A little advice please?

[chris_uk]

Had my tank set up a few months now - water changes 25% with RO water every 2 weeks and Ph/NO2/NO3/AMM are fine. Check the pic of the tank I'm quite happy with it but obviously its a work in progress. My main question is that I keep getting a buildup of brown algae on the sand - it sort of comes and goes. At the moment im only feeding once every couple of days with marine flake and brineshrimp (live and/or frozen) which the damsel seems to like. The goby is happy with his algae and sand and the maroon clownfish takes the brineshrimp and seems to eat copepods as well (of which I have millions they seem to be getting bigger and bigger), just wondered why I keep getting this buildup? I dont have a skimmer or MH lights but I think I have adequate lighting (2 x 40w lifeglo and marineglo t8 - 2 x 55w something or other t5 one of those compact t5 units). My lights are on from about 10am - 8/9pm. Also wouldnt mind an ID on a couple of these things in my tank (I think theyre mushrooms but dont know what type). Last thing - how do I get rid of some of these copepods as theyre are so many the water looks misty?











Cheers Guys
Chris.

 

[Aquarist007]

probably an accumulation of phosphates;
from over feeding
not washing the brime shrimp first
poor circulation along the bottom
build up of copopods---time to put a mandarine goby in there

 

[ILM75Dodge]

I agree maybe add a powerhead or two to add some flow if you tank it 50gallons you really need some good water movement to help avoid dead zones where wast accumulates

 

[rbtwo4]

Lol I have the same problem with the pods. My water looks like I have bubble being sprayed around when in fact its really the pods! Worst part is I can't put any fish in yet as my tank is still in its "cycle".

 

[Sk8r]

That'll be cyanobacteria, not an algae. Very old. Like beginning of all life on earth, feeds on your chemicals and is just a phase. Reduce sunlight getting to tank; watch overfeeding; increase water flow; and just be patient. THings that eat it: conchs, some turbo snails; rainford gobies, which are too fragile to use with any more aggressive fish.

 

[INCEPTION7]

Wow, it's been awhile since I've heard someone say they wan't to get RID of copepods. I know it was probable a joke, but please don't put a mandarin in that small of a water space, it would starve to death. During the first months of most any tank you will experience algae growth and blooms. The best thing you can do is water changes, make sure your skimmer is performing correctly (a cup of skimmate every few days) and don't overfeed. Also, consider adding a powerhead a little lower in the tank. Algae needs 3 things to flourish: nutrients, lack of competion for nutrients and lower flow areas. Once you start getting Coralines, they will start to eat up the available nutrients the existing algae are thriving on.

 

[rhino509]

i would definately add some more flow.

you should add the general info about your tank into your staple so we dont have to ask the easy.just my thoughts.

 

[Lehman]

Doubt a Mandarin would starve in a 50 as long as he keeps his pod population up.

 

[Scuba_Steve]

But that is the problem, keeping his pod population up. Pods tend to flourish in cycles in a new tank just as algae does. This current huge population wont last. In a month or 2, the pod population will die down significantly, and the mandarin will likely suffer, if not starve. Ive known a few people that have had a mandarin, and its amazing how quickly they can wipe out a pod population. Only in a very mature tank will a real population exist that will not just be a phase.

 

[chris_uk]

I have one powerhead on the right hand side, I dont think you can see it in the picture. On the left I have the flow coming in from my fluval 405 filter. Your right there is very little flow over the coral sand, when I did have my filter blowing over it the sand was going all over the place. I know copepods are supposed to be good but theres not much eating them so wont they overrun the tank in the end? I have already noticed they have gone from tiny white specs on to larger spidery looking things within a few weeks. Really dont want to add another fish right now as I panic aobut different feeding habits and whether I have enough knowhow to care for them all. I can deal with the goby/clown and damsel just about and now I've got a button coral and star polyps to worry about (although the guy at the LFS said they didnt need feeding). Plus theres now 2 mushroom growths that just appeared out of nowhere and 1 has grown massivly over the last couple of weeks.

