FEEDBACK...before I throw in the towel.

[freedominco]

I reduced my light cycle dramatically (to 5 hours right now). Wish I could shut them off completely, but even in my FOWLR I have about 7 nems and a few hardy corals safe with my angels. I can't afford to kill off all my nems.

I had 2 RBTA in my tank when I shut the lights off for 3 plus days, everything was fine. Plus I have know others whos lights broke and had to wait for repairs and were forced to go without light but even after 24 hours in the dark the algae would come off much easier. How long were your lights on for before? I run my lights for about ten hours a day, blues on the whole time and whites on for 6 hours. You pry already said but your bulbs are fresh right ?

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[09bumblebee]

Evan that's the exact same stuff I had in my 30. I'd be willing to belp you scrub rock one day if you want to tackle some of it. Thats what I did. Get 2 more sea hairs from Aquamart and drip acclimate them. They are very sensitive to nitrates. My sea hair ate all the rest of the algea I had. I tested iron with a salifert test kit. I also have tons on carbon I'll give you to get started on your reactor. I have some tongs with a hose you should defiantly try. Getting the longer stuff out and letting the sea hair get it when it's shorter. Let me know man I'll help you out to get rid of this crap. Interesting to see 2 totally different tanks and set ups but we both had the same issue. I can also bring you 40 gallons of ro if that will help?

 

[ShelbyJK500]

I had 2 RBTA in my tank when I shut the lights off for 3 plus days, everything was fine. Plus I have know others whos lights broke and had to wait for repairs and were forced to go without light but even after 24 hours in the dark the algae would come off much easier. How long were your lights on for before? I run my lights for about ten hours a day, blues on the whole time and whites on for 6 hours. You pry already said but your bulbs are fresh right ?

Good to know....I just had a bad experience a few months ago. I turned off all my lights and covered the tank to black it out when I added some new fish. I only did it for about 24 hours and I had one RBTA in the tank at the time. The RBTA un-footed and was floating around. The fish ended up picking at it's foot and I got to it too late, I put it in my fuge and it never made it back. So I wasn't necessarily basing it just off lighting concerns.

As far as my bulbs being "fresh"...ALL of my lighting is LED. I was running my lights for close to 10 hours before and have cut them to 5 now.

 

[ShelbyJK500]

Evan that's the exact same stuff I had in my 30. I'd be willing to belp you scrub rock one day if you want to tackle some of it. Thats what I did. Get 2 more sea hairs from Aquamart and drip acclimate them. They are very sensitive to nitrates. My sea hair ate all the rest of the algea I had. I tested iron with a salifert test kit. I also have tons on carbon I'll give you to get started on your reactor. I have some tongs with a hose you should defiantly try. Getting the longer stuff out and letting the sea hair get it when it's shorter. Let me know man I'll help you out to get rid of this crap. Interesting to see 2 totally different tanks and set ups but we both had the same issue. I can also bring you 40 gallons of ro if that will help?

Brian, thanks a ton for the feedback and offer to help me out!! If only you didn't live so far away bro. When you pulled your rock you scrubbed it and then soaked in Peroxide with an RO rinse right? If so, that obviously would "kill" the rock for the most part. Not being able to do that to ALL the rock at once without crashing the system by taking all the "live" out of it, doing it a bit at a time would be the only way. BUT, if the problem persisted, wouldn't it just grow back on the scrubbed rock. I dunno, just trying to think out loud here.

As far as sea hares, my last two were from Aquamart...big guys for the most part. They seemed active (like all the others i've had) for the first 24 hours. However, they just didn't eat anything. My nitrates were under control as well, so I have no idea why I have such bad luck. OH, and I drip acclimate everything!!

Do you have a picture of those tongs you're talking about...that sounds really cool. I'm trying to picture it! Oh, and I have plenty of RO water, so that isn't an issue! I'll let you know here real soon. I'm going to set up my GFO/Carbon reactor in the next day or two and see if that makes a difference as well. Thanks again, I really appreciate the feedback and offer to help me out! Glad you got yours taken care of...looks great too!!

 

[09bumblebee]

You know I thought the same thing so I took one rock out and soaked in peroxide/ro mix. It was spotless, 3 weeks later nothing grew back on the rock it's the wierdest thing. Even other rock touching it covered in the algea didn't matter. I soaked it in ro for about 5 mins before going back in. I pulled 90% of my rock out and didn't have a single issue even my stony's show PE minutes after all the rock being back in there. I also dose bacteria to my systems on a regular basis. I was at Aquamart yesterday maybe get a couple small ones. I know mine eats it so you can borrow mine for awhile if you like.

 

[DyM]

I know you're getting a lot of good advice, one option to tackle po4 is to use Lanthanum, see here http://www.marinecolorado.org/forums/showthread.php?14924-Phosban-VS-GFO/page2

I can let you borrow some socks and give you enough for 3 dosages. Let me know. This would prevent you from burning through a lot of GFO or any other phosphate reducer.

 

[Ghosty]

I tore apart the 5 stage I had on my floor added that to my 4 stage and then I now run 2 pre fabric filters and 2 carbon filters 1 5 micron and 1 1 micron and then one DI. Now I dont chew up my DI after 2 water changes. Ill see if I cant get a pic tonight for you.

Hey Mike, I'm about to buy a RO/DI system, and want to make sure it can handle this Thornton toxic waste. Any recommendations on the best brand (SpectraPure, CoraLife, AquaFX, or what?) and how big a system I'll need? Preferably under $200 if possible. If not, I can spend a little more $$.

 

[skebo]

Do you have a Fuge or macro's? I admit i skipped a page but has anyone asked or mentioned a phos reactor? You can get a cheapy 2 little fishes and convert easily. Also, do you have any areas that are aerated like drains? Can you put a sock or sponge filter to minimize? Also, perhaps consider 1 big water change instead of so many little ones. At least IME when nitrates get high they barely budge at a 20% water change and are back to higher levels in a week. However a 60% or more will help clear out more faster.

More importantly if a seasoned tank... I have not seen anyone ask if anything has changed? Think of the small, like the temp of the room the tank is in, to new addtions. Perhaps all this was covered, perhaps none of it applies. Just seeing to many reefers tear down lately.