keeping the tank clean

[alextheromanian]

ok so this is very noob and i need hel with it a bit...

finished setting up a 29g with a 20 g sump

im considering drilling another hole in the tank since the 1" drain is loud and doesnt move enough water trough it.


i have some green hair algae growing right now under the halide/pc light(oddysea) and i was wondering what i need to do to keep it as clean and clear as possible.

the 20 g sum has an intake chamber filled with rubble and a prizm skimmer(i know i know its old and i thought i could get some use out of it) then trough bubble trap baffles into a refugiu area with 3 inches of sand then over a baffle into the return chamber.

i could add more things in the sump..
like a phosban reactor...but i dont know what would be best to run in it...also a new skimmer but i wonder if adding cheato i could get away without having to upgrade the skimmer for a while

annnd i also run a diatom filter every time i clean the glass or move anything around...


i need suggestions on what i should do...better yet what YOU would do if it was YOUR setup.


i can provide pictures and more info if anyone wishes...
ohhh anddd RODI...does anyone know of a good cheap unit...i only maybe need to top off 5 gal every other other day....so even the slowest rodi would work for me as long as it was a good unit.

any suggestions?


PS only things in the aquarium are live rock...cured a yellow gorgonian and a small zoa frag that seem to be doing great.

 

[billdogg]

since this is a newly set up tank, you may very well just be going through the normal cycle. It sounds like you are doing ok. Have you done any water changes? How does the water test? What are you using to circulate the water from the DT to the sump? If it is the canisters, I would swap them out for a submersible pump of one type or another - I love my Eheim's - have used them for years, and would not switch to anything else.

I would add at least 1 or 2 inches more sand to the refugium area of the sump. that will help with the nitrates. less than that usually ends up just being a trap for all the gunk.

A phosphate reactor (2 actually) would be very helpful as well. They are one of the least expensive things you can get for your tank, with one of the highest paybacks. Use one for GFO, the other for carbon. Visit bulkreefsupply.com for a good deal on both.

I would lose the canister filters, or use one for carbon only, but even then you HAVE to be on top of cleaning it out, or you will have more nitrates than you ever thought possible.

 

[HappySkittles]

i think if you add some algea you want in your sump it will eat what the hair algae needs and so help get rid of it

i have cheato in my filter and all i am growing as far as algae is very light brown diatomos (i think >_<) algae
i dont know if this would help because my tank is still cycling but its just a thought

my boyfriend's pico started losing the hair algea after he added an astrea snail and cheato to his filter

 

[alextheromanian]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13225439#post13225439 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by billdogg
since this is a newly set up tank, you may very well just be going through the normal cycle. It sounds like you are doing ok. Have you done any water changes? How does the water test? What are you using to circulate the water from the DT to the sump? If it is the canisters, I would swap them out for a submersible pump of one type or another - I love my Eheim's - have used them for years, and would not switch to anything else.

I would add at least 1 or 2 inches more sand to the refugium area of the sump. that will help with the nitrates. less than that usually ends up just being a trap for all the gunk.

A phosphate reactor (2 actually) would be very helpful as well. They are one of the least expensive things you can get for your tank, with one of the highest paybacks. Use one for GFO, the other for carbon. Visit bulkreefsupply.com for a good deal on both.

I would lose the canister filters, or use one for carbon only, but even then you HAVE to be on top of cleaning it out, or you will have more nitrates than you ever thought possible.

actually the return is done with 6 feet of head pressure...using a quietone 3000 rated at about 700gph at that height but i have to tone it down because the 1 inch drain doesnt swallow so much water and it ends up overfilling the display.

what is GFO?

 

[chuggy]

i had lots of algae till i added cheato calupera and mangroves to my refuge now i scrape the glass maybe once a week if not once every other week compared to every day before gfo i think is the phosphate media for the phosphate reactor.

 

[fivesmallworlds]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13226217#post13226217 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by alextheromanian
what is GFO?

GFO= Granular Ferric Oxide... You don't really need to know the full name as everyone just sells it as GFO. It is the filter media used in phosphate reactors to reduce phosphates in your water column.

Many people choose to double up on the Phosphate reactors (run 2) and put GFO in one and Regular old Carbon in the other. This takes the phosphates out and polishes your water to make it crystal clear.

 

[Aquarist007]

Here are some ideas for fighting algae:
http://www.reefcentral.com/wp/?p=287