Can an SPS tank be too clean?

joekidwell

joekidwell

New member
Hey guys I've been having a problem with the brown algae on my glass and rocks I have to clean the glass just about every two days and noticing slow coral growth. Tank has been up and running for two years just recently moved to sps.

Tank Parameters
40 Breeder bare bottom 20 L sump with 6" dsb in the fuge and an SC 75 skimmer. 5 gallon water change a week.

Rodi water 0 tds as of yesterday

Lighting is a photon 32 running 9 hours a day at 40% max on both channels.

Ca 440
Alk 8.2
Mg 1300
Po4 undetectable

I have a cinnamon clown with rbta and dwarf angel, certh snals and a bunch of flame algae in the dt and the fuge.

I blow out the rocks once every two days, vaccume the class and suck up all fish waste then change filter socks once it all settles down.

Why am i still fighting this brown algae?
 
Last edited:
My guess is not enough flow if you have to blow off the rocks every 2 days. Whats the flow specks? Also What P04 Test kit are you using and have you tested for nitrates?
 
Gundo5000 said:
My guess is not enough flow if you have to blow off the rocks every 2 days. Whats the flow specks? Also What P04 Test kit are you using and have you tested for nitrates?
Click to expand...

Flow is a wp 25 wide open with a mag 7 return and sailfert test. I doubt it's a flow problem cause my macro blows all over the tank even attached to rock rubble.
 
Any tank capable of growing coral can also grow algae. You cannot have one without the other. If you starve one, you will starve the other. If you see tanks with no algae, it is not that they aren't growing it, it is that they have a crew that is cleaning it up.
 
Get 1-2 mexican turbo snails and that will take care of your brown rocks. They are some cleaning machines. The regular turbos work too, but the mexicans are bad a$$. The cerith snails are not enough. Could be the amount your feeding also.
 
Okay here's the scoop. If you're having brown algae problems you need to call a retailer like Bulk Reef or Marine Depot anyway one one of those guys. Zeovit makes a product called coral snow is not a food, it gets rid of slime algae brown algae in cyano-bacteria plus it's good for your corals good luck. Phil
 
how long has the tank been set up? are you using rodi water? how old are your bulbs? we need more information. also i picture would sure help and carbon dosing is not for everyone so please read as much as you can,
Michael
 
trueblackpercula said:
how long has the tank been set up? are you using rodi water? how old are your bulbs? we need more information. also i picture would sure help and carbon dosing is not for everyone so please read as much as you can,
Michael
Click to expand...

All the information you ask for is in the first post.
 
Cleaning the glass every 2-3 days seems to be the sweet spot for me. It's not real bad just cloudy. Does it wipe off easy? A few swipes from a mag float if so that's ok. Also if you don't use Hanna for p04 I would recommend it.
 
if you are not cleaning your glass then you dont have nutrients in the tank and the corals would need to be fed.

Cleaning the glass is feeding the corals and clams if you have them, as the algae "dusts" off the glass, it becomes food. it's a good thing.

Blowing your rocks and such...are you actually blowing algae off or just settled detritus and other organics....because again, this is normal. Even ULNS get this....maybe not as much as higher nutrient tanks, but its the norm.

you should always have some brownish green dull algae that grows on the glass. you will also have coraline, but if you are not getting algae growth, your corals and bacterial populations and everything in between are likely to starve. I find when coraline algae starts to slow down, it is because my nutrients are getting too low for my liking.
 
porsche908 said:
Okay here's the scoop. If you're having brown algae problems you need to call a retailer like Bulk Reef or Marine Depot anyway one one of those guys. Zeovit makes a product called coral snow is not a food, it gets rid of slime algae brown algae in cyano-bacteria plus it's good for your corals good luck. Phil
Click to expand...

Uh.... Wot:facepalm:
 
Reefer54 said:
if you are not cleaning your glass then you dont have nutrients in the tank and the corals would need to be fed.

Cleaning the glass is feeding the corals and clams if you have them, as the algae "dusts" off the glass, it becomes food. it's a good thing.

Blowing your rocks and such...are you actually blowing algae off or just settled detritus and other organics....because again, this is normal. Even ULNS get this....maybe not as much as higher nutrient tanks, but its the norm.

you should always have some brownish green dull algae that grows on the glass. you will also have coraline, but if you are not getting algae growth, your corals and bacterial populations and everything in between are likely to starve. I find when coraline algae starts to slow down, it is because my nutrients are getting too low for my liking.
Click to expand...

Thats another thing, I've never had a boom in coralline growth, just a few specks here and there even with all my parameters in order.
 
joekidwell said:
Thats another thing, I've never had a boom in coralline growth, just a few specks here and there even with all my parameters in order.
Click to expand...

If alk/cal/mag isnt in proper proportions and dead stable you will not see coraline grow properly. If coraline isnt growing properly most likely your corals arent either. Just my experience.

I too had no growth of coraline until i started checking alk daily with Hannah meter and truly dialing in exact amount of alk/cal used.
 
Last edited:
dunk373 said:
Cleaning the glass every 2-3 days seems to be the sweet spot for me. It's not real bad just cloudy. Does it wipe off easy? A few swipes from a mag float if so that's ok. Also if you don't use Hanna for p04 I would recommend it.
Click to expand...

Same here, i also have a leather coral in my sps tank (actually two) but one is a really good coral to have in the SPS tank. Why? Because it will be tiny tiny if water parameters change to fast or are too far off. When that coral retracts it is a sign something is wrong.

In general:

2 days clean, ok for the tank i hate it
3 days clean, Perfect for the tank, ok for me
4 days clean, ok for the tank, better for me
5 -6 days clean, tank starts loosing color. I really like it (cleaning the glass that is).

Anyhow 2-4 days before cleaning the glass is the best for the tank. I sometimes ignore cleaning the glass, this only make the glass look dirty, but if it's too clean to long it's bad.

So yes, the tank can be too clean. And it takes ages to get colors back when you loose them.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

S
Nutrient Export
Replies
0
Views
197
SantaMonica
S
D
Help with new tank cycling
Replies
9
Views
243
VWD
VWD
Dogs442
Cleaning my xxl900 Is it safe?
Replies
3
Views
507
Dogs442
Dogs442
J
Tank restart after 8 years 😳
Replies
13
Views
645
griss
griss
S
Nutrient Export
Replies
5
Views
721
wvned
wvned
Back
Top