Lights and algae

[MadReefer]

Now that I have an awesome skimmer I am trying figure out a way to cut done on potential algae issues. I have placed my invert order in the group buy. I currently run my lights as follows:

4 bulb 48" T5 - Blues come on at 9am and whites at 10am. Whites off at 8pm and blues off at 9pm.

Should I reduce the amount of time the whites are on? If so for how long and what impact on my corals will it have?

Corals: Softies, zoas, LPS(brain and bubble), palys and gorgonians.

Thanks,
Mark

 

[mnat]

What bulbs do you have and how old are they?

Your photo period is fine, you could probably get away with reducing it as you don't have light demanding corals, but not a neccessity.

 

[MadReefer]

Brand new bulbs. ATI blue +, purple + and 2 14k.
I was trying to help slow the HA. The new skimmer and vodka, mag dosing help but I am tired of looking at it.

 

[NikkiT]

It might be easier to fix the problem if you look at the tank as a whole: i know you have done this before, but you have made a lot of changes over the last few months (if my memory serves me) can you give an overview of the system, as it presently exists, from stocking to equipment to water change volume and frequency and volume of live rock, depth of sand bed, and current parameters from your most recent complete round of tests, and your dosing routine?

 

[Jcurry@wesketch]

Also what your type of food you're feeding and how often. Are you dosing anything?

Best bet to get rid of hair algae is manual removal of the long stuff and 30% water changes.

 

[MadReefer]

Just got around to test.

PH -8.0
Alk - 5.6ppm(very low)
cal - 460ppm
Nitrate - 8ppm (still have much HA)
SG - 1.025

I dose the following manually:
Peroxide - 8ml daily
Vinegar - 40ml daily
ALk - 30ml every other day
Cal - 30ml every other day

I feed flake food primarily and frozen 1 or 2 times a week. Yes I rinse the food first.

I do have a fairly heavy bio-load since I acquired more fish.
3 tangs
2 PJ cardinals
1 fire fish
2 clowns

75g DT with 30g sump. I have a GFO and carbon reactors running. In sump Nac7 skimmer.

 

[downbeach]

What kind of Tangs do you have? How big? Unless they are of the Bristletooth variety, your tank is too small. I don't see anything about phosphate, and flake food is notorious for adding it to your tank. You might consider switching to something like New Life Marine Formla Spectrum pellets. Are you sure you don't mean dKH on the alk? 5.6ppm CaCO3 is almost non existent, 5.6dKH is too low, but more realistic. Are you using RO/DI water?

 

[spotter]

what kind of tangs and size? what's po4 level? imo I would cut back on the lighting to maybe 8 hrs until you get the ha issue under control.

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[MadReefer]

Thanks. Alk is 5.6 dkh.

I tried pellets but the fish spit them out.

I plan to upgrade and the tangs are not large except for 1.

 

[AJ1080]

The thing with tangs are that they still put off a lot of waste. I have one tang (tomini) in my tank and by far he puts out more waste than I've ever seen from any of the other fish. In fact, theres a small pile in the same corner almost everyday I come home from work...


The most important questions are:

What are the Phosphate levels?
How often do you do water changes?
Are you using RODI?

Also if I remember you also have a yellow scroll that will require moderate to high lighting.

 

[NikkiT]

Mark what volume are you swapping out with your water changes?

 

[salty28]

I tried dosing peroxide 10ML for 75 gal. with no effect on HA. I even tried soaking a small rock in 50% peroxide to ro water, had no effect on HA. Peroxide will kill Cyno instantly though.

 

[MadReefer]

I try to do water changes of 10g every 2 weeks but its more like every 3 week. I do use RO/Di water but need a meter to test and see if any media requires replacing. I don't have a phosphate test kit at this time. I do understand more fish or big fish produce more waste.
Yes, I have a yellow scroll coral at top of the rocks under T5 lights.

 

[spotter]

I would either step up the frequencey of the water changes and do 10-15% weekly or 15-20% every two weeks and that needs to be consistent. If in reality you are only doing 10g every 3 weeks, thats definitely not enough especially with 3 tangs in a 75g tank. Good consistant husbandry is the key to success in this hobby. Sounds like you are refering to a TDS meter and while its important to test TDS, you really dont need that to determine whether or not the filters and resin need to be changed....if they look dirty chances are they need to be changed. When was the last time you replaced the filters in your RODI? I would also invest in a p04 test kit or take some water to the lfs and let them test for it just so you have a base line.

 

[NikkiT]

Pm me if you want to borrow my TDS meter.

 

[MadReefer]

Nikki, thanks for the offer. AT this time I should just pick one up to make my life easier.

Salty, yes I do need a phosphate kiy. As for water changes it is probably the best schedule I have had in awhile.
The nitrates are dropping and hopefully so will the phosphate. The fact that I started with poor skimmers is probably what caused most of my problems along with heavy feeding and no rinsing of frozen foods in the past.

I will continue dose peroxide an vinegar and plan to increase WC's.

 

[NikkiT]

Just my two cents, but if you can do a weekly water change, where you change 8-10g every week, of even bi-weekly water changes of 15-20 gallons, I would bet that you will get better results than you are getting now from the peroxide and vinegar. The peroxide and vinegar are, in my opinion, treating a symptom, not the underlying cause.

I really do think that larger, more frequent water changes will get your tank back in line.

 

[spotter]

Just my two cents, but if you can do a weekly water change, where you change 8-10g every week, of even bi-weekly water changes of 15-20 gallons, I would bet that you will get better results than you are getting now from the peroxide and vinegar. The peroxide and vinegar are, in my opinion, treating a symptom, not the underlying cause.

I really do think that larger, more frequent water changes will get your tank back in line.

I totally agree with Nikki....I believe the cause of your problem is coming from not doing enough water changes. I would hold off on the peroxide and vinegar until you identify the cause.

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[Flare1185]

I would have to agree with the more frequent water changes as before I had the same routine as you 10-15 every 3 weeks or so. I now change 5gl every few days if not 15gl per week. My corals looks better, I'm able to keep sps now and they actually thrive and grow before they would live a few weeks and slowly bleach out. Hopefully with bump up water changes your algae issue will go away.