Desperate measures!!! Fed UP !!!!

Discussion in 'Algae' started by Crabby Jim, May 4, 2008.

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  1. Crabby Jim

    Crabby Jim Sea Dragon

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    Whatever buffer you reccomend I will get then I will dose according to your instructions .
     
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  3. Tangster

    Tangster 3reef Sponsor

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    You can buy one at 1000% plus its real worth or just whip up your own that is better then what you buy.. Just mix 4 parts of Arm and Hammer Bi Carb to 1 part Boraxo laundry booster .. Its going to take a rather large amount to get your's up to the desired levels.. Might want to Blast the magnesium on up also. I'd add 2 cups of Magnesium now or Epsom Salts tonight to allow this time to mix well into your water You will need calcium also as its going to fall off when you start to correct the water parameters.
     
  4. Crabby Jim

    Crabby Jim Sea Dragon

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    So the acidic nature of the water is helping the algae grow? and keeping my calcium down? Just so I am clear. Thanks again.
     
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  5. Tangster

    Tangster 3reef Sponsor

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    Nope not really you water is acidic from lack of Carbonates.. That means there are none available to off set or neutralize the acids in the tank from animal waste and respiration and excess food and other waste being broken down to their base Carbon forms .. Thats what the Carbonates do as needed they are there to naturalize the acids like Tummy's for the tank rather then the Tummy..
    So e need to keep the water from going to acidic here is where people screw up with P.H and over looking what really matters the DKH.. You can have a perfect P.h and low or no Carbonates.

    Now when your animals take the Carbonates and Calcium in as a form of Calcium Carbonates using the Magnesium in the water there will always be one being used more then the other.. As a rule its always the Carbonates as that pulls double duty..

    Algae is a plant that likes acidic and softer water . Like land plants all have a particular P.H or Carbonate range that suits them better .

    Now as I said in the other post is Calcium and Carbonates are oppositely charged ions and they do not want to bond with each other .. Now being that you Carbonates have been used up the Calcium is not and that has gotten way above the Carbonates that will just make it a lot more difficult to raise the Carbonates back to proper levels , Unless you run the Magnesium levels up also.. I'd dare say they are also depleted..

    Did any of this make sense ?? LOL This stuff bores me to tears its basically simple until its made complicated .. Like in High School Chemistry I was taught how to mix acids with water and I know what happens if you screw up I just don't care to know all the chemical symbols and why fores and how comes .. LOL Or a 10 page Science Thesis ..
     
  6. amcarrig

    amcarrig Super Moderator

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    The algae in the first picture, to the left of the polyps, looks a bit like bryopsis to me but without a clearer close up, it's hard to say. Bryopsis tends to have very fine fern like "fronds". Is that what your algae looks like?
     
  7. KOgle

    KOgle Zoanthid

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    EEEEEEKKK! Not the dreaded bryopsis!

    Amcarrig what kind of perfume are you wearing? You smell funny today... ;D
     
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  9. amcarrig

    amcarrig Super Moderator

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    Only today? :D
     
  10. KOgle

    KOgle Zoanthid

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    Sniff sniff... it kinda smells like... sniff ben gay... ;D
     
  11. amcarrig

    amcarrig Super Moderator

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    :lol: I'll get him for telling! :lol: I don't suppose he told you my new name for him though...."Old One Shoe". It's fitting as he can only put a shoe on his right foot these days. :D

    Anyhow, the man formerly known as Tangster :D asked me to post pictures of the variety of bryopsis that we have. Bryopsis pennata I think is the name of it? Nearly impossible to eradicate but we're trying anyway. Hopefully, this is not what you have.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  12. Crabby Jim

    Crabby Jim Sea Dragon

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    That looks like it oh Crap!!