29 gallon biocube

[Kolkri]

With all the green stuff in the tank I think they well have lots to eat. lol

[ReefWreak]

I've been pleasently surprised to not find any blue leg (also very docile) hermits with astrea shells in my tank yet, but I don't trust any crabs period. They're all just waiting for the right time to strike.

But yea, hopefully in 2-3 days, you should see that GHA starting to get shorter or gone. If not, cut back on feeding (your fishes won't starve, and just be very deliberate with only feeding pellets directly to the fishes; i.e. turn off flow, wait for fishes to want food, then feed only as much as they are eating, no more).

[Kolkri]

That is all I feed right now. They eat it all up. It appeared the crabs were going to town on the rock but this morning I don't really see a difference. But there does not seem to be more so guess that is good. The snails never moved. I put them on different places on the rock and they pretty much stayed in that spot.

[Teecz]

What equipment are you running ?

[Kolkri]

What come with the tank Superlux led light at 30% (8 hours) and one power head for more flow. Thank I need more hermits. They are not keeping up with the algae.

[Kolkri]

Time to start pulling out rocks dipping and scrubbing. /sigh why did I let people talk me into a bigger tank with promises of less algae issues. I should of never believed them.

[ReefWreak]

Can you share a pic?

Also, the larger the tank, the slower the development of issues, but also the slower the fixing of issues. Appropriate husbandry is the only way to prevent and solve issues in a sustainable manner.

Are you still running a refugium in the back? If so, what light are you using?

Are you also still running caulerpa (both of the pictures you showed earlier, the leafy and the ball-string ones)? Those should compete with algae on the rocks, but if your tank is still really only 30 days or so in, then you shouldn't be freaking out and giving up. Maturity doesn't happen until 6+ months, and the best way to prevent GHA/HA/derbasia/etc is to just out-compete them with algae in a different area.

I wasn't able to get chaeto to stand still in the back of my tank, it kept going into the pump. I ended up just leaving the light back there on, without any chaeto. What ended up growing instead was GHA. And I didn't care, because it wasn't growing in the front of my tank, only the back. I would just scrape the walls before any water changes and siphon the GHA out, then let it grow back on the walls again. And it kept any algae from growing in my display.

[Kolkri]

Mostly algae free at the moment.
No macro algae anymore. The cheato I had was dying off so removed it.

[soulpatch]

if you are mostly free then let it be. The tank is new so you are still going to be leaching some materials and the bacteria is not fully matured yet to handle everything. Without pics though it is hard to say if you are on par with the time or if you are worse then normal...

[ReefWreak]

Originally Posted by Kolkri

Time to start pulling out rocks dipping and scrubbing. /sigh why did I let people talk me into a bigger tank with promises of less algae issues. I should of never believed them.

Originally Posted by Kolkri

Mostly algae free at the moment.
No macro algae anymore. The cheato I had was dying off so removed it.

This is my confusion. Why would you pull out rocks and dip and scrub if you are algae free?

You don't need chaeto or caulerpa at all honestly, like I said, I just ran a light in the back on reverse light cycle (you could do 24/7) and as long as it's a generic yellow spotlight kind of deal, it'll grow algae, which will prevent it from growing in your display.

I'm glad you're algae free. I think the biggest thing at this point to do is just to back away, keep up with water changes on schedule, but generally let the tank do it's thing and mature. It takes time as soulpatch said.

[Kolkri]

Thats why it is algae free for now. Cause I dipped it.

Moving all life back to the 14 gallon. Corals and the two fish. So I can do all the water changes I need too on the smaller 14 gallon tank, while the 29 cycles and gets no water changes. No more dips and once the algae is gone and tank has been up a few months move the fish/coral back a little at a time.

[homer1475]

You do realize that algae is part of the biodiversity in your tank? Unless your being over run with it, it's usually fine.

Some algae isn't a bad thing.

Of course pics would help diagnose whether you actually have an issue, or it's just part of the nature of starting up a tank. It took my tank about 6 months to be algae free, or what I consider to be algae free. There is always some present in places, as long as it doesn't get out of control.


EDIT to Add:
You do realize that corraline is a form of algae? Its a desirable algae, but algae none the less. My point is, some algae isn't necessarily a bad thing.

[Kolkri]

Need to clean the sides.

