Using NoPox and have a huge algae bloom now!

[g8rorchid]

Hi All,

I have a 55g tank with the large CPR hob fuge. I have never had luck with growing chaeto, but wanted to find something to lower my nitrates and get rid of a small patch of gha on the glass. Tank doesn't have any corals, but does have blue legs and zebra crabs. Prior to starting the NoPox - my nitrates were between 60-80ppm and phosphates were 0.1. I have been dosing 6ml per day for the past 18 days and nitrates are now between 80-100ppm (ugh!!) and phosphates are 0.1-0.15. Also, the gha has exploded all over the rocks and now I also have some white looking algae on the glass. Not using any carbon or chemipure, per the instructions. Can anyone help with what I should do? Is this normal? I'm attaching a couple of pics.

Thanks!

 

[Diesel]

You have a skimmer going?
Increase your water change schedule ASAP.

The NoPox probably killed some algae and other stuff and due to no export the GHA exploded.
I would stop the NoPox and do a 20% water change every day for a week to reduce your parameters.
Any corals or fish in the tank?

 

[g8rorchid]

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I have a skimmer - Aquamaxx HOB-1, wouldn't that provide the export? Is it safe to completely stop dosing or do I need to just decrease by X amount?

No corals. Just live rock, blue legs, and zebra crabs. As far as fish - 4 line wrasse, bimaculatus anthia, firefish, starry blenny, juvenile red coris wrasse, and eibli angel.

 

[oscargrumete61]

Maybe too much nopox why you did not started with low dose ?

 

[Diesel]

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I have a skimmer - Aquamaxx HOB-1, wouldn't that provide the export? Is it safe to completely stop dosing or do I need to just decrease by X amount?

No corals. Just live rock, blue legs, and zebra crabs. As far as fish - 4 line wrasse, bimaculatus anthia, firefish, starry blenny, juvenile red coris wrasse, and eibli angel.

Yes skimmer takes somewhat of that out but a perfectly working skimmer only up to 30%.
It will be ok to just stop your NoPox.
a good water change always helps.
As if your No3 is as you says so between the 80 and 100 with a 50% water change you will reduce it by 50%.
Lets get some more eyes on this.









#reefsquad @Randy Holmes-Farley

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Yup. The stuff on the glass looks like bacteria. Personally I'd take a scrub brush to the algae and then do water changes.

And yes totally ok to just stop nopox.

 

[gashunk]

Don't just stop nopox ou have to gradually reduce the use or else your gunna have a even worst algae bloom *trust I went thru it*

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Don't just stop nopox ou have to gradually reduce the use or else your gunna have a even worst algae bloom *trust I went thru it*

Can you explain why you believe this is please.

 

[Diesel]

Don't just stop nopox ou have to gradually reduce the use or else your gunna have a even worst algae bloom *trust I went thru it*

Uhmmmm???
I believe you that it went from worse to a disaster maybe in your case but it ain't related to the NoPox.

NoPox is just a carbon source.

 

[gashunk]

Uhmmmm???
I believe you that it went from worse to a disaster maybe in your case but it ain't related to the NoPox.

NoPox is just a carbon source.

Nothing was wrong with the tank and I stopped dosing nopox and I got a huge bloom and that's the only thing that I changed in the tank

 

[saltyhog]

I don't think that's algae, looks like a bacterial bloom to me. Just cut back by about 2/3 and increase it slowly. Sometimes adding a competing bacterial culture like Microbacter7 can help control it.

 

[g8rorchid]

Thanks for all of the replies! I think I am going to go the safe route and decrease the NoPox. What kind of schedule would you suggest? 3ml (half of what I was dosing) for X number of days, then further decrease for X number of days or slowly increase again? I have microbacter7, but you are supposed to shut off the skimmer for 4 hours when using it and for the NoPox you MUST have a good skimmer....so seems kinda counterproductive to use both, no?

 

[Richard baker]

I been using nopox for 6 months I have a massive reef octopus skimmer s 302 aquatics Ats and a five full of chato all my gha is gone and no green slim algae if u follow directions I sware by the stuff only had one minor algae bloom in the first month but it went away

 

[saltyhog]

Thanks for all of the replies! I think I am going to go the safe route and decrease the NoPox. What kind of schedule would you suggest? 3ml (half of what I was dosing) for X number of days, then further decrease for X number of days or slowly increase again? I have microbacter7, but you are supposed to shut off the skimmer for 4 hours when using it and for the NoPox you MUST have a good skimmer....so seems kinda counterproductive to use both, no?

If you had to keep your skimmer off indefinitely yeah but 4 hours is nothing. You just want to do that so that you don't skim out the bacteria you just put in. There is plenty of time the other 20 hours of the day.

 

[SlvrZ]

were you skimming wet with the nopox?

 

[Dburr1014]

I would suggest wet skim also while using nopox. Do a water change and scrub the rocks outside the tank and rinse them with the old water. I also used a filter to help catch some more crap.

 

[Greaps]

Personally I feel that carbon dosing, and other nutrient export methods are best used to maintain a low level not correct the bigger problem. With only 55g I would go with two easy separate 25g water changes over the next 3-4 days, and then resume the carbon dosing as directed. During this water change scrub the rocks down with an old tooth brush, clean the glass, get a fair amount of that suspended gunk in the water change. Second water change focus the siphon on the sand bed or problem areas. The white scum is excess bacterial growth I imagine. I suggested two water changes, but if you are careful and match water temp and salinity well, it can be done with one bigger change, this is more difficult though so I suggest 2 smaller changes.

If you don't have the equipment to make big water changes easier, go get two brute trash cans, mark gallons at a interval you like. Use a pump to mix fresh salt and later pump it back into tank this is easier and has problems associated with pouring buckets.

 

[SlvrZ]

you seriously need to skim on the wet side when carbon dosing. if you dont and that stuff stays around that snot and pink snot starts to build up along with cloudy water and poor ph. dont really think the HOB skimmer is able to pull it out fast enough

 

[Richard baker]

I agree I have a reef octopus diablo xs 160 I wet skim and get about 1/3 of a full cup in one day