new tank setup!!

[oceancube]

okay all, im going to setup a new tank really soon, the reason for starting a new tank is, i noticed alot of bubble algea on my rock(green bubble clusters), do you think i should add the same live rock or should i add new rock, i was thinking of scraping all my rock that is infected in ro water then putting it in new tank, do you think it'll spread again in my new tank? i really dont know how i got it, but it really annoys me to death! also im gonna add alot of watermovement, im thinking thats what causes some parts of my tank to have some hair algea growth, in the past few days i noticed it growing more, so today i cleaned most of it off, what should i add to help this problem, my water is fine all test are at 0ppm( ammonia,nitrite,nitrate, ph 8.3) all i use is ro water from h.e.b!! any input would help, also how many hours should the xm be on!! thanks all!

[DeletedAccount]

The RO water from HEB (machines), even the Sierra Distilled water in the jugs, is not that great! Once I stopped using that my nuisance algaes went away! I tested the water a few times and got readings just as high as my tap! They do not seem to do many quality checks on that stuff!

[GaryP]

UNfortunately bubble and hair algae are things we usually have to deal with at some point in the life of most tanks. Here's what I would suggest.

Start using RO water from a LFS or someone that has some to spare. Its cheaper than grocery store water anyway. Do a couple of pretty good sized water changes for a couple of weeks. I would be more concerned with the hair algae than the the bubble algae, as it can have a much worse effect on the health of your tank. Phosphates are probably the real culprit here. They are either coming from the vending machine water, from over feeding, or from recent deaths in your tank. IMO there is no reliable test kits for phosphates. Add grazers to eat the hair and bubble algae. There are a couple of pretty good threads with info on controlling the hair algae on here. I've never used a fox face before, but I find that interesting. I have had good results from using emerald crabs. Don't discard the LR. The cost of adding grazers is a lot less than buying new LR. Besides, the presence of the algae is a symptom of other problems that you need to address. IMO these algaes are always present in LR and the critters that are introduced. All tanks are capable of an outbreak from time to time. The key is to develop a system to manage them.

Gary

[GaryP]

The number of hours you run your lights should not be a factor. How old are your bulbs. I've heard some folks say that the wavelength shift in older bulbs can encourage hair algae but I do have some doubts about that. I think the water quality issues I mentioned above, especially phosphate, are the major contributors.

Gary

[GaryP]

Here's a pretty good link for more info about nuisance algaes.

http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/greenhairalgae/

[OldSalty]

Best thing to add IMO is a yellow tang. (for hair algee)They eat more than any other critter I have used. If you all all the the other stuff it just adds to the bioload of the tank as well because you need so many to do any good. Just my 2 cents worth on the subject

[GaryP]

Joshua,

That's not surprising. Until this week I was using DI water from Fintique (.15/gal.) The only good thing about DI is that the canister has the indicator light on the top that tells you when it needs to be changed out. The canisters are also dated by Culligan or whoever they are getting them from. I guess it would be pretty easy to take a n alkalinty test kit with you when you go to get water and run a quick test.

That brings up a question I have been thinking about. How do you test your own RO unit to tell when the cartridges need to be changed. Alkalinity? Calcium? How do you test for TDS?

Gary

[TexasState]

The best way to clean the valonia is to clean it off yourself (by hand, or by using a tweezer.) You must pry it off the rock carefully w/out popping the bigger valonia. If you pop a mature valonia, you will release million of spore into your tank. If you keep buying corals, you will get these spores from the other systems. My tank is virtually free of valonia, but I do have a few that grow out once in a while. I promptly remove the juvenile valonia as I see them grow out. There are several types of valonia. Is your rounded, or elongated?

[alexwolf]

mt yellow tang and blue tang CLEARED out the entire back wall of my 135 that was covered in hair algae. Also, there was a small outbreak of bubble algae, and its gone as well.

[ratboy]

Water conductivity is a good estimate of your TDS (total disolved solids). Pure water will not conduct electricity.

[DeletedAccount]

Good idea, Josh!

[TexasState]

and if you get zapped afterward, you'll know it's time to replace the ro/di cartridges. LOL

[oceancube]

okay, then what water do yall recommend to add as evaporated water, i was thinking of using the purified water from h.e.b(1 gallon jugs), as for the algea well i have both kinds of bubble algea, i guess im gonna take the rock out and pluck it off, hopefully i wont get it in the new tank!! i never new fintique sold di water, but you say it like it's no good now?? again thanks all for all the info, helps out alot!!

[TexasState]

If you use Kalkwasser as your top-off, it will balance out some of your phosphates. As for the HEB or Fintigue stuff, just test it with a TDS meter to see where it stand. RO/DI should be almost zero TDS.

[GaryP]

Fintique has DI in the back of the store near where they keep the FW plants. Its self serve but you might need someone to show you which way to turn a couple of valves to turn it on. I usually got 60 gal. at a time. I used it for a couple of months and never had any problems with it. Like I said, just make sure the light is on on top of the canisters. When its off, its time to change the canisters. I just bought an RO unit a couple of weeks ago. I believe that Aquatic Warehouse is selling, or will be selling RO.

Filling up my 6 gal. jugs is a heck of a lot easier than 1 gal. at a time at a vending machine. However, I probably use more water than most of you. I do 10% water changes every 7-10 days and use 3 gal. of make-up/day. I have used distilled water from the Wal-Mart in a pinch, but cost is a factor there. I actually like the convenience of the gal. jugs for making up my Part A/B solutions. I use solid CaCl2 (Kent Turbo Calcium) and make my own buffer. I add the calcium and buffer to my make up water along with some essential elements.

Gary

[MikeP]

Foxface rabbitfish = no more bubble algae and he will get most of the filamentous algae too. By far the best fish algae eater IMO.

[GaryP]

I've never had one. How do they do with other tangs?

Gary