236g bar tank
- Thread starter MarkusII
- Start date
WDLV
Skunk Hybrid Freak
Wanted to throw you a warning.... I just found out the hard way that white eggcrate apparently has an oil or something that grows algae. Tha primary type is like a diatom consistancy but much snottier. It also grows hair algae really well. I built mine into a rock wall too, so it's not going anywhere but I'm having to do a lot of water changes and scrubbing with a toothbrush to remedy the problem.
WDLV
Skunk Hybrid Freak
I didn't know about it myself until about two weeks ago and was skeptical about it for the same reasons you stated. I had always attributed it to the diatoms you get when you add a dried piece of anything to a tank. Apparently, it's more of a problem in smaller systems and it does seem to diffuse over time.
I will point out that you do have a bit of algae growing here. Though that may have been pre-existing.
I don't want to derail your thread. So I'll send you a PM with two links to different sites discussing it. Do what you will with the information.
I also wanted to say that I like what you're doing with your system. It's gonna look nice.
I will point out that you do have a bit of algae growing here. Though that may have been pre-existing.
I don't want to derail your thread. So I'll send you a PM with two links to different sites discussing it. Do what you will with the information.
I also wanted to say that I like what you're doing with your system. It's gonna look nice.
DrHarryLopez
One Happy Reefer
WDLV, would you think that maybe its a high bioload in your tank thats causing the algae overgrowth in your tank?
WDLV
Skunk Hybrid Freak
I really didn't mean to hijack... We can discuss this here.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=16630566#post16630566
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=16630566#post16630566
MarkusII
New member
Hello Walt,
thanks
the algae in this tank are because it was set up new and these are the normal algae that show up in the initial phase (you will have them in any tank - if with or without egg crate). They are allready allmost gone now.
And really - never heared about this so far here in Europe.
And for example - Machado would have a big problem in his propagation system with such an occurence:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1215102
regards
Markus
thanks
the algae in this tank are because it was set up new and these are the normal algae that show up in the initial phase (you will have them in any tank - if with or without egg crate). They are allready allmost gone now.
And really - never heared about this so far here in Europe.
And for example - Machado would have a big problem in his propagation system with such an occurence:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1215102
regards
Markus
Last edited:
WDLV
Skunk Hybrid Freak
Friend, I was not born yesterday. It does not happen with every system. I have started up at least 13 systems in as many years in different parts of the US. That's not including a few dozen 10-30 gallon tanks. I only ever had it in two or three systems at startup. I've also serviced a few tanks for other people for part time work. It was not the norm in those systems either. Diatoms are to be expected on baserock or other surfaces not covered by corraline but not green hair algae. Yours could be from the egg crate or not. Either way it's an indication that something is not right... probably phosphates regardless of the source.
stunreefer
Reef Hugger
The intial surge (or lack thereof) of alage "outbreaks" may or may not happen for many, many reasons, from source of live rock (dry/dead/fresh/re-used), source of sand (dry/dead/fresh/re-used), if running lights during initial "waiting/cycling" period, any ammonia additive to "jump-start" tank (shrimp/fish/bottled bacteria), on and on and on. I've seen it go both ways countless times, and if you want to, you can surely prevent the outbreak, but by no means does it have to be one way or the other. Markus noted that the algae has subsided, which it generally will after a while if you see an "outbreak" during start up.
Eggcrate will leach some PO4 into the water column. You can prevent this by soaking the eggcrate in RO/DI water and doing 100% water changes every day to every few days until the RO/DI water reads 0 ppm PO4. You're "leaching" the PO4 out of the eggcrate prior to intoducing into the tank. Is it necessary? Not really, but it does ensure your not introducing any uunecessary PO4 into the water column, however the amount is generally negligible.
Tank looks great Markus :thumbsup:
Eggcrate will leach some PO4 into the water column. You can prevent this by soaking the eggcrate in RO/DI water and doing 100% water changes every day to every few days until the RO/DI water reads 0 ppm PO4. You're "leaching" the PO4 out of the eggcrate prior to intoducing into the tank. Is it necessary? Not really, but it does ensure your not introducing any uunecessary PO4 into the water column, however the amount is generally negligible.
Tank looks great Markus :thumbsup:
WDLV
Skunk Hybrid Freak
Not until about the last five years... which correlates to the timeframe that I've been using egg crate. When I had my 210 up I didn't have any hair algae issues until about three years in but even then it was just one small patch amid a tank covered in coral. However about a year into setup I tried setting up a frag tank in my sump using some egg crate and got a rediculous amount of hair algae but only on the egg crate. It got so bad I wound up throwing away all the frags.
I am skeptical myself but do think there's probably something to the egg crate. That said I think in systems that have impeccable filtration and a lot of coral or other phosphate absorbers (whether they be chemical or biological in nature) that it might not be a problem. In smaller systems where there is less water to surface area, new systems that do not yet have a good biological filter and do not have many animals to absorb it it is probably more of an issue. It's a little hard to convince anyone without any tests having been conducted on the matter.
The first argument against this would be "duh, if the system is dirty it will grow algae" but not necessarily. If the nutrients are counter balanced by the mechanical and biological filters it may not until it gets an extra dose of phosphate from a source other than food.
EDIT: Stunreefer beat me to the punch and said it a bit more elloquently I might add.
I am skeptical myself but do think there's probably something to the egg crate. That said I think in systems that have impeccable filtration and a lot of coral or other phosphate absorbers (whether they be chemical or biological in nature) that it might not be a problem. In smaller systems where there is less water to surface area, new systems that do not yet have a good biological filter and do not have many animals to absorb it it is probably more of an issue. It's a little hard to convince anyone without any tests having been conducted on the matter.
The first argument against this would be "duh, if the system is dirty it will grow algae" but not necessarily. If the nutrients are counter balanced by the mechanical and biological filters it may not until it gets an extra dose of phosphate from a source other than food.
EDIT: Stunreefer beat me to the punch and said it a bit more elloquently I might add.
MarkusII
New member
Hello,
after some time I had the luck to be at the place in the evening to take a picture of the tank and to show how it looks now.
That is almost impossible during daylight due to a large window wall vis a vis the tank resulting in reflections on the glass when taking pictures.
Dont mind the algae growth on the left and right side of the tank - its the owners intention not to clean it.
regards
Markus
after some time I had the luck to be at the place in the evening to take a picture of the tank and to show how it looks now.
That is almost impossible during daylight due to a large window wall vis a vis the tank resulting in reflections on the glass when taking pictures.
Dont mind the algae growth on the left and right side of the tank - its the owners intention not to clean it.
regards
Markus
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