[mrok12]

When stting up a tank, what is the best way to do it so it doesn't turn into an algae swamp. I saw this 90 gallon on the reef tank site, all I can say is yuck. I understand that by keeping phospate low and growing Macro algaes in the refugium you can keep phosphates down. How long does a tank usuallly take to mature and do you still have algae problems after it matures?

In search of algae free living!!!!!!!
MROK12

[Reinhold]

My inexpensive Astraea snails eat hair algae when it pops up. A good variety of Astraea, Nassarius, Cerith and Queen Conch snails will help keep your tank clean.

[David]

IMO, the BEST way to prevent the "algae swamp" is to use the best RO/DI water you can get. Astrea snails and macro algaes help to controll any unwanted algaes that get started but you can keep that from happening by starting out with clean, nutrient free water and keeping it that way. You might want to pick up a copy of Bob Goemans "Marine Algae Control Secrets" for furthur info. Good luck with the new tank!

[mrok12]

The LFS where I live sell RO H2O for 39 cents a gallon. I may have to buy some clean 50 gallon garbage cans from home depot until we buy our own RO unit.

Tanks,
MROK12

[organicreefer]

mrok12,
unless you trust youre lfs alot ,i would think about investing in an ro/di system of youre own,more convenient too.

[David]

mrok12 - You don't say where you live or how much water you need but $.39 / gal is highway robbery!!! Pure water is big business in America these days, most grocery stores have a machine out front where you can fill jugs for $.25 per gallon and you can probably get water in 5 gal bottles for less than that. In my area there are "water stores" with RO / DI equipment, I pay $.20 per gallon, had the guy install hose bib so I can fill barrels. In the long run of course, "organicreefer" is right, just bite the bullet and buy a system for your home. In any case, do whatever you have to do because a reef tank is just like a barrel of beer - it's the water! Happy reefing!!

[djskott]

When I get water for my fish tank I use RO water from the Water & Ice store, I get it for like 19 cents a gal, and a 5 gal will last me around a week or two. I just use it as top off. I still get a lil Cyano and Diatom but its not bad, its the normal that anyone gets, Im sure ppl have to clean there glass once a week.
anyways ever since i switched to getting water from the Store My algae has gone way down. I actully have a patch of this hair algea that looks real nice its not the Gross Thin hair but a more thicker type hair algea, kinda like grass size. but a tad smaller.
its not growing out of control but only in one area and has stayed there .. the snails graze there now and then but that one patch of algae adds to my tank i think

take care all
DJ Skott.

[mrok12]

Hello again,
If I go ahead and get an R/O unit for home shold I get the three stage or the two. I have seen both. Also I live near Ann Arbor Michigan, About ten minutes east of it. Im pretty fortunate because just about every lfs sell salt supplies. Perrins Tropicorium is also less than 15 minutes from me. I go evey sunday to look and ask the people there questions. I realize that in a tank algea will bloom frm time to time. I just don't want a swamp of it. Are the hermit crab guys or garf reef janitors kits any good?

Good things from the garden!!!!!!!!!!
MROK12

[organicreefer]

more stages = better filtration.depending on the quality of youre tap water 2 stages might do it,but i doubt it.a 4 stage ro/di is the way to go imo.i use a spectrapure 25gpd hth