Rainbow of algae?

[innercirclepro]

I have a 90 gallon tank with ten or so gallon sump. I have two green chromis, yellow and blue tang pair of tomato clowns and a small psudeo chromis. would a protein skimmer help? i would like to take out my fish but dont want to return them and dont have anothertank set up

[innercirclepro]

oh sorry i also have only ten or so turbo snails and one slug. would more clean up crew help out?

[heels92]

Originally Posted by prow

take out most of your fish. too many for a 3 month old tank. what exactly do have in there fish wise?

the cyano and other algaes are what is keeping your levels in check. looks like you have some filamentous algaes in the mix also. if you dont remove some fish, you will have never ending battles with algae and bacterial blooms. give this a read, i think you might see why i say that. Newbies, a little something on cycling/breaking in a new reef tank.

also what does your clean up crew consist of?

I know I am a neophyte on this...but what good would that do? The tank should be cycled shouldn't it? Should we just start over? Aren't there less drastic measures, like carbon, phosban reactor, etc...not sure, just asking if the nuclear option is the right one...

[heels92]

Originally Posted by innercirclepro

I have a 90 gallon tank with ten or so gallon sump. I have two green chromis, yellow and blue tang pair of tomato clowns and a small psudeo chromis. would a protein skimmer help? i would like to take out my fish but dont want to return them and dont have anothertank set up

Again neophyte here, but a protein skimmer would help.

Darrell

[innercirclepro]

thanks.. i dont WANT to start all over..dont see the need to... but then again i am fairly new.. i try and do my reading but you know.. always need to know more.
i want a protein skimmer but dont have the money right now. i have lowered my power head to try to eliminate the dead spot in the corner.

would hooking a cansiter filter up to my sump help any if i loaded it with purigen or carbon. right now im only running a uv sterlizer and filter floss. no chemical filtration.
also no deep sand bed. jsut enough to cover the bare bottom in front of the rocks.

[heels92]

Here is the latest I have found...

Green Coraline?

I think it is safe.

[prow]

Originally Posted by heels92

I know I am a neophyte on this...but what good would that do? The tank should be cycled shouldn't it? Should we just start over? Aren't there less drastic measures, like carbon, phosban reactor, etc...not sure, just asking if the nuclear option is the right one...

what is happening right now is algae and bad bacteria are doing the main biofiltration work. more than likely started adding fish right after the aerobic bacterias established but before anaerobic bacterias extablished. now with fish, too many nutrients are being added for the bacterias to process and the more prolific algaes are out competing the anerobics aswell as the aerobics. if let go the tank will reach a balance using algae and muture with algae as the main bio filtration. the cycano is really not a surprise as all the metobolic activity right now is eating up lots of O2.
removing some fish will reduce the nutrients, decrease O2 demand and allow time to build anaerobic bacterias so that will become the main biofilter. there are other options, you dont have too remove fish, but IMO, leaving all the fish is going to be much more work and in 12-18 months from now you will really be able to see the difference.

[prow]

Originally Posted by innercirclepro

I have a 90 gallon tank with ten or so gallon sump. I have two green chromis, yellow and blue tang pair of tomato clowns and a small psudeo chromis. would a protein skimmer help? i would like to take out my fish but dont want to return them and dont have anothertank set up

yes a protien skimmer will help big time.
for your fish a couple things to check out. around here most LFS have holding tanks for their customers to use. either they rent them or you can bring your fish to them and they will fish sit for you. one store here charges 25 buck to watch them for a month. the other rents holding tanks for 10 buck a week. but what i suggest you do is buy a 20-30gal+ blank tank a small heater and a powerhead. then you can hold them in there (lots of water changes will be needed) and later you will have a QT tank for future additions.

oh sorry i also have only ten or so turbo snails and one slug. would more clean up crew help out?

no dout, bump that up. i dont like or use crabs so this suggestion is based on a CUC without crabs. shot for something like this;
10- Turbo snail (Turbo margarita) "the small ones"
30-Cerith snail (Cerithium sp.)
15- Astrea Snails (Astraea tecta)
30-Nerite snails few kinds-(Nerita polita) or (Neritina communis) any of them will do.
30-Banded trochus (Trochus radiatus)
10-mexican turbos (Turbo fluctuosa)-only cause you have them would have been 5 if not.

these next ones add later as they are carnivores not algae eaters. good for left over food.
5-Nassarius Snail (Nassrius distortus) "tonga the big ones" or 10-Nassarius snail (Nassarius vibex) "the small ones"
1-Tiger serpent (Ophiolepsis superba)

dont need to add them all at the same time, in fact i would not. add a mixed bunch of 20 or so and increase as your tanks need for them increases.

thanks.. i dont WANT to start all over..dont see the need to... but then again i am fairly new.. i try and do my reading but you know.. always need to know more.
i want a protein skimmer but dont have the money right now. i have lowered my power head to try to eliminate the dead spot in the corner.

would hooking a cansiter filter up to my sump help any if i loaded it with purigen or carbon. right now im only running a uv sterlizer and filter floss. no chemical filtration.
also no deep sand bed. jsut enough to cover the bare bottom in front of the rocks.

protien skimmer ASAP, make it a good one. do not go with a junk skimmer. how much are planning on spending on it?
the carbon will help with organic compounds, but i would just put it in a bag and drop it in the sump. no need for a canister filter.
take out the filter floss. the power head good for those dead spots, but do make sure your getting a good ripple on the surface of the water.
do read through that link i gave. it goes into all this. removing some fish for a few weeks is not going to be like starting over, it will jsut allow you to build up a a solid reef from the start and save you lots of head aches later on.

