adding purigen

[newfound77951]

OK, so I have a nutrient issue in my tank, algae all over the place, and I can't get rid of it. I use DI water exclusively, and I have 2 fish (a 6 line and a royal gramma) in a 30 g, which shouldn't be excessive. All the corals are doing fine but the algae is driving me nuts. I would like to try some purigen as I have heard great things about it. I have a Bak Pak skimmer on the tank; I know you can put biomedia in the skimmer, could I put the bag of purigen in there instead? Would that mess with the flow rate too much? I don't have a sump or an HOB on the tank, and would rather not add an HOB just for the purigen if I don't have to.

Thanks!

 

[roka64]

I would say you can put it in there. You can buy the pre-packaged 100ml w/ mesh bag (rated for up to 100G), or the bigger sized, but you will need to get a E-Z Close Media Bag http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=4249&rel=1.

 

[seaham358]

I would think that it would restrict the flow through the skimmer?
What are you numbers? nitrate, phosphate? Have you tested you ro/di water for both? post some numbers..
what kind of algae?

 

[newfound77951]

the DI water has nothing in it (tested at work...nutrient analyzer reads to ppb). I have not tested my tank recently as I have been away and then really busy (bad person) but will soon. I use Reef Crystals, and usually do a 20% water change every 2 weeks. Coralline is growing like mad on the glass now.

I don't know what kind of algae it is. it is not green hair algae. It is yellow-brownish, very fluffy in the tank, slimy out of the water, grows in long trailing streamers. It grows mostly on the substrate , and forms mats at it's base in the sand. Vacuums out very easily. The snails ignore it. I do have a little bit of cyano in a low-flow area but ahve changed my powerheads a little to hit that area which should help there.

 

[MT79]

It is yellow-brownish, very fluffy in the tank, slimy out of the water, grows in long trailing streamers.

Many times bacteria blooms will appear as "snot algae" or a peach fuzz looking growth on rock, etc.

 

[newfound77951]

Can those get 4-5" long though? And there is a thin, but distinct central "stem" to this stuff.

 

[roka64]

Sounds like a type of hair algae I had one. One thick strand with growths along it, very slimey. Mine got over 1foot long, I didn't have anything in the tank, a few PWCs should do the trick. I was assuming since you said the skimmer will take media the purigen should not effect the flow enough to effect the skimmer, but that is just a guess.

 

[newfound77951]

I guess I can at least give it a try, and if it doesn't work then I'll have to throw a HOB on there. Maybe I'll also try some bigger PWCs once the purigen is in there to really knock the nutrients down.

 

[MT79]

I Never saw a "stem" w/ bacteria. Snot algae sums up the way it looks pretty well IME. Ahh the beauty of nature lol.
As Roka said, get the DOC's down and things should improve. Keep up on PWC's, clean the skimmer cup, chemical media, and any mechanical filters regularly, and feed sparingly until things are under control. Good luck.

 

[roka64]

One thing about purigen, it does not remove phosphates (phosban reactor with phosban in it) but that is a HOB piece of equipment. Personally I love the stuff.

 

[seaham358]

Cyno bacteria would be my guess.. Grows on the sand, slimy easy to vac.. Cyno comes in different colors. Check phosphates and post numbers.. Not sure what a nutrient analyzer is? I would use a test kit.
how old are your bulbs?
Low flow, nutrients and low flow all help cyno grow.
Are there air bubbles trapped in it?
post a pic..

 

[newfound77951]

It is not cyano, I have had that in the past and this is very different. i just vacuumed most of it out so I don't have any good pics of it. Too busy this weekend to test (family visiting) but will try and do so on Monday.

BTW, a nutrient analyzer is a laboratory instrument that measures nutrients. It basically is a test kit, just a $60,000 one that is accurate to 2 decimal places at parts per billion for any of 5 nutrient parameters (nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, phosphate, silica).

 

[seaham358]

$60,000 test kit.... NICE Can you send me one?