Saltgator's 240 Build

Saltgator · Apr 20, 2014

schooleyosis said:
Same to you man!!!

Thanks bud!
Question for ya. What do you believe the nuisance algae is in the pics above? Basically is is dinos, diatoms, Cyano bacteria or HA in your opinion?

schooleyosis · Apr 20, 2014

Dude I've looked at it over and over and over and cannot pinpoint it. I've got a link on my PC at work that I'll send to you about algae and identifying it. Hopefully that will help.

Regardless of what it is, I'd try and get your P04 between 0.00-0.06 and keep it there 24/7. In due time the algae will fade, but you'll have to be diligent about WC's and the use of GFO and/or an ATS.

One thing comes to mind. Bad algae can appear when light spectrum changes. Is the tank in direct sunlight or are your light bulbs old? Forgot what type of lights you're using?

Saltgator · Apr 20, 2014

LEDs about a year old. No sunlight. Whatever it is, I can blast it off the walls and rocks, but it's back within a few days. Snails also can eat it, so not toxic.

schooleyosis · Apr 20, 2014

Good the snails eat it. Maybe get a bigger CUC to help. I added a tuxedo urchin and it mows stuff down. I'd get two or three urchins in there to help control it naturally! Maybe add 20 or so more snails. Maybe some blue legged hermits as well.

Lights are not the issue...

Saltgator · Apr 20, 2014

schooleyosis said:
Good the snails eat it. Maybe get a bigger CUC to help. I added a tuxedo urchin and it mows stuff down. I'd get two or three urchins in there to help control it naturally! Maybe add 20 or so more snails. Maybe some blue legged hermits as well.

Lights are not the issue...

Snails and urchins are definitely something I'm looking into as we speak (I love my zebra turbos). Not 100% sure on the hermits though, just snail killers and knock too many frags over, lol.

schooleyosis · Apr 20, 2014

Good point on the hermits

schooleyosis · Apr 21, 2014

Search around in here for your algae ID:

ReefSlides - September '06 - Algae Album: An Algae ID Slideshow

Saltgator · Apr 21, 2014

Thanks bud.

schooleyosis · Apr 21, 2014

No problem! Hope it helpd

Saltgator · Apr 22, 2014

Did a 30ish gallon water change (all my brute can hold), while siphoning the water out, i blew half the tank rocks off. Taking a bit for the rocks too become fully cover in crap again. Gonna do another water change this weekend, after RAP, providing I feel better (been running a fever since Sunday evening, now on a z pack and ibuprofen).

schooleyosis · Apr 22, 2014

Cool man. Hopefully your winning the battle!

And I hope ya feel better.

Saltgator · Apr 22, 2014

schooleyosis said:
Cool man. Hopefully your winning the battle!

And I hope ya feel better.

Thanks bud. I can't wait to feel better and win my fight against this algae.

On a good note, the UAS is taking off. Now that I know it's growing great, I have to buy/create/? something that doesn't allow the light to escape the scrubber. My sock (if left to long, 2 days) will grow this turf kinda algae on the lit side.

schooleyosis · Apr 22, 2014

Saltgator · Apr 22, 2014

Upflow algae scrubber

schooleyosis · Apr 23, 2014

Got ya. Glad that is taking off. In my sump I just took 2 plastic plates, like used for a picnic, and used them to diffuse the light from getting to certain areas of the sump that I don't want algae to grow. Looks tacky but it works, lol.

Saltgator · Apr 23, 2014

schooleyosis said:
Got ya. Glad that is taking off. In my sump I just took 2 plastic plates, like used for a picnic, and used them to diffuse the light from getting to certain areas of the sump that I don't want algae to grow. Looks tacky but it works, lol.

Nice! I ain't worried about style and eye appeal, lol, just what works. I'm probably gonna get a black pvc sheet and customize a box of some sort. So your running a scrubber too or a fuge? I don't recall seeing/reading about it (my bad). I'd have hit you up with a few ? if I'd had, lol.

schooleyosis · Apr 23, 2014

Lol. Memory... I lost mine a long time ago!!!

I'm running a fuge with chaeto. My return section got covered in green hair algae and the return pump would suck some of it up and spit it out in the DT. The Foxface and Tang loved the extra veggies but I don't want to risk getting any HA in the DT. I probably should put the sponge back on the return pump but they are nitrate factories.

The PVC sheet is a good idea too