[innercirclepro]

i did read. it was very scientific to say the least. and i appreciate the help. well i wish i could get a skimmer for under 200.

i will add the carbon. do you feel purigen would do the same. i am thinking there are still some undetectable phosphates in my water because my test read zero. api test kit but ive read there some the kit cant test for. should i be using phosguard as well? well i got a penguyin power head along with the flow from my return but the ph is only 300 gph i think i will return it and get somthing stronger.

i will get more snails... only problem my local fish store sells only mexican turbo and astrea snails where can i find the rest?

[innercirclepro]

also why do you not reccomend a filter floss or some pad in the sump? doest it trap bacteria?

[heels92]

Originally Posted by innercirclepro

i did read. it was very scientific to say the least. and i appreciate the help. well i wish i could get a skimmer for under 200.

i will add the carbon. do you feel purigen would do the same. i am thinking there are still some undetectable phosphates in my water because my test read zero. api test kit but ive read there some the kit cant test for. should i be using phosguard as well? well i got a penguyin power head along with the flow from my return but the ph is only 300 gph i think i will return it and get somthing stronger.

i will get more snails... only problem my local fish store sells only mexican turbo and astrea snails where can i find the rest?

You can find a Protein Skimmer for under $200. This guy AQTCJAK who is a sponsor here has protein skimmers his homepage is Aquatic Aggression. I bought my berlin 250 classic on e-bay a couple of weeks ago NEW. It does a great job on my tank. When all was said and done, I had about $200 in it. Here is my thread on it Darrell's Upgrades.

I am relatively new to this forum so I was not aware that AQTCJAK sold skimmers until after I had got mine on Ebay, so I have not done business with him, but I think it would be nice to help do business with the sponsors if one can.

Also, if you do like the Berlin 250, Drs Foster and Smith has them on sale right now for $169, pump included. Berlin Turbo Protein Skimmers

I would also consider putting in a phosban reactor. I was having a problem with hair algea...and after I added that and a larger skimmer the algae has all but disappeared and my coraline has taken off. You can take a look at these here Aquarium Algae & Phosphate Control: PhosBan Reactor 150 and Parts and at the homepage of twolittlefishies Two Little Fishies - Aquarium Accessories.

I use 1/3 carbon and 2/3 phosban (phospure is dr fosters and smiths brand of the same thing for about 2/3 the price, so I actually use that.)

And finally, I added a u/v sterilizer as well, but not sure that helped much. Not sure which one did the most (since I was already running a smaller skinner,) but I think you should have a really good skimmer at least.

[prow]

you can get a ASM G-3 skimmer used for about $200.00. i recently upgraded and bought a ams G4xx and will selling my G3 soon. looking around seems the going rate for a used one is in the $200.00 range, most i think run $150-200.

the filterfloss traps detritus and other wastes. the floss allow aerobic bacteria to grow but not anaerobic. so the floss, like bio balls, produce nitrates but does not complete the nitrogen cycle which turns NO3 to harmless nitrogenous gasses, so instead your left to deal with them or algae.

for snails i like to get mine online from liveaquaria. i alway buy bunches so with the shipping its worth it.

for a reef, first you will want to decide which corals you want. that will determine what lighting and how much/what type water flow/currents you will be wanting. that also help pick a skimmer. softies you dont need the best skimmer to keep the water good for them, but for sps you will want more a very good skimmer the will be more than big enough.

the purigen stuff, no. that i would only use in a FO tank or hospital tanks where waste production exceeds removal. it removes NH4/NO2/NO3 type stuff and hinders your bacterial growths. you would be fighting against your biofiltration.

phosban, sure you can use it. again i would just drop it in a low flow area in the sump, like carbon. do watch your alk while using it.

[lcstorc]

A couple things to add. Just because your nitrates and/or phosphates read 0 that does not mean there is no problem. It simply means that the algae is easting them all.
Also I can't help mentioning that tangs are not suited for your tank. The minimum tank size recommended is a 6ft long 125g or greater. The bigger the tank the better. Most tangs grow to from 10 -16 inches when they are grown and they need a lot of swimming room. They also produce a lot of waste.

[innercirclepro]

i will look into the skimmer and wont use the purigen.
i have heard that 90 isnt big enough for tanks but mine are small, maybe when they get bigger i will upgrade or get different fish.

as far as filter floss goes.. i understand that it traps nitrates but what do you guys do about floating particles and such?

also do you think my bioballs attribute to the algae?
thanks

[prow]

Originally Posted by innercirclepro

as far as filter floss goes.. i understand that it traps nitrates but what do you guys do about floating particles and such?

i dont use anything. but when i do use a filter sock every now and then, it only used for a hour or two. one day max for me mainly only use it for a few hours when cleaning. some do keep a sock though, but you will need to clean it at least once a week.

also do you think my bioballs attribute to the algae?
thanks

perhaps some. too many nutrients is what did it. but using bioballs allowed it to happen and removing them too.