Innovative Marine 30L

[Jenaleigh1]

Okay, tank has been set up for 1 whole big year. I envisioned a Barrier Reef-esque setup by now with softies and LPS swaying and branching together in sweet coral harmony while schools of brainless copepods drifted blissfully from one rock to the next. But no. Because... algae. The war has been raging for several months now, and I think I might be making headway. Here's what has happened in the last three weeks.
Week 1- no lights. None. Algae harvest by hand. Filled a whole cereal bowl.
Week 2- 1-2 gallon water changes every other day to leach out the phosphates in the rock.
Week 3- Saturday: water change
Sunday: water change and algae pick.
Monday: salinity at 1.028. Did freshwater change to lower to 1.024. Oops.
Tuesday: New Phos Guard, new Clear-fx, added GAC, new filter media, small water change
Wednesday: tank scrub, rock scrub. Had NO idea so much detritus had built up in the nooks and crannies where the algae was growing. Soaked some of the live rock in fresh water. Scrubbed rest with a toothbrush. 30% water change since I released so much junk into the water.
Thursday: day of rest- my clown fish started hosting some pulsing xenia. I figured I'd lay off the girl for a while. She was confused with her algae gone.
Friday: hmmm, maybe another water change? Am I doing way too much at one time, or should I keep being aggressive with the small water changes? I do have fish and coral in there, so I am concerned about this.

Thanks! Pic of this morning's wake up blue light special:

 

[bontrager]

Your tank looks good now. Sorry to hear about your algae problem. How bout using a reef sterilizer that will kill single cell algae so I've been told.

I had a similar with purple hair algae (covered everything) and after scrubbing the rock out of the tank it still came back. I was using a large protein skimmer and that didn't help at all.

I didn't do I good job of checking my water parameters and once I added a few fish maybe I over fed them and the corals with coral frenzy and keep my lights on too long. I had to throw all of the rocks and a few corals away; they were also covered with algae. I have purchased an IM 20 gallon fusion and going to go bare bottom and do a better job on water quality and light cycles. I only used Ro water so phosphates didn't contribute to the algae problem

Good luck!!!!!

 

[Flameback Pair]

Start removing by hand and get a big CUC if you don't already have one.

 

[Flameback Pair]

Hermits!!!

 

[Jenaleigh1]

Okay. I have discovered a secret weapon. The sea hare. What I can't figure out is why nobody suggested this before.
I'm doing everything right, and after a year I've decided the algae is there to stay. So, everyone, meet Salty the Sea Hare. Yeah. 20 bucks. That thing has done in three hours what about 1000 dollars over a year hasn't been able to fix. These are before pics.

 

[Jenaleigh1]

I know a few people have suggested a big CUC. Here's what I was working with prior to the hare. Florida ceriths, urchin, red striped trochus, nassarius, blue legs and red legs, astreas, margaritas, Mexican turbos, basically everything that eats algae.

 

[Jenaleigh1]

Start removing by hand and get a big CUC if you don't already have one.

I have been pulling it out by hand for months now.

 

[Jenaleigh1]

My sea hare is... only mostly dead. I put him in intensive care. We'll see if he pulls through. I am so frustrated with this tank!!!!!! Ugh!!!
Tank: Ziploc Pico Quart
Lighting: Hunter Breeze
Parameters: slug slime with 30 minute 1/2 cup water changes
Skimmer: Walmart Airstream FX 2500

Real tank is largely unaffected by his brown ooze. Thank God for GAC. My gorgonian is a little angry, but nothing else seems affected. Changed out GAC.

 

[Flameback Pair]

I know a few people have suggested a big CUC. Here's what I was working with prior to the hare. Florida ceriths, urchin, red striped trochus, nassarius, blue legs and red legs, astreas, margaritas, Mexican turbos, basically everything that eats algae.

How long ago was it when you got this cuc and how is it doing? liveaquaria has a byo (build-your-own) cuc deal, pick and choose from a big variety and get a $75 minimum with no shipping cost. You can leave out the junk and get some really neat stuff. A much better deal than the reef cleaner packs.

