Lucas Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 Does anyone know what this stuff is for sure and how to combat it? It has been in the tank for a couple of months. I've been told that it will burn itself out, but there is no light at the end of the tunnel. I have been blowing the corals off several times a day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucas Posted January 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyberwild360 Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 Looks like diatom to me. How old is the tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucas Posted January 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 I've had it up about eight months. The only thing that I can think of being related is lowering my lights a couple of inches. They are at 10 inches from the top of the tank. The params are: pH 8.2 Nitrate/Nitrite 0 Ammonia/ammonium 0 Salinity 1.024 Alkalinity 4.0 meq/L Calcium 410 mg/L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucas Posted January 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 Here are some more pics- for some reason I'm limited to posting 500k. My link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyberwild360 Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 I would syphon it out. Thats going to be the best way to get alot of it out. Syphon as much as you can and I would think about getting some nassarius snails. Just a thought - every one I ever had loved it when I had my algea bloom. Just my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmay Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 It kind of looks like what I am battling right now. Mine was diagnosed as a type of dinoflagellates. I set up a phosban reactor and I am running GFO to reduce the phosphates. I also did a water change after knocking it off the rock and cyphoning it out. It is starting to look better. Does your knock off the rock or coral easily? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucas Posted January 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 Yes, I blow the corals off with a baster- it comes off easily. But I am afraid of spreading it. There is a noticeable difference in the amount from when the halides first kick on, to when they are about to go off. I have to rinse the pre-filter to overflow almost everyday to keep it from getting clogged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hooked Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 Yes, I blow the corals off with a baster- it comes off easily. But I am afraid of spreading it. There is a noticeable difference in the amount from when the halides first kick on, to when they are about to go off. I have to rinse the pre-filter to overflow almost everyday to keep it from getting clogged. If it increases during the lighting period, it is most likely cyano. Do you have strong water flow? Can you adjust your flow to target those areas? I agree with Duane, syphon out as much as you can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scalare102079 Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 what is your source water? TDS? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damon Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 I had the same algae, but also had a ton of cyano as well. Idk what route you're taking, but when I set up my turf scrubber, mine has melted away, to the point I don't clean my glass but once a week if that now. I tried gfo, huge skimmer, starving fish( not truly starving lol), and store bought fixes, and the only thing that has brought my algae under control was the scrubber. I still get algae and cyano, but never anywhere but my scrubber. IMO no one will ever have an algae free tank, it's all about where you convince it to grow, or get lucky and get it under control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucas Posted January 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 If it increases during the lighting period, it is most likely cyano. Do you have strong water flow? Can you adjust your flow to target those areas? I agree with Duane, syphon out as much as you can. There's not really any dead spots. I kicked the pumps off to do a water change, and you could see it kind of wafting up, individual particles attracting to each other, forming in suspended balls. Kind of what I imagined poison gas to look like. Often, the whole back will be covered, and I siphon it off as I scrape, to get the majority of it. But it's not easy to get it off of the sand, rocks, or coral. And it only takes a day for it to accumulate. I just blow it off and hope that the filter will get it. There is also some kind of gas bubbles forming in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucas Posted January 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 what is your source water? TDS? I'm using RO/DI. I'll check the TDS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucas Posted January 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 The TDS from the RO/DI is under 10. I guess I need to check the resin, it used to be 0. It's pretty close to the same measured before and after the DI; 13/10, 10/8, 10/10, ect. But that wouldn't be that high for this problem, would it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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