a few problems...advice?

[rica5tully]

My tank has been cycled for about three weeks. I have 4 watts per gallon of PC light = 50/50

Ammonia = 0
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 0
Ph = 8.4 or 8.6 (seems high)
Calcium = 350 (seems low)
Temp = 80
SG = 1.025

Inhabitants:
- Pipe Organ coral
- monti-cap
- mushrooms
- two turbo snails

I'm waiting on my clean-up crew from the Keys Critters order.

I have TERRIBLE hair algae and it's getting worse.

1) Will tons of hair algae harm my corals? What if strands of it touch them?

2) Can I dose Kalkwaser (to encourage purple algae) if my PH is 8.4-8.6? I would do it at night.

3) I put cheato in the tank, but it looks like it isn't doing very well. It's turning brown. Why would it do that? It seems like it should be bullet-proof.

4) Other than being ugly, can all this hair algae do any permanent damage?

 

[Hens4Fish]

1. Tons of hair algae will suck nutrients from the water, and if it starts to grow on the shell of hard corals might eventually kill it, but no real immediate threat.
2. Dose the kalkwasser until you get higher calcium readings(over 400).
3. As for the cheato, I have never had it turn brown, do you have good flwo on it? There should be if not.
4. I kind of answered in # 1, but I always worried about the tank being overtaken and shading out the corals. Hand prune it and once you get those crabs and snails in there they will help also.

 

[rica5tully]

Thanks;

I guess my concern about the Kalk was that my PH is already probably a little higher than it should be, and I know Kalk raises PH. So I was just concerned that I would raise my PH even more.

But maybe if I do it at night it isn't a problem...

 

[smketyr]

Are you using RO/DI water? How old are the bulbs? These can be a factor with the hair algea.

 

[Finland]

What is your phosphate at? That could be where your algae is coming from. Should be at 0. Maybe try a phosphate remover. As far as raising your calcium, you have a pretty light load, why not add some Kent calcium instead of dripping kalk. Your ph is on the high side, so you may add to the problem. What is your alk at?

 

[horkn]

from my experience, testing calcium without testing alkalinity is pointless.

what kind of light is on the chaeto? it doesnt like really bright light. and yes, run rowaphos, pura phoslock, even drs foster and smith have their own phos remover now. they all work.

 

[jandlms]

Check out the phosphate remover. One of the members up here on the frozen tundra is having the same problem and using the remover with some success.. Also check your makeup water and the level of your tank feedings. The phosphate has to be coming from somewhere.
jandlms

 

[horkn]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8417445#post8417445 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Finland
What is your phosphate at? That could be where your algae is coming from. Should be at 0. Maybe try a phosphate remover. As far as raising your calcium, you have a pretty light load, why not add some Kent calcium instead of dripping kalk. Your ph is on the high side, so you may add to the problem. What is your alk at?

on a side note, if there is a lot of algae, like my tank had (trust me there is still some) you will not read any level of phosphate at all since the algae is using it all. test the phosphate levels in your water change water. then you might get an accurate reading.

 

[JRPhd]

It's also a pretty new tank and some blooming is to be expected. I too am curious about the water source and your alk. level. What is your photo period? Lastly, it's been 3 weeks since your tank cycled, I'd chill and go slowly here. Don't add any fish or anything right yet. Oh, and don't expect a clean-up crew to fix a "terrible" algae problem.

 

[rica5tully]

I'm not sure what my Alkalinity is. I don't have a test kit for that and that's part of the reason I'm uncertain about what to do about my calcium. I'll get a test kit soon.

My photoperiod is about 11 hours right now. With actinics for 45 min. on either side.

I'm using RO/DI water, but the filters are over a year old and I don't really have the money right now to replace them. I figure the membrane is still o.k. even if the pre-filters are old. But I don't know. In any case, I figured it couldn't be worse than tap water. But maybe that's not true.

Thanks for your advice. I'm going to do some water changes It's hard to be patient.

ET

 

[jandlms]

No it shouldn't be worse than tap water even with old filters. The RO should still clear up most of the contaminants. I don't know if expended DI resin will leach back into the water. It never has for my DI resin.
Try testing your tap and RO water for Phos and nitrate. And follow the advice from severalposts back. No additional livestock beyond a few cleaner critters.

 

[MadTownMax]

I'd pull the DI resin - it isn't doing anything after a year, and will release chemicals back into the water after it is exhausted.

The old filters also could be the problem - the 2 carbon pre-filters (there should be 2 if it is a fairly standard unit) are there for many reasons, but first and foremost, to remove chlorine and chloramine from tap water - if these filters are exhausted, chloring going through to the RO membrane can and will destroy the membrane... if you can find someone with a TDS meter - I would check to see if the RO membrane is still operating - the RO membrane should be removing 95% or more of the TDS in your tap water.

If you don't have any fish, I would make sure you're not feeding the tank, the hair algae is to be expected this early in the game, but phosphates/nitrates from the above mentioned problems could be fueling it even more.

I have a bunch of extra pre-filters - so I wouldn't mind giving you a set, and could test your RO water if you'd like - I could even make up a bunch of RO water for you if you need some in a pinch - I have about 20 gallons on hand at any time