Advice Please!

NanaReefer · May 19, 2017

About 6 months ago I completely cleaned out my refugium and removed all the substrate. Ever since the fuge has been plagued with Cyano & HA.
Issue is any and all Chaeto I add quickly dies. Also I'm seeing small areas of Cyano in the DT.
I'm stumped as to what steps to take at cleaning the Cyano & HA out of the fuge.
Any suggestions?

Maritimer · May 19, 2017

Wow ... I can understand why you'd want that the other way 'round . . .

Possible that some of the #reefsquad will have some hints on keeping the Chaetomorpha around, while encouraging cyano and GHA to vacate the premises . . .

~Bruce

Brew12 · May 19, 2017

NanaReefer said:
About 6 months ago I completely cleaned out my refugium and removed all the substrate. Ever since the fuge has been plagued with Cyano & HA.
Issue is any and all Chaeto I add quickly dies. Also I'm seeing small areas of Cyano in the DT.
I'm stumped as to what steps to take at cleaning the Cyano & HA out of the fuge.
Any suggestions?

A few quick questions.

What are your NO3 and PO4 levels?
Are you dosing anything other than alk and calc to your system?

alfani · May 19, 2017

syphons it out, cut down or close your light

NanaReefer · May 19, 2017

Brew12 said:
A few quick questions.

What are your NO3 and PO4 levels?
Are you dosing anything other than alk and calc to your system?

Per Salifert NO3-.02, PO4-.0 Dosing nothing but BRS ALK & Calc.
System running for 3yrs. Running an IceCap K2-120 skimmer, change filter sock every 4 days. 15% WC bi-weekly. Sicce Syncra 2.0 return.
Just 2 fish, 6Line & YWG.
It's terrible as the Cyano totally takes over the Chaeto within a weeks time.

Brew12 · May 19, 2017

NanaReefer said:
Per Salifert NO3-.02, PO4-.0 Dosing nothing but BRS ALK & Calc.
System running for 3yrs. Running an IceCap K2-120 skimmer, change filter sock every 4 days. 15% WC bi-weekly. Sicce Syncra 2.0 return.
Just 2 fish, 6Line & YWG.
It's terrible as the Cyano totally takes over the Chaeto within a weeks time.

Are you purposely running an ULNS?

mfinn · May 19, 2017

Have any extra flow in the refugium area?

saltyfilmfolks · May 19, 2017

Are you still having the cyano on the sand Issue? That was still the most baffling case ever.

NanaReefer · May 19, 2017

Not purposely running an ULNS. I feed 2x daily and change out just 5g of 50g bi-weekly. Wouldn't think that would lead to low nutrients. My system has always tested low for PO4 & NO3.

No extra flow in the fuge. Smallest pump I have available would be an mj400, to much you think?

The "brown stuff" that was plaguing my DT's SB is gone. No idea how or why. I did however remove about a third of the DT's substrate. So maybe that did it.

This tank is crazy-lol. Zero issues with my corals. They're thriving (except for some Zoa's but that's not unusual for me) awesome growth! My T. Maxima has doubled in size in a year.

aquariumspecialtyDane · May 19, 2017

Tank looks GREAT! The refugium section is a weird one for sure. I would definitely cut the light for a bit and siphon and clean as much as you can out. I think the mj400 would be fine and would definitely help. What kind of light are you trying to grow your cheato with? Sometimes the spectrum can be an issue but it will usually grow under about anything. What kind of flow do you have in your DT as well? Also what kind of light are you using and if they are leds what %s are you running?

www.aquariumspecialty.com
Dane Odom

Texas Reefer · May 19, 2017

Perhaps the chaeto didn't have enough nutrient to thrive?

Dumaurier7 · May 19, 2017

Ditch the cheto and get an algae scrubber.

NanaReefer · May 19, 2017

aquariumspecialtyDane said:
Tank looks GREAT! The refugium section is a weird one for sure. I would definitely cut the light for a bit and siphon and clean as much as you can out. I think the mj400 would be fine and would definitely help. What kind of light are you trying to grow your cheato with? Sometimes the spectrum can be an issue but it will usually grow under about anything. What kind of flow do you have in your DT as well? Also what kind of light are you using and if they are leds what %s are you running?

www.aquariumspecialty.com
Dane Odom

I've actually gone 3 days without lighting in the fuge, no change at all. I've been using this same lamp for 2yrs.
Reef Radiance 7w LEDs running at 1 watt each:

2 White LED @10000k kelvin
1 White LED @6500k kelvin
2 Royal Blue LED @ 450 nanometers
1 Violet LED @ 410 nanometers
1 Red LED @ 660 nanometers

DT flow is 2x Jebao PP-8's at 40% on W1 and return.
Lighting is 1x Radion Gen3. Whites @10% max for 3hrs, Blues & UV 100% ramping. Overall brightness 65% max.

mfinn · May 19, 2017

I found that a small max-jet will provide some needed flow ( it will help), but because the intake on it is small, it will clog pretty fast.
I use small tunze pumps in my refugiums. The round ball shape and larger intake gives it more time before it clogs. Even then it still pumps.
Also they have magnet mounts which are pretty much needed in saltwater.