Wanna be reefer needs help-lighting/hood, algae issues, etc.

[elreydelospesces]

Hi folks, I am so glad I found this forum it is enormously helpful! I have been keeping a fish only/live rock tank for about two years now. Here's the set up. 29g tank, 40 lbs live rock, 40 lbs live sand, 100 watt visi-therm heater, bio-wheel filter, extra power head for water movement, doule flourescent lighting: 1-Coralife 10,000K super daylight (f20t12bp) and 1-Coralife Actinic (f20t12bp). Live stock: One maroon clown, one yellow tail blue damsel and one pygmy coral beauty angel. They all get along and appear very healthy. Basic water quality is good: 0 ammonia, 0 nitates, 0 nitrites and 8.1 PH.

Heres my issues:

1-I recently have experienced a huge algae problem that is drowning out my corraline. The algae is green and "fuzzy" it is all over my rock and sand. It wafts in the current and is about 1/2 inch long from where it is attached to the top. What is this? Why do I have it? and how can I get rid of it? Oh yes I have filtered lake michigan with no ro/di, I use instant ocean and a stress coat/ dechlorinator.

I have ordered a "cleaner pack" that includes turbo snails, hermits and a "lawnmower blenny". Will this help? What else can I do to help this problem.

My other issue is, I want to turn towards a reef set up in here. I know I need better lighting and a protein skimmer at least but my hood doesn't allow for this. I bought a self contained "Eclipse system" and now realize that was a bad choice. Can anyone help me convert or replace this hood to something more suitable for Nano-reef.

THANK YOU!

 

[ChrisRD]

If you've been keeping the tank for a couple of years and the algae problem is a recent development, I would try to trace back to any changes you may have made in feeding, filtration, etc. If there are none, then I would suspect your input water. An RO unit really is a great investment and they can be purchased for very reasonable prices these days.

As for the lighting, is DIY (do-it-yourself) and option? If you're handy it's fairly easy to build a top-notch canopy/lighting system for a reasonable price. Buying used is also very cost effective (check out the For Sale forum). What you ultimately buy/build for reef lighting will be dependent on what you'd like to keep in the tank.

 

[elreydelospesces]

I guess I can build a hood. Any idea on where I can find a plan for a hood to build that will accomodate a good skimmer and lighting-either VHO flourescents or halide?

As for changes to what I've done, I really haven't done anything differently lately. I'm wondering if it can be an unusual surge in phosphates in my water supply or maybe my bulbs need to be replaces. Can failing bulbs cause this kind of algae?

Thank you!

 

[Anonymous]

elospesces":1ztewzkx" data-source="" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch">

As for changes to what I've done, I really haven't done anything differently lately.[/b] I'm wondering if it can be an unusual surge in phosphates in my water supply or maybe my bulbs need to be replaces. Can failing bulbs cause this kind of algae?[/b]

Thank you!

Yes old bulbs can cause algae growth because of the shift in the light output as the bulbs age. Also, are you using straight tap water, or R/O for water changes?

 

[elreydelospesces]

I'm using straight tap water. I am currently looking for an ro/di system. Any suggestions?

 

[Anonymous]

Personally? I have bought my past two units from Aquatic Reef Systems and never had any type of problem. http://www.aquaticreefsystems.com/

But I'm sure if you search for RO/DI systems you'll find entire threads with various opinions on that subject .

 

[ChrisRD]

If you do a search on the board and ask around in our DIY forum I think someone should be able to point you to some canopy plans/sketches. Many people just build a hood with an open back (so most hang-on skimmers would fit fine), doors on the front and a couple of fans for cooling.

The water supply could definitely be contributing to the algae problem, and aging lamps can also cause problems.

HTH

 

[SnowManSnow]

Hey elyey.. welcome!

I've just done the EXACT same thing with an eclipse system. Mine being 37 Gallons. The hood is the problem.. it just doesn't allow room for expansion... What I did may not be what you would like to do .. but I stuck the hood on another bedroom tank and went with an open top with a Coralife 2x65PC fixture.. it isnt a TON of light.. but you can still keep some pretty cool stuff. Hung an AquaC Remora Skimmer on the back... ditched my wet/dry.. threw in 2 MaxiJet PH's and bingo.. I have a pretty well suited reef tank.. (in the makings at least).

Somthing else to keep in mind, since you have a fairly small tank like me.. is that with 29 gallons.. and 40 lbs of LR.. you have near 29 gallons of water anymore because of all the displacement.. I would recommend just keeping what will work as filter.. and is pleasing to your eye (maybe that IS 40lbs.. if so knock ya self out).

ALSO.. upon upgrading my lighting I have decided to remove the black plastic center brace (which you may or may not have with 29 gallons) and replace it with a glass brace. If you do this make sure to drain some of the water as not to bow the glass out and make some more kinda mess.

Good luck with this! If nothing else I've learned it takes patience... an old man on the mt. once told me... "Son... make haste slowly"

 

[SnowManSnow]

As for the RO water situation.. I just get mine from Walmart in 5 my own 5gallon container..its like 33cents / gallon.

 

[elreydelospesces]

WOW! So many responses so fast. Thank you! Snowman, Do you know if my 29g would have the same footprint as yours so that I could use that same hood you have? Wal Mart sells RO water?

 

[blastermqn]

The hair algae is likely a cyclical problem that occured once nitrate levels hit a critical mass. The reason that your nitrates are reading 'zilch' is because the dense green stuff is eating it as fast as it's produced

Hair algae is easily the biggest nuisance in a marine tank. Nothing will eat it except for some oddball critters like nudibranchs , and they just fix the symptom and not the problem. Hermit crabs will eat hair algae if they are starved - good luck doing that.

My response to hair algae outbreaks is to simply scrub up as much as I can or gravel vac, and try to out compete it by increasing the health of everything else. A tooth brush or scrubbing brush is the perfect assault tool. Usuallly, but not always, tanks that have hair algae outbreaks seem to have low levels of corralline algae, which is a big competitor. Eventually other nitrate reducers will catch up and starve out the green junk, but it can take awhile, and requires good tank maintenence.

Crap city water can inflame the problem by introducing phosphates, but bad water is rarely the main cause. Just makes it worse.

You could also do youself a favor by pulling off that silly bio-wheel. 40lbs of LR should be doing that job and gaining some nitrate reduction that the bio-wheel can't do.