chaeto and phosban pics included

[Mappelbaum37]

I have started tons of threads, and read millions of posts of advice on how to get rid of my algae I have. This thread is simply to ask a few questions I have. I am well aware of the rest. Just letting you know this bec. I know there is a list of atleast 100 suggestions to follow in order to get rid of algae (brown/green, slime/hair algae) that I have.

For the chaeto: I have no sump. to make the best out of my worst situation, I put one of those very tiny in-tank refugiums in my tank. (75g tank by the way)... I know it sucks, but its just the way things worked out, I gotta deal with it. I got some chaeto, and at first I put it in bags in the tank. Then I got the in tank fuge. the chaeto currently isn't doing so well. I didn't start it out properly, and am curious. Should I have the rio 50 the fuge came with strongly spitting water at the chaeto, or just let it sort of sit in the fuge?

Also, I have seen tanks destroyed by caulerpa leaking into the display tank. Is it too much of a risk to keep caulerpa in an in-tank fuge?

For the phosban. pretty simple question. Which is better? phosban or GFO? or are they the same? I get phosban, and I dont really have anything to compare it to. I have been running the reactor w/ phosban in it for 1 month now. I just switched the media last week in the reactor. I'm on month 2. For the algae. I see little difference on the rocks, but the back glass of tank used to be covered in algae, now only half of it is. Maybe the reactor is working its magic on the glass first?

Thanks

Chaeto in in-tank fuge

In bags before I got the in-tank fuge:

 

[Percula9]

You don't have enough chaeto to be of any real value. Phosban and GFO are the same thing. Check also nitrate levels. Nutrient levels drive these algae problems. Start doing a series of weekly water changes and reduce the lighting period. You can try keeping the lights off for a couple of days. Water changes and fill that refugium wth as much chaeto as possible.

 

[Aquarist007]

I agree--that's not enought cheato to see any real difference

What's the flow level like in your tank

 

[Mappelbaum37]

Good point. I'll try and replace the old chaeto with more.

Nitrates are 0 ever since I started using RO water about 2 to 3 months ago...

I do a 10 gallon water change a week.

Have cut down from 8 to 6 hours of daylight

Every 2 weeks I leave the lights off for 2 days before a water change. Have been doing this for about 2 months now.

Thank you

 

[Mappelbaum37]

ahh.. flow.. forgot about that.. I have a koralia #3 (850 gph) and a maxi jet 1200 (295 gph). I have been told its a good amount but not enough, but that is what increased to. Corals are all getting hit by the current pretty strong, and theyre all looking good. I dont want to increase the flow even more and upset the corals. It looks like its at a good balance right now though. The hair algae on the rocks on the bottom are even moving pretty roughly due to the current. It cant be that weak.

Thanks again

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12527673#post12527673 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Mappelbaum37
Good point. I'll try and replace the old chaeto with more.

Nitrates are 0 ever since I started using RO water about 2 to 3 months ago...

I do a 10 gallon water change a week.

Have cut down from 8 to 6 hours of daylight

Every 2 weeks I leave the lights off for 2 days before a water change. Have been doing this for about 2 months now.

Thank you

if you have aglae then you have nitrates and phosphates--the zero test reading simply means the algae is consuming them as fast as they are being imported into the tank.

 

[Mappelbaum37]

Right I know that, but I just dont know how long it'll take before the nitrates are low enough so that the algae would stop consuming them

 

[SkyPapa]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12527592#post12527592 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by capn_hylinur
I agree--that's not enought cheato to see any real difference

I thought the point of chaeto or other macro was to allow it to grow by absorbing phos and nutrients and then removing the absorbed material.
I trim my chaeto, by ripping it apart, every couple of weeks and leave a piece smaller than that shown. It grows to about soccer ball size in 2-3 weeks.