[Reefer769]

okay so ive had this tank set up for a while now. I currently have a purple psuedo that has been doing extremely well, i HAD a peppermint shrimp but my guess is that the psuedo attacked it because i found it cut in half on the sandbed, and a couple hermits, becuase everytime i tried to keep snails they always die. My problem is GREEN HAIR ALGAE!!!! and its driving me crazy. I just checked the water parameters and they read-
PPT-1.026
PH-8.0-8.2
\and for these next tests i used DRY TAB test kits
Ammonia-Almost 0.0(hard to tell)
Nitrate- Almost 0.0(hard to tell)
Nitrite- Almost 0.0(hard to tell)

i replaced all the filters in my ro.di unit recently, so i dont think the water is a problem, but it is hooked up to the utility sink which is right next to the washer and dryer in the basement. When the washer empties it flows straight into the sink where the hoses for the ro.di unit are dangling above but not in the sink.

also keep in mind that i have a 30 gallon cube sitting in the basement that has had these algae issues as well. But i think the problem with that one is when i thaw a cube of food for the fish i just pour the whole mixture into the tank. I read in one of scotts articles that straining the food with a net is a quick fix, so i will try that.

[CSeaSee]

I've got a few ideas-
-Is your protein skimmer doing its job? Is it big enough to handle one cube of food/day (or whatever)?
-Is your sandbed a nutrient sink? How often does it get moved around- what's stirring it up?
-How often do you feed? One cube sounds like an awful lot for one small fish
-Is this a phosphate problem?
I'd also test your make-up water before you do a WC- there may be nitrates in there that you aren't aware of. If it's your make-up water, then it's either the salt mix or your source water- test the source water as needed.

[Reefer769]

Originally Posted by CSeaSee

I've got a few ideas-
-Is your protein skimmer doing its job? Is it big enough to handle one cube of food/day (or whatever)?
-Is your sandbed a nutrient sink? How often does it get moved around- what's stirring it up?
-How often do you feed? One cube sounds like an awful lot for one small fish
-Is this a phosphate problem?
I'd also test your make-up water before you do a WC- there may be nitrates in there that you aren't aware of. If it's your make-up water, then it's either the salt mix or your source water- test the source water as needed.

okay i have two different aquariums, one is a 5.5 gallon nano that has the psuedo, and i feed that a pinch of flake food every other day. Then the 30gallon cube has 2 clownfish and a pygmy angel, and that is the tank that gets the cube of food. I HAD a protein skimmer on the 30gallon cube, but i removed it becuase i have about 40+ pounds of LR and i didnt think i needed it. the 30gal cube doesnt have much green hair algae but it has a lot of this red slimy lookin algae. The 5.5 nano is the one that has the problem with the green hair algae. I guess this is a problem that i cant solve, because ive been fighting this damn thing you guys call algae forever and im loosing

[CSeaSee]

You either need to get protein skimmers for the tanks or GREATLY increase the rate of your WC, assuming your make-up water isn't the NO3 source. That is your problem. Your red slime algae is another indication of poor water quality. There aren't any other options for solving this problem. Look at CPRs, Aquac Remoras, or, for the small tank, a Prizm. Others may have more suggestions.

[Reefland]

I agree here. The problem is excessive nutrients. This can be improved through agressive protein skimming and water changes. Additionally, you might consider running a good quality phosphate sponge too.

[mistermikev]

For the red slime... (cyanobacteria) I have heard a conch will do. If you don't have a skimmer - take the advice of the 1st response and get a skimmer. Cyanobacteria doesn't neccessarily mean bad water just nutrient rich water. You might even solve the prob by putting a power head right near that area.
AFA green hair algea... I have heard that iron can be a factor... where did you get your liverock? The best defense is a turbo snail and patiently picking most of it off by hand.

[Reefer769]

well i do have a CPR Protein skimmer that i used on the 30gal for a while, but i took it off, cleaned it and put it away because of something i read a while back. I Think the problem here is the kent ro/di unit that i purchased a while back off of ebay. I replaced all of the filters in it and i THINK i have the hoses all hooked up right, so i dont know why the water SUCKS!!


i think its the ro/di unit because i have a topoff bucket with a floatswitch next to the 30gal that takes care of the topoff, and the clear hose that spills fresh ro/di water into the tank always gets this black residue that builds up inside the tube. what does this mean?

[mistermikev]

oooh. that doesn't sound good. sounds like mildew. what do yo uthink scott? can't be good right?
AFA skimmer, I guess if you don't have any corals or anemonies that fine, and there are several schools of thought on skimmers vs plenum vs nothing...

[mistermikev]

Not to blow the red whistle but the other day I read a bunch of stuff posted about copper and how the two main symptoms are hair algae and dead shrimp and snails. I think ninong posted it. has this tank ever been used as a freshwater tank? Every use coppermeds?

[Reefer769]

this means the mildew is occuring because there is something wrong with my ro.di unit. i am sure of that, but i am not sure how to fix this problem. I actually have a few sps corals that have just recently began to grow like CRAZY! its kinda weird because there is all this algae all around, and this mildew is present, but these corals are doing VERY well. how can this be? and what do i need to do to fix this problem with my ro.di unit?