New Guy

[AkaiPanda]

Hey guys, new reefer, been running my tank for about 5 months.

20 gallon breeder with a giant algae issue.

Cant wait to get it fixed up and start posting :)

 

[Tahoe61]

Hi and welcome to Reef2Reef. :-)

 

[4FordFamily]

Welcome home, you will love it here!

Let's see pics! :)

Do you use RO water?
GFO?

 

[AkaiPanda]

Welcome home, you will love it here!

Let's see pics! :)

Do you use RO water?
GFO?

I use distilled Zepherhills water, but my sister tank (Hers is older than mine) Uses the same water and doesnt have the problem I have.

Ive transitioned now to using RO water from my LFS just to eliminate that as an issue.

Also im not sure what GFO is.

 

[KJ]

Welcome to R2R!!!!

 

[KJ]

Also im not sure what GFO is

Granular ferric oxide (GFO) phosphate removal media.

 

[AkaiPanda]

Granular ferric oxide (GFO) phosphate removal media.

Oh yea! I just put some in my HOB filter, got Chemi-pure Elite. My test was like in the middle, dont remember the number, shop guy said it wasn't insane but could be the issue.

 

[kschweer]

Welcome to R2R!!!

 

[4FordFamily]

I'm using RO from my LFS while I have my tank in my friends house transitionally and I have cyano and all sorts of stuff breaking out because they need to change their media..

 

[4FordFamily]

I'm using RO from my LFS while I have my tank in my friends house transitionally and I have cyano and all sorts of stuff breaking out because they need to change their media..

 

[JaimeAdams]

Welcome!

 

[Gator1970]

Welcome! Algae is a phase that most new tanks go through, in my experience. Keep doing water changes & regular maintenance, maybe add some emerald crabs & snails - it will get better so don't lose hope!

 

[AkaiPanda]

Welcome! Algae is a phase that most new tanks go through, in my experience. Keep doing water changes & regular maintenance, maybe add some emerald crabs & snails - it will get better so don't lose hope!

Welcome! Algae is a phase that most new tanks go through, in my experience. Keep doing water changes & regular maintenance, maybe add some emerald crabs & snails - it will get better so don't lose hope!

I had an emerald, he ate a zoa, hes no longer with us.

Would you consider a 5 month old tank?

 

[Gator1970]

I had an emerald, he ate a zoa, hes no longer with us.

Would you consider a 5 month old tank?

5 months is still pretty young tank-wise. Sorry about your emerald - I have a few and so far they haven't touched any corals.

What kind of algae are we talking about here - at 5 months I'd expect green hair algae, maybe?

 

[Gator1970]

For example here's my current tank at just under 5 months. Using RO/DI, gfo, carbon, a decent skimmer, etc.

 

[Salty1962]

Welcome to R2R!

 

[dbl]

Welcome to R2R. As you see already, a lot of great people here willing and able to help.

 

[AkaiPanda]

5 months is still pretty young tank-wise. Sorry about your emerald - I have a few and so far they haven't touched any corals.

What kind of algae are we talking about here - at 5 months I'd expect green hair algae, maybe?

Its like a brown hair algae, ive been hammering it hard for a few days now. Ive put some Phosban kinda stuff in my HOB and ive been doing a ton of water changes.

 

[AkaiPanda]

Heres a tank shot after cleaning up a bit. Still a bunch on the sand.

 

[Gator1970]

Heres a tank shot after cleaning up a bit. Still a bunch on the sand.

That doesn't look bad at all. I have a couple of suggestions that might help. Does that filter have those "bio-wheel" wet-dry spinning devices at the outlet? If so you may want to consider possibly removing them to reduce nitrate production. Also, you could possibly use a little more live rock to help with denitrication. Barring that, maybe look into removing the filter cartridges in you HOB, and sticking some media like marine pure bioballs in the back. I'm not sure what kind of clean up crew you have, but for the sand bed you could add some nassarius snails to stir the sand bed for you.