Algae, please look at parameters etc.

Brief description of the problem.

Algae every where.

PARAMETERS (important)
Temperature: 78
PH: 8.2 (Seachem)
Ammonia: 0-.1 (Hagen) .02-.025 (Seachem) hate these color charts
Nitrite: 0 (Seachem)
Nitrate: 0 (Seachem)
Salinity: 33 (Sg ~1.024 to1.025)
dKH/KH/Alkalinity: 7.4 dKH (salifert)
Magnesium: 1425 (salifert)
Calcium: 420 (Salifert)
Phosphate: 0 (Salifert)
Test kits you own: all of the above
Liquid or Strips: liquid
Brand Name:
salifert for dKH,Mg,Ca,PO Seachem for NH3,NO3,NO4 Hagen NH3
Are they Expired?: no


Tank size?
30 gal (water volume 25 gal)
Estimated total system? same

Reef, fish only or, freshwater? reef and fish

Current inhabitants? What and how many? 2 true percs, 1 algae blenny
1 sun polyp, 1 open brain mushroom, 1 flowerpot ( I know, I know). asst zoanthids, 2 small mushrooms, torch coral

Clean up crew? asst snails (10-15) 1 blue leg crab, 1 red leg crab

How long has your tank been set-up? Since 12/10/2008

Substrate. 40 lb Aragonite (Caribsea Carribean live) + 10 lb other (fine sand)
Type?
Depth? 3-4 inch

Live rock? yes
How much? 30 lb Bali
Did you recently add some? no

Filtration. have used carbon recently for about 3-4 days, but not in use for about 7 days
Type?
Protein skimmer? yes Remora Aqua C
Do you wet or dry skim? well the skim is wet...
Maintenance schedule for filtration?
Drilled tank/hang on back overflow? hob
Sump/refugium. What's in it and how much? no
Macro? What kind?

Lighting.
Lighting type? Halide 250 W 18Kplaced about 8 to 10 inches above water in center of tank
Age of bulbs? Since 12/10/2008

Feeding
What? DT's phyto - 2 caps everyother day,
cyclopeze - 1/2 tsp daily for sun polyp,
Rod's - 1/2 to 3/4 tsp 4 times a week
Mysis - ocassionally
How much? see above
How often? see above

Water change schedule.
How much? 20%
How often? 7 - 10 days
What salt brand? Reef Crystals will be changing to Tropic Marin Reef pro
Water source? RO from dispenser at store, but just got RO/DI

Additives/supplements used? Calcium Chloride (bulkreefsupply) Epsom salts

Do you have a ground probe? no
What kind of flow does your tank have?
2 power heads- 1 Koralia 3 ( 850 GPH), 1 Koralia 2 (600 GPH) plus what ever the skimmer contributes

Any additional info you would like to share.... Including anything different that you have done/not done.

I originally ran the lights 12 hours per day, as of the past 3 to 4 days I have cut down to 8 to 10. I have started to change out the water with the new RO/DI

Let's get to the bottom of this. Any of the above info that is questionable to you is pertinent to keeping a happy/healthy tank/wallet.

The tank is quite young, do I just have to wait this out? I've gotten some advice but wondered if my params were out of line.

 

What is cuc please?

 

Clean up Crew. Snails, crabs, some blennies, etc.

 

you need a tang. tang loves eating algae. sorry tank to small for tang. there is a small goby that eats hair algae don't remember name but I am sure there is someone here that knows.

 

I have found sea hares to eat hair algae and they cost just under 20 bucks . My tank had some but within a week it was gone after I bought the sea hare . I also have a black blennie who loves to munch off of the rocks . I have read that red scarlet hermit crabs eat tons of algae also . good luck and wish you the best .

 

Without going too deep I would cut out the DTs entirely.... It is polluting the tank.


Good luck!!

 

Rainford's.... but the amount they eat isn't as much as people think, they are looking for bethnic inverts....

As far as CUC is concernd it is like a band aid.... I only have 2 turbos maybe 4 margarita snails and 25 red leg hermit crabs TOPS in a 180.... I used to promote heavy CUC but that isn't addressing the problem!!

Happy cleaning!

 

polluting I thought I was feeding the copepods & little creatures??

back to the drawing board.....