[SteveP]

Ok, 75g, 15g sump with 5g inbuilt refugium. 2 protein skimmers (Prizm and Stubby DIY that both pull good skimmate now that they are tuned). 1.023, 8.1, 0 amm, 0 nitrite, <5ppm Nitrate (thats a good as my current test gets). All topup and change water is RO (TDS meter on the way to double check that is working properly, along with a Salifert Phosphate kit). 20% change every 2 weeks, topup is usually made up with Kalkwasser and dripped overnight.

The refugium has some spots that have very slow water movement, and I am seeing some nickel sized patches of what looks like Red Cyano starting to take hold there. Refugium is full of Chaetomorphia and Caulpera which is growing steadily and is pruned bi-weekly and lit 24x7. Display tank is lit 10 hours by 4x46" 110W VHO (2 actinic, 1 50/50, 1 Aquasun).

Inhabitants fed every other day :

Small Percula Clown
Royal Gramma
Yellow Dottyback (which doesn't bother the gramma at all)
6 Astrea snails
6 Blue hermits
Millions of little buggy shrimpy things that you only see at night with a torch

Obviously something is up, I'm either over-feeding, over-lighting, or introducing something into the mix that the Cyano likes - any ideas that I havent already thought of ?

Steve

[zhenya]

Steve,

In my opinion cyanobacteria is part on any healthy or unhealthy system. It's just is.It's either in the depth of the DSB or behind a rock structure or what ever.
As far as your situation, perhaps you did overfeed a few times and some nutrients did accumulate in the fuge where flow is reduced to begin with.Being that your fuge is only 5g or so,you can't introduce Strombus snail like the Strombus alatus becouse of its space requirements. I would just remove most of it manualy and perform couple of water changes to get rid of the excess nutrients that might of build up. It always worked for me.

[SteveP]

Originally Posted by zhenya

Steve,

In my opinion cyanobacteria is part on any healthy or unhealthy system. It's just is.It's either in the depth of the DSB or behind a rock structure or what ever.
As far as your situation, perhaps you did overfeed a few times and some nutrients did accumulate in the fuge where flow is reduced to begin with.Being that your fuge is only 5g or so,you can't introduce Strombus snail like the Strombus alatus becouse of its space requirements. I would just remove most of it manualy and perform couple of water changes to get rid of the excess nutrients that might of build up. It always worked for me.

I'll try that and keep an eye on it - My RO is still suspect, the membrane is kinda old and I have doubts as to it's integrity, so when the TDS meter arrives I'll have a better idea on the input side.

Steve

[zhenya]

Steve,

Did you get one of this?


I found this piece of equipment very helpful as far as being able to check input and output water instantly.

[SteveP]

Originally Posted by zhenya

Steve,

Did you get one of this?

<snip pic>

I found this piece of equipment very helpful as far as being able to check input and output water instantly.

Actually I got a pocket one by Hanna Instruments, TDS-3 ? For the time being - if my suspicion is correct, and the membrane on my RO is hosed, +/- a few points isn't going to affect the test much. The RO unit hasn't been used much, but did sit idle for a long while (it was plugged, but I am wondering just how well).

I'll know in a couple days

Steve

[SteveP]

Originally Posted by SteveP

Actually I got a pocket one by Hanna Instruments, TDS-3 ? For the time being - if my suspicion is correct, and the membrane on my RO is hosed, +/- a few points isn't going to affect the test much. The RO unit hasn't been used much, but did sit idle for a long while (it was plugged, but I am wondering just how well).

I'll know in a couple days

Steve

Well, it's not the RO - TDS meter arrived, and ran a couple gallons through and then sampled, 2ppm - which given that it's a 3 year old 3 stage is probably as good as it's going to get. Tap here is 170-190.

Phosphate kit should arrive next day or so - in the meantime, I have reduced the lighting slightly and cut back on the feeding...

Steve