red/purple agae dont know what it is

[roka64]

Are you running a filter? If so, rinse out the foam/bioballs with the old SW. I would also do the same with that sponge on your intake.

 

[Kelso]

I have a 4 stage power filter.
I heard that you dont need them in reef tanks, but im not sure if i want to remove it.
The sponge is the intake for the skimmer and definatly needs a cleaning.
Any advice on other filters to add that might help, or should I leave it alone?
My goal is to have coral eventually.

 

[thincat]

I would take the sponge out. I would run the other filter only as needed, and only a few days at a time.

 

[lmetcalf]

My only comment is that if you use one of the chemicals like lmetcalf mentioned, you need to be VERY careful as they are notorious for crashing tanks, most likely due to the fact that people don't follow directions step by step, word for word, but that's just my opinion.

I agree! The chemiclean came with a very thorough instruction booklet that gives step by step instructions and firm warning not to stray from them.

I might try to manualy remove it and get rid of the food source (light, organics, phosphates) and just try the chemiclean as a last resort.

Good luck!

 

[Kelso]

So I should take the sponge off the intake of the skimmer and run the power filter 2-3 days a week?
Ya im not going to mess with the chemiclean, not yet.

 

[thincat]

By 2-3 days a week I am referring to a clean filter unit not just hanging it on the tank and using it only 2-3 days a week! Other wise it will push nasty stuff into your tank.

 

[Kelso]

got it, should I just take it right out for good?

 

[thincat]

Do one at a time and space it a week or so.

 

[Jaybird]

I didn't see anyone mention this (I could be blind and someone actually did), but I've heard that a lot of problems with cyano can be solved with flow. The usually take hold in low-flow areas. Perhaps changing the angles of the powerheads, or a wavemaker bar and a couple of PHs, may help with the problem.

 

[Kelso]

The cyano has already weakened, its been two days at low light/feeding.
Ya I heard somewhere about that flow, and I did move my powerhead down closer to the live sand where the cyano was the worst. It helped, but it also gave the stuff long strands that would wave in the current. Personally i thought it looked worse but others said it looked cool, good thing was even with the strands the ammount of cyano did reduce.

 

[Kelso]

Thincat, sorry im all confused.
Your saying to remove my power filter, then remove the sponge from the intake?

 

[thincat]

I believe you have enough LR so you can remove the other filters which will just end up as nitrate building areas. Remove the filter then wait a week and then remove the sponge. This will give your LR a chance to buildup the extra bacteria to handle the new load.

 

[factorboa]

talking about lighting how long should a tank light be on in a marine tank?

 

[thincat]

Each light depends on it's intensity. MH lights normally 6 hrs. T-5's can go more into the topic zone lighting of ~12 hrs. Most people split this up with the use of actinic lights that come on 1-2 hrs followed by 10k or so lights for 6-8 hrs followed by actinics again for another 1-2 hrs giving a total of 12 hrs of light.
I have found that my tank breaks this rule and I run my T-5's a total of 13 hrs.

 

[factorboa]

ahh ok 1 got 1 4 foot blue lamp bulb its a 40w bulb 1198mm, 1 4 foot white bulb and a little 2 foot bulb , what would mine be on a day? thank u
]#

 

[thincat]

Are we talking about 199watts for a 55 fish only tank or a reef setup?

 

[thincat]

Kelso, sorry for getting side tracked...Do you have anyother Questions?

 

[factorboa]

it will be a reef set-up. at the moment it has live rock in it wen everything is right then ill b addin corals but i just want to know how long the lights gotta be on a day. many thanks ure a star.

 

[thincat]

You don't have enough wattage for a reef setup. You would set the actinic bulbs to come on an hour before the main lights come on and an hour after the main lights go off. As I stated you don't have enough lights to support corals.
Your 4' lights look like they are work lights or normal flourencet lights for a fish only setup.

 

[factorboa]

ahh ok i just wanted to know got loads of corals growing on my live rock thats all i just wanted to know thats all thank u i know blue 1 is cause i brought it myself cause it said for coral and marine fish on the packageing what a full i am, i just wante to know cause of my lr i got all sorts of corals growing on it that was all