drummereef's 180g in-wall build
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drummereef
Team RC
Little update on my current nutrient levels. I've stopped dosing AA's again. Had a minor algae breakout but I don't know if it was directly related to dosing or not. It broke out directly after my last water change so I'm fairly suspect that was the cause (again). But, I haven't seen any increase in NO3 at all unfortunately. I know it's a weird problem to have but I really wouldn't mind seeing 5ppm on my test kit for once. :lol:
So where I currently stand...
NO3 undetectable (API)
PO4 0.05 (ULN Phosphorus Checker)
Mag was 1350, but I'll dose some Tech-M to get it up to 1400 again.
Alk is steady at ~10dkh
The water change issue is becoming a problem though... I kid you not, EVERY TIME, I do a water change I get a strange brown algae bloom - presumably some kind of cyano. I'm seriously considering changing salt mixes. I currently use IO. I don't really know what to do as I feel like I could be serving my corals a little better by doing at least bi-weekly changes, but I can't. I kind of feel like I'm starving my corals with the lack of trace element additions though water changes but like I said the tank does worse after a change than if I just go without. I might try mixing up my normal amount of saltwater but do ~5 gallon changes daily for a week and see what happens, instead of doing a large ~26 gallon change all at once. My old tank, the 40g, it would THRIVE after a water change and I was religious about weekly changes. But this tank is exactly opposite of that...
Thoughts???
So where I currently stand...
NO3 undetectable (API)
PO4 0.05 (ULN Phosphorus Checker)
Mag was 1350, but I'll dose some Tech-M to get it up to 1400 again.
Alk is steady at ~10dkh
The water change issue is becoming a problem though... I kid you not, EVERY TIME, I do a water change I get a strange brown algae bloom - presumably some kind of cyano. I'm seriously considering changing salt mixes. I currently use IO. I don't really know what to do as I feel like I could be serving my corals a little better by doing at least bi-weekly changes, but I can't. I kind of feel like I'm starving my corals with the lack of trace element additions though water changes but like I said the tank does worse after a change than if I just go without. I might try mixing up my normal amount of saltwater but do ~5 gallon changes daily for a week and see what happens, instead of doing a large ~26 gallon change all at once. My old tank, the 40g, it would THRIVE after a water change and I was religious about weekly changes. But this tank is exactly opposite of that...
Thoughts???
psteeleb
Team RC
First thought is you may have some trace organics in the salt mix but it could also be a shock factor (up or down) of some unknown element that causes a bacteria die off (or growth opportunity not filled by bacteria) giving something else a brief niche to take over until things stabilize again. If it is the later several water changes of smaller volume could mitigate the "sudden niche syndrome" (maybe we came up with a new reefer term) 
a breif increase in silicates or iron come to mind
a breif increase in silicates or iron come to mind
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drummereef
Team RC
Those are the same plugs as before, they just happen to match better color-wise to the gray sleeving than the previous black silicone sleeving - which is why I kept them.
Ha! I appreciate that Pete. Coming from you, that's a huge confidence booster.
Thanks Neatfish.
First thought is you may have some trace organics in the salt mix but it could also be a shock factor (up or down) of some unknown element that causes a bacteria die off (or growth opportunity not filled by bacteria) giving something else a brief niche to take over until things stabilize again. If it is the later several water changes of smaller volume could mitigate the "sudden niche syndrome" (maybe we came up with a new reefer term)
a breif increase in silicates or iron come to mind
Ah, I see. That makes sense. My RO/DI is 000 TDS so you think the silicate and/or iron is just in the IO salt - like it's a bad couple of batches? I've had this problem over the last few boxes I've gone through... Also, what salt mix do you use currently? Other than changing the salt mix, is there anything else I could possibly try to alleviate this ongoing issue?
psteeleb
Team RC
I use IO but only do 5g at a time to minimize shock (not just salinity, alk, mg temp, pH etc) to the system. I may do a couple 5g changes in a day but usually wait at least an hour between them. And yes the silcate or iron would be in the salt even at normal levels a water change could increase your systems normal consumption rate thus creating a sudden availability for other consumers that are silicate or iron (or something else) limited.
As a system matures and/or you add more biodiversity I would think this would go away as there would be more types of consumers available.
Bilk
New member
Amazing, clean and organized! What is the source/make of the male replacement plugs?
UPDATE:
Made a little more progress... And I figured out how to use my white balance this time. :spin2:
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aquaph8
Love The Fish
I have the same issue with the brown bloom after water changes. Now that I think about it, it does look just like the stuff I wipe out of the bottom of the trash can I make my water with. I have a bucket of Aqua craft salt coming, I'll let you know how I like it and if I notice a difference with it.
drummereef
Team RC
Makes sense. So what could I possibly add other than the chaeto I have growing to uptake excess iron and especially silicate? I'll post a pic below of the algae that's sticking around...
Thanks Bilk.
The plugs are from Home Depot and are Pass & Seymour/Legrand brand. http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...ymour/legrand+plug&storeId=10051#.USL3Hx2-qTE
The IO I use also has a brown slimy residue after make-up as well. Randy in the Chem forum has talked about this ad nauseam, about the slime not being an issue. But there has to be something I, or possibly yourself, is missing in regards to what Pete is saying. Your corals are exponentially larger than mine yet you are saying you have a strange brown bloom after changes as well... So what is missing in our setups that we don't have that "buffer" for excess nutrient uptake?
I know Cromedogg also has experienced a similar issue as well. Maybe he'll chime in soon too.
drummereef
Team RC
This past weekend I also picked up a Pavona. It's polyps are just starting to come out but it's a vibrant green which should add some color to the left side of the tank - which was looking rather drab.
