Reef Discussion

[Ben S]

The issue is that your still going through a cycle Trent. The use of the fake rock means that the bacteria is non-existing atm, so it needs time to build. I used fake rock in the past and ended up with no end of issues with GHA etc ... I'd only use it in the future as long as it was well seeded for several weeks before hand.

Look to add some beneficial bacteria as well as wet skim for a bit to try and export the nutrients. Use of Zeovit Coral Snow will help too as it binds and aids in skimming. I think it's going to be a case of waiting it out I'm afraid. I can't recall if your using GFO, if not, then look to add some to assist also.

 

[Trentwalsh]

@macca_75 @Ben S i added a cycled big marine pure block(biggest block) from a well established system, im usuing salifert for nitrate n phos, hanna for phos, salifert for mag, redsea for calcium n salifert for alk.....might pf beeen getting worse from my bad ligjting period which was 9am-10-11pm....i set up timers today...and pulled the rock out and peroxide scrubbed them, washed them, added them back, and coral snowed the system....system is currently getting no addatives added to it as of a few days ago, so shall see how it pans out over the next few weeks i suppose.....thanks everyone for the hints n tips..... @Ben S ur welcome to come inspect it first hand and stuff mate seeing as your close by, appreciate i love this tight nit forum....cheeers

 

[macca_75]

Doesn't matter - you change the tank you will still get a cycle (of some size).

Don't make wholesale changes - just good husbandry and time. Nothing good happens quickly.

You labelled the kits - what are the readings you had last and when was that?

You've scrubbed your rock and added Coral snow? 2 massive changes on their own. You need to let the tank settle a little and just keep up good water quality. Add a natural predator for the algae may help, but don't throw a hundred snails in there. Settle for 1 and allow it time to work.

This may take weeks/months to get right and fix the source of the issue - the fact your tank is constantly changing and cycling.

 

[Trentwalsh]

Im getting lawnmower blenny, coral snow just binds dosent it? It has had time, nitrate reads 1-2 phos is 0.00 on both, alks 9.3 cal 420 mag 1410.....like...ive had tanks for 5 years and never had this issue arrise...not like its a first time round:P

 

[Trentwalsh]

Skim wet- i have no choice my skimmer is designed to work in that order aparently also. Bk mini 160

 

[macca_75]

Im getting lawnmower blenny, coral snow just binds dosent it? It has had time, nitrate reads 1-2 phos is 0.00 on both, alks 9.3 cal 420 mag 1410.....like...ive had tanks for 5 years and never had this issue arrise...not like its a first time round:p

When you moved everything you're still likely to get a cycle of some sort aren't you?

 

[slin1977]

I say kudos to you @Trentwalsh for having a go and following your dream of a full blown sps tank.
It can be done with artificial rock , I've done it with pvc pipes in the past and lost 0 coral and had no algea issues, unfortunately that was cut short by a house move and the realisation that my scape was quickly going to be wrong when the sps took hold.

Some observations I can share is it is harder to do without liverock but still achievable. It's harder to do with no substrate but still achievable , it's harder to do with led but still achievable if you are a stubborn ass like me or if you are TOTQ 15.

The first six to ten months can have some ups and downs with a BB tank
- more so with BB and no live rock.

My advise would be to choose a method and stick to it.

If it's VSV then go for it - just don't use vodka on its own , allow for the proliferation of all types of bacteria by catering for their needs with the sugar and vinegar.

Please research some recipes.

If it's GAC then go for that too.

For now .... Stick to one method , you have your vodka and it's doing well for you.
Let's get some consistency with the lighting .
Say 8 hours for now and then in a month , 9 and the next month 10 and so on ......
Let's revisit the Zeo supps in a few weeks time .

For now it going to have to be a case of go slow and Keep it Simple.

Best of luck and hang in there.

 

[Trentwalsh]

@slin1977 cheeers, yes i did change to t5 though.... All corals are colouring back up and growing...not like tanks screwed....just this algae, which i just attacked full bore todau....

 

[Trentwalsh]

And yes, this will be "fullblown" sps...if i decide i want other corals i have 75-75cm footprint on the same cabinet to add another tank, or 60-60cm space inside the cabinet to add another tank also

 

[Trentwalsh]

I dont plan this tank to be totq or toty or totm, i just wanna be able to look at it and say" yeap, thats ok, i like it"....pat myself on the back

 

[holly]

With @slin1977 - the more is not always the merrier with bacterial control. The algae looks negligible and I would expect some form of it to wax and wane over the next year at least. It doesn't generally get out of control unless you have poor water quality (e.g. bacterial blooms, old clogged RO membranes, crappy skimmer, infrequent replenishment of major and minor elements). I find with new base type rock it will generally go through a series of shifts in colour and algae. Always green first, fading to browns and then finally nothing as the rocks bacteria develop. Seems to be a byproduct of the cycle which then subsides.

I think you should consider you have an algae problem only when the tank has been maintained with good husbandry for a year without any over-heating episodes or long periods without power. And remember, the reef is full of green life especially in the run-off areas which naturally 'clean' the water, and on the sea bed and everywhere else. I think we forget that it is actually quite difficult to mimic a complex ecosystem in a little box in our houses. :)

 

[Trentwalsh]

Very true.....i dont want to mimic a natural reef myself... Im far from it....farfar from:) i want to keeep and have thrive as many different species and colors of sps as i can possibly have...... Yes even greens...but hard greens...not hairy greens....thanks for alll the advice...will try remember to update as to how it is all travelling along in a few weeks time:)

 

[Sam Parker]

Patience Trent, patience!! Just let it do it's thing mate, every time you make a fairly large change (lights, lighting period, removing rock, flow) your making it start again. Just gotta let it do it's thing

(P.S. That algae really doesn't look bad?)

 

[ReeferRob]

I have green hair algae aswell.
Had some rock given to me, that's how it got into tank.
I got my self a lawnmower bleny last Monday and the little fella is nailing it.
It's only an 80lt nano tank though.

There are Derbesia, green hair algae, spores on about 99.99% of the live rock you put in a tank. It's kept in check with different herbivores. I don't want you to think you did something wrong, it's on EVERYTHING.

 

[Trentwalsh]

Sam sam sam, ive had patience for 2 weeks which is epic.... I think i did need to do something extreame to start to combat it which i did now, no turning back, got timers for my light, so im gettin appropriate light now also. ....flow in my tank always changes...got 3 mp10 and every few days ill change modes and sync anti sync to mix it up abit....shall get some LARGE snails....

 

[Sam Parker]

your too funny.