[homer1475]

Wow that isn't bad at all, very small hair algae problem. Run some GFO and most of that will die off. My tank was way worse then that at startup, a little GFO, and in a couple weeks it turned brown and died off. The brown on your sandbed is diatoms and a natural part of a tank maturing.

Your freaking out over nothing. Honestly, that amount of algae wouldn't even bother me. Think of it as nutrient export, once the tank matures some, that will mostly disappear on its own.

[Kolkri]

I worried cause my 14 gallon turned into a huge algae mess that i could not get rid off. GFO don't I need some special filter for that? I got some more CUC so hoping that well help with what is left or at least keep it at bay.

[homer1475]

GFO to be the most efficient should be run in a reactor, but it can be run in a filter bag in a high flow area of your "sump" area.

Since you have the 29G biocube, until I got my reactor, I put it in a media bag and wedged it in that little compartment between the middle and last chamber. Worked great for what I needed it to do.

Just remember, GFO will help with algae(algae is fed by nitrates and phosphates, GFO helps with the phosphates), but until you get your nutrient export under control, you will always have algae. What goes in, must come out in one way or another.

I don't remember reading what rock you used, but most dry rock will leach phosphates for a very long time, and can become a huge PITA to get under control.

[Learn It]

I agree with homer - not a huge algae issue, but definitely get to the source which in your case is most likely just immaturity

[Kolkri]

Been doing weekly 5 gallon water changes weekly, Store prepared saltwater and RO/DI from the same store. I use prime weekly.

I have a bag that is suppose to lower PO4. Forgot the name of it.

Next time I go to the saltwater store Ill have the water tested. All I have is API testing kits and I have been told they are not any good.

Just two fish medium size CuC, less then what is recommended that I have added a few at a time. Adding some one more time should finish that out. Several small corals. Most are doing well but very little growth. Normal since this tank has not been set up long.

I am much happier with this one than I was the 14 gallon. I do have the algae but so far it is not taking over the tank. I would like to get one more fish much later down the road cause I want everything settled in. Would love a flame hawkfish as my last add. Trying to make myself wait a year and have the algae completely under control first.

Thank you for all the help. Maybe I should buy myself new testing kits. Red Sea is the one I was told was good.

[homer1475]

I like red sea kits. Not the easiest to use, but very accurate results. I've been testing ALK so much lately, I need to replace my red sea kit. Thinking about a hanna checker as its a little easier to use and gives a number instead of measuring titrant used.

[Kolkri]

At those prices think Ill keep taking it to the store.

[soulpatch]

At what prices? $50 or so for the red sea kits should last you a year unless you constantly need to test.

And taking to the store doesn't help much unless they are using quality tests themselves which are not expired...

[ReefWreak]

Originally Posted by homer1475

I like red sea kits. Not the easiest to use, but very accurate results. I've been testing ALK so much lately, I need to replace my red sea kit. Thinking about a hanna checker as its a little easier to use and gives a number instead of measuring titrant used.

I wouldn't bother with the hanna. They're usually more trouble than they're worth. The only one worth using is the low-range phosphate one, since no test kit can measure it accurately or precisely. The other hanna colorimeters are just to finnicky to be worth it for something as consistent and easy to test as alkalinity, calcium, etc.

Originally Posted by soulpatch

At what prices? $50 or so for the red sea kits should last you a year unless you constantly need to test.

And taking to the store doesn't help much unless they are using quality tests themselves which are not expired...

Yeah I would only take to the store as a double-check if your tests aren't going well. Maybe salifert tests are cheaper? Those are my go-to test kits since they're on the less expensive side of the good test kits. API is usually okay for nitrates, but for alk and calcium, where I want to make sure I'm right, I use salifert. But if Red Sea and Salifert are the same price, then you can't go wrong with either.

[soulpatch]

red sea is a little cheaper if you want all three at the same time. Salifert is cheaper for the individual kits though.

Can't go wrong with either.

Homer - I suggest you read u on here about the Hannah meters. They apparently are a huge pain in the rear since you need the regents and then time it right while calibrating. I would suggest you give the salifert tests a try as they are a bit easier to read then Red Sea.

[Kolkri]

I think either the algae has gave up or my CUC is eating faster then it grows. WOOT. Keeping fingers crossed.

[Kolkri]