Taking DSB out of fuge. good idea?

[Capt_Cully]

what about the function of the macro algae? I thought it helped to oxygenate the water and remove wastes?

I've been slowly removing a good amount of my ssb (about 2-3 inches) when I siphon detritus during water changes. I've got about 2in of miracle mud in my refugium. My xenia grows like wild fire and my anthelia grows even faster. Needs to be pruned. I've only had sps stuff for about 2 months but it is growing pretty fast (i have no frame of reference, 1st tank) but according to pictures its growing well.

also my scooter has grown and looks plump.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6698030#post6698030 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Capt_Cully
what about the function of the macro algae? I thought it helped to oxygenate the water and remove wastes?

My skimmer outcompeted macroalgae in my lit refugia. It withered away. (Harvesting) growing macroalgae exports wastes, but doesn't oxygenate water significantly. A good skimmer will do both in spades.

 

[Capt_Cully]

so if i want to keep macroalgae, you think less is better? and rubble or smaller peices of LR is better than mud in the fuge?

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

It all depends on what livestock you want to keep in your system.

 

[Diego]

i keep chaeto for growth to outperform the growth of nuisance algae. I thought its all about the export of macro.

Lucky, my mandarin eats frozen brine . I got a rubble pile in the display and i assume pods are in there somewhere.

And Gary, whats the benefit of an empty fuge?

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6699434#post6699434 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Diego
And Gary, whats the benefit of an empty fuge?

Not much!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6697709#post6697709 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Gary Majchrzak
I have areas in my main display aquarium that perform a function similar to refugia.

 

[Capt_Cully]

you guys are confusing me. i have a mixed reef with soft, lps, and lps corals. i've got a good amount of fish, but lately have been having pretty significant algae. corals growing well, fish fat and happy. do you thing reducing the macro AND ssb will help especially if it's replaced in the fuge with small LR and some rubble?

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Harvesting macroalgae is the same thing as exporting nutrients. (Nutrient export can prevent outbreaks of nuisance algae.)
IME all types of bottoms have a tendency to collect mulm and detritus- so whatever you choose to do, make sure to prevent a buildup of poop on the bottom of the aquarium and sump.

 

[Capt_Cully]

looks like i'm 5 for 5 with your nuisance algae btw. anyway, i'm slowly reducing of the ssb, but i want to keep enough for aesthetic purposes. i see no build up of crud in the fuge, but i'm sure my chaeto is covered with it.

as for the algae, do you think i'm having these mini-outbreaks because the tank is still new? or am i overfeeding. i feed 2-3x a day mysis, brine, cyclopese, formula 1 flakes, in varying ratios.

thanks

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6705784#post6705784 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Capt_Cully
as for the algae, do you think i'm having these mini-outbreaks because the tank is still new? or am i overfeeding.

Maybe because of both. You're feeding good foods- congrats on that.
As long as your fishes don't start to get skinny, perhaps you can cut back on what you give them to eat.
What kind of nuisance algae do you have?
There are a lot of other variables. Do you use RO water? Do you have a good skimmer that's working properly? Are your water parameters up to snuff?

 

[chrisguy]

Cap - I like where you are taking this thread.

I am having the start of some green hair algae and red slime algae. I believe I received "samples" when I got some live rock in Dec. Prior to that I didn't have any algae issues.

I only use RO/DI water. Photo period is 12 hrs 220 VHO and the middle 10 hrs 2x250 MH. All water parameters are good. I feed once a day, probably over feed a little and have a Protein Skimmer that gets decent junk every 2-3 days. System has about 190lbs of LR. The tank has a DSB that is less than 6 months old and I grow chaeto in the fuge.

To fight this I am doing the following:
I have started to feed less and for the next couple days am randomly reducing the photo period to 12 hrs VHO but 3 hours MH on select days. I will be getting some more snails this weekend and considering getting either a yellow or kole tang. I had a kole that picked at the rocks a lot but it died in a rock slide.

 

[Diego]

chrisguy, i went through the same pain. I got turbos but for some reasoin they all died. Is there such a thing as 'fall-on-your-back-and-die' turbos? I used to have a bunch for a while w no problems a while ago.

capt_cully, see my sig for fish but I only feed 2 frozen brine and 1 frozen mysis cubes once a day. Reducing feeding did not help right noticably, but I'm sure helps.

How old are you DSBs? The one in the fuge i removed was a bed from a 40g upgrade from 2002. I also for the longest time used tab water and that I'm sure just saturated the bed.

 

[Capt_Cully]

I had a VERY bad algae break out in my overflow. I put foil over the top to reduce light and i'd say about 85% of it is gone.

i've been through every algae outbreak in small, self limiting phases. brown slime, green slime, red slime, hair, etc. But now it seems like i've got a little of each in small pockets through out the system.

My corals seem happy, fish are plump. My ssb is about 2-3 inches. LR (100lbs) is on the bottom glass (sand added after) to prevent tumbling. My skimme goes like gangbusters and i change filtersocks every 4-5 days.

Nothing has changed dramatically but I still have these problems. Params between the uprights. Cleared out some cruddy looking chaeto. fuge light only on 11hrs opposite main lights (t5's 12hrs halides 6.5hrs). do water changes 5-10% a WEEK.

it's frustrating and very rewarding all at the same time. I like how humbling it is, the delicate balance.

then othertimes i want to take a tack hammer to my brain.....

 

[chrisguy]

I talked to RandyO yesterday and explained my situation. His recommendation was more snails but to also start using a Phosphate remover. I put some Kent's Phosphate sponge in a filter bag with some good flow. This should help remove one of the fuel elements that is allowing the algae to grow.

 

[Capt_Cully]

yeah, i learned that from Jedi. I bought an old magnum 350 but don't have the room to run it right now (it was bigger than i thought) so for now i run phosban in a filterbag as well.

but in another post, i just lost a CB Butterfly that I had adopted from a buddy who left the hobby, so now my bioload should be reduced as well.

 

[Diego]

Well, the HA is back with avengence! Its overtaking my zoos in certain areas.

I got a foxface rabbitfish. I thought I heard they eat HA, but my guy does not look like he's eating it.

I got some more turbos and astrea.

I just dumped phosguard ina filterbag in the sump.

If theres no change by next week, next step is too replace the DSB into the fuge.

What are my other options?
1. Replacing MH bulb?
2. Cleaning Sump and Fuge?
3. I dont want to go BB in the dislplay

Thanks. Very frustrating.

 

[Capt_Cully]

I'm still battling with te feather or hair algae as well. Slowly siphoning out my dsb with water changes. been slowly scooping out the miracle mud in the sump too. just cant seem to defeat the algae in its pockets. trying to feed less, cut lights down a tad. have not added any new coral (save a few tiny frags) or fishes. going to pick up some snails as we speak. looking for stabilization so i'm not adding much other than that.

just gonna continue to roll with it. tweak here and there and see what happens. good luck.

 

[chrisguy]

I've had excellent luck with my hair algae battle. RandyO was right on, use a phosphate remover to remvove the fuel.

I've been running Kent's Phosban since my post back in Feb. Where there are still minor places with hair algae, it has not advanced and has subsided. I added a Foxface that picks at it and I add more snails from time to time to eat it. The snails do a good job once it's shorter, but the problem I have is the crabs keep eating the snails.

 

[Capt_Cully]

chris, how much phosban are you using per gallon of your system. I used it but it was a small bag. Also, how long do you leave a bag in before changing the media? thanks