OP
OP
When does algae become a problem?
- Thread starter jabberwock
- Start date
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An exact replication of your scenario
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-official-sand-rinse-thread-aka-one-against-many.230281/page-12
Please consider pics n application of that...we want to keep collecting examples.
I’ll go ahead and state no other method of cyano control works as well. They’re all inferior
*your tank is not bad, crabs already predicted this phasing.
I’m only showing by forty examples that yous can clean, if you want to.
To be able to effect a full cleaning before your best possible invasion test is wise. Be familiar with hand guiding, how deep you are allowed to clean without harming anything, and you’ll master the art of the ageless nano reef. It will never die biologically if you can make those moves anytime you want to. The practice of a rip clean is the benefit, not that there isn’t fifteen possible scenarios alt that would remove the light invasion you have. Ride it out longer, or force it clean, easy to choose.
The option clearly exists to never have an invaded reef, only one packed with coral from start to finish (start= after cycling ends)
To allow alternating generations of invaders to choose how long they stay in succession is also another valid option of reefing
your lighting balance tips heavier on white than blue, this is directly implicated as well. Your tank doesn’t have nutrient issues imo don’t mess with nutrients. If you want it clean, make it pass a drop test.
B
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-official-sand-rinse-thread-aka-one-against-many.230281/page-12
Please consider pics n application of that...we want to keep collecting examples.
I’ll go ahead and state no other method of cyano control works as well. They’re all inferior
*your tank is not bad, crabs already predicted this phasing.
I’m only showing by forty examples that yous can clean, if you want to.
To be able to effect a full cleaning before your best possible invasion test is wise. Be familiar with hand guiding, how deep you are allowed to clean without harming anything, and you’ll master the art of the ageless nano reef. It will never die biologically if you can make those moves anytime you want to. The practice of a rip clean is the benefit, not that there isn’t fifteen possible scenarios alt that would remove the light invasion you have. Ride it out longer, or force it clean, easy to choose.
The option clearly exists to never have an invaded reef, only one packed with coral from start to finish (start= after cycling ends)
To allow alternating generations of invaders to choose how long they stay in succession is also another valid option of reefing
your lighting balance tips heavier on white than blue, this is directly implicated as well. Your tank doesn’t have nutrient issues imo don’t mess with nutrients. If you want it clean, make it pass a drop test.
B
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Subsea
5000 Club Member
Ok, how about now?
Do you have a current tank thread? “Tank has reached puberty” is funny. I needed that. Yes, hermit crabs are jerks. Eventually, they will eat snails. Ban hermits from your reef tank. Find a differrent janitor that doesn’t eat members of CUC. Both Bristle Worms and Peppermint Shrimp would scavenge uneaten food without wearing shells of the CUC.
427HISS
2500 Club Member
Anytime you think there's too much. lol..
Don't worry about the algae as the tank will take time (go very slow) and with good maintenance most will go away. But,...the cyanobacteria tells you that the chemistry is off and can be a big problem, but it's fixable, and do it quickly.
What have do done with testing the water ?
Do not,....add the planned fish for months. Your dead white rock is not loaded with good enough bacteria to handle yet. The sand alone won't contain either. DON'T hurry ! Slow down buddy. Dead rock can takes years to populate a sound bacteria base. The outside will ok in several months, but the inside can take years. You can add various bacteria additives and use other form of material to get the process faster, but most are just not the way to go. Like most the time in life, being in a hurry does not work out and can be worse. In the case of this hobby, the latter can happen much,....faster.
Nitrifying bacteria takes a lot of time. You and the tank will be much happier by slowing down. Almost all of us want instant ready fish/reef tanks, as it can be such a beautiful part of life, but it can lead to problem after problem, so don't do it.
And don't believe a lot of what you see if you watch the TV show ''Tanked'', good and fun show, but a lot goes on when the camera off, behind the scenes !
It's a show with beautiful entertainment, so not all is truthful and not,...the way things really go ! They have things go wrong, but most are scripted !
I'll end by saying, congrats on becoming a reefer and to the best aquarium information website on the planet ! We have the best of the best family here on R2R, and always support each other, not matter what our needs our.
So,....welcome !
Kevin
Don't worry about the algae as the tank will take time (go very slow) and with good maintenance most will go away. But,...the cyanobacteria tells you that the chemistry is off and can be a big problem, but it's fixable, and do it quickly.
