scottrotton
Active Member
Hi All,
Ive been having an issue keeping macro algae, never been able to keep it correctly.
My setup
is 4ft custom roughly 300L
2 x Vero29 COB 4500k, DIMMABLE, im currently running it about 50 watts, I can push to 300watt but its way to high.
Refugium area in sump roughly 30 x 30 x 30 cm (12 inch for US
Using the Aquaforest balling method, i have some AF carbon which is changed every 2-3 weeks.
I also have some phosphate minus to hand but i'm not actually running it as my phosphates are measuring 0.03 which is actually where i like them and my nitrate is 6ppm. I don't really measure anything else regular except alk 8.2 and salinity 1.026. Im sure the extra phos is being used by algae but its not unmanageable just not exactly how i want it.
Stock
2 clown
Midas blenny
dotty back
royal gramma
foxface
CBB
What i attempted
I started with a relatively low amount of chaeto, only baseball size and now its got brown slime algae growing over it and its dying.
Both my LFS have no Chaeto to sell in stock so although im happy my display is looking OK i dont really want brown slim in my sump. I feel i need a good amount of Macro in my sump to out compete the nuisance algae. Another option i was thinking was use carbon, get near ulns then introduce a large amount of macro and ease off carbon although for me this is a last resort.
I prefer natural filtration as ive used carbon dosing in the past and ended up bleaching my corals because it reduce nitrates to nothing but left phosphate. so I ideally done want to go down that path. I have also sent of my water to be ICP tested so I don't want to do a water change until its back im trying to get my water chemistry right without water changes.
Growth in the main tank is good and its not Crystal clear but its not a bad display, little algae growing in it.
Question
So im wondering does anyone have any proof of the usefulness of lots of coral rubble in the sump in both reducing phos and nitrate? Never seen a BRS on it but my LFS both run it and it seems to be their main source of export unless there dosing carbon or massive water changes. Non of the LFS near me run refugium even though we now have proof of it working via BRS.
Im hope to use Coral rubble then Macro together when i can eventually get my hands on it.
Ive been having an issue keeping macro algae, never been able to keep it correctly.
My setup
is 4ft custom roughly 300L
2 x Vero29 COB 4500k, DIMMABLE, im currently running it about 50 watts, I can push to 300watt but its way to high.
Refugium area in sump roughly 30 x 30 x 30 cm (12 inch for US
Using the Aquaforest balling method, i have some AF carbon which is changed every 2-3 weeks.
I also have some phosphate minus to hand but i'm not actually running it as my phosphates are measuring 0.03 which is actually where i like them and my nitrate is 6ppm. I don't really measure anything else regular except alk 8.2 and salinity 1.026. Im sure the extra phos is being used by algae but its not unmanageable just not exactly how i want it.
Stock
2 clown
Midas blenny
dotty back
royal gramma
foxface
CBB
What i attempted
I started with a relatively low amount of chaeto, only baseball size and now its got brown slime algae growing over it and its dying.
Both my LFS have no Chaeto to sell in stock so although im happy my display is looking OK i dont really want brown slim in my sump. I feel i need a good amount of Macro in my sump to out compete the nuisance algae. Another option i was thinking was use carbon, get near ulns then introduce a large amount of macro and ease off carbon although for me this is a last resort.
I prefer natural filtration as ive used carbon dosing in the past and ended up bleaching my corals because it reduce nitrates to nothing but left phosphate. so I ideally done want to go down that path. I have also sent of my water to be ICP tested so I don't want to do a water change until its back im trying to get my water chemistry right without water changes.
Growth in the main tank is good and its not Crystal clear but its not a bad display, little algae growing in it.
Question
So im wondering does anyone have any proof of the usefulness of lots of coral rubble in the sump in both reducing phos and nitrate? Never seen a BRS on it but my LFS both run it and it seems to be their main source of export unless there dosing carbon or massive water changes. Non of the LFS near me run refugium even though we now have proof of it working via BRS.
Im hope to use Coral rubble then Macro together when i can eventually get my hands on it.
