Algea Battles...

[Mort]

For all you beginners out there, I just wanted to say.

When someone tells you to wait until after 6 months to try to eliminate
green algea and stuff... LISTEN TO THEM. They are right!

I was plagued with ugly wierd algeas. First on the glass, then the rocks,
and finally (also the worst) the sand. I was so tempted to get sand sifters
like blue cheek goby or diamond goby to help solve the problem.

But a few people said to wait. I am glad I did! The sand algae disappeared
about a month ago and has not returned!

As soon as I find my USB cable for my camera, I'll post some pics =)

FWIW... HTH

~Mort

[TomW]

Mort-

How bad was your problem? My algae problem has come and gone several times.
At this point, it's the worst it's ever been in 9 months. I've resorted to
scooping up clumps off the gravel bottom. I try to pick it off the rocks,
but have had to resort to using a toothbrush in some areas. I'm off to buy a
skimmer tonight. I have a temporary sump/refugium set up, but it does not
seem to be helping. Ammonia and Nitrates are still 0, but I'm assuming
that's because the algae is thriving on it.

I'm not sure sitting back and waiting for it to go away would be the right
move in my case.

-TomW

"Mort" > wrote in message
gy.com...
> For all you beginners out there, I just wanted to say.
>
> When someone tells you to wait until after 6 months to try to eliminate
> green algea and stuff... LISTEN TO THEM. They are right!
>
> I was plagued with ugly wierd algeas. First on the glass, then the rocks,
> and finally (also the worst) the sand. I was so tempted to get sand
sifters
> like blue cheek goby or diamond goby to help solve the problem.
>
> But a few people said to wait. I am glad I did! The sand algae
disappeared
> about a month ago and has not returned!
>
> As soon as I find my USB cable for my camera, I'll post some pics =)
>
> FWIW... HTH
>
> ~Mort
>
>
>

[Mort]

Do you have a cleaning crew? How much LR do you have, what kind of lights?

~Mort

"TomW" > wrote in message
...
> Mort-
>
> How bad was your problem? My algae problem has come and gone several
times.
> At this point, it's the worst it's ever been in 9 months. I've resorted to
> scooping up clumps off the gravel bottom. I try to pick it off the rocks,
> but have had to resort to using a toothbrush in some areas. I'm off to buy
a
> skimmer tonight. I have a temporary sump/refugium set up, but it does not
> seem to be helping. Ammonia and Nitrates are still 0, but I'm assuming
> that's because the algae is thriving on it.
>
> I'm not sure sitting back and waiting for it to go away would be the right
> move in my case.
>
> -TomW
>
> "Mort" > wrote in message
> gy.com...
> > For all you beginners out there, I just wanted to say.
> >
> > When someone tells you to wait until after 6 months to try to eliminate
> > green algea and stuff... LISTEN TO THEM. They are right!
> >
> > I was plagued with ugly wierd algeas. First on the glass, then the
rocks,
> > and finally (also the worst) the sand. I was so tempted to get sand
> sifters
> > like blue cheek goby or diamond goby to help solve the problem.
> >
> > But a few people said to wait. I am glad I did! The sand algae
> disappeared
> > about a month ago and has not returned!
> >
> > As soon as I find my USB cable for my camera, I'll post some pics =)
> >
> > FWIW... HTH
> >
> > ~Mort
> >
> >
> >
>
>

[TomW]

The tank is a 75gal FOWLR.
-Over 50lbs of LR.
- 48" 4x65W Coralife Aqualight CF hood, 2x Actinic and 2x 10,000K, (blue
lights on 12 hours, "white" on 6hours).
-Removed the bio balls from the wet/dry and replaced with LR.
-Plumbed in a 10 tank with macro algae and sand for a refugium.
-Using RODI water, changing 5 gal per week.
-Run a Diatom Filter 2x a month for about 8 hours.
-2 peppermint shrimp; lots of hermits and snails keeping busy, including a
Mexican Fighting Conch (a family favorite)

I added a protein skimmer this morning.

-TomW

"Mort" > wrote in message
...
> Do you have a cleaning crew? How much LR do you have, what kind of
lights?
>
> ~Mort

[Mort]

How old are the lights?

Do you have a TDM meter? If so, whats the reading of your fresh RO/DI
water?



"TomW" > wrote in message
...
> The tank is a 75gal FOWLR.
> -Over 50lbs of LR.
> - 48" 4x65W Coralife Aqualight CF hood, 2x Actinic and 2x 10,000K, (blue
> lights on 12 hours, "white" on 6hours).
> -Removed the bio balls from the wet/dry and replaced with LR.
> -Plumbed in a 10 tank with macro algae and sand for a refugium.
> -Using RODI water, changing 5 gal per week.
> -Run a Diatom Filter 2x a month for about 8 hours.
> -2 peppermint shrimp; lots of hermits and snails keeping busy, including a
> Mexican Fighting Conch (a family favorite)
>
> I added a protein skimmer this morning.
>
> -TomW
>
> "Mort" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Do you have a cleaning crew? How much LR do you have, what kind of
> lights?
> >
> > ~Mort
>
>

[TomW]

The lights are less than 4 months old.

The TDM meter reads 4 on RODI water (170 on tap water).

Update: Protein Skimmer is producing a lovely brown liquid.

-TomW

> How old are the lights?
>
> Do you have a TDM meter? If so, whats the reading of your fresh RO/DI
> water?
>
>
>

[Marc Levenson]

FWIW -- It is a TDS meter. Total Dissolved Solids.

Marc


TomW wrote:

> The lights are less than 4 months old.
>
> The TDM meter reads 4 on RODI water (170 on tap water).
>
> Update: Protein Skimmer is producing a lovely brown liquid.
>
> -TomW
>
> > How old are the lights?
> >
> > Do you have a TDM meter? If so, whats the reading of your fresh RO/DI
> > water?
> >
> >
> >

--
Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com

[Mort]

"Marc Levenson" > wrote in message
...
> FWIW -- It is a TDS meter. Total Dissolved Solids.
>
> Marc


Doh! There goes my gaming acronyms getting in the way again.

TDM is an abbreviation I use all the time for Team Death Match.
So, when I started typing TDS I must have slipped in to habbit and gone to
TDM.

Ya know, I do the same thing with serve. I mean to say serve but I say
server as in game server.

Anyway...

~Mort (computer geek)