One month in first algae question

[Diveshaman]

I just started my Red Sea Reefer 300XL one month ago today. I just started to notice algae starting to breakout on sand bottom in a few areas. Cutting back feeding, increased water flow slightly and cut back lighting cycle by 1 hr for 11hrs of lighting using 2 Red Sea LED90’s, preformed 50% water change 2 days ago and 25% change yesterday. I’m trying to do research on Dino’s vs Dinoflagellates to attempt to identify. Wanted to see if you could help. Before water changes color was reddish brown this am color is light tan and water flow increase is lifting algae off the sand a little at a time. Would love some advice so I can stay ahead of this or what to watch for from here? I am Using a new RODI system testing 0 on output side. Thanks for your time in advance. I’ve been out of trade for past 10yrs but used to feel I had all this knowledge I’m struggling to recall at my older age lol thanks.

 

[brandon429]

you will need a UV before the wrestling begins. fifty will disagree, coming up. you can't imagine how many tanks we've fixed in total invasion work threads with them.

the going rule is that if you have a tank so large a complete access/full water change isn't feasible, have the nucs already aimed.



this is very easy step to skip, for sure, not everyone will agree. This recommend comes straight from heavy work thread logs for invaded large tanks, what it took to fix either cyano or dinos or GHA< it cuts down on all of it.

pay well, have uv for large tanks.

have a uv plumbed in

switch it on when you get that jedi urge time. so many threads I have handy....reefers on the brink.

willing to leave the hobby


and then pentaire saves the day or if you dont have $900 spare, choose a $150 pond sterilizer off amazon, see the reviews. they're not bad reviews, they're good by and large.

200

thats how many reefs we fixed with cheap pond sterilizers off amazon. doesnt matter who disagrees, that's what the work threads show down in the swamps where reefs aren't working ideally.

 

[Dark_Knightt]

@brandon429 dont disagree with you at all, UV would be best option. Another thing you need to know @Diveshaman is that algae is going to happen. Its pretty inevitable. All we can hope to do is prevent having lots of it. Get a UV, siphon it out definitely, try and keep the tank clean while you can XDD good luck OP

 

[brandon429]

I wish I had a method that didnt involve buying more machinery or burning targets with peroxide, I dont heh

we got desperate for forward motion in the algae challenge works and that's what a lot of actions have distilled to


*no doubt nutrient control, grazer balance. tank maturation, light intensity, coral loading, all matter. using no pox, using gfo, using algae filtration, on and on. all are parts of the puzzle

but in the end I couldnt name those as top important, nukes were. page six of a heartbreaking ongoing massive invasion they all wish they'd went savage from the start, and then a large percentage get lucky and it self resolves.


its rare to see tanks self-resolve so I must advocate buying this critical cheat. its a literal cheat to reefing the right way, i dont know what that way is

none of our nano reefs need uv, if they misbehave we take them apart, clean them into total submission and put it back together all cheated clean.

in my opinion all algae battles distill to playing around, or not.

 

[Jeffcb]

I have a Coralife 18 watt on my reefer 250 looped in the sump. Works great. Run it all the time. When the alga started, I turned it on and its all gone now.

 

[Diveshaman]

I wish I had a method that didnt involve buying more machinery or burning targets with peroxide, I dont heh

we got desperate for forward motion in the algae challenge works and that's what a lot of actions have distilled to


*no doubt nutrient control, grazer balance. tank maturation, light intensity, coral loading, all matter. using no pox, using gfo, using algae filtration, on and on. all are parts of the puzzle

but in the end I couldnt name those as top important, nukes were. page six of a heartbreaking ongoing massive invasion they all wish they'd went savage from the start, and then a large percentage get lucky and it self resolves.


its rare to see tanks self-resolve so I must advocate buying this critical cheat. its a literal cheat to reefing the right way, i dont know what that way is

none of our nano reefs need uv, if they misbehave we take them apart, clean them into total submission and put it back together all cheated clean.

in my opinion all algae battles distill to playing around, or not.

Thank you your time is greatly appreciated

 

[Diveshaman]

Thank you your time is greatly appreciated

Brandon can you recommend a good UV sterilizer for my tank set up. 65 tank 15 sump 80 total and I would also appreciated any input on install and how best to set up for success! Thanks again for your time and I look forward to your Response

 

[brandon429]

Nowadays we are getting the most mileage cost v benefit from cheap $175 pond sterilizers off Amazon. Run any pump config you want through them, even flow rates etc aren’t a big deal just get water through them.

pro aquarium UV systems average 700-$900 but these 150-175$ jobs are getting the same results they’re just not going to run twenty years like the $ models sure might. Amazon results will show too, people are happy with em. We can plumb them in and not even run until needed as well, then they really can last a long time if intermittent use. I bet ran 24x7 we’d get five years out of one, thats good cost vs return


shop for sizes and shapes you want to fit into your setup but pick one rated for 1500+ gallons small pond and that will run a reeftank as turbo uv. We buy cheap oversized vs costly and perfectly matched.

