help.. green lime and algae problem

[onix]

Hi everyone I am having some problems with my system so I apreciate some help. I don't know why, but some of my populations aren't helthy. In the last month I loose 2. For my surprice the anemmone and fether duster are very good. I am having a big problems with algae. All my sand bed and rock are brown. In the last water change I brush all my rock and remove a lot lot of algae and dirty. Also I don't know why, but my glass are green. I easy clean this green lime but in one day it become. My deep sand bed was recently set up ( about one month ) But I am sure the it is making his job, a lot of bubble are coming frome the DSB so I suppose that is nitrogen gas. I don't know what else I can do. Men I have a lot of money in my system and no result.

I am using Reef Builder for alkalinity when I add water for evaporations and the oters days I use daily Kent Marine tech CB part 1 and part 2. My tank is 55 g with 18 g refugium with caulerpa and mangroves. My system is 7 month old

My other datails are:
1 Aqua C Remora Pro skimmer with mag 3 and prefilter box
2 Deep Sand Bed 3-4"
3 Refugium with sand and miracle mud
4 30% water change mountly
5 one bag of chemi pure
6 40 lbs of live rock
7 chiller and heater
8 water temperature is 78-81
9 IO salt

My parameters are
1 amonnia = 0
2 nitrite = 0
3 nitrate = 12.5 and lowing
4 ph = 8.2-8.3
5 phosphate ~ 0
6 alkalinity = I don't know the number but my lfs tell me that is good. I think
that can be ~ 3.8-4.2
7 Calcium = 400

Please If some can help I apreciate. I am very down because my situation
thanks

[saltyfishtanks]

how new are your bulbs and what kind of lights do u run

[onix]

Originally Posted by saltyfishtanks

how new are your bulbs and what kind of lights do u run

I am using 260 w Power Compact Light (2x 65w Straight pins 12000K Daylight PC Bulb and 2x 65W Straight pins True Actinic PC Bulb.)
The lights are 6 month old

[saltyfishtanks]

well your pc bulbs are about shot

i would go with a lighting upgrade all together if your buget will allow

i recently swithced to icecap t5HO with giesmann bulbs from pc s and i can personally gurantee you that if u do the same you will not be dissaponted at all!!

AND HECK THE T5 BULBS ARE CHEAPER THAN PC AND LAST LONGER

a four bulb setup at diyreef.com is 375.00 with the reflectors bulbs and all the fixins its the best deal on icecap t5 out there

fyi the only thing i needed that did not come with the kit was some 18 awg solid copper wire and i only needed it to put the ballast where i wanted

[blue_eyes53813]

I am going through the same thing,, the only thing you can do is keep everything clean.. filters, sponges, dont over feed.. Up your water changes, increase circulation,,, and waite it out... I got a bad batch of Dts and it threw my tank all off, the algae really took off. slowly it dissapeared by really watching the tank and keeping it clean... good luck


edit: I wanted to also add, read the ingred. in the reefbooster it may be feeding the algae.. im not sure about the product but Some reef dosing products will feed the algae if it is already in the tank...just a thought

[onix]

Originally Posted by saltyfishtanks

well your pc bulbs are about shot

i would go with a lighting upgrade all together if your buget will allow

i recently swithced to icecap t5HO with giesmann bulbs from pc s and i can personally gurantee you that if u do the same you will not be dissaponted at all!!

AND HECK THE T5 BULBS ARE CHEAPER THAN PC AND LAST LONGER

a four bulb setup at diyreef.com is 375.00 with the reflectors bulbs and all the fixins its the best deal on icecap t5 out there

fyi the only thing i needed that did not come with the kit was some 18 awg solid copper wire and i only needed it to put the ballast where i wanted

OK, thank. All I can do at this moment is to change the bulbs because my budget is limited

[burning2nd]

new, bulbs.


try to get that no3 down a little 12 is kinda high imo..


shoot for 5 or less reduec feeding a little,

[bluespotjawfish]

Can you add a pump for additional circulation? Oh, and use a turkey baster to keep the loose crap off of the rocks. Some nassarsis snails would help stir the sand bed. Sea Hares work great cleaning the rocks - just ask JFK

Good luck - here's Karma for your pain!

[lcstorc]

What did you recently lose? Depending on what it was and how quickly it was removed that could be part of the cause of your recent algae outbreak. Your numbers look pretty good. Slightly high on the nitrates but not anything I would freak out over. I would scrape the glass and blow off the rocks then do another water change vacuuming out as much of the algae as possible. Also what do you have as a cleanup crew? Snails are great for helping to control issues like this.
Also I would not call the bulbs "shot" after 6 momths. Replacing the bulbs may help with the problem but more likely the added kick of new bulbs will fuel the algae as most algae loves light. Usually I hear 6-8 mo as the life of PC bulbs and you are just getting into that area now. They could be the problem but IMO it is not likely the cause of the algae. Depending on what type of coral you lost the relatively low lighting could have been the cause of that, but I'm not talking about the bulbs there. I am talking about the lighting in general. Your lights should be fine for softies and some lps but I would not add any really light demanding coral, clams, or anemones with that fixture.
Just my 2c. Hope it is helpful.

[onix]

Originally Posted by lcstorc

What did you recently lose? Depending on what it was and how quickly it was removed that could be part of the cause of your recent algae outbreak. Your numbers look pretty good. Slightly high on the nitrates but not anything I would freak out over. I would scrape the glass and blow off the rocks then do another water change vacuuming out as much of the algae as possible. Also what do you have as a cleanup crew? Snails are great for helping to control issues like this.
Also I would not call the bulbs "shot" after 6 momths. Replacing the bulbs may help with the problem but more likely the added kick of new bulbs will fuel the algae as most algae loves light. Usually I hear 6-8 mo as the life of PC bulbs and you are just getting into that area now. They could be the problem but IMO it is not likely the cause of the algae. Depending on what type of coral you lost the relatively low lighting could have been the cause of that, but I'm not talking about the bulbs there. I am talking about the lighting in general. Your lights should be fine for softies and some lps but I would not add any really light demanding coral, clams, or anemones with that fixture.
Just my 2c. Hope it is helpful.

Thanks a lot men I really need this kind of answer because inthe past all member tell me to change the crusched coral to dsb and I made it and the problem continue. then to change the sea clone skimmer by aqua c remora and the problem continue. Now the lights issue, I feel like pim pon boll.

Right now I don't have any coral. I never buy one because algae problems, but my goal are coral with low light demand. I don't have any cleanup crew. I need to think what type to buy because I don't want disturb my DSB ( 3-4")