[poohbugbug]

So I've had my tank up and running for 5 months now. Cant seem to rid my tank of algae. Have no corals now but want some in the future. Was given advice to get rid of my sump w/ bioballs (as this is no good for reef tanks only fo) and move to a fuge. What works for you?

[RyanG]

I have a sump, and i don't have bio-balls. What are your tank water parameters?

[WILLIAM1]

Are you using RO/DI water or tap water? Good circulation with power heads?

[NATIVEVAMAN]

I have always considered a sump/fuge to be as important to a reef tank as live rock and sand.If you hace a constant algea problem then you have a constant problem with nitrates and phosphates.A green bio mass in a fuge will consume the phosphates and nitrates and starve out the algea in your tank.The nitrates and phosphates will become locked into the fuge algea as it grows.When the mass of algea in the fuge becomes large you pull some out and throw it away,that is where the term nutrient export comes from.There are two basic ways that nitrates and phosphates get into your tank the first is over feeding,every food you can find to put in your tank will eventually become nitrates in the form of fish poo.The phosphates for the most part come directly from food sources and dont need to be digested.phosphates and nitrates as well as silicates come from using an inapropriate water source such as tap water and well water.Well water may well be the worst of the two since in its unfiltered state it contains organisms that can be dangerous to your tank.(these organisms are normally killed by chlorine in treated tap water.If you dont have an ro/di unit get one and stop over feeding and hook up a fuge,all your problems will go away.

[poohbugbug]

Originally Posted by WILLIAM1

Are you using RO/DI water or tap water? Good circulation with power heads?

Nitrates, ammonia, nitrite, always 0. Phosphorus 1.0, I keep using phos filter remover, which remove short term but then it's back up. I do romove the filter within 48 hrs as I now it can leach back into system. Lights cut back to 8 hours/day, feeding over 10 min only what fish will consume. Will clean glass and sand bed and within 2 days covered again.

[poohbugbug]

Originally Posted by WILLIAM1

Are you using RO/DI water or tap water? Good circulation with power heads?

Distilled....says thru ro on bottle (walmart brand). I've got mag 5 return into tank and korlia nano to hit dead spots in back. seems like enough on 29 gallon. Oh, I should be getting my ecotech in mail any day so that'll pump up the flow! Won't be running on highest setting of course.

[poohbugbug]

Originally Posted by NATIVEVAMAN

I have always considered a sump/fuge to be as important to a reef tank as live rock and sand.If you hace a constant algea problem then you have a constant problem with nitrates and phosphates.A green bio mass in a fuge will consume the phosphates and nitrates and starve out the algea in your tank.The nitrates and phosphates will become locked into the fuge algea as it grows.When the mass of algea in the fuge becomes large you pull some out and throw it away,that is where the term nutrient export comes from.There are two basic ways that nitrates and phosphates get into your tank the first is over feeding,every food you can find to put in your tank will eventually become nitrates in the form of fish poo.The phosphates for the most part come directly from food sources and dont need to be digested.phosphates and nitrates as well as silicates come from using an inapropriate water source such as tap water and well water.Well water may well be the worst of the two since in its unfiltered state it contains organisms that can be dangerous to your tank.(these organisms are normally killed by chlorine in treated tap water.If you dont have an ro/di unit get one and stop over feeding and hook up a fuge,all your problems will go away.

Always appreciate a veteran chiming in! Is it true that algae may be consuming nitrates immediately so they become undetectable when testing? I use low level test kit (salifret).

[NATIVEVAMAN]

What you ask is certainly a more than reasonable assumption with I am sure some basis in truth.I would do two things right away.Get another Koralia nano and replace the bio balls with cheato.

[poohbugbug]

Originally Posted by NATIVEVAMAN

What you ask is certainly a more than reasonable assumption with I am sure some basis in truth.I would do two things right away.Get another Koralia nano and replace the bio balls with cheato.

Have the ecotech coming in mail...very excited! And yes I'm gonna ditch the sump and build a fuge.

[WILLIAM1]

I might consider feeding every other day what they can consume in 2 minutes.

[poohbugbug]

Was given some Cheato to throw in my sump and took bio balls out...starting to see a difference.