[TUSI]

If your mag is 900 what is the alk and cal. If the balance is correct based on 900 mag then alk is propably 7dkh and cal 390.Thats why your setosa is fading in color. Start dosing but dont try to dose to much at once.

 

[kingsofke]

Another good option for hair algae is turbo snails. I also agree with others that it's part of normal tank cycling. Look also into you nitrate export from the tank. Over long time defective nitrate export can create many issues including frequent hair algae. A proper combination of water change, skimming and other methods will be needed.