Tank help please!

[jpc763]

Tank

I have 125g Reef with a 50g Sump/Fuge. It has been up for a year. Here are the statistics...

- 125g Reef Ready AGA standard
- 100lbs LR and 60lbs LS
- Tunze 6100 & Tunze 6000 on either end pointed downward to back middle. On a 7091 controller. Hydor Korallia 1 on back pointed up to surface
- 50g 3 chamber sump/fuge. Rio Hyperflow 32 return pump. Koralia 2 in fuge for circulation. Chaeto ball in fuge.
- Vertex In-250 skimmer in sump
- 3 x 250w 14K MH lights on from 1:30 to 8PM daily
- 2 6' VHO (One 10K, 1 Actinic) on from 11 - 9 daily
- 2 chamber BRS reactor running GFO pellets

Livestock
I have 12 fish...
6" Sailfin Tang - Rescued from a Craigs List 55g with bad HLLE. Recovering.
3" Blue Hippo Tang
3" Finespotted Fairy Wrasse
2.5" Yellow Tang
2" Coral Beauty
2" Royal Gramma
2" Spotted Hawkfish
2" Ocellaris Clowns (2)
2" Lyretail Anthias
2" Yellow Watchman Goby
1.5" Hi Fin Goby

I have a brittle star, a dozen or so hermit crabs, a couple emerald crabs, a sally lightfoot crab, a cleaner shrimp and a pistol shrimp.

I have a couple dozen snails.

I have approximately 40 corals from small plugs to large size SPS, LPS and softies.

Feeding Schedule

I feed on a daily basis.
1 cube of SF Bay Frozen - either Emerald Entree or Marine Cuisine
1 sheet (3" x 5") of Nori

I spot feed my corals weekly or so

Tank Maintainence
I do an 18g water change every other weekend.
I daily dose with 2 part
As mentioned above, I run GFO

Test Results - 2/13
I run API for most tests. dKh I run both API and Tropic Marine. Mg is Salifert
Temp - 81
Specific Gravity - 1.025 (Refractometer)
pH - 8.31 (Pinpoint)
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0
Phosphate - 0
dKh - 8-9 (8 on API, 9 on Tropic Marine)
Ca - 380
Mg - 1380

Now on to my problems
- Every day I get a coating of red slime on my rocks, some corals and some on the sand and in my fuge. It goes away at night, but comes back the next day.
- Every 2 weeks I have a coating of green slime on some rocks. I blow it off and try to remove it with suction.
- I have hair algae growing. Not out of control, everywhere, but in a dozen or so places throughout the tank. It grows on my frag plugs such that I need to scrub them off every 2 weeks or so.

I need to understand why this is happening and how to address it.
Am I overstocked? - I had planned on helping the Sailfin heal and then trading him away, but he is not done yet.
Do I overfeed?- I figure with 12 fish, I should feed daily. Should I feed nori daily?
What else can I do?

Thanks in advance. I am really getting frustrated with this...

[spstimie]

Can anyone in Ft Collins check your nitrate/phosphate? or can you go get new tests? I have been having similar issues(high nitrates). When I got my own RO and TDS I realized a LFS had been selling me RO w/TDS over 150. Started topping off with my RO and Water changes and its going away quick. Cyano(red slime) stopped immediately. I yanked my tang for bioload drop at the same time.

[jpc763]

Can anyone in Ft Collins check your nitrate/phosphate? or can you go get new tests? I have been having similar issues(high nitrates). When I got my own RO and TDS I realized a LFS had been selling me RO w/TDS over 150. Started topping off with my RO and Water changes and its going away quick. Cyano(red slime) stopped immediately. I yanked my tang for bioload drop at the same time.

I can find out, but I did toss my test kit and use a different one. I have a 3rd one that is still in the box that I can try. All are API and none are expired.

I forgot to mention that I use RO/DI water with a BRS 4 stage unit. I do not have a TDS meter.

[Mark426]

1st...if you have those types of algae then you CANT have zero nitrates and phosphates.

[jpc763]

1st...if you have those types of algae then you CANT have zero nitrates and phosphates.
Agreed. Something is consuming it. But the test kit is pretty darn simple and I have tried 3 different kits (same brand) with the same result. The color does not show any Nitrates.

[KafudaFish]

Hey John,
Since you asked for help in the lounge and I want my post count to go up ...... not really though.

I know you said your tank is a year old but how old is the rock? Was it from a previous tank?
Also some people bump up their Mg for a bit to deal with algae especially hair.

[sean A.]

I would take a sample of your water to your LFS and have them test it and see if they get the same results.

[jpc763]

I would take a sample of your water to your LFS and have them test it and see if they get the same results.

I will try that tonight. Another thought is that my cleanup crew is too small.

Thanks,

[jarrett shark]

I had the same problems
first i changed all filters and membrane on ro to make sure,also bought a tds meter!!!! Only $25 bucks
did water change every week instead of every 2
had someone check my phosphate with a meter( it was off big time) dont ever trust a test kit for this i.m.o ,also nobody has zero??
Bought a foxface who eat lots of hair algae
good luck

ALSO DROP YOUR MH TO 5-6HRS A DAY AND MAYBE GET RID OF THE 10K VHO

BAD BULBS/LIGHTING COULD DO THIS ALSO

[brett1174]

John,

Your clean up crew is a little on the small side for the bioload you have. (not the first time you have heard that I bet). I have ordered some extra snails that should be in this week Periwinkle AND Nassarius. Or you could give me some of your your fish.:spin1:. I will bring them to you next week with your frag plugs if you would like.

[stugray]

"1st...if you have those types of algae then you CANT have zero nitrates and phosphates."

I agree. My first question while reading was: "You have Cheato... How much does it grow & what light do you have on it?"

