Ok so what's next? - Aquarium Advice

Feelin_Salty · 04-03-2006, 09:46 PM

Ok so i have some ugly brown algae/cyano lookin stuff growing in my refugium, and since I just got my lights for my main tank, before I start turning them on all the time, i wanna get this problem taken care of...and start getting ready for some fish. I went to the LFS and the guy there gave me some POLY OXY from Kent...hopefully that takes care of my crap in my refugium... So what do I need to do to get the rest of my tank ready for some fish/inverts...

I have a 90 gal + 10gal refugium with cheato & some other red macro
100lbs live rock
0 ammonia
20 nitrate
0 nitrite

Oh and I almost forgot...I tested my RO for po4...it's zero, but in my tank...I accidently tested it first and it was about 1.5 ppm PO4 is that normal to have it in your tank, but not in your water?

austinsdad · 04-03-2006, 10:07 PM

Trying to figure how the nitrates are up like that. Wonder if it's a normal thing after cycling. How'd you do that and when did it finish? I tend to stay away from additives and try to look for the more natural cures or prevention.

I believe brown stuff - diatoms, are normal in a new tank. Lights on in the fuge 24/7? What kinda flow you got going thru the fuge? 1 to 2x turnover? Under tank fuge or HOB?

jasno999 · 04-04-2006, 07:23 AM

PO4 levels above 0.3 are not good. YOu need to get your PO4 levels to 0.3 or less and you shoudl see soem dramatic changes. Get some of the PO$ remover and tun it in a reactor or in your filter.

Feelin_Salty · 04-04-2006, 10:37 PM

Well I didn't watch my cycle in my fish tank, I had it in a big rubermaid for about two weeks and i would do big water changes often in it. Then I moved it into my tank, i guess so it could have some sand companionship....and I waited about another four weeks and then did a few tests. I have an underneath sump with a few macro algae in it. I'm not 100% what the flow in my tank is, when I bought the sump the guy at the LFS helped me pick one out, I just remember it being somewhere between 1 to 2x's what my volume is...

Turn it in a reactor...what? I dont have a filter...just a refugium and a protein skimmer...
And some SWEET lights that I put on my tank last night!! I haven't started leaving them on yet though, cause I know they're gonna just kick up this crap algae that I dont want...

I added POLY OX from Kent yesterday...and the algae wasn't as blooming today as it has been...so it's stopped it from growing as far as i can tell so far

john0087 · 04-05-2006, 06:25 PM

Shouldn't the refuge help with the PO4?

Anyways, I run a small HOB filter with Phosban as the filter media to make sure that my PO4 is in check

Feelin_Salty · 04-05-2006, 09:11 PM

where does po4 even come from? I know the refugium helps with nirtrates....other than that I dont know.

Brenden · 04-05-2006, 09:30 PM

PO4 comes from mineralization. Basically anyting that is rotting in the tank. It cam also be in tap water.

Feelin_Salty · 04-06-2006, 07:13 PM

yea it's probably some crap rotting in the water then. It is still a fairly new tank. I've only had my LR in the tank for about 3 weeks. It wasn't real stinky when i got it though, and I had it in a big bucket in my garage and did large water changes about every day or two for the first three or so, and then smaller ones...it was only curing out there for about ten days or so.

So there's probaly LR poo fallin off that....I'd add some pics but it's basically just rocks

04-03-2006, 09:46 PM	#1
Feelin_Salty Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 51 Images: 4	Ok so what's next? Ok so i have some ugly brown algae/cyano lookin stuff growing in my refugium, and since I just got my lights for my main tank, before I start turning them on all the time, i wanna get this problem taken care of...and start getting ready for some fish. I went to the LFS and the guy there gave me some POLY OXY from Kent...hopefully that takes care of my crap in my refugium... So what do I need to do to get the rest of my tank ready for some fish/inverts... I have a 90 gal + 10gal refugium with cheato & some other red macro 100lbs live rock 0 ammonia 20 nitrate 0 nitrite Oh and I almost forgot...I tested my RO for po4...it's zero, but in my tank...I accidently tested it first and it was about 1.5 ppm PO4 is that normal to have it in your tank, but not in your water?

04-03-2006, 10:07 PM	#2
austinsdad Aquarium Advice Addict Community Mentor Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Clinton, Maryland Posts: 3,942 Images: 12	Trying to figure how the nitrates are up like that. Wonder if it's a normal thing after cycling. How'd you do that and when did it finish? I tend to stay away from additives and try to look for the more natural cures or prevention. I believe brown stuff - diatoms, are normal in a new tank. Lights on in the fuge 24/7? What kinda flow you got going thru the fuge? 1 to 2x turnover? Under tank fuge or HOB? __________________ -Ray- "Life may not be the party we hoped for but while we are here we might as well dance!"

04-05-2006, 06:25 PM	#5
john0087 Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: So California Posts: 207	Shouldn't the refuge help with the PO4? Anyways, I run a small HOB filter with Phosban as the filter media to make sure that my PO4 is in check __________________ 60gal reef in progress 75lbs Live Rock 40lbs Live Rock AquaC Remora Protein Skimmer Marineland penguin HOB Filter 4x65w PCF FISH 1 - Percula, 1 - Blue-Yellowtail Damsel, 3 - Green reef Chromis Inverts Rose Annenome; Anchor Coral

04-05-2006, 09:30 PM	#7
Brenden Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: May 2005 Location: Piedmont, NC Posts: 3,876 Images: 32	PO4 comes from mineralization. Basically anyting that is rotting in the tank. It cam also be in tap water. __________________ The fact that no one understands you doesn't make you an artist. If guns kill people...Spoons make Michael Moore fat.

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04-04-2006, 07:23 AM	#3
jasno999 Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: King of Prussia, PA Posts: 527	PO4 levels above 0.3 are not good. YOu need to get your PO4 levels to 0.3 or less and you shoudl see soem dramatic changes. Get some of the PO$ remover and tun it in a reactor or in your filter.

04-04-2006, 10:37 PM	#4
Feelin_Salty Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 51 Images: 4	Well I didn't watch my cycle in my fish tank, I had it in a big rubermaid for about two weeks and i would do big water changes often in it. Then I moved it into my tank, i guess so it could have some sand companionship....and I waited about another four weeks and then did a few tests. I have an underneath sump with a few macro algae in it. I'm not 100% what the flow in my tank is, when I bought the sump the guy at the LFS helped me pick one out, I just remember it being somewhere between 1 to 2x's what my volume is... Turn it in a reactor...what? I dont have a filter...just a refugium and a protein skimmer... And some SWEET lights that I put on my tank last night!! I haven't started leaving them on yet though, cause I know they're gonna just kick up this crap algae that I dont want... I added POLY OX from Kent yesterday...and the algae wasn't as blooming today as it has been...so it's stopped it from growing as far as i can tell so far

04-05-2006, 09:11 PM	#6
Feelin_Salty Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 51 Images: 4	where does po4 even come from? I know the refugium helps with nirtrates....other than that I dont know.

04-06-2006, 07:13 PM	#8
Feelin_Salty Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 51 Images: 4	yea it's probably some crap rotting in the water then. It is still a fairly new tank. I've only had my LR in the tank for about 3 weeks. It wasn't real stinky when i got it though, and I had it in a big bucket in my garage and did large water changes about every day or two for the first three or so, and then smaller ones...it was only curing out there for about ten days or so. So there's probaly LR poo fallin off that....I'd add some pics but it's basically just rocks