# Arghhhh it returned



## gmann (Mar 26, 2013)

2 weeks after a water change, and my glass and CC are covered again. at this point do cause a bio shock and take out everything so i can replace the CC with sand? do i go without a cannister filter and just use LR + powerheads... is there somthing I am overlooking here?


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## Cate (Jan 27, 2013)

I would use powerheads. syphon as much as you can out...and just direct powerheads to the areas that it keeps coming back?


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## MEDHBSI (Sep 4, 2011)

is the picture of algae? why not jsut load up with snails and then give them away when the problem finally resolves itself


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## PurpleMonkey (Nov 28, 2011)

What are your parameters? Lighting?


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

MEDHBSI said:


> is the picture of algae? why not jsut load up with snails and then give them away when the problem finally resolves itself


Snails won't solve the root cause, and if he gets rid of them it'll just return again. I'd try as Cate suggested, see if it's a circulation issue.


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## gmann (Mar 26, 2013)

PurpleMonkey said:


> What are your parameters? Lighting?


ph: 7.8 - 8 (color is in between the 2)
ammonia: 0.25
kh: 9 
phos: 0.5
nitrate: 0
nitrite: 0
cal: 440
salinity: 1.023

using kessil lighting: 25% blue output, 75% white light output


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## gmann (Mar 26, 2013)

View attachment 16222


effox said:


> Snails won't solve the root cause, and if he gets rid of them it'll just return again. I'd try as Cate suggested, see if it's a circulation issue.


sorry fo rthe crappy image, but here is how my tenk is currently set up for flow....

the powerhead on the right shoots diagonally across the tank, aimed towards the surface. the outlet on the left is from the cannister filter. this outlet shoots straight.


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## PurpleMonkey (Nov 28, 2011)

Ummm, you have ammonia? You should not have any showing up on your tests.

The root of the issue I think is going to be phosphates, they are waaaay too high. I run rowaphos, but any phosphate removing media should do.

Flow will help, as will siphoning out as much as you can. As far as snails, the only one that I found will actually eat the stuff on your sand is a fighting conch.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk


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## gmann (Mar 26, 2013)

PurpleMonkey said:


> Ummm, you have ammonia? You should not have any showing up on your tests.
> 
> The root of the issue I think is going to be phosphates, they are waaaay too high. I run rowaphos, but any phosphate removing media should do.
> 
> ...


yes i think the ammonia might be due to me pulling out everything from the tank and scrubbing the algae off the rocks and inserting all new media. currently i have 2 packs of chemi pure elite and a pack of purigen in the tank. ive been dosing the tank with prime to reduce the ammonia. Seems to be working as the ammonia was at 2.0 a week ago


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## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

Snails can only handle so much. I won't rely on them. Besides they will starve to death if they are turned upside down, fouling the water. You need to find the root cause. Like the other said, there shouldn't be any ammonia in your tank. 

Personally im not a fan of canister filter in SW system. I also started with one on my 46gal but took it offline after several months. If you use one u have to clean it often. That's every 2-3 days! I switched to HOB (no fancy pads, just plain floss) n had success keeping the tank nice n clean for a year (no skimmer) until I took a bunch of freebies (dying, algae covered corals) home from a friend's tank. Bad move!  With HOB, you still have to clean it often but its way easier compares to a canister. I have added a Remora Pro since then. With 25% wc every 7-10 days, the algae is finally until control after 3 months. Trust me, mine was way worse than yours! Lol

Can we have a full equipment list of your setup plus the maintenance routine?


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## Animal-Chin (Jul 10, 2012)

What kind of water are you using for the 25% change? Tap or RO? If you use tap water you're always going to have algae.


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## The Guy (Nov 26, 2010)

gmann said:


> 2 weeks after a water change, and my glass and CC are covered again. at this point do cause a bio shock and take out everything so i can replace the CC with sand? do i go without a cannister filter and just use LR + powerheads... is there somthing I am overlooking here?
> First off, how long has this tank been running. If it's fairly new under 8 months you are going to get the brown detris it's part of the cycle, do a water change at least 25% every couple of weeks with RO water only. This will help with the po 4 problem as well, CC is not your problem so don't bother changing to sand. Ammonia should be 0, so if you find out the root problem it's better than adding this and adding that chemical IMO.


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## gmann (Mar 26, 2013)

JTang said:


> Snails can only handle so much. I won't rely on them. Besides they will starve to death if they are turned upside down, fouling the water. You need to find the root cause. Like the other said, there shouldn't be any ammonia in your tank.
> 
> Personally im not a fan of canister filter in SW system. I also started with one on my 46gal but took it offline after several months. If you use one u have to clean it often. That's every 2-3 days! I switched to HOB (no fancy pads, just plain floss) n had success keeping the tank nice n clean for a year (no skimmer) until I took a bunch of freebies (dying, algae covered corals) home from a friend's tank. Bad move!  With HOB, you still have to clean it often but its way easier compares to a canister. I have added a Remora Pro since then. With 25% wc every 7-10 days, the algae is finally until control after 3 months. Trust me, mine was way worse than yours! Lol
> 
> Can we have a full equipment list of your setup plus the maintenance routine?


45g cube tank, 
remora-s hang on skimmer
Koralia 550 (I also have a 1050 model, but took it away off as the current was too strong)
Kessil 350W LED light - but switching to Coralife Lunar Aqualight T5 Lighting
cannister filter with: 2 packs chemi pure elite, 1 pack purigen, sponges, and mifante

25% water change every month using tap water.

btw what is a HOB?


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## gmann (Mar 26, 2013)

The Guy said:


> gmann said:
> 
> 
> > 2 weeks after a water change, and my glass and CC are covered again. at this point do cause a bio shock and take out everything so i can replace the CC with sand? do i go without a cannister filter and just use LR + powerheads... is there somthing I am overlooking here?
> ...


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## gklaw (May 31, 2010)

Try cutting back on the amount of lighting and lighting cycle.


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

HOB = Hang On Back. Like an Aquaclear filter.


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