Hello all. I am sure that this is not a secret to some more advanced reefkeepers, but I found a startling discovery tody. I just set up a new little 10 gallon tank 3 weeks ago, and I have been having a bit of hair algea problem. I thought at first it was just the cycling and the larger light I placed on the tank(96 watt coralife 50/50). But even after I removed the light, cut down the light hours, and threw in some Phosguard and previously Phoslock, the hair algea was still growing. This is nothing new to me and though I have not had a tank for a few years, I remember using phosguard on top of my R/O water and keeping the algea under control.
But my thought like I am sure the majority of the reefkeepers is what is the problem or root of the issue. I then treked and purchased a Phosphate test kit and after using the phosguard now for 4 days, the algea growth has been very much stunted. However, I still have/had a problem just accepting that I have to add tons of stuff when I am using r/o water that tests pure with a ppm meter. To make a long story short, I said I was going to begin testing things to see where the Phosphate is truly coming from. I tested my R/O water and that tested zero. I actually tested it 4 times because I thought that this is not possible if I am having algea blooms and if I test the tank water, it is at .10 after the Phosguard treatment.
Next thing to test was raw Instant Ocean water, and low and behold, the test yielded 0.5 which for at least the tanks I have had is very unnacceptable. Some may be able to maintain a reef with that level, but for me, it causes problems and I remember it has in the past. I said that if the raw water tested 0(which it should have), that i would do a test with a piece of gravel sitting in water for a while and also with a small piece of live rock rubble in the water, but I have found the solution.
I actually am quite angry because for years, I have used Instant Ocean due to their clms of "no phosphates, nitrates, or etc". I have been one of the faithfuls recommending to others that asked me what salt I used, only to find out that along with the inherent low calcium(I have never had a raw Instant Ocean tested water sample have over 300ppm of calcium without any type of calcium suppliment, even with up to 4" thick agragonite bed), low dkH, and now high Phosphate content, that IO in all honesty kinda sucks.
I did a search hear and also on Nanoreefs.com this morning and read the findings of others that are very similar to mine, and I wish I would have read this years ago. It would have saved me lots of time, effort, and money as far as calcium and alkalinity supplements, livestock lost due to learning how to use supplements to bring levels up to reef recommendations, and not to mention the countless options and materials I have used to get the phosphate level alone down to something reasonable, not to mention the amount of money I have . I don't blame AP because they are the standard as far as what is recommended, but at the same time I do, because all in all it really sucks and your fighting an upohill battle from the time you mix your water.
However, this morning I did a lot of reading and purchased some new salt for my tank and will be slowly getting the Instant out of my tank for good, with the remaining that I had left in a bucket already in the garbage. I have settled at the moment on Oceanic salt and from my test, the Phosphate level is 0, the alkalinity is 3.5(lower than a dosed tank, but still much better than IO's 2.0 that I always recieved), and the next test is the calcium which I have read is usually very high with this salt. I attempted to obtain some Tropic Marin or Seachem salt but no one within 75 miles of me has either, so I need to order some if the Oceanic doesn't work out.
I am simply posting this in case anyone else is having problems with hair algea, running r/o water and still getting algea. If you have test kits, I suggest you run a few on "non tank" saltwater if you have not already. I think it will shock you. I edit video and the common saying of "garbage-in-garbage-out" seems to be very applicable to this situation. I just hope that others that are using various salts or have used IO and found the same will chime in and possibly this will save someone years of frustration in the hobby and lots of funds.
Good reef/saltwater keeping to all!
D
But my thought like I am sure the majority of the reefkeepers is what is the problem or root of the issue. I then treked and purchased a Phosphate test kit and after using the phosguard now for 4 days, the algea growth has been very much stunted. However, I still have/had a problem just accepting that I have to add tons of stuff when I am using r/o water that tests pure with a ppm meter. To make a long story short, I said I was going to begin testing things to see where the Phosphate is truly coming from. I tested my R/O water and that tested zero. I actually tested it 4 times because I thought that this is not possible if I am having algea blooms and if I test the tank water, it is at .10 after the Phosguard treatment.
Next thing to test was raw Instant Ocean water, and low and behold, the test yielded 0.5 which for at least the tanks I have had is very unnacceptable. Some may be able to maintain a reef with that level, but for me, it causes problems and I remember it has in the past. I said that if the raw water tested 0(which it should have), that i would do a test with a piece of gravel sitting in water for a while and also with a small piece of live rock rubble in the water, but I have found the solution.
I actually am quite angry because for years, I have used Instant Ocean due to their clms of "no phosphates, nitrates, or etc". I have been one of the faithfuls recommending to others that asked me what salt I used, only to find out that along with the inherent low calcium(I have never had a raw Instant Ocean tested water sample have over 300ppm of calcium without any type of calcium suppliment, even with up to 4" thick agragonite bed), low dkH, and now high Phosphate content, that IO in all honesty kinda sucks.
I did a search hear and also on Nanoreefs.com this morning and read the findings of others that are very similar to mine, and I wish I would have read this years ago. It would have saved me lots of time, effort, and money as far as calcium and alkalinity supplements, livestock lost due to learning how to use supplements to bring levels up to reef recommendations, and not to mention the countless options and materials I have used to get the phosphate level alone down to something reasonable, not to mention the amount of money I have . I don't blame AP because they are the standard as far as what is recommended, but at the same time I do, because all in all it really sucks and your fighting an upohill battle from the time you mix your water.
However, this morning I did a lot of reading and purchased some new salt for my tank and will be slowly getting the Instant out of my tank for good, with the remaining that I had left in a bucket already in the garbage. I have settled at the moment on Oceanic salt and from my test, the Phosphate level is 0, the alkalinity is 3.5(lower than a dosed tank, but still much better than IO's 2.0 that I always recieved), and the next test is the calcium which I have read is usually very high with this salt. I attempted to obtain some Tropic Marin or Seachem salt but no one within 75 miles of me has either, so I need to order some if the Oceanic doesn't work out.
I am simply posting this in case anyone else is having problems with hair algea, running r/o water and still getting algea. If you have test kits, I suggest you run a few on "non tank" saltwater if you have not already. I think it will shock you. I edit video and the common saying of "garbage-in-garbage-out" seems to be very applicable to this situation. I just hope that others that are using various salts or have used IO and found the same will chime in and possibly this will save someone years of frustration in the hobby and lots of funds.
Good reef/saltwater keeping to all!
D
