mrg02d
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Hello all,
Been doing some experiments again. I was wondering whats up with my issue:
I have this light brown, whispy algae growing all over the dang place. It looks nothing like cyano, nothing like diatoms, and only similar to hair algae. I cant ID it, but it doesnt really matter. IT MUST GO!
So I tested my water. Zero nitrates and Zero phosphates. This makes sense, since I have algae all over the place. So I am left wondering where the nutrients are coming from. I put some Formlua 1 pellets in a test tube and tested for phosphates. IMMEDIATELY off the charts! I then tested rinsed and unrinsed frozen mysis shrimp. IMMEDIATELY OFF THE CHARTS!
Now I know its off the charts since im working with 5mL rather than 20gallons. But still, PHOSPHATES! ERRRR!
This must be why my algae is so stubborn!
So what to do about this? I thought rinsed mysis (rinsed in RO/DI water for a few minutes) would be the best way to go?
So it seems that phosphates are just a sad reality. They are GOING IN whether I like it or not. I know about phosphate reactors and whatnot, but that seems $$$ to keep buying the GFO and replacing each week or so.
Would adding a big clump of Chaeto solve this problem? All my top off water is RO/DI and my PWC water is RO/DI with Reef Crystals. Right now I have a small bit of chaeto sitting in a make shift refugium made of eggcrate hanging in the top of the tank. There is actually that filmy brown algae GROWING on the chaeto as if to say " HAHA!".
TIPS?
As a quick guide to my tank, its a 20g cycled 11 months ago. 25lb live rock. Fluval 305 filter. A koralia 1 and koralia 2 powerheads. 96W T-5 24in light. I feed every other day.
Thanks!
Matt
Been doing some experiments again. I was wondering whats up with my issue:
I have this light brown, whispy algae growing all over the dang place. It looks nothing like cyano, nothing like diatoms, and only similar to hair algae. I cant ID it, but it doesnt really matter. IT MUST GO!
So I tested my water. Zero nitrates and Zero phosphates. This makes sense, since I have algae all over the place. So I am left wondering where the nutrients are coming from. I put some Formlua 1 pellets in a test tube and tested for phosphates. IMMEDIATELY off the charts! I then tested rinsed and unrinsed frozen mysis shrimp. IMMEDIATELY OFF THE CHARTS!
Now I know its off the charts since im working with 5mL rather than 20gallons. But still, PHOSPHATES! ERRRR!
This must be why my algae is so stubborn!
So what to do about this? I thought rinsed mysis (rinsed in RO/DI water for a few minutes) would be the best way to go?
So it seems that phosphates are just a sad reality. They are GOING IN whether I like it or not. I know about phosphate reactors and whatnot, but that seems $$$ to keep buying the GFO and replacing each week or so.
Would adding a big clump of Chaeto solve this problem? All my top off water is RO/DI and my PWC water is RO/DI with Reef Crystals. Right now I have a small bit of chaeto sitting in a make shift refugium made of eggcrate hanging in the top of the tank. There is actually that filmy brown algae GROWING on the chaeto as if to say " HAHA!".
TIPS?
As a quick guide to my tank, its a 20g cycled 11 months ago. 25lb live rock. Fluval 305 filter. A koralia 1 and koralia 2 powerheads. 96W T-5 24in light. I feed every other day.
Thanks!
Matt
