Hello all! I have a 120 reef with mostly sps. I have this algea that I can't seem to get rid of. It reminds me of a type of Cyano, but I thought I saw a post somewhere where it was actually labeled a type of diatom. The stuff blows off, or can be sucked off, the rocks very easily. However, it can return in as quick as a day. I'm really fed up with this stuff and I want to see if anyone else may have it, the exact species I'm dealing with, if there is anything I am missing to try and get rid of it, etc. So here goes, system specs:
PO4 levels according to Tropic Marin test kit are showing less than .01ppm. As far as nitrates, I have no idea. I used to always test them and never had anything higher then 5-10ppm. That was when I had a sandbed and hardly ever did water changes. Now, however, this is a barebottom tank (since June or July), 20 gallon water change once a week, I have a Bermuda BPS-3C skimmer in the sump (skimming on the dry side), run a Phosban reactor with Rowaphos (changed monthly) and now carbon in it (carbon is TLF HydroCarbon which will also be changed once a month), and I have a good amount of flow (low guess is around 33x turnover). Lights are two XM 10k 250w SE with homemade Lumenarc reflectors (one is 7 months old, the other 5 months) burning 10 hours per day, supplemented by two 110w VHO actinics (URI Super Actinic replaced in September) burning 12 hours per day. I used to feed the tank maybe twice a week if I was lucky. I was trying for a nutrient free tank so I could focus on SPS. I only feed frozen foods (mysis, Formula 1 and 2, Rod's reef food, etc.). I have since started feeding live foods as well as frozen. This algea started when I was not feeding the tank often. I also lost the color green in my Acro's. Every other color looks fine, but I can't get the color green, it just turns to brown. Coral growth is still good. I was doing a lot of reading about my lack of green color and a lot of people say it is because of lack of nutrients. I am working on picking up a nitrate test kit just to see how I am doing there. My RODI water was also in need of work. The water I was using was around 38ppm TDS. Lastweek I replaced my membrane amd resin and now have 0 again. Some stuff I forgot: I run a fliter sock on my sump replaced every other day, I use Reef Crystals salt, salinity 1.025, CA: 430ish, dkh: 9-10, pH: 8.3, Mg: 1350-1400, I run a CA reactor with aragonite in it...I think thats about it.
Sorry for the long post, but like I said, I am rather annoyed with this stuff. Any info would be great!
Tom