What have do done with testing the water ?
Do not,....add the planned fish for months. Your dead white rock is not loaded with good enough bacteria to handle yet. The sand alone won't contain either. DON'T hurry ! Slow down buddy. Dead rock can takes years to populate a sound bacteria base. The outside will ok in several months, but the inside can take years. You can add various bacteria additives and use other form of material to get the process faster, but most are just not the way to go. Like most the time in life, being in a hurry does not work out and can be worse. In the case of this hobby, the latter can happen much,....faster.
Nitrifying bacteria takes a lot of time. You and the tank will be much happier by slowing down. Almost all of us want instant ready fish/reef tanks, as it can be such a beautiful part of life, but it can lead to problem after problem, so don't do it.
And don't believe a lot of what you see if you watch the TV show ''Tanked'', good and fun show, but a lot goes on when the camera off, behind the scenes !
It's a show with beautiful entertainment, so not all is truthful and not,...the way things really go ! They have things go wrong, but most are scripted !
I'll end by saying, congrats on becoming a reefer and to the best aquarium information website on the planet ! We have the best of the best family here on R2R, and always support each other, not matter what our needs our.
So,....welcome !
Kevin
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OP
OP
jabberwock
2500 Club Member
Here is a current pic. I have embraced the green. I don't mind it, gives my lawnmower blenny something to do besides hassle other fish. Tank has been up for about 6 months.
OP
OP
jabberwock
2500 Club Member
Zoas and acan are not doing so good lately. About to test parameters.
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jabberwock
2500 Club Member
Ammonia = 0
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 5
Phosphate = 0.25
Temp = 80
Alkalinity = 9
Calcium = 420
pH = 8.2
First time I registered phosphates, API test kits
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 5
Phosphate = 0.25
Temp = 80
Alkalinity = 9
Calcium = 420
pH = 8.2
First time I registered phosphates, API test kits
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jabberwock
2500 Club Member
I used chemical clean to finally beat the cyano. I manually remove some green hair algae from time to time. I don't think it is going away anytime soon.
Absolutely it could go away by tomorrow
I kicked up a couple threads here in this forum showing how, you just take out the rock, scrape off the algae with a knife tip, and apply peroxide to the cleaned off areas outside of tank, then rinse off and put back. 95% improvement by tomorrow. To have that algae remain when an overnite kill option exists means it’s just an easy choice to kill it or keep it.
Exact example, reef misers before and after pics
I kicked up a couple threads here in this forum showing how, you just take out the rock, scrape off the algae with a knife tip, and apply peroxide to the cleaned off areas outside of tank, then rinse off and put back. 95% improvement by tomorrow. To have that algae remain when an overnite kill option exists means it’s just an easy choice to kill it or keep it.
Exact example, reef misers before and after pics
OP
OP
jabberwock
2500 Club Member
Sure, I could do that. I feel like it would be pretty disruptfull to the tank.How long does a cleanup like that last? Do you have to repeat every few months?
Feels like shaving your head because of a bad hair day.
It is not like there is no algae in the ocean...
Feels like shaving your head because of a bad hair day.
It is not like there is no algae in the ocean...
You only have to repeat it if the current conditions that invaded the tank remain in place (detritus, no grazers, white light and allowance of coverage notice nutrients isn’t mentioned). To be invaded is a choice and to be uninvaded is a choice that is easy to affect, either way you can choose the destiny for your tank. I didn’t want you to think that weeks to get over cyano, only to leave clouding sandbed in place / food for gha and then more weeks of gha invasion was the only way. Being algae free and packed with corals is another way. it takes one day to get over cyano, and one day to get over this gha with a massive improvement but opposite actions are required vs water actions that take months and months
When you control your tank up front, early on, doing the hand guiding that’s needed then coralline and coral take over later and exclude algae. The initial hand gardening phase is being skipped here. If you aren’t willing to clean up the garden for whatever reason/dandelions w remain
Does a garden stay free of weeds after the first pull? No grazers, you have to graze if you want your tank and investment back under your command
Your tank still needs it’s sandbed clean from months ago, or these invasions will alternate generations for a long time
When you control your tank up front, early on, doing the hand guiding that’s needed then coralline and coral take over later and exclude algae. The initial hand gardening phase is being skipped here. If you aren’t willing to clean up the garden for whatever reason/dandelions w remain
Does a garden stay free of weeds after the first pull? No grazers, you have to graze if you want your tank and investment back under your command
Your tank still needs it’s sandbed clean from months ago, or these invasions will alternate generations for a long time
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jabberwock
2500 Club Member
I appreciate your input. Let me share the background of the tank, and my husbandry habits. It may be helpful for you to best be able to help me.