And here's the algae that seems to pop up anytime I do a water change. It is usually more stringy/slimy than it looks in the pic but it's always brown, never green or red.
And here's the algae that seems to pop up anytime I do a water change. It is usually more stringy/slimy than it looks in the pic but it's always brown, never green or red.
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cromedogg33
Member
I have the identical issue you do, but mine doesn't appear to be cyano type, I get mine on the rocks exclusively. Now that you mention it, I'm using IO boxes of salt as well. It's never occured to me to look at my salt being the problem.
I'm doing 10g per week all at one time, but I try to match temp/alk/ca/ph everything before putting it in. I have a hose that I run the makeup water into a filter sock with passive carbon in it.
I just bought 2 more 200g boxes
Maybe I should try out some kent salt or D&D and see if I get the same problem.
I'm doing 10g per week all at one time, but I try to match temp/alk/ca/ph everything before putting it in. I have a hose that I run the makeup water into a filter sock with passive carbon in it.
I just bought 2 more 200g boxes
Maybe I should try out some kent salt or D&D and see if I get the same problem.
cromedogg33
Member
Does the algae come off with a baster or any scrubbing? The really really wierd part about mine..... it happens in probably the highest flow spots in my tank and literally can't be scrubbed off easily.
drummereef
Team RC
I have the identical issue you do, but mine doesn't appear to be cyano type, I get mine on the rocks exclusively. Now that you mention it, I'm using IO boxes of salt as well. It's never occured to me to look at my salt being the problem.
I'm doing 10g per week all at one time, but I try to match temp/alk/ca/ph everything before putting it in. I have a hose that I run the makeup water into a filter sock with passive carbon in it.
I just bought 2 more 200g boxes
Maybe I should try out some kent salt or D&D and see if I get the same problem.
Does the algae come off with a baster or any scrubbing? The really really wierd part about mine..... it happens in probably the highest flow spots in my tank and literally can't be scrubbed off easily.
I'll one up you, mine sticks to the rocks AND glass! :lol: Good idea with the Carbon/Sock thing. I might try that as well, maybe add some GFO too next time I'm brave enough to do a water change. Mine blows off the rocks fairly easy to a certain extent. There's always some "fuzz" that doesn't come off with the baster but the stringy/slimy stuff usually comes off easily. I know there's some diatoms as well but I think that was residuals from adding the Pukani rock in the fuge. This brown stuff has plagued my existence for as long as I can remember. :facepalm:
Here's a couple more pics of it on the glass. REALLY hard to get a good focus on it since I was shooting at a weird angle...
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silentscream
New member
Brett, I have what appears to be the same algae in my tank too. I notice that it prefers low nutrient parameters, because I recently started feeding my tank heavier to boost the colors in my coral and it has subsided dramatically.
cromedogg33
Member
Interesting...I'll have to take a pic of mine to show you. It looks very similar. It doesn't seem to affect any corals or anything. Does yours go away? I've been living with it because of the benefits I see from the water changes.
This past weekend I also picked up a Pavona. It's polyps are just starting to come out but it's a vibrant green which should add some color to the left side of the tank - which was looking rather drab.
Beautiful piece!
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drummereef
Team RC
Interesting Justin. What specifically are you feeding that you noticed a decrease in this algae growth?
Definitely, I'd like to see it. Mine definitely attacks corals. I can post some pics to show you. It eats away at the the tissue and attaches to the skeleton. Mine comes and goes for no apparent reason that I can see, or at least pin down a reason to. I haven't been doing any water changes because I'm mostly scared of what happens after. lol
Woah, 6"? It's an awesome looking coral when the polyps are extended - at least it did in the store. I've placed it up high, in far left corner of my tank in a relatively high flow area so maybe that will keep it's feeding response down a bit. I'll keep an eye on it, thanks for the heads up Chris.
Thanks Adrienne.
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silentscream
New member
I started adding freeze-dried cyclopeeze with my mysis feedings 2-3x per week. I alternate that with formula 1 flakes and pellets, and frozen baby brine. I wonder if the extra nutrients are growing the bacteria population in my tank which is slightly out-competing the brown algae for nutrients.
drummereef
Team RC
Quite possible indeed, thanks for the reply.
I feed almost the exact same thing to my tank with the exception of using the frozen "brick" cyclop-eeze instead. Typically I feed a little PE Mysis and Rods daily to my fish and a few times a week will dust the tank with the Cyclop-eeze. For a treat I'll feed a little flake soaked in Selcon. My yellow tang is so fat I think she might pop at any moment LOL, so I'm not sure how much more I could possibly feed the tank other than maybe upping the smaller particle coral food a little more...? I'm almost out of Oyster Feast, maybe I'll pick up some more this weekend and be more consistent with feeding that when the lights are out.
drummereef
Team RC
My other thought is I don't have enough algae consumers in the tank to compete with small blooms. Right now I have 4 Mexican Turbos, about 12 Cerith snails, maybe 2 Nerite left, and 1 or 2 Nassarius. The sand bed is no longer an issue, my Diamond Goby and Cucumber do a great job cleaning the sand. So mostly it's this stuff on the rocks and glass.
I've also had a some areas of certain corals lose polyps. I don't know if possibly my Emerald Crab is doing some late-night snacking or if it's the algae attacking the coral...? I'll post some pics tonight of both, areas where the algae has attacked the coral and also where the coral have mysteriously lost polyps. :hmm2:
I've also had a some areas of certain corals lose polyps. I don't know if possibly my Emerald Crab is doing some late-night snacking or if it's the algae attacking the coral...? I'll post some pics tonight of both, areas where the algae has attacked the coral and also where the coral have mysteriously lost polyps. :hmm2:
