NoPox with Rowaphos?

SPR

Well-Known Member
i have been dosing NoPox for around 6 months in my Max S 650 litre and around a month ago I reduced the dosage from 12ml to 6 ml per day as the nitrate was around 1.5ppm and phosphate around 0.8 and indeed these are roughly the current levels although the phosphate has crept up to around 0.1-0.16ppm

I have noticed since reducing the dose of NoPox that brown (probably dark green) algea started growing and has gradually got worse over a period of 5 weeks so I have just increased the NoPox back to 12ml per day. The algae is mainly growing in the shadier parts of the tank but is spreading and today I got fed up and scrapped a load off with a tooth brush and installed some 100micron filters to pick,it out. Also have UVC running

Everything I read points to the cause of the hair algea to be high phosphate although this is in line with the Red Sea accelerated growth parameters and so now I have been reading about phosphate reducers and am considering trying Rowaphos initially just maybe in a media bag but possibly getting a reactor to run this and drive the phosphate down.

Everything I read says phosphate should be around 0.03 (other than the accelerated growth program) so I am thinking of ditching accelerated growth and reducing everything down to get rid of the algae starting with maybe Rowaphos

I have read all the science behind NoPox but even though I have the correct parameters I am getting hair algea when it's supposed to control 'nuisance algea'?

The skimmate is 'wet and a tea colour'

I think the NoPox is working, but I have hair algea, so can't see anyway to maintain a phosphate of 0.1ppm and allow the tank to get overrun.

Thoughts greatly appreciated?
 
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RedSeaKev

RS Sponsor
Hi Shaun, I think based on what you have stated here that the issue may be a little nutrient release, whilst you No3 and Po4 have been in control the skimmer may need a further tweak to help bring the Po4 down, can You make the skimate a little wetter ? have a look at your feeding regime and its Po4 content, also look to increase your clean up crew, these are also very important in maintaining your system and will naturally help keep the algae at bay.
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
Hi Shaun, I think based on what you have stated here that the issue may be a little nutrient release, whilst you No3 and Po4 have been in control the skimmer may need a further tweak to help bring the Po4 down, can You make the skimate a little wetter ? have a look at your feeding regime and its Po4 content, also look to increase your clean up crew, these are also very important in maintaining your system and will naturally help keep the algae at bay.
Thanks Kevin

I have added around 50 extra snails and a few hermits last week as when i set the system up originally i didn't put to many in as they probably would have starved. They are now working away although I'm not convinced they are all tucking in to the algea. Infact I have a nasty feeling some of the more established hermits have acquired the taste for snail meat!
 

RedSeaKev

RS Sponsor
Yes, snails verses crabs is always a pain in the butt, I have always tried to keep Red Legs only as they don't appear to bad at predation.
 
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