Awful algae in sand bed!!

way too many and way too quick, after 5 months you should only have about half the fish, every time you add something you need to give the live rock time to catch up to the bio load,
 
Geta clean up crew of snails and hermits, they will help with the algae!

I also had to raise my lights an couple inches off the tank, and eliminated all my algae/temperature issues. Been several months and the livestock shows growth/happiness.
 
Oh, I have one hell of a CUC. I thought about raising the light, but the only way I could do that is if I mount from the ceiling. Not so sure it's even possible.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13547452#post13547452 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jdieck
Your bio-load is on the high side and feeding causes your high nitrates that in turn feed that microalgae.
So You need to get those nitrates down to get rid of the algae:
a) Reduce bio-load
b) Reduce feeding amounts and/or frequency
c) Improve skimming by skimming wet or increase your skimmer capacity.
d) Install a refugium with macroalgae (Chaetomorpha) to compete for the nutrients with the microalgae and periodically harvest the algae. If properly sized try including a DSB for nitrification. Populate it with a kit of pods and bristle worms.
e) Increase the amount of live rock if it is below say, 1.5 pounds/gallon
f) May use some Nitrogenous compound removal resin (Like Purigen)
g) If you have any mechanical filters clean them frequently.
h) Use carbon also replace it more frequently
i) If you by chance use any kind of trickle filter, remove the bio-balls over the course of several weeks.
j) Use granular ferric oxide GFO (Phosar, phosban etc.) to remove phosphates (another nutrient)
k) Keep the weekly 20% water changes until nitrates start to drop
l) If your light bulbs are older than 1 year, replace them.
m) Test and keep your magnesium at 1300 ppm, your alkalinity at 10 dKh and your calcium at 420 ppm
m) Check your tap water, If it is trated with chloramines then you need a special DI cartridge right after the membrane to remove the ammonia after the carbon breaks down the chloramine. DO not worry about using Amquel, it will only remove the toxicity of the ammonia but does not take it out of the chain of nitrification.

That's all I can think to help reduce nitrates.
Good Luck!
Click to expand...
 
Niger's are the least agressive of the triggers even much so that they are considered reef safe. The Humu Humu trigger I bought with no knowledge of the fish. So far he hasn't bothered a thing. I am guessing when it gets larger I am going to have an issue. Right now they all get along just fine.

(crossing my fingers)
 
OK. This is going to be brief..............

No offense but your tank is a disaster! Thats ok because it is due to what about 90% of saltwater lovers do. They rush EVERYTHING! YOU CANT DO THIS if you want to have a somewhat presentable tank. Do the following and you will begin to have a presentable tank.

1) lose triggers, tangs, and lemon peel.
2) Remove bio balls. They house SOME beneficial bacteria but hold more gunk than you can see that is detrimental for your tank.
2) Get a better protien skimmer. I recomend an ASM G2
3) Empty all the contents of you tank into a huge rubber maid container. Than remove all your sand except for enough to barely cover the bottom. Its better to go bare bottom but like myself I'm sure you like the look of sand. Scrape off as much algae as you can. Put all contents back along with doing a massive water change. Than let the tank sit for about 4 months before adding any more corals or fish.
4) need at least 3 more power heads. 3 more hydor's are fine.
5) start dosing ALK & CAL Reeftopia has bulk package mixes.
6) Buy a phosban reactor.

Once you do this you will give you system a chance to balance itself out and you will eliminate the problems you are having. You will have a much nicer looking reef.

If all you want is a FOWLR tank than skip the dosing part.

Good luck.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13550748#post13550748 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mangelo
I am getting conflicting opinions about bio-balls. I do have them in my first chamber of my sump.
Click to expand...

Bioballs /wet-dry filters are nitrate-producing factories, and generally aren't a good mix with corals. In your situation, though, your system may not be able to support so many fish without the bioballs. Again, something has to give here.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13551388#post13551388 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by audio101
How are you able to keep two triggers with those other fish? I always thought they were really aggressive.
Click to expand...

As far as triggers go, humuhumus and niger triggers tend to be fairly passive. In my experience, clown and undulated triggers tend to be the nastier ones.
 
Believe it or not my algae situation has improved since I put up the tank. I started off with tap water. I was not aware of the benefits of RO / DI. Since I've switched I don't get that thick wallpaper algae on the glass. I get the normal light coating that I rub off with the magnet cleaner every morning, and what you now see in the sand.

I've gone 2 days now with zero MH and 5-6 hours of T5. The algae on the sand has been drastically reduced.

I am going to test a theory either this weekend or next. I am going to raise my light fixture. This problem didn't really manifest until I got this much more powerful lighting. I have a feeling that this is a large part of the problem.

Stay tuned... ;-)
 
dosing is not recommended! stick to the basics, hes not trying to farm acropora!

I have found in barebottom in my qt can add stress, the reflections cause the fish to get stressed and fight there own reflection.

THE SAND IS A BIG PART OF HIS BIOFILTER! it is probably already stressed, remove the sand and the bioballs and his tank will crash and fish will all develop issues and die.

take it SLOW, INCREASE WATER CHANGES
 
I am puzzled as to how 20% water changes can't keep the nutrients out of the tank and keep the algae under control.
 
I practically make it everyday. I dump it into 5 gallon containers that have had nothing but RO / DI water. I test the water after every fill up.

I am actually looking for replacement cartridges right now to keep on hand.

Water has been 0.00 TDS since day one.
 
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