All kinds of confused!

[KINGROWLAND1217]

OK, so I set up my 55 gallon tank about 7-8 monthes ago. I started with a fluval 110 power filter,seaclone protein skimmer, and live rock. I use chemipure elite for the power filter. Thats about it for filtration. I added LEDs about a month ago and now I have cyano, and algae everywhere. I have a bunch of turbos and astreas snails and shrimp in there. My question is should I even keep my power filter on there? Is it helping or hurting? The more i read Im thinking about adding a canister(w/chemipure elite,live rock, and polyfilter) and making my power filter a refigium. I have heard mixed reviews about refigiums,are they really beneficial? I am also thinkin about setting up a doser for vinegar and some ESV Bionic 2 Part Calcium Buffer. Anybody had experience with these? I want to have EVERYTHING(filtration) setup and stable before I add any corals. There are just too many options out there and a million ways to do it but I want a tried and true setup that wont fail me when I have a reef. So please let me know exactly what you guys are keeping as far as filtration. I know its alot for 1 post but Thanks

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

Welcome!! What types of powerheads are you using? What livestock do you have? How often are you feeding and what are you feeding?

I have a 55 reef. Here is what my setup is:

305 Fluval canister filter with a sponge and carbon. The sponge is replaced once a month and the carbon is changed out monthly. I rotate what carbon is taken out so I don't take it all out at once.
I have a HOB refugium with chaeto.
I have Riptide Gyre for flow
Del Tec HOB protein skimmer

I feed my fish only frozen food once a day just a small bit.

If there was anything I would change to your setup, it would be to add a sump.

 

[KINGROWLAND1217]

Thanks for the advice. Right now I only have a damsel and a firefish. I have 2 maxijet 400s right now but I'm gonna upgrade to the hydor or jabeo wave makers. So chemi pure elite and blue is good? I didn't know I should be changing the sponge out. So my setup is good enough as is,just add a refegium right?

 

[Weird]

You can add a refugium but it's not really necessary. Where are you getting your water for mixing saltwater and for top-off water? Test for everything with a quality test kit. Make sure you actually need to add calcium before dosing. Chemipure is ok but i will not add a canister unless you are diligent about maintenance. post up more info about the lighting, lighting schedule and parameters to get more help.

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

Thanks for the advice. Right now I only have a damsel and a firefish. I have 2 maxijet 400s right now but I'm gonna upgrade to the hydor or jabeo wave makers. So chemi pure elite and blue is good? I didn't know I should be changing the sponge out. So my setup is good enough as is,just add a refegium right?

I meant to add a sump. Sorry for the confusion.

How often do you do water changes? What is your water source? What foods are you feeding and how often?

The cyano is coming from the excess nutrients. I think that a refugium may help with getting it under control, but there are other contributing factors.

 

[Mike J.]

SeahorseKeeper 10,000 posts!
I'd be more interested in how much and how often you do water changes? Also, I'd think about getting a better skimmer.

 

[racin2438]

What are your phosphate readings at.
And as others asked...where is your water source coming from.

If you are wanting a Hydor-Korelia wavemaker. .PM..me I have one I no longer need.

 

[KINGROWLAND1217]

Yea, I mean my biggest problem so far is not having an RO/DI system setup, I didnt realize I even needed one until this little outbreak happened. Would it be a bad idea to try and find a used one? Spectrapure has refurbished one I think I am going to get. I am just trying to prevent this from happening again so I am exploring changing up my filtration system. But anyway, I do 1 water change a week, Ive been doing 2 a week since this algae started. I use Reef crystals mix. Feed once a day normally but have been feeding every other day since the algae(and I really dont have much livestock in it). I dont have a phosphate measuring tool yet. Nitrates and ammonia are 0 though.

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

Yea, I mean my biggest problem so far is not having an RO/DI system setup, I didnt realize I even needed one until this little outbreak happened. Would it be a bad idea to try and find a used one? Spectrapure has refurbished one I think I am going to get. I am just trying to prevent this from happening again so I am exploring changing up my filtration system. But anyway, I do 1 water change a week, Ive been doing 2 a week since this algae started. I use Reef crystals mix. Feed once a day normally but have been feeding every other day since the algae(and I really dont have much livestock in it). I dont have a phosphate measuring tool yet. Nitrates and ammonia are 0 though.

Getting a used unit is not a bad idea. I would just change out the media or find out when it was last changed out.