barderer Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 I like the way you roll subsea. +1 on the red sea product, it works. I have noticed slight bleaching on some of the more sensitive SPS while using it but after the recommended water change post treatment everything recovers within weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+KeeperOfTheZoo Posted January 12, 2010 Author Share Posted January 12, 2010 Hey Patrick, I'm not expecting an overnight resolution to what was obviously years worth of a nutrient build up problem before I got the tank. I'm willing to give it time to heal it's self, but at the same time I want to make sure that what I'm doing with the tank is going to (eventually) get me the results I want. I came into the middle if a problem and have been learning how to fix it as fast as I can. Not fix the tank in a rush, rather make changes for the tanks benefit ASAP so it can become a healthier ecosystem. I'm still looking into options. I've yet to add any 'quick fix' items to my tank, though the options are out there and are tempting at times. I suppose I feel like I need to exhaust all the possibilities within my means before I can just sit back and ride out the tanks recovery. If I hadn't been as agressive as I have been I'd still be looking at 60+ nitrates and 5+ phosphates. I may very well be at a point where I've done all that's reasonable to do, but without asking one never knows! All that said, nothing is gonna make me enjoy seeing red slime algae on my cc! Liz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+KeeperOfTheZoo Posted January 12, 2010 Author Share Posted January 12, 2010 Cmanning (is it Cindy? I always feel kinda funny using screen names). Glad to see you mention the polyfilter. I picked some up on sun and have it in the sump. 3 days in and it's already changing colors! Do y'all think rowaphos is more effective than phosguard? I was going to try it next time I buy media instead of the phosguard I have now. I'm honestly very nervous about adding any chemicals like the red slime out to the tank. If it becomes an endless problem I'll probably cave and try it, but I'm going to try agressive nutrient export for a little longer before I put anything in. Thanks talk for the input and support! Lix Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmanning Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 Hey Liz, Yes C --for Cindy.....screen names ......I know what you mean. We personally prefer Phosguard...we've used it on and off for the past 2 to 3 yrs, mainly since we switch to an SPS dominant reef tank (there's the occasionally mushroom here and there) and of course the common LPS ( frogspawns, acans, brains, favia, duncans, chalices) and zoas, but mainly SPS. If I'm not mistaken, you need to rinse the phosguard thoroughly before adding it to a chamber in the tank....this usually avoids--IMO, any ill effect in the inhabitants. Seems like your on the right track and just be persistent and don't go helter-skelter LOL! -Cindy- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+lewk Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 I am a big fan of running an algae scrubber. According to my Salifert test kit, my phosphates have been at 0 for months now. Either that or it's the lightest shade of blue I've ever seen. You could always build an over sized scrubber for that tank and let it start going to work for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsea Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 Liz, Nutriant export is the ticket. Chemical resins singularly target the phosphate culprit. Protein skimmers remove phosphate and many other things which I think are beneficial. Macro-algae removes nitrate, phosphate, iron and any heavy metals in the water column. When you prune and remove the seaweed it is nutriant export. If the fish and pods eat it then it is nutriant cycling. I am big on nutriant cycling. When plants and micro-inverts absorb nutriants and in turn are eaten by critters higher on the food chain we have the circle of life in our eco-systems. The coral in our tanks will not grow without being feed. That is why I do not push lights, I push food to make coral grow. However, without stability and balance in a tank, there is chaos: slime algae. Sorry that I preached to you earlier. I get that way sometime. Patrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+KeeperOfTheZoo Posted January 13, 2010 Author Share Posted January 13, 2010 Thank you so much everyone! Lewk, an algae scrubber? Now that's a new one to me. Gonna have to go research. Cindy, I have been rinsing the phosguard prior to use. Thought the sizzling was interesting. I haven't noticed any problems with my fish or softies (I'm gonna stick to mostly softies for a while, I have a couple frags that aren't but they were given to me so i figure cant hurt to try). I think maybe I'll just stick to the phosguard since it's not hurting anything and hope that consistency will be the ticket. I hope I don't seem too scattered. I haven't added anything crazy to my tank and I research everything (probably to death!) but there are so many options and I'm so new to this. It's a bit mind boggling. Patrick, I have a tough skin and I know I tend to nit pick an issue. No harm done and thank you for the appology. I'm very bad about exhausting what ever path I'm on until I know that I have obtained as much info as possible. I just thinned and gave away some chaeto, so +1 on nutrient export! May the remaining chaeto grow like a plague and mass consume nutriets. I too love the concept of a balanced eco system. The amazing amount of diversity in my tank amazes me. I've never seen anything else like it in a captive system. I've had freshwater tanks for years and there is just no comparison. Makes me marvel at our oceans (and their boundless diversity) even more. Liz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsea Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 Liz, It sounds like you have turned the cornor and are headed in the right direction. Only bad things happen fast. The turf algae scrubber is a good thing and has been around for a long time. It is well suited for large intensive aquaculture facilities. Keep on harvesting your chaeto and leave the turf/algae scrubber along. Patrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+lewk Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 algaescrubber.net has tons of info. Easy to set up and use, you just have to stay on top of cleaning the screen every week or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+KeeperOfTheZoo Posted January 14, 2010 Author Share Posted January 14, 2010 Oh my gosh! An algae scrubber is such a cool idea. Hey, I can grow algae. Now I just have to figure out how/where to incorporate one. Thanks for the link. Liz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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