Let's talk about water quality in an SPS tank.
- Thread starter JB NY
- Start date
NuclearReefs
Active member
I agree with JB on this about the caulerpra. I was having issues with mine on a 40 breeder and noticed it bleaching and then my corals were shrieking.. I finally removed it and now all is well.
Im not seeing alot of conversation on iodine in this thread either, I have mixed emotions about using lugols in my tank since the lower water volume so I am partial to hope the acros are getting enough from my small water changes to keep my water as consistant as possible. Ive also started using carbon to polish my water as the tank has started to mature. Any preference to Carbon with you guys? Seachem? Kent? Which?
Nathan
Im not seeing alot of conversation on iodine in this thread either, I have mixed emotions about using lugols in my tank since the lower water volume so I am partial to hope the acros are getting enough from my small water changes to keep my water as consistant as possible. Ive also started using carbon to polish my water as the tank has started to mature. Any preference to Carbon with you guys? Seachem? Kent? Which?
Nathan
aquariumclown
New member
Carbon: I have been using Chem-Gon and I've very happy with it. Though I've not tried too many other ones.
JB NY
Active member
I've always used black diamond carbon. I just recently switched (last week) to seachem's to see if it works any better. It was taking me forever to rinse off the black diamond because it so dusty. I wanted to find a carbon that works as well that doesn't need to be rinsed as much.
NuclearReefs
Active member
Im gonna use up the rest of this Kent Carbon I have ,, and wait til I get some more feedback.. lemme know what you think of the Seachem Joe..
Thnx,
Nathan
Thnx,
Nathan
It has been stated that low PO4 levels can inhibit the growth of macroaglae. Am I correct on this?
The macroalgae in my refugium has been dying off a little bit. ( the pods and bristleworms cleaned up the dying macroaglae within two days.) But I have not noticed any more die off. I had my water tested by my LFS and my PO4 are barely noticable. And they said that this PO4 is acceptable. Everything else is within the ranges stated above. Although my temp fluctuates between 76 and 78 degrees. No chiller and I live in TEXAS.
If this is the case, how do I get my macroaglae in my refugium to grow? I know that trying to raise the nutrient levels in my tank is not the answer. Or should I be happy that I can't grow macroaglae very well. My last question is flow rates in the refugium. Should the macroaglae sway back and forth? Mine is not and this could be my problem.
Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks
The macroalgae in my refugium has been dying off a little bit. ( the pods and bristleworms cleaned up the dying macroaglae within two days.) But I have not noticed any more die off. I had my water tested by my LFS and my PO4 are barely noticable. And they said that this PO4 is acceptable. Everything else is within the ranges stated above. Although my temp fluctuates between 76 and 78 degrees. No chiller and I live in TEXAS.
If this is the case, how do I get my macroaglae in my refugium to grow? I know that trying to raise the nutrient levels in my tank is not the answer. Or should I be happy that I can't grow macroaglae very well. My last question is flow rates in the refugium. Should the macroaglae sway back and forth? Mine is not and this could be my problem.
Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks
G-money
Premium Member
celliot,
Low PO4 can definitely inhibit any and all types of algae growth.
If your level is testable, though, I think you have enough for algae growth. I've had algae grow just fine with levels testing zero. Something else may be limiting.
You could try a macro like Chaetomophora - it doesn't go sexual like Caulerpa can. Though it will still release nutrients into the tank if it's dying, it won't be as excessive as with Caulerpa - also, Chaeto likely releases fewer toxins than Caulerpa (just a guess).
Low PO4 can definitely inhibit any and all types of algae growth.
If your level is testable, though, I think you have enough for algae growth. I've had algae grow just fine with levels testing zero. Something else may be limiting.
You could try a macro like Chaetomophora - it doesn't go sexual like Caulerpa can. Though it will still release nutrients into the tank if it's dying, it won't be as excessive as with Caulerpa - also, Chaeto likely releases fewer toxins than Caulerpa (just a guess).
NuclearReefs
Active member
the sway back and forth isnt a issue,, making sure the water flows through the center area is more of the issue and not having it just blowing over the surface,, ,I had an issue with my first refuge doing that and after awhile,, the top was so caked with algea the lower algeas started dying off and leaching bad nutrients back into the tank...
Now its better and I trim algea out about once every 3-4 weeks.. letting it regrow
Now its better and I trim algea out about once every 3-4 weeks.. letting it regrow
G-money
Premium Member
Agreed.
I don't think there's a real rule as far as flow through the refugium. The algae doesn't really care in most cases. Since you are probably using it to remove nutrients, you probably don't want the water wailing through there. The main source of nutrients (particulate matter) can settle there more easily with subdued flow. Then it can be acted on by bacteria which then make the nutrients available to the algae.
You can still have a good flow thru the sump (if that's your refuge) by baffling it to slow the flow. The water can't proceed linearly through the sump - it has to take a longer route which still moves water, just not as aggressively. I move about 1000 GPH through my sump (it's baffled with a large center settle-out section) and even though I don't use algae (the sump is BB), I get tons of particulate settle out which I can then siphon.
I don't think there's a real rule as far as flow through the refugium. The algae doesn't really care in most cases. Since you are probably using it to remove nutrients, you probably don't want the water wailing through there. The main source of nutrients (particulate matter) can settle there more easily with subdued flow. Then it can be acted on by bacteria which then make the nutrients available to the algae.
