Detritus algae buildup

[MBVette]

So since I had my camera out I decided to take a picture of all the detritus that is building up in my tank. I take a turkey baster to half the tank every other day or so alternating sides trying to keep this at bay, but it is usally back pretty bad by the next morning.

 

I am overkill on my pump using a reeflo snapper pump (I think 2500gph) and 2 vortech powerheads. One vortech is about 3/4 of the way up on one side at about 3/4 power, the other is about 1/2 way up and 1/2 power. I dont have them on full power as they seem to push the fish around a lot when I turn them all the way up.

 

For sand sifting I have about 25 nasarius snails and 1 pistol shrimp/goby pair.

 

Do you guys have any ideas on this? Here is a pic of the side I have not blown out since Friday.

 

Thanks

 

Edited June 8, 2010 by MBVette

[sdah0414]

How long has this tank been up and running? It looks like a little bit of green dust algae and some minor cyano that you usually see in a new tank.

[jason the filter freak]

You're tank actually looks pretty good for a tank thats just starting up. Two easy things to do are move your power heads a little lower every day just a little to where they just start kicking up sand and when they're just starting to kick up sand but are leaving huge blown paths though the sand thats your sweat spot. The sand they the power heads will just barely be kicking up will eventually be displaced and then the sand be will stay much cleaner and there will be no sand being kicked up at all. Also if you're not attached to your rock work you can try opening it up (as in not have walls of rocks but more bridges and island formations) though you.

 

Once you're tank is up and running and you're starting to stock it your pro tips are:

Feed less, every other day or every third day is FINE for anything but the most demanding or picky fish, corals, inverts

Have a nice diversified CUC (clean up crew)

and

Don't screw with it... seriously we could start an AA style group here on wamas for people who like to put their hands in the tank to tweak such and such rock work just a tad, or move this power head just a little to make my coral, fish, anemone, wife, dog a little happier. (My self included in said group) JUST LET YOUR TANK BE, aside from the routine occasional power head cleaning, or mounting of corals.

[jason the filter freak]

Also consider becoming a paid member of wamas I hear that does a remarkable job of keeping nutrient levels down and coral growth up.

[Coral Hind]

If this is a new tank, you just need to sit back and relax some. To me it looks like it is just becoming established and it will eventually go away.

[Charlie]

Jason, I'm surprised that you did suggest to add a bigger sump.

[MBVette]

I was a paid memeber but the year ran out and I just need to get around to renewing. its on a long list of things to do, lol.

 

The tank has been up for about 3 months now and everything seems pretty stable, the rocks are green and a little bit on the sand but nothing major. Cant figure out the algae on the rocks, but people have told me its normal and to just leave it be.

 

I moved the power heads down a little, thinking you didnt want them to be all the way at the bottom. but I have no problem moving them further down. As for the rockword, I am not attached to it at all and dont really like it very much. Im thinking about building 2 large things in the back left and right and then one in the middle and somehow attaching them together. Problem is with a 6' long tank I will need to find big shelves or start making my own rocks to build the bridges between them.

 

As for CUC this is about what I currently have

 

~60 random hermits

~25 nassarius snails

~7 Large Turbo snails

~20 Astrea snails

~20 cerith snails

2 cleaner shrimp

4 peppermint shrimp

1 pistol

Edited June 8, 2010 by MBVette

[cabrego]

Are you using RODI?

[MBVette]

yeah, I actually used water from drink more water. Unfortunalty I dont have a place to setup my own RODI :( so it costs me a boatload of money in water a month

[cabrego]

yeah, I actually used water from drink more water. Unfortunalty I dont have a place to setup my own RODI :( so it costs me a boatload of money in water a month

 

 

wow, I was just checking out 'drink more water's' website and that water seems about as pure as you can get. It would be interesting to measure the TDS, I am sure it must be 0. I tested the TDS of some bottled water one time (I forget the brand) and it was around 50 or 60. Have you measured nitrates?

[MBVette]

Im not sure what TDS is, so I have not tested for that. But I test nitrates weekly and am at 0 all the time. I have used two seperate test kits to double check that, and it always reads the same.

[Nate]

on a side note, it also looks like you have a small cyano outbreak occurring on your sand bed. You should have your water tested for Nitrates, Phosphates and if possible, Silicates.

[MBVette]

according to my tests, I have been testing every thursday right before I do a water change, so I should be testing when its at its worst.

 

Nitrates - 0

Phosphates at .25

Dont have anything for silicates, but what would cause them?

[Coral Hind]

Do you have any marco algae growing in a sump or HOB fuge? That would help.

 

How big is the tank?

Lights and photo-period?

 

I still think you just need to let it run the course for a little more.

[MBVette]

I have a 75g sump no fuge setup so no macro algae. I really dont have the space as I had to shoehorn the 75 under the tank and there is no real room for lights down there.

 

The tank is 72 x 30 x 24

 

Photo period is long as its in my building (daycare center) so the lights are on from 630-630. Im sure that doesnt really help much either.

[Coral Hind]

What type of lighting do you have?

[MBVette]

ooops sorry I am running T5. 6x60, dont ask me to tell you what bulbs as I dont remember.

[Coral Hind]

Since it appears you don't have corals yet I would not turn on all the bulbs right now if you are running them 12 hours. You are just feeding algae, wasting electric, and shortening your bulb life.