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Tshank
11/17/2015, 05:03 PM
Hello fellow reefers.
I got into the hobby just over a year and a half ago after doing freshwater for many years. I started with a 30g tank and moved into an 80g tank about a year ago now. Everything has been going good for the most part until recently. About 4 weeks ago i came home from work and noticed a thick green layer of algae on the top of my sand bed. I can do water changes, the algae disappears and a few days later its back. I read somewhere about nitrate reactors, so i invested in one. Its been running about 4 weeks now and no difference. I'm lost and could use any help that is given. Im running a marineland canister filter, reef octopus skimmer, current marine led lightbar. I feed once every other day.

Water Parameters
Salinity - 1.024
Ph - 8.0-8.2
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 5-10
Ca - 360
Alk - 10-11
Phos - .25
Mg - 1125

I know my Ca and Mg are both low and I recently started dosing to bring those levels up. I guessing that would be why some of my corals and Anems arnt opening?

Thanks for all your help!! :thumbsup:

jraker
11/17/2015, 05:06 PM
try siphoning yous sandbed and giving it some more flow, maybe add another circulation pump.

by the way, get that blue tang out NOW. that type of tang is not meant to be in that small of a tank. i know it is small right now, but it will not do well.

Dkuhlmann
11/17/2015, 05:14 PM
I don't know how many gal tank that is but I'm guessing that's not your 30 gal that you mention above. But even at 80 gal jraker is right it's too small a tank for any tang especially blue tangs that get over a foot long when grown, even a 180 would be pushing it but acceptable. You also should be feeding your fish everyday not every other day.

I also think you need quite a bit more rock to aid in the filtration of your water. IMO the canister types don't work very well and make you work hard to keep them clean. I highly suggest that you look into getting a sump for your tank. You'll be glad that you did.

Tshank
11/17/2015, 05:18 PM
Should i just move the vortech pumps lower or turn them up higher? I only have them set about halfway and on reef crest mode.

billdogg
11/17/2015, 05:21 PM
I think you will benefit from a GFO reactor or other method of Phosphate reduction as well. Because you have a algae problem, you have both a Nitrate and phosphate issue as well by default.

rfurst
11/17/2015, 06:05 PM
generally start with trying to identify what algae its is...or cyano... helps know how to combat and prevent.

Many things can contribute... high phosphate and nitrate, low flow, incorrect lighting spectrum, etc.

WHat are you using the canister filter for? That is, what media is in it?

Did your nitrate reactor reduce your nitrate levels?

danil
11/17/2015, 06:12 PM
I think you will benefit from a GFO reactor or other method of Phosphate reduction as well. Because you have a algae problem, you have both a Nitrate and phosphate issue as well by default.

+1. Start with lowering your phosphate level to below 0.1ppm

Tshank
11/17/2015, 06:40 PM
generally start with trying to identify what algae its is...or cyano... helps know how to combat and prevent.

Many things can contribute... high phosphate and nitrate, low flow, incorrect lighting spectrum, etc.

WHat are you using the canister filter for? That is, what media is in it?

Did your nitrate reactor reduce your nitrate levels?

I'm using the canister filter as my filter... It has all the components in it that it comes with. The foam, bio balls, ceramic rings, charcoal, and polishing pad. The nitrate reactor doesn't seem to have done anything yet.