You can still have a good flow thru the sump (if that's your refuge) by baffling it to slow the flow. The water can't proceed linearly through the sump - it has to take a longer route which still moves water, just not as aggressively. I move about 1000 GPH through my sump (it's baffled with a large center settle-out section) and even though I don't use algae (the sump is BB), I get tons of particulate settle out which I can then siphon.
JB NY
Active member
I'm a big believer of lots of flow through a refugium if you are using it solely for nutrient export via macro algae. In the past I had it set up with not a lot of flow and poorly designed so the surface of the water always had scum on the top as well as cyano growing in the tank. I redesigned the refugium and removed the substrate and went bare bottomed with only cheatomorpha algae in the tank. The result has been a very clean refugium that allows me to grow macro algae with none of the associated cyano or micro algae problems I had in the past. IMO the slow flow allows the nutrients to become a sort of sink that cyano and other micro algae thrive in. Also, once a week I siphon out any detritus that settles in the bottom of the refugium.
I also removed all traces of caulerpa from the tank. After looking into the matter and speaking with people such as Calfo and Borneman I can to the conclusion that caulerpa is just way too toxic to be in a reef tank. So only cheatomorpha for me from now on.
IMO if the macro is not growing the nutrient levels are not high enough, which is a good thing. I used to dose iron to help the macro grow. But I don't anymore. I feel if the macro is growing it's removing stuff from the water, if it's not, the water is clean enough right now.
I also removed all traces of caulerpa from the tank. After looking into the matter and speaking with people such as Calfo and Borneman I can to the conclusion that caulerpa is just way too toxic to be in a reef tank. So only cheatomorpha for me from now on.
IMO if the macro is not growing the nutrient levels are not high enough, which is a good thing. I used to dose iron to help the macro grow. But I don't anymore. I feel if the macro is growing it's removing stuff from the water, if it's not, the water is clean enough right now.
NuclearReefs
Active member
Agreed,, I wish mine would quit growing,,,LOL,, i guess im feeding my fish to much and its not getting consumed.....
Great stuff guys. I had to reconfigure things six weeks ago. I had my overflows returning through two separate boxes (1 sump and 1 refugium). Major design flaw on my part. I had to make sure that the two return pumps where equal which was a big pain in the ***. After a few mishaps, I switched out the 30 gal glass refugium for a 40 gal acrylic tank( which I found at a used sale at my LFS for $5. For anyone in Dallas, Fish Gallery on Greenville is the best store in town!! Awesome SPS display. ) and drilled a hole and installed a bulk head with PVC pipe so the water could overflow into the sump. I had to install a frame of 2x4s around the top because there was no brace. This solved all my problems!! I could not have done it without all of the support from guys like you and this web page.
During this process, I woke up on a Monday morning and had lost about 80% use of my right arm. I had a disk in my neck rupture b/t C4-C5 and had to have surgery to remove the disc and fuse the two vertebrae. Needless to say, rearranging my tank was very difficult. But I had to get it all done before the surgery. Iââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢m not sure how I got it done. I would like to think that it was sure will power and the love of my tank, but I know that the medication helped numb the pain and my frustration. As they say, "Better living through modern chemistry.ââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ They took a bone graft from my hip to fuse the vertebrae. Initially the hip incision was the most painful part of it all. It felt like I had been shot in the stomach. They screwed a titanium plate on the front of the two vertebrae to hold everything in place. Everything is healing well and I am almost back to normal and the tank is looking better than ever. And no one can ever doubt my dedication to this wonderful adventure!
During this process, I woke up on a Monday morning and had lost about 80% use of my right arm. I had a disk in my neck rupture b/t C4-C5 and had to have surgery to remove the disc and fuse the two vertebrae. Needless to say, rearranging my tank was very difficult. But I had to get it all done before the surgery. Iââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢m not sure how I got it done. I would like to think that it was sure will power and the love of my tank, but I know that the medication helped numb the pain and my frustration. As they say, "Better living through modern chemistry.ââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ They took a bone graft from my hip to fuse the vertebrae. Initially the hip incision was the most painful part of it all. It felt like I had been shot in the stomach. They screwed a titanium plate on the front of the two vertebrae to hold everything in place. Everything is healing well and I am almost back to normal and the tank is looking better than ever. And no one can ever doubt my dedication to this wonderful adventure!
NuclearReefs
Active member
I goto the fish gallery all the time,they have some frags of mine their for sale....,and their close by
hope your surgery goes well...
Nathan
hope your surgery goes well...
Nathan
Nathan-
Thanks-Surgery went well. I go to the Fish Gallery at least two times a week. When you are there, look for a tall guy with blonde hair and a very stiff neck. I was very excited when FG opened and I did not have to go to Dallas North anymore. Fg is right around the corner from me. It would be a pleasure to meet another reef fanatic.
If possible, I would enjoy seeing your breeder tank. Do you sell direct to people like myself? Also, have you attended any reef meetings at FG? I hear there is another one coming up soon.
Thanks-Surgery went well. I go to the Fish Gallery at least two times a week. When you are there, look for a tall guy with blonde hair and a very stiff neck. I was very excited when FG opened and I did not have to go to Dallas North anymore. Fg is right around the corner from me. It would be a pleasure to meet another reef fanatic.
If possible, I would enjoy seeing your breeder tank. Do you sell direct to people like myself? Also, have you attended any reef meetings at FG? I hear there is another one coming up soon.
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