Normal for a DSB?
- Thread starter klongo
- Start date
Kathy,
I just reread your original message. I understand you are trying to get rid of algae in your tank. You also mention Diatoms. If you read some of Dr. Ron's articles, you will notice that usually excess algae is due to excess nutrients in tank water. You definitely don't want to get rid of worms and vacuming will usually do that. You need to either decrease bio load, increase nutrient export or some combination of the two. Increasing bio diversity is important as you know, worms, critters etc. Do you skim? How often do you do water changes. How old is the tank? Don't give up. remove some algae, increase skimming, possibly decrease food input. Again, conches are good at cleanning sand. Try some more. The cucumbers I have are constantly cleaning the sand, try different species then you already have.
Eric
I just reread your original message. I understand you are trying to get rid of algae in your tank. You also mention Diatoms. If you read some of Dr. Ron's articles, you will notice that usually excess algae is due to excess nutrients in tank water. You definitely don't want to get rid of worms and vacuming will usually do that. You need to either decrease bio load, increase nutrient export or some combination of the two. Increasing bio diversity is important as you know, worms, critters etc. Do you skim? How often do you do water changes. How old is the tank? Don't give up. remove some algae, increase skimming, possibly decrease food input. Again, conches are good at cleanning sand. Try some more. The cucumbers I have are constantly cleaning the sand, try different species then you already have.
Eric
klongo
In Memoriam
Eric-
I skim wet, change 10% of water weekly, have chaeto growing, run a phosphate reactor, feed my fish 1 cube of rinsed frozen daily, 1/2 sheet of nori, use filtered water.
Fish: PBT, Yellow tang, two clowns, algae blenny, oriole angel, flame hawkfish, striped goby, coral banded shrimp, cleaner shrimp, sally lightfoot, two cucumbers (different species), 50 BLH, 5 large turbos, 20 astreas, 20 nassarius, 10-15 nerites
Tank - 150 gallons with a 30 gallon sump
ammonia 0, nitrites 0, nitrates <10, phosphates <.1, calcium 450, alk 2.5, pH 8.2 - all holding steady with this algae!!!!
I skim wet, change 10% of water weekly, have chaeto growing, run a phosphate reactor, feed my fish 1 cube of rinsed frozen daily, 1/2 sheet of nori, use filtered water.
Fish: PBT, Yellow tang, two clowns, algae blenny, oriole angel, flame hawkfish, striped goby, coral banded shrimp, cleaner shrimp, sally lightfoot, two cucumbers (different species), 50 BLH, 5 large turbos, 20 astreas, 20 nassarius, 10-15 nerites
Tank - 150 gallons with a 30 gallon sump
ammonia 0, nitrites 0, nitrates <10, phosphates <.1, calcium 450, alk 2.5, pH 8.2 - all holding steady with this algae!!!!
nottheone
New member
The rookie bets are on the fact that you now have more intense lighting and are experienceing the normal algae bloom that most dsb's go thru. i hope you will keep me posted here for learning purposes, as i am interested in seeing how things develop and how long it takes for your tank to stabilize. by the way, how do you like you t3/4 pump? I just bought one and am waiting on delivery.
Hi Kathy. I'm just getting active in the hobby again and could also use some sand. I'd be willing to trade cup for cup(my bed has been established for 2 years or so, but haven't seeded it in that time).
I also have a TDS meter so I can test your filtered water for ya if you wish. What kind of filtered water are you using? I'm in Bergen county.
I also have a TDS meter so I can test your filtered water for ya if you wish. What kind of filtered water are you using? I'm in Bergen county.
Ok,
Looks like you have all the basis covered. How long have you been fighting this algae. How much do you actually have and do you know what it is? You mentioned Diatoms somewhere. Is it diatoms or algae. How much area is covered? Maybe you can display pictures. Also,go back to Dr. Rons forum and do a search on algae. You will get plenty of ideas and input.
Eric
Looks like you have all the basis covered. How long have you been fighting this algae. How much do you actually have and do you know what it is? You mentioned Diatoms somewhere. Is it diatoms or algae. How much area is covered? Maybe you can display pictures. Also,go back to Dr. Rons forum and do a search on algae. You will get plenty of ideas and input.
