My SPS tank is a mess, please help

[beavis]

My tank has been up and running for about 2 years. Here are the parameters:

46 gal bowfront
Instant Ocean salt
1.025 - 1.026 SG
ph 8.2
alk 3.5
Ca 480
Phosphate and Nitrate 0

Here are two pics:

As you can see, I have two main problems: nasty brownish algea and no color to my sps frags, though the frags are growing.

My lighting is 400W 20K metal halide + 65 W actinic PC.

I have tried cutting back feeding of my 3 small fish dramatically to reduce nutrients. Makeup water is RODI Kalkwasser. I upgraded from Prism skimmer to Scum Sucker to Coralife SuperSkimmer. The superskimmer pulls a lot out, but no reduction in algae.

Flow is via Quiet one 1200 return pump and two penguin power heads.

Any suggestions for reducing the algae and getting my sps to color up? Also, note that most of my coralline algea has turned gray.

I seem to be doing many of the things suggested in this forum, but to no avail...

 

[RCS]

It's hard to tell from the pictures, but is it actually algae or possibly a dinoflagellate? If it's a yellowish slime then it's likely not a true algae and you may need to approach it from a different direction.

 

[beavis]

The bright yellow stuff is minimal. The main problem is the brownish green stuff that is more prominant in the lower pic. It grows very fast and every weekend I vacuum as much as I can out via siphon during the water change.

 

[RCS]

Do you have any sort of cleanup crew in the tank at all?

If you can get a closer picture of the brownsish stuff, it might help for ID.

 

[elephen]

What are you phosphate and nitrate levels?

What kind of water are you using (RODI) ?

 

[elephen]

I ment what phosphate and nitrate kits are using to test for?

By the look of your pics looks like your phosphate is higher then 0, just my opinion. You may look into a colormeter, they are way more precise then say a Salifert PO4 test kit.

 

[comatose]

how often do you do water changes? and how much do you change? when was the last time you changed your ro/di filters ? how are the TDS from the ro/di, I'm leaning toward the phosphates also. you could start by picking out the bubble algea.
you may have to start off with a 50% water change but save the old water, take some of the rock out and scrub it down in the old water, siphon the top layer of sand. then put the rock back and add your new water.

 

[beavis]

I change about 15% every two weeks. However, this is just over the last few months. Much less before. My RODI water is very low on TDS, around 10.

I use a Red Sea phosphate test kit. I've read that phosphate testing is worthless, because the algea use it so fast. Nitrates 0, too.

Where do you think the phosphates are coming from? I use RODI water with low TDS and feed very little.

I have not been a fan of clean up crews, because the snails die after a few months and if you don't remove them, they decompose and put the same nutrients back in the water.

 

[beavis]

Dumb question, I'm sure, but does a TDS of zero mean phosphates are zero, or does phosphate not count?

 

[twon8]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7047779#post7047779 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by beavis
I change about 15% every two weeks. However, this is just over the last few months. Much less before. My RODI water is very low on TDS, around 10.


I have not been a fan of clean up crews, because the snails die after a few months and if you don't remove them, they decompose and put the same nutrients back in the water.

i have had snails going for 3 years and i have reproduction, perhaps you should have been asking why your snails kept dieing.

and 10 is high for after the rodi, it should be 0

 

[twon8]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7047800#post7047800 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by beavis
Dumb question, I'm sure, but does a TDS of zero mean phosphates are zero, or does phosphate not count?

i would think phosphates would be a part of tds, but tds is "total dissolved solids" which i take to mean everything in the water other than h2o

 

[comatose]

I would test with a saliefert test kit, it is possible that the red sea could be bad or out of date.
That is a bit high for TDS reading, it should be close to zero.
it also sounds like bad husbandry before.
Phosphate can come from a few things including over feeding.
a TDS reading is anything other than pure water.

your snails should not be dieing, there is something wrong there.

 

[beavis]

the snails did not die right away. Some are still living. It is just that they eventually die and decompose that makes me think that water changes and skimming are bettter ways to permanently export nutrients.

 

[comatose]

IMO, water changes and skimming is one of the best things to do, but there are so many factors that are important also.

you need to start off with a good cleaning of the rock and sand and do a water change. we need to get things back in balance with your tank. after you do this go easy on the feedings for a while.
check your phosphates again with another test kit, and change the RO/DI filters.
get that all done and we can go from there.

 

[beavis]

OK. I will do the water change and cleaning next weekend. I rechecked the RODI TDS and the input water is 450 and the output 5. I don't think it was zero even when new.

A few more questions:

1. Would a high phosphate level explain poor coloration of SPS?
2. Should I use PhosGuard?
3. Could someone comment on the flow in my tank. I have the return pump and two penguin powerheads. Circulation of approx 20x per hour, I think.

 

[comatose]

wow 450 is pretty high, just about undrinkable.

1. phosphates could be one of many things stability is the best thing for your SPS.
2. you could use phosguard for a short term remedy. but you need to find the root of the problem.
3. 20x is not bad, but maybe you can jack it up a bit more, but you have sand and you dont want that blowing all over the place either.

 

[jsweir]

Dude - you have dinos. It took me about a year to get rid of mine. I had to go BB and really get the nutrients out. Upgraded my skimmer, cut down on feedings, larger water changes. It all paid off in the end...

 

[GatorReefman]

I have to agree that an TDS reading of 10 is quite high. Mine is 1 after initial reading of over 500 for my tap water here in florida( very hard water). I have a slight hair algae/ bubble algae problem but my turbo snails seem to take care of most of them. Check that the RODI membrane is still functional - you may need to replace them. Your calcium seems very high as well- may want to dilute it with fresh seawater to bring it down closer to 400.

 

[SunnyX]

Ouch, looks like you have the dreaded dinoflagellate's.

You have one tough battle ahead of you.

My old 120 had them, let me see if I can dig up what I did to get rid of them.

 

[beavis]

SunnyX - Please let me know what worked. After reading other threads, I am sure you are right that I have the dinos. I will try to raise my pH for a few days as suggested in other threads. Also, large water changes, siphon off as much as possible, reduce feedings, lower SG, lower temperature... We'll see what happens!