Bio pellets are going to work a little less drastically than regular phos media. besides if it starts to minimize the maidens hair then the chaeto being gone isn't a problem.
Originally Posted by bleachandvomit You might be able to kill it by running biopellets to out compete the macro. I tried a phosphate reactor,even though I couldn't measure any. I usually do a 10 gallon water change each week so I've never had a high po4 nitrates or nitrites. The phosphate reactor did successfully starve my chaeto and I went from having a large green mass to an empty fuge. I stopped the reactor and bought more chaeto.
You might be able to kill it by running biopellets to out compete the macro.
Originally Posted by melev Yes, it will help. And adding more snails is another thing that is often overlooked. When's the last time you put new ones in? How many snails do you have total in what size tank? We don't have that many large snails anymore.But we have 100's of the little white ones that are covering the glass every morning. The tank is a 55 gallon. I will try to get to my lfs tomorrow and buy the reactor and some snails as well. The snails that are in the main tank have maidens hair and vermetid snails on them! BTW I also have a healthy crop of those too.
Yes, it will help. And adding more snails is another thing that is often overlooked. When's the last time you put new ones in? How many snails do you have total in what size tank?
Originally Posted by melev What is 'demin'? Do you mean no DI section? You definitely want to lower the TDS closer to 0. You can add one to your existing system easily, like the one I offer. http://www.melevsreef.com/shop/diadd.html You should manually remove all the algae, then test the phosphate a few hours later. That will be a much more accurate reading. Also, your kit may be giving you a false reading, so have someone else test the water with another PO4 kit. Yes DI, sorrymy brain was thinking one thing and my fingers another. I have tried having someone else test muy water, and have purchased different brand test kits as well. My tank isn't totally covered, the algae is in limited areas, but unless you get ALL of it when manually removing it you're just getting momentary gratification. I have been able to remove it all in some areas, not so in others. But if I were to install a PO4 reactor, do I have a chance of starving this stuff?
What is 'demin'? Do you mean no DI section? You definitely want to lower the TDS closer to 0. You can add one to your existing system easily, like the one I offer. http://www.melevsreef.com/shop/diadd.html You should manually remove all the algae, then test the phosphate a few hours later. That will be a much more accurate reading. Also, your kit may be giving you a false reading, so have someone else test the water with another PO4 kit.
That is a good possibility also.
Originally Posted by fchidsey how old is the setup and was the LR cooked before you put it in the tank. Is there a chance that the phosphate could be bound in the rock and leaching it slow enough for the algae to consume yet still giving you a reading of 0. I don't know it's just a thought. The system is a little over a year old now. I think what happened was I blended all my different foods together like many people do, and I had so many particles that were to small for my fish to eat. Once that happened I got the Algae bloom. "and it seemed to happen all at once!" So I quickly disposed of all the blended foods and started back feeding one as I had before.
how old is the setup and was the LR cooked before you put it in the tank. Is there a chance that the phosphate could be bound in the rock and leaching it slow enough for the algae to consume yet still giving you a reading of 0. I don't know it's just a thought.
Maybe what I had was something different after all then.
We have a small yellow tang, a hippo tang, a lemon peel angel, and a coral beauty and they won't touch it. All the articles I've read say that it has a toxic substance in it that keeps the herbivores from eating it. That's why I was asking about the reef tune up, if it was possibly worth $100+ to buy them.
Ahh, OK, I used to get that in my Nano tank. I thought that was what was called turf algae. I took a rock covered in it to my 50 gal an my yellow tang picked it spotless over night.
In my experience those kinds of algae grow really slow and my tangs could take out an entire year's worth of growth in one night. I don't think its a sustainable option.
Originally Posted by Alaska_Phil What is Maiden's Hair? That's one I haven't experienced yet...I think. http://www.melevsreef.com/id/maidens_hair.html
I wish I could comment on IPSF's tune up pack. But they won't ship to Alaska. I'm having issues with red hair algae and dino's right now. The dino's I can deal with, this red hair has got me stumped. What is Maiden's Hair? That's one I haven't experienced yet...I think.
Robby, I have a feeling cheatomorpha would outpace it easily. Growing Tang Heaven isn't all that easy, or you'd hear about everyone doing it.