 

[Flameback Pair]

If you feel your cuc is too big, feed it!

 

[Jenaleigh1]

My RODI cart! Mr. built this for me today. We lease our house, so I couldn't install and plumb my new RODI system. With this, I can roll it over to the hose, and get what I need for my little tank water changes. Then, I can disconnect it until I need it again. Pretty cool!

 

[Bunnee911]

I use smaller containers for my ro and sw. Got them at TSC.

I can no longer handle 5g buckets.

 

[Jenaleigh1]

Great idea!

 

[Jenaleigh1]

I have gotten to the point with my tank where I have decided the algae has won. Latest changes are the switch to RODI water, which has just turned the algae from bight green to more of a Moss color. I also ordered a fresh CUC from reef cleaners. Great prices, and everything arrived as planned. I added an urchin, and he mows all day to no avail. Today I'm switching filter media to chemi pure elite, which has an algaecide in it. At this point, the algae is killing everything in my tank, so I'm not really concerned about the algaecide. It's a catch-22. So, I'll keep taking pics. We'll see if this works.

 

[Jenaleigh1]

 

[Jenaleigh1]

COMPLETE CLEAN. After fighting this tank for 18 months, I found myself with two options. A- baseball bat or B- one last try. I may regret it later, but I chose option B. About 10 hours of work later, I think this may work. I realized I had never tried deep cleaning every component of my tank all at the same time. I started with pulling all my live rock out. Using two buckets of clean water, I used scrub brushes to get in every nook and cranny to get as much algae and detritus out as possible. After scrubbing, I dunked three or four times to get all the gunk out.

So that's bucket 1, and here's rinse bucket 2:

While all my live rock is piled around me in multiple towels, I grabbed my heater and pulled it out, not thinking to unplug it. While elbow deep in my tank, I noticed an odd smell. Then a pop, then flames. Joy! I grabbed a wet towel and then realized I just almost electrocuted myself. I quickly unplugged the flaming heater and this was the only damage.

I mean, not a scrap of scorched carpet. I am amazing. Not really.
SO, next step was to rearrange the rock while getting attacked by my clownfish, whom I have a tenuous relationship with. I hate that clownfish and I can't catch him! A quick water change, filter media change and I was done with stage 1.
Stage 2. Cleaning the back of the tank. Just because no fish are back there doesn't mean it isn't nasty. I mean, I've been doing everything right, but if you've got gunk in your rock, your lines, your pump, your nozzles, and stuck to your media baskets, no amount of CUC is going to take care of that, and every time the water runs through all that mess, it just seeds more algae, so I was fighting a useless battle.

See?
So in the midst of all this my diamond goby carries out a piece of algae from under his favorite rock and then hides from me like he's not mocking me.

Anyway, let's talk pump and nozzle cleaning. I have spin nozzles and yes, they are a pain.

So, you can see why you should always clean your pumps, right??? Btw, I cleaned it a few months ago but my algae problem was so awful it looks like it hadn't been cleaned in years.
Anyway, 10 hours later, and one final water change my tank looks like it might be on the way to recovery.

I've also discovered I have a few of these in my tank. The red clam looking thing?

Yes, I know. The algae killed most of my coral. Let this be a cautionary tale. Clean ALL of your tank. I really want a nice tank. Just hoping this finally works.

 

[Jenaleigh1]

Ok, I think I might be out of the woods. I think I might have a real tank I can enjoy. Shhhh.
Thanks to an AWESOME thread, I've been fighting back the algae as it tries to emerge from the rock with hydrogen peroxide. It's working! Dare I say it? Could I actually have a real tank and spend money on coral again?

 

[Jenaleigh1]

Still no algae! I can't believe it! Yes! Yes! Yes! I can finally get grown up stuff for my tank! Yesssssssss!!!!

 

[Jenaleigh1]

 

[Jenaleigh1]

Well, it's safe to breathe and spend a few bucks on coral. Got a little mint and a torch. I've exiled my duncan eating decorator crab to my little 10 gallon to live out his days in peace.