Reality Check...Red Algea/Nitrates

[cimdxb2]

Ok, just doing a reality check after reading about 20 threads on Red Algea.

I have a BC29 and have about 20 lbs of LR. Couple clowns, Green Chromis, electric Clam, reg clam (sry, don't remember name, purple one!), garden eel and cleaner shrimp. Plus some crabs and snails. Tank has been up for about 8 weeks now. Also have several corals.

I did the lighting upgrade (doubled the light), added a saphire skimmer, and changed the pump from the stock 250 to a 350 gph. Oh, there is about 2 inches of live sand as well.

I do about 5 gallons a week water changes.

Now to my ?'s....

I can never get my Nitrates down to zero and more....best I get is about 20. But they seem to hover there.

Ph is about 8.2, Temp is 80, Salinity is 1.025, Amonia 0.

Also the red alge seems to be winning at the moment. It is on the back wall as well as getting pretty obvious on the sand.

I have backed off the amount of food I have been feeding as well as the amount of light (now gets 10 hours in a 24 hour day).

Any other ideas on the red algea? One of the threads said "...if the tank is only a couple months old, don't worry about the algea. It is just a phase the tank is going through". Is that true?

Open to ideas/feedback...and thanks in advance for all of your help.

Dave

 

[kau_cinta_ku]

Re: Reality Check...Red Algea/Nitrates

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9774017#post9774017 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cimdxb2
Any other ideas on the red algea? One of the threads said "...if the tank is only a couple months old, don't worry about the algea. It is just a phase the tank is going through". Is that true?

Dave

 

[kau_cinta_ku]

Re: Reality Check...Red Algea/Nitrates

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9774017#post9774017 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cimdxb2
Any other ideas on the red algea? One of the threads said "...if the tank is only a couple months old, don't worry about the algea. It is just a phase the tank is going through". Is that true?

Dave

yes and no. yes it will come and go because of it being a new tank. but there are other things that can help it go faster.
1. up your water flow in the tank, more powerheads
2. use rodi water
3. skimm more. i am not familuar with that brand skimmer
4. add a fuge with macro alage

 

[snuggle2me]

Yeah its true about it being a new tank. I just got over the red one and now i am fighting green hair algae. I dont have it on the rocks anymore but its struggling to stay alive in the sand. I just try to remove as much manually as i can when i do water changes. I add a packet of algone to my sump each week i do a water change and that seems to be doing the trick. Its slowly receding but very slowly. I am very worry about adding additives to my tank. So far the Algone doesnt seem to harm anything. I also got the coolest fish called a lawn mower blenny. He seems to like all the types of algae in my tank but i dont think he can keep up with it all. But i do recommend getting one not only for the algae to keep in control once it gets under control but also for the fact that this little guy is really awesome to watch. He is constantly kissing the glass and leaving his lip marks on it and doing the tango with his reflection. but the really cool thing about him is he sort of acts like the tank bulldog. He isnt agressive but he kinda walks on his fins and jumps forward like a bulldog protecting his area. Its a really interesting fish to have and watch. I also noticed you have a clam. Most are going to tell you that your tank isnt old enough to sustain the clam. I guess they need a really established tank to keep them alive. Keep us posted on how its doing ok. I really want one too but was told my tank is to new to have one yet. 2 months old

 

[Sepeku]

Yep, I concur with Snuggle and Kau.

I had the same thing, diatoms then green hair algae, added a tang which ate the algae, then cyano broke out... Now I'm getting algae again.

It seems to dissappear alittle on its own with time. But to hurry it you could do some significant water changes and put in some phosphate removal media. Cutting the lights and limiting nutrients helps as well.