I dont have a skimmer as the guy in the LFS said it wasnt a necessity although helpful. My tank is nothing special really but I got a good deal at the shop, it came bundled with the double canopy 1000mm lights and 2 36" bulbs (although I added more later). Also came with the filter/heater and all the other stuff i've chucked in the cupboard and never used as it was for FW fish which I didnt want.

http://www.hagen.com/uk/aquatic/product.cfm?CAT=1&SUBCAT=111&PROD_ID=01037620030101

I know it doesnt look great but tbh I've been really happy with the way its gone so far keeping marine stuff - I've had few problems and hopefully prepared well enough. I'm actually finding it easy right now but waiting for the day something goes wrong and all my fish die :/

Chris.

 

[INCEPTION7]

My god, IMHO a good protein skimmer is the single most import part of the filtration system. I think that you may have found one of your biggest contributors. Please get either a HOB skimmer like a remora or an in sump skimmer like a Euro Reef, Tunze, etc. In my experience, I would never put a Mandarin in a tank unless it's been up for at least a year and had over 75 Lbs of live rock. I've seen too many whittle away to nothing.

 

[Reefmack]

Nice ricordea yuma in that second pic!

 

[chris_uk]

Inception7 - I havent got a skimmer becuase firstly the guy told me in the shop I didnt really need one and secondly they cost quite a bit

If im going to get a skimmer I need one which can go under my stand as I dont have a sump and even if I did wouldnt know how to use it. Anyone got any suggestions for a skimmer which I can hide away behind my stand or in the cupboard underneath?

Remember I'm in the UK so some of those makes of skimmer may not even make it into my LFS.

Reefmack - Thanks for identifying that m8

 

[chris_uk]

Wow not bad for a freebie on some LR seems expensive too - does the ricordea yuma need feeding as well - actually would it benefit any of these corals to feed them phytoplankton, like the stuff you can buy on ebay for a few quid?

Reefmack - I take it you know about these ricordea yuma, is it normal for it to go from fully open to saggy and hanging down when the light goes out?

Chris.

 

[INCEPTION7]

Sounds like you need a Hang On Back Skimmer. I would go for the Remora by Aqua C. They are very easy and do a fine job, as far as HOB's go. They run about $150.00 here in the U.S. If you lived near me, I would just give you mine... as I have an extra.

 

[chris_uk]

I can get an aquac remora from ebay for $140 (£70) thats with a maxijet 900 pump, any good?

you could always just ship it to the uk for me (jk)

 

[INCEPTION7]

As long as that's a brand new one, that's a decent deal. I wouldn't run a Remora with a MJ 900. Mine has a 1200 and I believe that's what they sell them with. IMHO it's one of the best HOB skimmers.

 

[Reefmack]

chris_uk - I'm certainly not a ricordea expert. I have a few, for only a couple weeks now, and am planning on getting a few more. I have Ricordia Floridas, but would like at least one yuma. Yes - like the mushrooms (and many softies & lps corals) they do shrink down considerable when the lights are off. They're photosynthetic so they don't really have to be fed, but will take advantage of food that falls their way, and zoo & phytoplanton. The yuma type that you have get larger than the floridas. That's a really nicely colored one you got on the rock - consider yourself lucky - the nice yumas aren't cheap!

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10426344#post10426344 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ILM75Dodge
I agree maybe add a powerhead or two to add some flow if you tank it 50gallons you really need some good water movement to help avoid dead zones where wast accumulates

you might want to consider a hydor---this delivers the water in a circular area and it is more turbulant--much more simulating conditions on the reef.
The normal power heads give a more straight forceful or laminar flow.
The most idea situation is to have two at opposite ends of the tank on a wave timer receptable--giving you lots of varable turbulent flow.
These have really come down in price from the original Tunze power heads--they start at 40 dollars and the wave time is about 30 dollars.

This is great you are addressing the basics for your tank first rather then running into problems later.

 

[INCEPTION7]

The only problem is that the Koralia's can't run on wave timers. The koralias need a variable speed controller and not an on/off controller. I have used the Koralia's and it's true that the flow pattern is much better then a MJ or the like. The only controller I know of that will work with the Koralia is a Seio timer because the powerheads are never really off, the power is just lowered and raised. The only downpoint of the controller is there is no alternating action.