If you have decent lighting on the Macro grow and are getting good results, then you have plenty of nitrates regardless of what your tests say.

I used to have algae problems in my display until I bought a massive skimmer.
NOW I have ZERO algae in my display and my macro algae grows SLOWLY ( I think this is a good sign ).


"BAD BULBS/LIGHTING COULD DO THIS ALSO"

Another good observation. If your bulbs are old you tend to grow more "undesirables".

Stu

[didimcginty]

i was thought that your bulbs should be changed every 9-12 months, once i see the green hair aglae starting to grow in my tank i change my bulbs, it always seems to fall in that 9-12 month time frame, my nitrates where too always zero because of the macro algae in my refugium, but you probably have phosphates. i always thought green hair algae was phosphates and brown hair algae was due to silicates. correct me if i am wrong i am no expert. but i think it is a bulb problem. good luck

[Rebel]

Not to jump on the bandwagon, but every time I have had problems with algae it has been because of lighting. I am rebuilding the school's tank after 2.5 years on the same VHO bulbs (not intended that way--long story). If your bulbs are anywhere near expired, I would try that.

[Metal Man 1221]

like said that much algae growing has to be fueled by either P04 or NH3, it may read zero with a new test kit, but that could only mean its being consumed by the algae as its added to the tank, what i did was skimmed wetter, ruduced feeding and got some macro, with stonger lighting over it, if you run a sump,

maybe try getting some filter feeding corals for a source of nutrient export, like xenia, it helps to polish the water by removing dissolved particulate matter such as detritus,
by putting xenia, polyps, and yellow polyps in my sump my water is so much clearer
i still have some GHA however its dying out and starting to disappear

[hemi-cuda]

Wow a 2'' Royal Gramma....Great Fish at that size! Why do you feed EVERY day? Look at your fish....Belly should be stream-lined...Not fat and not sunk'in in. Above the Laterial Line should look ''Healthy''. Definitely not sunk'in in... just as ''fat'' as the mid section/belly. I would suggest cutting back on your feeding schedule. Every Other Day is fine. Same Amount. All plants photosynthesize during the day...hence the growing of your unwanted algae during the day because of the light period and probably excessive nutrients from food sources. Metal Man hit the nail on the head. Cut back on your food. Extra po4 comes from food. We used to rinse our food before we fed the tank(especially Brine Shrimp) to hopefully(?) help cut down on extra food nutrients entering the DT. Keeping Ca/Alk/Mg at normal or IMHO slightly above sea levels also helps keep unwanted algae's from growing profusely. CUC's I believe actually add detritus/nutrients to the system....Add CUC's to eat algae..o.k. they do....and they poop... more detritus for the system to break down and more algae growth? Just a thought?

[jpc763]

John,

Your clean up crew is a little on the small side for the bioload you have. (not the first time you have heard that I bet). I have ordered some extra snails that should be in this week Periwinkle AND Nassarius. Or you could give me some of your your fish.:spin1:. I will bring them to you next week with your frag plugs if you would like.

I am not sure about the frag plugs you are talking about. Is there another John you are working with?

I am working on the Cleanup Crew. I have enough Nass now and am looking for Nerite and some others.

"1st...if you have those types of algae then you CANT have zero nitrates and phosphates."

I agree. My first question while reading was: "You have Cheato... How much does it grow & what light do you have on it?"

If you have decent lighting on the Macro grow and are getting good results, then you have plenty of nitrates regardless of what your tests say.

I used to have algae problems in my display until I bought a massive skimmer.
NOW I have ZERO algae in my display and my macro algae grows SLOWLY ( I think this is a good sign ).


"BAD BULBS/LIGHTING COULD DO THIS ALSO"

Another good observation. If your bulbs are old you tend to grow more "undesirables".

Stu

Bulbs are New. My Chaeto ball grows very slow. I have a huge skimmer and it skims aggressively.

i was thought that your bulbs should be changed every 9-12 months, once i see the green hair aglae starting to grow in my tank i change my bulbs, it always seems to fall in that 9-12 month time frame, my nitrates where too always zero because of the macro algae in my refugium, but you probably have phosphates. i always thought green hair algae was phosphates and brown hair algae was due to silicates. correct me if i am wrong i am no expert. but i think it is a bulb problem. good luck

Not to jump on the bandwagon, but every time I have had problems with algae it has been because of lighting. I am rebuilding the school's tank after 2.5 years on the same VHO bulbs (not intended that way--long story). If your bulbs are anywhere near expired, I would try that.

As mentioned above, my bulbs are new. 1 month on the VHO and the MH. The only one that is old is the Actinic.

[jpc763]

Wow a 2'' Royal Gramma....Great Fish at that size! Why do you feed EVERY day? Look at your fish....Belly should be stream-lined...Not fat and not sunk'in in. Above the Laterial Line should look ''Healthy''. Definitely not sunk'in in... just as ''fat'' as the mid section/belly. I would suggest cutting back on your feeding schedule. Every Other Day is fine. Same Amount. All plants photosynthesize during the day...hence the growing of your unwanted algae during the day because of the light period and probably excessive nutrients from food sources. Metal Man hit the nail on the head. Cut back on your food. Extra po4 comes from food. We used to rinse our food before we fed the tank(especially Brine Shrimp) to hopefully(?) help cut down on extra food nutrients entering the DT. Keeping Ca/Alk/Mg at normal or IMHO slightly above sea levels also helps keep unwanted algae's from growing profusely. CUC's I believe actually add detritus/nutrients to the system....Add CUC's to eat algae..o.k. they do....and they poop... more detritus for the system to break down and more algae growth? Just a thought?
I have had that RG for a few years. She is a great fish.

I will start rinsing my frozen food. Hopefully we will see a change.