very small algae issue

[radwrasse11]

hey everybody,

I have a question that id guess has been asked over a million times. What I'm dealing with is a very small algae issue. Its as if the brown diatom algae stage never finished. Grows on sand only. Rocks are perfectly clean and nothing seems to be harmed by it. Tank as of now is 7 months of age. Its a 120 mixed reef. I do water changes once every two weeks, Volume wise its about 15-20 gallons, depending on how im feeling lol. Skimmer is an AquaC ev150. Lights are 7 T5ho bulbs on two IC660 ballasts.

stock:
yellow tang
bristle tooth tang
red head goby
scooter blennie
3 bangaii cardinals
2 false percs
six line
blue line wrasse
randall goby
ORA neon blue fish (cant find scientific name)

corals:
welsophelia
purple acropora
favia
candy cane
devils hand
kenyia
frogspawn
assorted mushrooms
(some type of neon green acropora from ORA)

Upon testing tank water and replacement water, everything test well. Total phosphate is .01ppm and nitrate in tank is about 10ppm. Water is RO/DI ran through a 5 stage, comes out at 0 TDS. I feed rinse frozen food every 3 days (i feel this is not enough) Sump is a 40 breeder where 2 phosban reactors are located with skimmer and return pump. I run rowaphos in one and carbon in the other, mainly for odor, wife is sensitive lol. I have a small fuge with a couple smaller pieces of LR and a huge clump of cheato.

I hope this is enough info, but not to much. I cant seem to figure this equation out. Its stressing lol.

 

[radwrasse11]

bump

 

[Maxxumless]

20g is not enough IMO for that much of a load - however, that you don't have higher nitrates means your filtration seems to be doing a good job. I would up the water changes to a full 20% of your total water volume and see what happens. Also, I would wash out "all" mechanical and chemical filtration media every week with RO water just to make sure junk isn't being caught in it. I would also blow off the rocks just before next water change and see if that makes a difference.

Other than that, you don't seem to be too bad off with the amount of livestock you're sporting in there.

 

[radwrasse11]

yeah sump seems to be doing okay. I was questioning my photo period but thats no more then 8 hours. My only questions is my "blue" bulbs are not true actinics, so what im thinking is im still giving off more PAR while my grow lights are off. I might need to change this around and see if it makes any difference.

also where did the 20gallons come from, or did you mean to say thats to much bio load for a 120??

 

[noahm]

Maybe get some sand sifters as well. Tiger tail cukes, cerith snails etc.

 

[Maxxumless]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15329798#post15329798 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by radwrasse11
yeah sump seems to be doing okay. I was questioning my photo period but thats no more then 8 hours. My only questions is my "blue" bulbs are not true actinics, so what im thinking is im still giving off more PAR while my grow lights are off. I might need to change this around and see if it makes any difference.

also where did the 20gallons come from, or did you mean to say thats to much bio load for a 120??

I meant 20g water change. I aim for around 20% water changes - less than that and you don't really dilute nitrates. If you add your sump to the total gallons I'm sure its more than 20 gallons.

 

[radwrasse11]

deff more then 20 gallons. Ill will bump it up to 35 gallons. Still not quite 20% but with out local crap selection of salt and money, i take it when i can get it lol. This will hopefully turn around soon.

 

[radwrasse11]

also what are some other sand sifting creatures that are good for all reef corals and fish etc...

I thought cukes where hard to take care of? is this not true. What are some common requirements for the tiger tail specifically, not much that i can find through google.