m0nk3y69d
Well-Known Member
So i have been having a problum with slime algae and i know its from over feeding and its also causing my amonia lvl to go up its at 0.25 naw and i was looking for some tips on feeding so i dont over feed
feeding help
- Thread starter m0nk3y69d
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fragmatic
retired reefer
Please provide more information:
>Size of tank
>Age of tank
>type of lights and how many hours
>fish in the tank
>how much live rock
>type of filtering if you have any
>do you have a skimmer
>all the current testing results you have available
>sand?
>sump?
>refugium?
>etc
Several of us would love to help!
>Size of tank
>Age of tank
>type of lights and how many hours
>fish in the tank
>how much live rock
>type of filtering if you have any
>do you have a skimmer
>all the current testing results you have available
>sand?
>sump?
>refugium?
>etc
Several of us would love to help!
OP
OP
m0nk3y69d
Well-Known Member
I have a 55 gal tank that was been running for about 4 monthes but i did recently move with it within the last 3 weeks it has 20lbs of live rock with 50 more lbs comming on tuesday or wensday i have a seaclone 100 skimmer and i only have a hang on filter right now im in the process of putting my sump together i am using a aqueon 48" dule lamp with a colar max bulb and a regular fish tyank bulb the light was on for 12 hrs or more some times but i have cut it down to 10 because of the algae i have a 1.5" deep live sand bed. I have 1 false pecu clown, 1 seabe clown, 1 blue damsel, 1 peperment shrimp, 1 chocalet chip starfish, 2 large turbo snails, and 1 hatian pink tip anemone. When i tested my water yesterday i got a pH of 8.4, amonia of .25, no2 and no3 were both 0
fragmatic
retired reefer
What are you feeding your tank?
Can you test for PO4 (phosphates)?
I think your additional live rock will have a huge positive impact on your system. When it gets in your tank, give it a couple of weeks, then nix the filter. Work on the sump next, just as you say you are. The hang on the back filter may be a serious part of the problem but you are working on getting rid of it. A Lavender Tang would work hard on your hair algae problem too. I have one and have never seen any hair algae. Also, you may consider some hermit crabs. I use them in my tank. Hermits are a love / hate life form. I have good luck with small ones in my display and keep larger ones in my refugium. Another life form that can help you is a couple Emerald Crabs.
So as you have found out it is about what life forms and eco changes work to balance a tank and every tank is different.
Many people have good luck with light feedings. I am not in that camp. I feed my tank, not just my fish. The creatures and bacteria in the live rock are important to the eco of the reef and all must be feed. But.... to feed a tank you must have a large established and healthy live rock population first. Get my attention later and I can explain more about that when and if you wish.
Can you test for PO4 (phosphates)?
I think your additional live rock will have a huge positive impact on your system. When it gets in your tank, give it a couple of weeks, then nix the filter. Work on the sump next, just as you say you are. The hang on the back filter may be a serious part of the problem but you are working on getting rid of it. A Lavender Tang would work hard on your hair algae problem too. I have one and have never seen any hair algae. Also, you may consider some hermit crabs. I use them in my tank. Hermits are a love / hate life form. I have good luck with small ones in my display and keep larger ones in my refugium. Another life form that can help you is a couple Emerald Crabs.
So as you have found out it is about what life forms and eco changes work to balance a tank and every tank is different.
Many people have good luck with light feedings. I am not in that camp. I feed my tank, not just my fish. The creatures and bacteria in the live rock are important to the eco of the reef and all must be feed. But.... to feed a tank you must have a large established and healthy live rock population first. Get my attention later and I can explain more about that when and if you wish.
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fragmatic
retired reefer
I'd like to suggest you leave out the flakes, at the least for now. They can contribute to phosphate problems which contribute to algae problems..... which contribute to your frustrations... wink.
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fragmatic
retired reefer
You can add some phyto for now but take it slow.. anytime you add or remove foods to a tank do it slowly... as for the flakes you can simply stop that one.
When we start to feed a tank we need to be educated about algae.
Here is a good read: Nuisance Algae ID Guide
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fragmatic
retired reefer
After you get your additional live rock you can start to add more frozen food. You do that in very small interments. How much are you feeding now?