 

[qhduong]

Brandon can you recommend a good UV sterilizer for my tank set up. 65 tank 15 sump 80 total and I would also appreciated any input on install and how best to set up for success! Thanks again for your time and I look forward to your Response

I have the same tank and use a 25w Aqua UV. You can find one for around $200 once in a while I think.

 

[Diveshaman]

I have the same tank and use a 25w Aqua UV. You can find one for around $200 once in a while I think.

How do you have yours plumbed in?

 

[Diveshaman]

Nowadays we are getting the most mileage cost v benefit from cheap $175 pond sterilizers off Amazon. Run any pump config you want through them, even flow rates etc aren’t a big deal just get water through them.

pro aquarium UV systems average 700-$900 but these 150-175$ jobs are getting the same results they’re just not going to run twenty years like the $ models sure might. Amazon results will show too, people are happy with em. We can plumb them in and not even run until needed as well, then they really can last a long time if intermittent use. I bet ran 24x7 we’d get five years out of one, thats good cost vs return


shop for sizes and shapes you want to fit into your setup but pick one rated for 1500+ gallons small pond and that will run a reeftank as turbo uv. We buy cheap oversized vs costly and perfectly matched.

Your time is greatly appreciated. What Size would you suggest for a 80gal reef tank

 

[brandon429]

If it was mine I just go biggest I’m willing to deal with installing. My grandmother in the 90s had a pond that held about ten thou gallons the UV was very big, but it fit behind my 75 gallon planted tank so I used it, rated for ten thousand gallons when they took the pond down. I never saw gha or cyano from that week onward lol

 

[DaddyFish]

Your time is greatly appreciated. What Size would you suggest for a 80gal reef tank

I run 18 watts on 50 gallon-ish, 36 watts on 90-100 gallon.
Target flow rates are 150-200 gph on 50-ish, 250-300 gph on 90-100 gal.
Those power/rate combos kill everything.

 

[Uncle99]

Amazon Jebao 55 watt.....120 bucks....maybe 100.
It’s about 24 inches long, 3 inch diameter, and can be run off your return or separate pump.
Makes my water crystal clear.
It won’t remove algae on surfaces, just in the column.
Yup, good chest the UV....

 

[Diveshaman]

Nowadays we are getting the most mileage cost v benefit from cheap $175 pond sterilizers off Amazon. Run any pump config you want through them, even flow rates etc aren’t a big deal just get water through them.

pro aquarium UV systems average 700-$900 but these 150-175$ jobs are getting the same results they’re just not going to run twenty years like the $ models sure might. Amazon results will show too, people are happy with em. We can plumb them in and not even run until needed as well, then they really can last a long time if intermittent use. I bet ran 24x7 we’d get five years out of one, thats good cost vs return


shop for sizes and shapes you want to fit into your setup but pick one rated for 1500+ gallons small pond and that will run a reeftank as turbo uv. We buy cheap oversized vs costly and perfectly matched.

 

[Diveshaman]

Does this one look like it will work?

 

[Diveshaman]

Amazon Jebao 55 watt.....120 bucks....maybe 100.
It’s about 24 inches long, 3 inch diameter, and can be run off your return or separate pump.
Makes my water crystal clear.
It won’t remove algae on surfaces, just in the column.
Yup, good chest the UV....

Like this one? Is this what you are referring too? Thanks again for your time

 

[Diveshaman]

Amazon Jebao 55 watt.....120 bucks....maybe 100.
It’s about 24 inches long, 3 inch diameter, and can be run off your return or separate pump.
Makes my water crystal clear.
It won’t remove algae on surfaces, just in the column.
Yup, good chest the UV....

 

[Daddy-o]

What does your clean up crew consist of?

 

[Diveshaman]

What does your clean up crew consist of?

I have about 15 snails (Astria and Turbo) 8 blue legged and 3 red legged hermit crabs
(1) White Tail Bristle tooth Tang
(1) Lawnmower Blenny
(1) Canary Wrasse
Do you think I need to up my clean up crew get some more snails?