Pleh!!!

HI all i have a slight problem (ok a biggish problem). I noticed that after upgrading my lights to t5's from normal flourescents my tank has been swarmed with algae both bubble algae and cyano. I am in a mess right now. I am thinking of breakign down the tank nuking everythign and restarting with a clean tank.

The only coral i have is GSP which i will give to a friend who will babysit it for me while i nuke all of my live rock. I iwll put my other livestock (2 clowns, a fire fish, A cleaner shrimp and 2 feather dusters) in a very basic tank (a 29 gallon hex) which will have a skimmer, water, one piece of live rock an aquaclear filter. until the nuking is done.

Im not sure if i shoudl get a phosphate reactor but my entire crushed coral sand bed is tainted with algae and i have a feeling iti s beyond controllable hence the resoning of breakign down and starting all over again.

Please any advice you have will be much appreciated. Pics to follow Soon.

 

Start by filling this out and posting it as a response on this thread.

http://www.3reef.com/forums/asap/asap-please-start-here-54456.html

I dont think you will benefit from breaking down and nuking your tank. I think your system will be stronger if we can figure out whats happening and how to fix it.

 

did you buy the light fixture new...with new bulbs?

I would add a phosban reactor before you do anything more drastic. What is your feeding schedule? Do you overfeed. How long do you keep your lights on? Do you use RO/DI water?

What I would recommend doing is
1. cut your feeding back by at least half! Most of us overfeed our tanks and this is the number one cause of problem. I had a horrid outbreak and I went down to half the amount I was feeding and only fed every other day.
2. Add a phosban reactor, add poly filter and carbon
3. Make sure your water parems are good. Your phosphates are more then likely going to read zero now, as all the crud in your tank is using it up, however doesnt mean you dont have it. Make sure your ammonia, nitrate are neg. I would work at bringing your pH to 8.4 if not already there.
4. Turn off your lights for at least 5 days....your gsp and fish will do just fine! I did that with SPS, LPS and clams and everything survived. When you start up the light cycle gradually increase the amt of time. Start with only an hour or two one day, next day add an hour, etc to probably no more then 5 to 6 hours...probably dont even need that much time with the corals and fish you have. Cycle it so that it is on when you are home

Make sure the bulbs are good though....after about 6 months to a year the spectrum will change and will cause increase in algea!

I am having to face replacing on one tank alone, 12 T5HO acentics and 4 MH 250W bulbs as they are approaching 1 year. Plus I have another tank that needs the PC bulbs replaced...argggg!!!

Good luck

 

emerald mithrax crabs could be used to eat your bubble algea.
I'd recommend you test your phosphates and nitrates first before making that decision to break down and start over. Try the coiled denitrator and the phosphate reactor.
What kind of T5 bulbs do you have?
Where is your Alkalinity level?

 

Sorry about that in my haste i didnt read the post suggestiosn so ill do it now...

PARAMETERS (important)
Temperature:25 C
PH: 8
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 25mg/l
Salinity:1.028 Specific Gravity
dKH/KH/Alkalinity: Not Sure
Magnesium: Not Sure
Calcium: Not Sure but i does every other day with Kent marine
Phosphate: Not Sure
Test kits you own: Tetra for Nh3, Nitrate Ammonia, and API for Nitrite. Use lab Quality pH strips
Are they Expired?: No they Arent Expired

Pics:
These are brand New T5 Lights with new Bulbs...so i highly doubt the bulbs need changing. My salinity is high because im due for a top off...Oh and i do use RO water


Before t5's



After T5's (same day)


2 weeks of New t5's



Bubble algae on rock (if u look at the back wall in the aquarium you will see more


Remnants of some Bubble Algae after i tried to clean it up


Other type of Algae taking over. i Assume it is Cyano

 

How often are you feeding?

 

feeding twice daily on pellet food Tetra Colour Bits

 

I would cut back to once every other day the same amount you do in one feeding. That may get your nitrates down to 0 also.

It doesnt look beyond saving by any means to me. I think if you follow schackmel's directions you will see a big turn around.

 

is there a chance my crushed coral will turn white again?

 

Ya it should. If you dont already have any some of these should help you out:

ReefCleaners.org | Clean Up Crews and Macro Algae - Florida Cerith