Who says Reefs are slow growing!!!

Oakhouse

Oakhouse

Member
Went to work this morning tank was reasonably clean on the substrate, come home 4 hours later and this is what I see!!!!

Is this Cyano? What do I do?? Starting to panic! been thinking for a while that I need to up the CUC any thoughts?

Note that there are rocks at the base of the Gorg, covered in Coraline.

DSCF4227.jpg

DSCF4229.jpg

DSCF4232.jpg

DSCF4234.jpg

DSCF4238.jpg
 
nanoreefing4fun

nanoreefing4fun

Well-Known Member
RS STAFF
Have you added any sand lately (silicates)? Looks like brown algae to me, not cyano.

Could be a reminder time for fresh CPE (carbon & gfo), how old is it? A bit of an increased water changes 15% weekly, fresh CPE & Purigen - and when I get a bit of this... it's almost always a sign, I have been overfeeding a bit. Is there more than one person in the family that feeds the tank? If so... it's a good guess... it's related.

Hope something here applies & helps !
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Reefmack

Reefmack

NaClH2O Addicted
PREMIUM
Oakhouse

Oakhouse

Member
Thanks guys, especially for the links..

it all appeared in 4 hours!! Carbon was changed at the weekend! Rowaphos about 2 weeks ago.

Think I will try and get a gravel vacuum and clean off the top layer. I do do about 15-20% water changes weekly.

However it is only me feeding, so think I might be overdoing it a bit. I did change some food recently adding Ocean Nutrition Formula 1 and 2 into my feeding cycle.. Maybe added too much of this.

The only other change has been going from Zooplanktōs-L to Zooplanktōs-S

So this is my feeding regeme:

Twice Daily on rotation:
-1/2 cube of Mysis
-1/2 cube of Brine (Spirilina)
-2 Pinchs of Marine Flakes
-5-8 Medium Pellets Ocean Nutrition Formula 2 + Pinch of Small Ocean Nutrition Formula 1 Pellets

Once Daily:
-5ml of Zooplanktōs-S (used to be Zooplanktōs-L)

Twice Weekly
-1/2" square of Red or Green Seaweed Select (Ocean Nutrition)



Water Parameters are very stable
pH 8.4
Temp 27c
Sal 1.025
Alk 9Kh/3.2meq
Amm 0
Nate 0
Nite 0
Calc 400
 
Oakhouse

Oakhouse

Member
Oakhouse said:
So this is my feeding regeme:

Twice Daily on rotation:
-1/2 cube of Mysis
-1/2 cube of Brine (Spirilina)
-2 Pinchs of Marine Flakes
-5-8 Medium Pellets Ocean Nutrition Formula 2 + Pinch of Small Ocean Nutrition Formula 1 Pellets
Click to expand...

Let me make this clearer..... lol

This morning I fed 1/2 cube Brine, tonight I will feed 2 pinches of Marine Flakes, tomorrow morning I'll feed the pellets, and tomorrow evening I'll feed 1/2 cube of Mysis, etc...

Is this overfeeding?
 
Spikewire

Spikewire

Member
I feed a half cube or mysis once a day and a few stirs of frozen cyclopeeze 2-3 times a week an hour or two after the lights go out.

A couple of months back I tried Zooplanktōs. I followed the recommended feeding (even lighter actually) and within a day or two I had the exact same outbreak your having. After I cleaned my sand and stopped using it, it cleared up rather quickly.

This is not a knock on the product. I think in my case my tank was just too new to handle it and I'm sure even the lighter dosing was too much. I might try it again someday as I have quite a lot left, but I'd probably try it once a week and monitor it very closely.

I chalk it up to a learning experience :)
 
Reefmack

Reefmack

NaClH2O Addicted
PREMIUM
I stopped with all of the "plankton" coral foods, and the other coral foods, because of the extra nutrient and brown crud that grew on the substrate. Most of it never gets consumed by the corals IMO.
 
mbdave

mbdave

Active Member
Check that new carbon! How ironic the stuff shows right after the carbon change. Don't believe the container slosh some in SW for a while then test the water for phosphate.
 
echopiece

echopiece

Member
I feel your pain Oakhouse! Although, I do think you are overfeeding, I am having the same issue right now. However, i am only feeding 1/2 a cube every 3 days for just 3 fish. My algae appears to be dinoflagellates. My water numbers are spot on, and I am still dealing with this issue. My only two guesses are flow and skimmer. I am getting an mp10 for Christmas, so hopefully that will help? Good luck with your issue. Let us know how it goes.
 
Last edited:
Oakhouse

Oakhouse

Member
Thanks All for the support!

I did rinse the new carbon under the hot running tap:smack: ... Maybe should have just done it in the old sw.... next time I will. lol. I'll need to get a phosphate test kit. Looks like another trip to the LFS.

As for food... point taken... way over feeding. So have cut that way down...:hammerhea

I did stop the coral foods a while ago, but it was clearly visible that they do better with it so think I shall keep going with that (Just alot less! maybe once a week, after waterchange)

The tank looks a little better this morning, a little clearer.

In terms of Skimmer, the stock is really pulling the smelly stuff out, it fills every 6-7 days or so, and it is very mucky, almost like a syrup!!

I've been thinking of replacing the tunze powerhead with a vortech. I do have a pretty good flow but could probably do with a little more through the rocks.

Again thanks all, what would I do without this forum!!!

******* MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL *******
 
Reefmack

Reefmack

NaClH2O Addicted
PREMIUM
Let us know how the tank looks later. That brown stuff, etc. usually recedes with no light, and may come back after the lights have been on. Hopefully not!
 
Oakhouse

Oakhouse

Member
Well its had the same amount of light, no Zooplanktos since yesterday morning, no fish food last night, and about a 1/4 cube this morning of Mysis..

So yesterday lunchtime (ok about 2pm) was this:
DSCF4227.jpg


Tonight its:
DSCF4244.jpg


Looks alot better......and I havent touched the substrate, just let nature continue.
 
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