Stringy algae in chaeto in fuge?

[rodstar]

So, I have had my tank for almost 8 months now and my fuge was doing great. I have a biocube 14g and the middle chamber is my fuge. The back glass is scraped off and there is a light on the back.

It was so successful that the chamber was packed very tight with chaeto to the point that I was getting ready to give it away. Then, all of a sudden, I started to get an olive green slimy algae in there. I ended up tossing half my chaeto and just keeping the clean stuff hoping it would grow back successfully and without algae. But, I checked again on Sunday and the algae is back.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Derek

[momadance]

Are you using tap water for top-offs? Chlorine is known to do that.

[rodstar]

No, I am actually buying pre-mixed salt water. Would make my own, but its only a 14g tank and I don't have the time right now.

[momadance]

You're doing top-offs with salt water? You're supposed to use fresh water to replace your evaporate. You may want to check your SG.

[rodstar]

Oops, sorry. I don't need to top off this tank. The only time I do top-off is if I don't have time to do a weekly water change (about 6 times since I have owned the tank). When I top off I use distilled water from the grocery store.

I do a weekly water change of about 2 gallons using pre-mix salt water.

My parameters are:
sg 1.025
ammonia: 0
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: ~10ppm
Phosphates: very little (forget last measurement, but not zero and not very high)
Temp: 79 constant with a chiller

I typically do not dose any chemicals, but if I do, I only dose calcium using the 2 part mix from B-Ionic.

In my back chamber I do use: 1 packet Algone, 1 bag Purigen, 1 bag of Chemipure (recently switched from regular chemipure to their Elite stuff). I have used SeaChem SeaGel in the past, but stopped using that when I switched to the Chemipure elite.

What am I missing?

Oh, I have a standard CUC with only 1 crab and multiple various snails. I have a high bioload (thus the weekly changes) of:
2 false perc clowns
1 six-line
1 royal gramma
1 blue green chromis
1 yellow watchman goby

I also have a fighting conch, skunk cleaner, bt anemone, and an ultra crocea clam. (Had a peppermint shrimp but he died about a month ago. I never took him out of the tank because we thought it was a molt. Caused a cyano outbreak but all is well again in that arena)

For coral I have 3 small (4-8 polyp) zoa colonies, 6-8 purple mushrooms, 6 ricordeas, 2 3 headed trumpets, 1 2 headed branching hammer, 1 large gorgonia.

Yes, it is overstocked, but the plan was to move to a 200g tank and that is delayed.

[Jay4Robin]

You should have zero P04 on your test. If your showing any that means that its feeding the algae. I would mix my own salt water with the distilled water. this way you know its good quality. The water you get may already have dead organisims in it. That would help fuel the algae out break. I would also cut down on feeding. Run some phospate remover in a filter sock nedar a return and get nice flow to go through it. Get the p04 to zero and you will be fine.

[rodstar]

Jay,

Any suggestions on what Phosphate remover to use? And, second question, what is causing my phosphate levels? Is something I just have to deal with because of my high bioload or is there something I can do naturally to try to keep it at a minimum?

[Jay4Robin]

water that your using may have it. PO4 could be from food for the fish. waste Kent has reusable media. Phosphate sponge.
I am not a chemist like some:) But it is reef keeping 101.
Get a good ro di unit and a TDS meter do weekly water changes feed lightly use a hang on refugium and you will be fine.

[Stixbaraca]

Sometimes if you don't have enough water moving through the fuge you can get some algae build up...it gets stagnant.

[rodstar]

I am starting to think that my issue is nothing more than a flow issue. Since I changed to Chemipure Elite and Purigen, that chamber is very packed and the flow seems to be lower. I am going to thin out the chemicals in there to bump up the flow and see what happen. (i.e. go back to my old chemical set-up)

Jay, A hang on fuge is not practical with this tank because of the hood. I am hoping that this tank is just temporary anyway and plan a 200g set-up with its own fuge. When I make that investment I will also implement an RO/DI unit, etc.

[Jay4Robin]

Flow is good but you need to get your parameters in line. You may improve things for now but it just takes one thing to cause a chain reaction of problems. goodluck

[rodstar]

So, I did my weekly water change a day early. My first chamber was deifnitely packed too tight with the chemicals and was impeding flow. I reduced the amount of Purigen I am using by about 1/2 and the chemipure by 1/3 and added a small amount of Phosban. The flow through the tank seems much better now.

Hopefully, the combinations will help to reduce the slime and I will reduce my phosphates to zero.

I have also noticed some excess food so I am goign to scale that back a little. I feed every day in the evening. Should I simply cut the amount or just feed every other day?

D

[Jay4Robin]

excess food will cause your po4 to rise.

[rodstar]

Jay! I found my problem, thanks to my wife and my royal gramma! I was in CA last week and while I was gone, my wife was sure that my royal gramma bit it, but couldn't find it anywhere and she said the tank looked horrible. I arrived home Friday night and found the little guy alive and well in the back chamber. In order to get him out, I had to remove the pumps for both the chiller and main tank.

The main pump was almost completely clogged. I never realized how bad the flow had gotten because it happened slowly over time!

Now, after this week's water change and a clean pump, the tank look sbeautiful. No algae, the glass and water is sparkling and the chaeto looks better.

And, my PO4 is just about to zero!

Its all about the flow!!!

Thanks for your help!!!

Derek