Alge bloom..again

[Dopler]

Well here we go again.I'm getting another wicked alge bloom.If it keeps up i'm going to have to scrub the rocks again.Everything is testing fine.The only thing is i replaced all of my PC bulbs(4) at the same time recently.If i cant beat it this time i'll be selling all my corals,tear it down and go fish only.I'll keep you all posted.By the way its nasty hair alge

[ June 27, 2003, 09:57 PM: Message edited by: Dopler ]

 

[Dopler]

I just found some intresting reading on ammonia in glass cleaners.seems that if you use windex in the same room as your tank the ammonia in the windex can cause a alge bloom.So i banished all cleaners with ammonia in it from the room with my tank.Thats the only thing i can think of that can be causing these blooms.I also just ordered 200 hermits and some lettuce nudibranches and nassarius sails from www.reeftopia.com not bad prices.Any order over $120 you get free shipping. have new hope again...even if only for a little while

[ June 28, 2003, 08:58 AM: Message edited by: Dopler ]

 

[Dopler]

heres the link to the windex article.
http://www.saltcorner.com/1024/index1024.htm

 

[4angel]

Hey Dopler good heads up on the article. Also consider other sources that may come into play here. H20, (where are you getting it from have you checked the phosphate levels. skimming, is the skimmer working to the optimum. Excess organics are the source of most blooms. Are you cleaning the airlift tube? Lets not forget those lights. If you changed them as a result they sometimes will contribute to the Algae bloom especially if they are on to long. I have gotten into the habit of brining my new lights on a couple of hours less initially ultimately brining them back up to what ever hours they were on before I changed them

 

[Dopler]

Hi Angel good to hear from you.I only use R/O water for the tank.The skimmer is a reef devil i got from vic and it makes the most beautiful dry foam I've ever seen..I think the new bulbs played a large part in this bloom.I replaced all 4 at the same time.I'm going to take your advice and cut back on the total hours on and build back up slowly.I waited way too long to change them out.I have 4 96w PC's.I thnk i'll start changing them out 1 every 3 months so this wont happen again.It just gets very fustrating fighting off the dredded hair.I guess half the fun of this hobby is taking the good with the bad.Hows the new tank doing

[ June 28, 2003, 09:58 AM: Message edited by: Dopler ]

 

[4angel]

Thanks for asking, The 40 is doing good The 90 I bought from Vic will be a work in progress.. I have painted and stained the stand as well as painted the back of the aquarium. I am waiting on some $$ to order a 175W MH. reto to add to the one I have already in the hood. I am fighting the urge to move quickly so I can get it the way I want it...OK who am I tryin to fool it will always be a work in progress I am sure.

 

[House of Laughter]

Dopler,

I would try dropping the new lights on-time to see what happens -

I had the same problem some time ago and adjusted my total time that the lights were on and it made a world of difference. I originally ahd all my lights on for a total of 11 hours and total time from dawn to dusk a total of 14 - that changed and the total time all lights are on is 9 hours and dawn to dusk is 12 hours. May only seem like a little, but it worked for the better. But that was just my experience. Whatever you do, make sure your lights are on long enough to keep your corals alive.

Don't give up, "this too shall pass"

House

 

[Dopler]

Hey House..how the heck you doin...hehehe...I'm going to cut back on the lights for sure...Did the new tank come in?

 

[marrone]

What I did to get rid of my hair algae was to added a blue line glidder goby which is like the golden headed goby just with blue line. Either of them will eat most of your algae and keep your rocks clean.

Michael

 

[House of Laughter]

Yean, man - tank is in and I have started making modifications to the stand and have ordered additional plumbing -

I also go ththe RIGHT skimmer this time back from Marine depot - not tusre if you remember, they sent me the wrong one.

I also bought 2 Icecap fans for the hood I am going to build that have temp probes on them as well.

I am off and running and as soon as the rest of the plombing stuff comes in, I will start the tank up and move the smaller one into the office.

Then I'll need some snails and crabs (like 100 each)

I am around tonight if you want to run down to see the tan - if not, next time I see ya

Hope all is well, and catch ya later on!

house

 

[Dopler]

Tank looks like crap,i'll give the crabs and snails a week or so to see what they can do.This is depressing.By the way reeftopia.com has some quality critters.Everything arrived alive and in great shape,free shipping over $120.Real nice people to deal with,they even called to say they shipped the order.

 

[cla009]

I once had a battle with algae, nothing seemed to work, My tank has a very high bioload per gallon. Instead of chemically fighting it which I still do, I employeed 5 giant mexican turbo snails which consume so much algae of all types. These things eat so much its kinda funny to watch, they strip your rocks of slime but they wont eat coraline algae. They will eat their weight in macro, cyano daily. Problem is when you run out they will prob die. I'm down to 2 because my system doesnt make enough algae since I installed a refugium and a few clams.

 

[Dopler]

ricordea is melting now.I think i'm done with this tank

 

[4angel]

I would take out a piece of rock one at a time and scrub most of the algea off by hand or brush. Dont be affraid of pulling a softy or to out for a few min while you do this. Keep a cup of tank water out and pour it on the corals as you work. Rinse the brush off with water from the tank and take some time to make sure the rock is clean. I did this when I had a bad bubble out break.

 

[Dopler]

I spent most of yesterday cleaning the rocks and sandbed.I have a 10 gallon and put the corals in that while i took my time and cleaned everything.I also picked up a cool little 2" fox face from the LFS.I'm real tempted to set up a nano with the 10 gallon.First i'll get the 65 in order.Hopefully now that the alge in the main tank is mostly gone the alge in the fuge will absorb what nutrients are causing the bloom.The corals seemed to have no ill effects from the cleaning.I was able to add some more base rock and I have more room now for more corals,so actually this worked out pretty good.Alot of work but well worth it

 

[House of Laughter]

Dopler,

That's good to hear, you were getting me nervous there for a moment

Let me know of you need help with anything, or need some sand etc. In a few days I'll be setting up the 92 and start that running - can't wait.

Have a Happy 4th and I'll see you soon.

House

 

[Vic8361]

Glad things are looking foward I was afraid you were going to give up and I was going to lose a good reef buddy.
Vic

 

[Dopler]

Vic
Nahh...All the friends i've made here are friends for life,reef or not

I lost my yellow tang today.I tried to catch it yesterday before i started cleaning the tank,I guess all the junk i stirred up did it.I did a real serious cleaning.Some of the corals seemed to love it though they went into feeding mode...I'm praying the alge stays away for good now.The good thing is i added more rock and made some more room on the reef.I got that reef devil cranking now also,its amazing what comes out of that thing.The loss of the tang is a real bummer,it was my first fish,its like we lost a good friend..

[ July 05, 2003, 03:00 AM: Message edited by: Dopler ]

 

[Vic8361]

Nick
sorry to hear about your yellow tang.
I lost my goby the other day. When I fed the tank he grabbed some food and swam right in to the carpet anemonie. I used a long rod to get him out but it was to late the next day he was gone.
That was a bummer also. I just hope I don't lose anyother fish like that.
Talk to you soon.
Vic

[ July 05, 2003, 08:34 AM: Message edited by: Vic8361 ]

 

[House of Laughter]

One natural and one not so natural dath - either way it's never any fun losing fish - something I need to be aware of when I move to my new tank. Either way, Nick - keep the proteins down as best you can you don't wnt to over load the tank - usually causes the algae - you're probably saying I should talk - but hey, I have algea problems of my own so don't worry -

Vic, Rock looks great, no aptasia to speak of and am getting ready to load those babies into tht new tank.

Any extra blastomosa yet?

House