Phosphate !!
Hi,
I am 11 weeks into the cycle. I received my 4 Metal Halide lights last week. The ballasts went missing and only arrived on Tuesday. The Radium MH Bulbs ( 3 x 250W and 1x 400W) also arrived, so i immediately got the lights up.
Prior to this, my Amonina , Nitrite and Nitrate readings were low. All diatom algae had disappeared, then the pink algae came and faded, and I was left with a light green algae on the sand bed. I have limited the fish to a Mimic, Lipstick and Blue tang, a Bicolor angle, 3 PJ cardinals, 1 Bengai, 3 Chromis, and a cleaner wrass. All happy and eating well.
Limited feeding to 2~3 small feeds a day with pellets, and since 10 days also some matured brine shrimp - never more than can be eaten in a 2 minute feeding frenzy.
Ran the lights for about 3 hours on Tuesday evening. next morning, I thought I noticed the algae was a bit darker on the sand bed. Had Frankie here all Wednesday, and the lights were on for 9 hours.
While here he tested my phosphate. I had done a 45% water change a week earlier, so I expected it to be low. Lo and Behold, it was way up there at 0.30 ppm - and as he explained it needs to be way down at 0.01 max.
I had just received my Rowa Carbon and Phos absorber. We put some carbon in a bag and right into the filter sock. The Phos remover needs to run through a reactor, which I have ordered, and had hoped would arrive yesterday, but maybe Monday.
We had a great day with Frankie and his wife, and I learned a lot from him.
When I came down in the morning, I nearly fell over - the whole sand bed was covered with a dark green algae !! If I had any doubts about the MH being able to penetrate a 900mm deep tank, thy were dispelled.
Question is, how best to get this phos level down and fast. ??
I also need to identify how it was able to get this high, after just 11 weeks in cycle, and what I consider disciplined and limited feeding ??
I understand that the Rowa phos remover, once the reactors arrive, will need to be a constant, but how best to go about drastically lowering the present levels, without doing damage to the fish, calcium levels and new sand bed/rock life.
I have rigged up a soda bottle, and plan to suck up /vacuum the sand bed today, to remove the algae.
Should I do another major water change ?
All advise welcome.
Tks
Jac
I am 11 weeks into the cycle. I received my 4 Metal Halide lights last week. The ballasts went missing and only arrived on Tuesday. The Radium MH Bulbs ( 3 x 250W and 1x 400W) also arrived, so i immediately got the lights up.
Prior to this, my Amonina , Nitrite and Nitrate readings were low. All diatom algae had disappeared, then the pink algae came and faded, and I was left with a light green algae on the sand bed. I have limited the fish to a Mimic, Lipstick and Blue tang, a Bicolor angle, 3 PJ cardinals, 1 Bengai, 3 Chromis, and a cleaner wrass. All happy and eating well.
Limited feeding to 2~3 small feeds a day with pellets, and since 10 days also some matured brine shrimp - never more than can be eaten in a 2 minute feeding frenzy.
Ran the lights for about 3 hours on Tuesday evening. next morning, I thought I noticed the algae was a bit darker on the sand bed. Had Frankie here all Wednesday, and the lights were on for 9 hours.
While here he tested my phosphate. I had done a 45% water change a week earlier, so I expected it to be low. Lo and Behold, it was way up there at 0.30 ppm - and as he explained it needs to be way down at 0.01 max.
I had just received my Rowa Carbon and Phos absorber. We put some carbon in a bag and right into the filter sock. The Phos remover needs to run through a reactor, which I have ordered, and had hoped would arrive yesterday, but maybe Monday.
We had a great day with Frankie and his wife, and I learned a lot from him.
When I came down in the morning, I nearly fell over - the whole sand bed was covered with a dark green algae !! If I had any doubts about the MH being able to penetrate a 900mm deep tank, thy were dispelled.
Question is, how best to get this phos level down and fast. ??
I also need to identify how it was able to get this high, after just 11 weeks in cycle, and what I consider disciplined and limited feeding ??
I understand that the Rowa phos remover, once the reactors arrive, will need to be a constant, but how best to go about drastically lowering the present levels, without doing damage to the fish, calcium levels and new sand bed/rock life.
I have rigged up a soda bottle, and plan to suck up /vacuum the sand bed today, to remove the algae.
Should I do another major water change ?
All advise welcome.
Tks
Jac