I am not against the nuclear algae rock scrub option, but I will approach it cautiously, and evaluate alternatives. I think i would set up a temp holding tank for the livestock.
My rock is one huge mass and it sits on the glass. So I would need to completely stir the deep sand bed to remove and replace the rock. This is a large source of my hesitation.
32 gallon biocube running for 6 months
started with reef saver dry rock to minimize pests
40 pounds of fiji pink
parameters above, always stable ( I assume I have a lot of nitrates tied up in the algae?)
cyano eradicated with chemiclean about 3 months ago
I purchase Red Sea water from the LFS
I change 64 oz of water every other day and siphon the sand bed and rinse out the filter media once a month.
I run a couple big sponges, a 2 lb bag of rock rubble, purfiltrum and a filterpad on top of all of that
Livestock is:
6 small fish, firefish, YWG, lawnmower blenny, royal gramma, clown pair
3 nessarius snails
1 hermit crab
1 tiger sand conch
small population of micro brittle stars
8 various coral frags (softies and LPS)
I am not against the nuclear algae rock scrub option, but I will approach it cautiously, and evaluate alternatives. I think i would set up a temp holding tank for the livestock.
My rock is one huge mass and it sits on the glass. So I would need to completely stir the deep sand bed to remove and replace the rock. This is a large source of my hesitation.
32 gallon biocube running for 6 months
started with reef saver dry rock to minimize pests
40 pounds of fiji pink
parameters above, always stable ( I assume I have a lot of nitrates tied up in the algae?)
cyano eradicated with chemiclean about 3 months ago
I purchase Red Sea water from the LFS
I change 64 oz of water every other day and siphon the sand bed and rinse out the filter media once a month.
I run a couple big sponges, a 2 lb bag of rock rubble, purfiltrum and a filterpad on top of all of that
Livestock is:
6 small fish, firefish, YWG, lawnmower blenny, royal gramma, clown pair
3 nessarius snails
1 hermit crab
1 tiger sand conch
small population of micro brittle stars
8 various coral frags (softies and LPS)
OP
OP
jabberwock
2500 Club Member
Adding that I feed 1/3 a mysis cube everyday. Sprinkle a few veggie pellets every three days or so, and feed reef roids once a week.
OP
OP
jabberwock
2500 Club Member
Just did a pretty aggressive in tank manual algae removal and put in some Phosguard. I have decided NOT to pull my rocks as I feel it would be too large a disturbance to the tank. I am going to keep at the manual removal and running Phosguard to see if I can't knock this stuff down over the next few weeks.
Stopping in one last time, check to see here if this tank seems better or worse after taking his tank back
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/beeping-green-hair-algae.527285/page-3#post-5500999
His job took days due to tank size
Your tank takes one hour to produce the same after pics, then your phosphate adjustments may or may not prevent growback, but it's aligned to work better after gardening, less target mass.
I hated to see you start over or toss rocks if nutrient starving doesn't work over the coming weeks, wanted to post a recent rework thread showing perfect outcome and no hesitation
Either way you choose is ok, pls update the thread about March so we can track cure options you may use. New readers will benefit tracking the outcome of two algae options, manual vs param adjustment controls, over time.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/beeping-green-hair-algae.527285/page-3#post-5500999
His job took days due to tank size
Your tank takes one hour to produce the same after pics, then your phosphate adjustments may or may not prevent growback, but it's aligned to work better after gardening, less target mass.
I hated to see you start over or toss rocks if nutrient starving doesn't work over the coming weeks, wanted to post a recent rework thread showing perfect outcome and no hesitation
Either way you choose is ok, pls update the thread about March so we can track cure options you may use. New readers will benefit tracking the outcome of two algae options, manual vs param adjustment controls, over time.
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OP
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jabberwock
2500 Club Member
Thanks man! The battle is ongoing, but I feel like I am getting there. I have also greatly reduced lighting. The algae appears to be suffering now. I just don't want to yank my rocks, but I am going to do another aggressive manual removal over the holidays here. Coraline algae is doing better. Will post a pic after the next scrub.
