Still learning!!!

Even though I have had a saltwater tank for around 5 years I am still learning how to keep my tank looking good and healthy. I have a 28 gallon bow tank with 2 clownfish, a yellow wrasp, live rock and a tree leather coral. I have a hang on Aqueon filter and a Filstar filter on this tank. I need help with the following questions.

(1) I have always had a problem with green hair algae. I have replaced the lights at the correct intervals. I only keep the lights on for 6 hours per day. I check my water and the perameters are within limits. I purchase my water at a local aquarium store but I have read that an in home RO system might be better. I live in South Carolina and I know we have a phosphate problem with the water here so even with purchasing pet store water there still might be a problem. If I should go with an RO system which one would be recommended and where would be the best place to install it. If I install it on my kitchen faucet I feel I would be replacing the filters more often since that faucet is used quite frequently.

(2) My second question is aiptasia. How do I get rid of them? I have been using Aiptasia X and this product does work but the aiptasia return almost as fast as I kill them.

(3) Since the tank is almost 5 years old how long does the sand last before it needs to be replaced.

I appreciate any info you could give me.

Thanks.

 

1) As for the water params, you need to post the actual params rather just saying that they're "within limits" we can't help you unless we have all the data. http://www.3reef.com/forums/asap/asap-please-start-here-54456.html
Just copy and paste the ASAP form and fill it out.

2) you could try peppermint shrimp. Just be careful to get true pepps and not camels. They are often confused. I myslef have had experience with them, but like anything in this hobby, nothing is 100% sure.

3) Ill have to leave this to some one else.

Welcome to 3reef. As we like to say here, Pics are required, or it never happened. ;D

 

I have heard about the peppermint shrimp but was told the yellow wrasp would eat them so I have not done this.

Glenn

 

Welcome to 3reef!!

As for algae, you have to rob them of food. They love nitrates and phosphates. In the short term, your own RO/DI that you'd use to do water changes would help immensely to turn things around. As for light, it's secondary. If you have nutrient free water, you can leave the lights on 24/7 with little risk of algae blooms. (I'm not saying to do this, of course.)

A phosphate reactor will help a great deal to remove phosphates in the water. A decent one can be found here.



They're not terribly expensive, but are pretty effective.

For the RO/DI mounting, it doesn't matter where it's mounted, as use of the outlet to which it's attached will not affect the unit's life. What does affect its life is USE. If it's correctly mounted at your kitchen sink, washing the dishes or running the dishwasher will not flow water through the RO/DI.

Sand does not need to be replaced unless it's saturated with phosphate, copper, or some other nasty that you can't get out otherwise. If your sandbed was 6" thick and was full of black pockets that made your tank smell like a swamp--then it would need replacing.

Chances are, if the sand is 5 years old and you've had a phosphate problem all those years--you might do well to get it out.

As for the aiptasia, I've read that folks have luck smearing them with kalk paste or injecting with aiptasia X, Joe's Juice, or some other product out there made for that purpose. I've luckily not had experience with them.

Again, Welcome to 3reef!! You'll find a lot of good help here, and nice, knowledgable folks willing to give it.

Good luck!!

 

i think the sand thing is well covered above.

as for your pesky aptasia issue joes juice worked well for me but the pep shrimp knocked it out of my tank for good. plop afew in and in afew days it shpuld be under control

 

Just throwing out some ideas here... I don't think the Aqueon filter is doing much for you. If you aren't changing out the filtration regularly then they will build up nitrates. I would look into a HOB Skimmer, just a suggestion.

What kind of test kits do you have?

When you say Yellow Wrasp, are you referring to a Yellow Wrasse? If so, then it will definitely go after shrimp.

You might look into a Lawnmower Blenny or some other species that would eat the hair algae.

 

I recently purchased an RO/DI unit and it has changed things in only 2 weeks. I am glad I made the purchase. I have an exterior tool room on the other side of the wall from my tank so I mounted it in there which made plumbing easy and ran the 1/4" hose through the wall into my sump. I have a "T" in the tool room that I can use to mix my saltwater with. As far as aiptasia... I had a few and I thought nothing of them because I didn't know. One got quite large. I Took an injection syrenge and filled it with white wine vinegar and pumped those suckers full of it. I haven't seen any sign of them in a week so I am assuming it worked so far.

 

Welcome to 3reef... you will definitely find some crazy folks here that can give you very good advice.
I agree with the posted replies and would use a peppermint shrimp or joes juice. Never tried the vinigar but that might work as well. I personally would replace the sand too.
Please post some pics, so we can get a better idea of what's going on....