What seems odd to me is after I started the heavy feeding concept I have much less algae problem in my display tank.
BUT, I grow algae aggressively in my refugiums.
Another oddity is as I got the heavy feeding concept working my skimmer actually produces less soup.
I use a under tank refugium as an algae scrubber, and I guess it grabs up all the extra food and protein now.
What seems odd to me is after I started the heavy feeding concept I have much less algae problem in my display tank.
BUT, I grow algae aggressively in my refugiums.
Another oddity is as I got the heavy feeding concept working my skimmer actually produces less soup.
I use a under tank refugium as an algae scrubber, and I guess it grabs up all the extra food and protein now.
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OP
OP
m0nk3y69d
Well-Known Member
right now i tame a smail pice of the frozen brine and swirl it in the water so it breaks apart for a few seconds and i watch them eat and if the eat it all i put a little more and and i seems like they are eating everything but i dont turn my skimmer or filter off and i really pushes it around so i think i might start turning them off at feeding time
Tek
Well-Known Member
I actually have more issues using frozen over flake/pellets.
I did not seem to see if anyone asked about his water change schedules? More frequent water changes really helped my algae problems stay down.
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I did not seem to see if anyone asked about his water change schedules? More frequent water changes really helped my algae problems stay down.
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Tek
Well-Known Member
Also make sure you cycle the new live rock in a tub for a few weeks to cure it. Adding it right away will give you an even worse algae outbreak.
Turn down your light to 6 hours a day for now an slowly up it once your water parameters are under control. Get rid if that hang on back and look at upgrading that skimmer. If you do not already have good water movement in the tank a couple of power heads will help.
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Turn down your light to 6 hours a day for now an slowly up it once your water parameters are under control. Get rid if that hang on back and look at upgrading that skimmer. If you do not already have good water movement in the tank a couple of power heads will help.
Sent Via the R2R Forum APP
OP
OP
m0nk3y69d
Well-Known Member
should i still cycle it if its just base rock because i got 50lbs of rock with a 32oz bottle of nytrifing bacteria to jump start the rock and i have wanted to upgrade my skimmer but im buying everything as i can afford it
Tek
Well-Known Member
Yes I have enough live rock and only run a skimmer in my 70G. The 70G was neglected for a few months and was covered in algae. I reduced the lights, made weekly 20% changes, and changed to feeding once a day until the algae went away. A bottle of AlgaeFix from API helped also. It took a month to control.
I suggest you still cycle base rock. I put some old dried out live rock into my 30g and it caused the ammonia and parameters to spike.
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I suggest you still cycle base rock. I put some old dried out live rock into my 30g and it caused the ammonia and parameters to spike.
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fragmatic
retired reefer
IMO.. no.. lower the water level (a great chance to do a water change) wash it in RO water and put it in your tank. You may get a bloom but it will pass. BTW, I don't turn off my pumps either while I feed. I found a spot that does a good job of dispersing my food through out my tank, I dip in a glass and fill it with tank water and slice off the frozen food and let it thaw out in the glass then pour it in.
EXAMPLE: I have 9 small fish, quite a few corals, lots of cuc, in a 90 with a sump, two refugiums, etc; .. I feed: 1/2 cube of frozen Emerald Entree fish food, 1/2 cube of frozen H2O Life Coral Food Mix, 1/4 cube of Hakari frozen Mysis Shrimp, a 1/2 tea spoon of phyto, in the glass as mentioned. Then I place a 1/4 sheet of kelp, and one Hikari Algae Waffer in the tank.
EDIT: didn't I read somewhere that you have base rock coming? I'm basing my post on that..
EXAMPLE: I have 9 small fish, quite a few corals, lots of cuc, in a 90 with a sump, two refugiums, etc; .. I feed: 1/2 cube of frozen Emerald Entree fish food, 1/2 cube of frozen H2O Life Coral Food Mix, 1/4 cube of Hakari frozen Mysis Shrimp, a 1/2 tea spoon of phyto, in the glass as mentioned. Then I place a 1/4 sheet of kelp, and one Hikari Algae Waffer in the tank.
EDIT: didn't I read somewhere that you have base rock coming? I'm basing my post on that..
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