Asking For Trouble?

[aqujoe247]

I'm having my first algea(diatom) bloom after 7 wks, which I know is normal.
Its just a dusty film on the glass and small portion of the sand.

I think I may have asked for this seeing as I accepted 30# LR covered in hair algea from my dad who was breaking down a neglected tank.

To make matters worst, I was given a chunk of Caulerpa from a commercial display tank that a buddy owns. All but half of a stem quickly died, I read that this is why my nitrates are high.

My question is should I add more macroalgea to absorb the high nitrates? I did a water change Thursday which dropped it from 80-20, I will do another one tomorrow.

 

[Woodstock]

I would rely on water changes & skimming for reducing nitrates. Macro algae is okay at exporting but not nearly as fast as a good skimmer and a water change.

 

[wickjr]

I would avoid adding more caulerpa, at least to the main tank. I took the advice of a LFS employee and put some long feather caulerpa in my tank about 3 weeks ago. It is like a weed. My tank is almost 9 weeks old, and I'm waiting a week or two more to add livestock, aside from hermits and snails. I was advised to add the caulerpa to help reduce nitrate and PO4, plus it looked good in the back of one of their displays. I have been trimming and picking it from rocks for the past week or so, and it grows back seemingly overnight anywhere that I didn't remove it all. My nitrates are only 5, and PO4 is 0, but I am doubting the caulerpa is solely responsible. I think now I will have to add some kind of macro grazer to combat the caulerpa, which was not originally my plan. If you use caulerpa, add it to a refugium.

 

[aqujoe247]

My skimmer is a Seaclone 150, supposely rated for 150gal. (yea right), I think it's barely doing my tank, even though I hardly have anything in it. I am looking to get a new Aqua-C Urchin, they've been rated pretty well.

Wick, I would be adding the algea back to the refugium. I just want to figure out why the first bunch died off before I put more in. I was thinking maybe I don't have enough of something to feed it. I'm running a 6500k 13wt lighting 24/7, I think i'm going to run it opposite of the tank now. I hear that it will grow sexual everytime the light is turned off, is this true? If so shouldn't the small piece I have in there grow quite rapidly?

 

[cheeks69]

If you have a refugium then that's the only place I'd put the macro-algea never in the display because caleurpa is so pervasive.

I hear that it will grow sexual everytime the light is turned off, is this true? If so shouldn't the small piece I have in there grow quite rapidly?

I don't have alot of experience with using macro-algea for nutrient export but there's always that potential for that to happen particularly with caleurpa, the lighting schedule should be 24/7.

 

[aqujoe247]

I just took look in my refugium and i'm seeing white fuzzy balls attached to LR, in the mud and on a algea brach. does anyone have any idea of what it may be?

I also did a water change yesterday and just tested my nitrates again and they are still at 20ppm, should I take out the left over macro-algea since it is not growing and my be contributing to the spike? Also should I be using something in adition to lower phosphates?

 

[BoomerD]

fuzzy white balls are probably "q-tip sponges". A sign of good water quality. the mud, might just be detritus or fines kicked up from your sandbed.

 

[aqujoe247]

Thanks Boomer

I hope that's what it is. I have quite a bit of pods in the refugium and some slimy little creatures that slither along the walls, so maybe it's starting to establish.

 

[wickjr]

The caulerpa that I put in my tank was starting to die as well, though all the water reads were good. Since I've been trying to pick it out of the tank, though, it is growing like crazy. I pluck it off the rock, and try to get it all off, but any fragment left at all branches out the next day. What kind are you trying to grow in the refugium? The kind I have is long feather caulerpa, and I can't get rid of it.

 

[BoomerD]

You may need to "cook" your rock to get rid of the hair algae, and allow it to shed some PO4. Not a difficult process, basically, just re-cure it in a dark barrel with a heater and powerhead for circulation, and a skimmer to help with the high nutrient level. Do 10-25% water changes weekly, and in about 6 weeks, you should have nice clean rock, with NO hair algae problems.