Recent content by reefgeezer

I have a little Cyano that popped up after all the hair algae was gone. I don't think it is directly caused by the Vibrant, but by the lack of competition and increased organic load caused by the dying/absence of the hair algae. Cyano is pretty easy to control though... more water changes...

I have roughly a 100 gallon system. The hair algae issue was much the same as yours... in cracks and crevices where the clean-up crew or my hands couldn't get it. I have a lot of SPS corals, mostly Monti's but a few Acro's. The bioload in high and I feed a lot. I dosed 10ml of Vibrant...

I had a problem with hair algae, not to the extent in your pictures, but it wouldn't go away. My tank is also older than yours. I used GFO, did big water changes, carbon dosed, and even tried reef flux. While I was succeeding at keeping the algae in check, it just wouldn't go away... and I...

No. I'm not 100% how it works, but mine failed and I had to replace it. There is a valve either in the hose fitting screwed into the membrane housing or in-line in the RO water output line. I think it increases the pressure to force water through the membrane. Also, if you haven't...

I've got the same reactor & pump. It might be hard to find a direct replacement. Is the motor bad or is it just an impeller? Did you try: https://www.vertexaquaristik.com/us/en/contact-us/

1. Bad RO Membrane 2. Membrane o-ring not seated in back of housing 3. Pressure valve fail on RO water output line

I've noticed that the vial clarity in the ULR is important. Dirty or scratched vials tend to result in elevated readings. Even fingerprints can mess up a test. BRS sells new vials for cheap. I replace mine when I order reagent. Considering the accuracy/precision of the two units, the 713...

I was asking for a little more info than "Yes". I wouldn't want to suggest resolutions without knowing. If you have a good, properly sized skimmer, it will help with DOC and enable you to use carbon dosing to reduce nitrate and, to some extent, phosphate. If you decide to carbon dose, I'd...

So, how do you control dissolved organics? Your weekly water changes could export about 15% of the dissolved organics but that could be much less than what is being produced each week. Carbon dosing or using biopellets can increase organics and actually increase Cyano rather than slowing...

Cyano may not need inorganic N or P to grow. It can use organic compounds. IME, it occurs when dissolved organics are elevated to a point that they aren't being used by the other organisms in the system. Do you have a skimmer, run GAC, or employ anything that would limit DOC?

I think the hair algae in my tank is surviving by using other forms of nitrogen supplied by the system's bioload. I've read somewhere that it might actually use these compounds better than simple inorganic N & P.

The intent of the Sea Hare is just to mow down most of the big stuff that the rest of the clean up crew won't touch. Hobbyists should know they are not long lived even in the wild and need a lot of algae to survive. If you buy a big one, it is probably not going to live very long. I just...

I have hair algae that grows in little tufts here & there. It's not an issue but I've fought it for a while. Reef Flux never touched it, GFO didn't make it go away, carbon dosing didn't do the trick. Peroxide killed it where I could use it and the algae has not returned in those areas...

I would let dissolved organics and inorganic nutrients rise. Run the Skimmer dryer, reduce the lighting period of the scrubber, & feed everybody more while monitoring N & P closely. Adding some amino acid based supplement might help some. Go slow.

So once hair algae is established, it competes for any ammonium, nitrite, nitrate, and phosphate produced by the biological functions occurring in the system. All of these exist in a biologically available form in a system at least for a short time. You may never starve hair algae that is well...