What are my missing

[phillrodrigo]

My tank had been set up for a bit over 2 years. For the first 6 months to a year my tank was algea free. Now it seems like it just bounces between every algae out there. I went from cyano to dinos to diatoms to red cyano to green cyano diatoms and now back to red and green ccyano. I do weekly water changes of 20% on a 75 with a 40 gallon sump. I siphon the sand everytime. The entire time I take water out its from siphoning the sand then I'll take 5 gallons out of my sump to vacuum all the derititus. It seems like I make headway and a week later a new one pops up. Almost every time it's only in my sand bed frag rack and maybe a few spots on the rock but not much. Tank is a 75 gallon 40 gallon sump reef breeders photon 48 reef octopus nwb 150 2 jaebo wp25s. 1 is towards the top and aimed down and gives the corals the swaying motion. The other is on the other side blowing low the length of the tank behind the rock. I use a spectrapure rodi recently changed out the sediment carbine block and went to the super di. I've started to carbon dose with vinegar a while back it's on a brs doser. I also run gfo in a brs reactor which is changed out every 2 to 4 weeks. All my corals do well acros grow they have color alot of euphyllia and zoas. My sand bed is thin about 1 inch and is only towards the front of the tank so it can be siphoned. I just added cheato and a light to my sump. Return is a mag 9.5. I have never gotten a reliable phosphate test. I feel as though I do most right but I have to be missing something. I'm probably changing 30 gallons a week on about 100 or so gallons. I have a 20h connected to my main system which has bubble algea and maybe even a few strands of byprosis. I don't think I'm missing anything but any help would be greatly appreciated
Nitrate 5
Calcium 460
Mag 1350
Alk 8.3
Ph 8.2

 

[fishroomlady]

it really sounds to me like you're doing everything right. I know this will sound weird but I might just stop on the large water changes and let things settle out......it doesn't sound like you have a ton of phosphate and try to keep good flow across your sand bed. If you have bit of cyano on your sand bed, then it's not unusual. I've not run gfo before but I'd probably try to run the upper amount of directed. HTH you're doing a good job

 

[phillrodrigo]

I have also added filter socks that I change out everyday to every other. I have been stirring up the bed to let the sock catch all the derititus. I have been told to leave it alone it's just hard to when if it's the wrong advise my problems may get worse. It's just like when I had dinos I read alot of people say they beat it buy not changing water but when your corals are being choked out leaving it alone seems like the worse idea. I will try doing less water and see how that goes.

 

[afamousjohnson]

So frustrating - sorry bout your troubles. I would have to agree with fishroomlady on cutting back on the wc. You could just be well feeding them by doing such a large amount with how you described. I wouldn't recommend stopping with keeping up removal tho. When you see a patch flaring up siphon it out and just replace the small amounts of water taken out. Have you ever tried a light out period? Do you have critters moving the sand around for ya.

 

[phillrodrigo]

I have a few nassarius snails not sure how many left. Pacific east aquaculture was at cmac so I bought 10 of there cyano gobbler snails and 10 astrea. I had 2 conch but they died. My cuc don't seem to live very long. My fish load is a pair of clowns scopas tang meleranus wrasse and a dotty back so it's definitely not a heavy load. I feed mostly Larrys food which is very clean. I haven't done a lights out maybe another choice.

 

[phillrodrigo]

Something else that has been mentioned to me are the red diodes on the light possibly. Seeing that they are always used on a refugium light it seems possible.

 

[fishroomlady]

is it possible to get a picture? I know that newer tanks will go through algae stages and I think you're heading into a mature stage of your tank where the uglies should be gone and it will be good husbandry that keeps them at bay.

 

[phillrodrigo]

 

[phillrodrigo]

 

[scardall]

Cyno is a bacteria. Maybe if you use one of the products deveoped for this issue. " Red Slime" is one. In area's where water movement is real slow , Cyno may colonize. "Red slime product" is an antibiotic, if I remember correctly. You may have to treat more than once. " follow the directions on the "red Slime" product"!!

Good Luck: I've been there. Terminator