Help with live rock!

[modf1000]

I need help with my live rock.
Im having some hair algae and some like little bubbles on the rock and when i get it off in like 20 mins it comes back and its not bubbles that i dont have enough water.

Plz help

also is there a fish that i can put in to get rid of this problem?

Thanks

 

[jscarlata]

The bubbles is co2 produced by the algae. You prob have high phosphates or some other nutrient. Try water changes, are you using RO water to mix your salt? When you setup the tank did you rinse your sand or rock with rap water?
Also, do some reading on vodka dosing. I setup a tank a while back and used tap to rinse sand and rocks, I had a lot of hair algae. An algae blenny and some turbo snails helped, but then I discovered vodka dosing and boom no more hair algae

I am NOT saying that vodka is the cure, you need to figure out what the algae is feeding on, and then determine the best course if action to remove it from your system...RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH

 

[modf1000]

The bubbles is co2 produced by the algae. You prob have high phosphates or some other nutrient. Try water changes, are you using RO water to mix your salt? When you setup the tank did you rinse your sand or rock with rap water?
Also, do some reading on vodka dosing. I setup a tank a while back and used tap to rinse sand and rocks, I had a lot of hair algae. An algae blenny and some turbo snails helped, but then I discovered vodka dosing and boom no more hair algae

I am NOT saying that vodka is the cure, you need to figure out what the algae is feeding on, and then determine the best course if action to remove it from your system...RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH

how do i get my phosphates down?

also, i had an algae blenny and the rock was so clean. But when it died like a month ago this all started happening gradually. I'll get another algae blenny and yellow tang to clean this up asap.

thanks for the advice

 

[SanmanReefer]

Hello there, I wouldnt get an algae blenny because when he runs out of algae it would probably starve to death. Check your phosphates and nitrates. Maybe try running a GFO reactor (You can use ROWAPhos or PhosBan) I use NPX Biopellets on a 150 PhosBan reactor. Also water changes and more water changes. I do a water change every 5 days. Also I use RO/DI water. Also try not to overfeed, that was one of my problems awhile ago. Check the bulbs on your light fixture as they need to be changed regularly. Hope this can help.

 

[modf1000]

Hello there, I wouldnt get an algae blenny because when he runs out of algae it would probably starve to death. Check your phosphates and nitrates. Maybe try running a GFO reactor (You can use ROWAPhos or PhosBan) I use NPX Biopellets on a 150 PhosBan reactor. Also water changes and more water changes. I do a water change every 5 days. Also I use RO/DI water. Also try not to overfeed, that was one of my problems awhile ago. Check the bulbs on your light fixture as they need to be changed regularly. Hope this can help.

my algae blenny lived for 4 years and he ate mysis as well. How do i get my phosphates and nitrates down? Do I have to do any maintence or anything for the phosban reactor? I use RO water as well. On my 57 i do a 10 gallon water change every 3 weeks to a month. I do kinda overfeed sometimes. And the bulbs arent old i have a T5 with 39w ATI bulbs. I got the bulbs like 2 months ago. Would I be having the same problem if I put LED'S? In a couple of months I'm going to put 20k LED'S.

 

[jscarlata]

Ok. Slow it down a little. Using a fish to "control" algae isn't a long term solution.
Phosphates and nitrates are going to come from a few things:
1) Tap water, or RO water where the filters and membranes haven't been changed and are not doing their job; Maybe get a tds meter for your RO filter.
2) Over feeding or an overstocked tank.
3) Infrequent waterchanges. IMO you should try to change 5-10% weekly or bi weekly, the longer between changes the more you should change. If you overfeed maybe try to siphon out the uneaten food or get a better cleanup crew to eat the leftovers.
4) Bulbs can be a problem too, either too old or wrong spectrum; some light spectrum will encourage algal growth. Is your tank near windows or getting sunlight? That can cause it too.

So, you have a few things to check. Next waterchange, try to clean your sand a bit or if barebottom, get your siphon to the bottom and clean well.
Ive also heard of closiing off the drains and returns and using a powerhead to stir up the sump and then change that water out completely. Look at your your RO filter, new carbon filters from brs are like 20.00, maybe a new membrane as well.
Check your lights.
Setup a fuge with chaeto.
I advise making small changes. Go one at a time and see what happens.
Also, do research on vodka dosing, I found it very interesting.

 

[SanmanReefer]

I would start with frequent water changes, at least once a week. I prefer every 5 days. I also change the filter socks every 2-3 days. And the sponge in my overflow every time I do a water change. As far as the reactor goes, just load it with the media and then monitor. I add more NPX Biopellets every few months. I'm assuming it will be the same for GFO. Also do you have enough water movement? I'm using 2 Vortech MP10s in a 46 gallon tank. Also like jscarlata said, check the membranes in your RO unit. I also like to flush the membranes for a minute every time I make new water and also I discard the first gallon of water due to TDS creep. This may help also. You might be introducing phosphates into your system that way by mistake. I feed every other day and the corals get feed every three days (Marine Snow or mysis shrimp) The bulbs shouldn't be a problem, they're fairly new. Hope this helps.