Eric
Bill Shultz
New member
I'd suggest trying to drop your nitrates as far as possible. <10 is good, but you may be able to do better.
An interesting thread for you to conisder is one with a new spin for DSB's.
Remote DSB
This might be a good way for you to get the additional denitrification that you need to control your algae problems.
Good luck.
An interesting thread for you to conisder is one with a new spin for DSB's.
Remote DSB
This might be a good way for you to get the additional denitrification that you need to control your algae problems.
Good luck.
klongo
In Memoriam
I LOVE my T3 pump. It's absolutely silent and has given me no problems.
I'd be willing to trade cup for cup of sand! There is an annual sand trade run by a reefcentral member that I think is about to hit the ground in January again. You can go to reefmonkey and sign up for the notification of when it starts. I've participated twice and plan on participating again this year. My schedule is pretty hectic, but I'm usually home on Saturday mornings.
I've had the algae issue for almost a year now, it was pretty much under control until I switched the bulbs. That was two months ago, however, so I'm not sure that that should still be contributing? I've had my tank lights off for 36 hours now. I turned them on for an hour this evening and the sand looks much better. I"m going to keep them off until tomorrow and see how it looks. I don't have much in the way of corals, so I'm hoping the gamble doesn't hurt them too much. The plan is to increase light time by an hour a day until I hit the full photo period and see what happens to the algae.
It's a light brownish-red (NOT cyano looking) dusting and I've got brown film algae on the glass. For a while I thought it was dino - but after researching on Dr. Rons forum, I don't think it is. I'm pretty sure it's diatomes - but they're just persisting. The top of my sand bed at this moment looks like it's speckled brown and red, not white.
I'd be willing to trade cup for cup of sand! There is an annual sand trade run by a reefcentral member that I think is about to hit the ground in January again. You can go to reefmonkey and sign up for the notification of when it starts. I've participated twice and plan on participating again this year. My schedule is pretty hectic, but I'm usually home on Saturday mornings.
I've had the algae issue for almost a year now, it was pretty much under control until I switched the bulbs. That was two months ago, however, so I'm not sure that that should still be contributing? I've had my tank lights off for 36 hours now. I turned them on for an hour this evening and the sand looks much better. I"m going to keep them off until tomorrow and see how it looks. I don't have much in the way of corals, so I'm hoping the gamble doesn't hurt them too much. The plan is to increase light time by an hour a day until I hit the full photo period and see what happens to the algae.
It's a light brownish-red (NOT cyano looking) dusting and I've got brown film algae on the glass. For a while I thought it was dino - but after researching on Dr. Rons forum, I don't think it is. I'm pretty sure it's diatomes - but they're just persisting. The top of my sand bed at this moment looks like it's speckled brown and red, not white.
Teremei
New member
I think your problem lay here. 50 BLH. I assume that means "Blue Leg Hermit"? Crabs are bad for a DSB. You say they are always on the rock. .
Have you even taken a day or 2, possibly on the weekend. And observed your crabs all day? I notice my crabs like to suck on the sand grains and then spit them out. They are eating the benificial tiny critters and are so imporant to a DSB.
Someone I know who has succesffully run DSB has told me about a phrase when talking about DSB. KISS. Keep it Simple Stupid. It's basically saying don't overdo it with bioload, don't overdo it with cleanup crew, and stay away from crabs.
From everything I've heard is that a properly set up and seeded DSB (like yours is) should have no problems at all. I'm thinking it's the hermits. Get rid of any crabs that are in your system. Just my thoughts.
Have you even taken a day or 2, possibly on the weekend. And observed your crabs all day? I notice my crabs like to suck on the sand grains and then spit them out. They are eating the benificial tiny critters and are so imporant to a DSB.
Someone I know who has succesffully run DSB has told me about a phrase when talking about DSB. KISS. Keep it Simple Stupid. It's basically saying don't overdo it with bioload, don't overdo it with cleanup crew, and stay away from crabs.
From everything I've heard is that a properly set up and seeded DSB (like yours is) should have no problems at all. I'm thinking it's the hermits. Get rid of any crabs that are in your system. Just my thoughts.
