Aqua C Remora Pro and algae

[Anonymous]

Hi, here is my set up first of all

55 gal corner bow front
20 gal high sump
Iwaki md 30rxlt return pump
Magnum 350 canister filter
Remora Pro with included Rio pump
Deep Sand Bed
Lots of Live Rock
Many Snails
Some Brittle Stars

Nitrates < 5
Nitrite 0
Ammonia 0
Ph 8.2
Salinity 1.025


My problem now is that I have cleaned it, fiddled with it, raised it, lowered it, everything I can think of and I can not get it to skim. I haven't collected any skimmate in at least 3 weeks. I have it set as low as it will go. It has been three weeks since I cleaned the center column. The foam seems to dissipate about halfway up the tube.

I was thinking it could be because I have no fish, but there is brown hair algae just taking over my tank, and I thought that if the Algae is growing, there must be nutrients in the water.

I have only been feeding the sand bed a little sinking pellet food about every two days until this week when I quit as the algae is just covering everything.

Any suggestions?

Thanks for any input

Bryan

 

[Anonymous]

Did you clean the pump?

 

[Expos Forever]

Have you contacted Jason Kim at Aqua C directly? I've found him to be extremely helpful in the past.

 

[Anonymous]

Your hair algae might be growing because of phosphates (which skimmers don't remove). I don't think that it requires DOC's or proteins for growth. Maybe there is nothing to skim. Your algae might also be growing from a color shift due to old bulbs and/or too long of a photoperiod.

 

[Anonymous]

you may wanna remove the canister filter.

trapped organics :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

Big second on the canister. Get rid of it.

 

[Inno]

Big second on the canister. Get rid of it.

Or it could be used as additional waterflow, without the media in it.

 

[Anonymous]

Okay, here are a few things.

1st, I have included a pic of the algae, taken with my new Canon Powershot G3, excuse the dirty glass and poor focus, This thing has like a thousand buttons.

2nd the Canister is there for flow and water polishing. I change out the micron filter and blue pad every Saturday.

I have cleaned the pump

the tank has been set up for maybe 3-4 months, the bulbs were old when I started it this time. I am not housing anything that requires really good light.

And I sent almost the exact same letter as my post to Jason Kim, and yes he is the most helpful company owner that I have ever contacted. I just thought that since I had questions other than related to the operation of the skimmer that I would ask here as well.

Thanks for any help

Bryan

 

[Anonymous]

i still would lose the canister.

unless you wanna clean that filter daily it is going to get all backed up with crud.
yes, i agree you could use it as a powerhead without the media but really what's the point in that?
if you want to occasionally "polish" the water i would opt for sticking it on the front of the tank during those brief time periods.

i don't understand the "polishing" benefit. you are housing corals, no?

 

[Anonymous]

No corals

FOWLR

Guess I should of said that back in the beginning. And since I am planning on quite a few fish I want to be able to get the junk out.

Bryan

 

[Anonymous]

you are gonna do a DSB?

 

[Anonymous]

Yeah,

DSB, LR, skimmer, snails, Brittle stars, pods, little shrimp(have a bunch of them) and fish

Any idea what kind of algae that is?

Bryan

 

[madmike]

I had identicle algea in my tank in a relatively low flow area, try to increase the flow in the area and see if that helps...just guessing though, worked for me :wink:

mike

 

[Anonymous]

looks like cyano to me.


i see your sand is pretty new. how long has this been up?

now, don't read me as obdurate, but i am only gonna say this one more time and then i will drop it. i would not use the canister filter.

every time your fish craps some of it will inevitably become lodged in that filter. this might be ok if there was a way that creatures like those that will inhabit your DSB could access it and clean it up but they can't because they are in your sand and the poop is way down that tube.
not only is this a problem but whatever might colonize on that pad will experience a haloucast every saturday.

 

[Anonymous]

Its right smack in the front center of the tank where all three outlets converge. So the stuff is waving around kind of in a random pattern. I have like 800gph going through there. I will try sticking a powerhead in there. How long did it take to clear up after you corrected the flow?

Bryan

 

[Anonymous]

You know what Pod

You made your point

I think it was the blue that finally got through to me

I hate cleaning it anyway, so this saturday I will take out the micron filter and blue pad. I really need to keep it running for the flow. Is that alright? I need that extra 350 gph which is more like 275 according to my tests.

If it is Cyano, what do I do? I have not been feeding for a week and all the tests come out fine.

Bryan

 

[Anonymous]

You know what Pod

You made your point

I think it was the blue that finally got through to me

I hate cleaning it anyway, so this saturday I will take out the micron filter and blue pad. I really need to keep it running for the flow. Is that alright? I need that extra 350 gph which is more like 275 according to my tests.

If it is Cyano, what do I do? I have not been feeding for a week and all the tests come out fine.

Bryan

yes, you can keep it, just don't leave things in it. :wink:

how old is this tank?

 

[Anonymous]

I think 3-4 months

 

[Anonymous]

water quality is gonna be all over the place for awhile.

if you have limited feedings and light i would continue with that. i wouldn't be stocking anything for awhile either.

you may consider getting a piece of tubing and gently siphoning the algae out being careful not to suck the sand out.

as for the skimmer, i don't know why it isn't skimming. prolly doesn't have anything to skim.

BTW, i think i have had algae battles that have lasted longer than that tank has been up. :lol:

 

[MattM]

Remove canister, keep Remora running, add liberal amounts of patience. The cyanobacteria is not uncommon in newly established aquariums.

Think how long it took mother nature to get everything working right in the real ocean!