New tank help

Sam1969 · #1 03-04-2009, 09:39 PM

I set up this tank the last week of December, let it cycle for 4 weeks, adding stability in the proper dose daily, then weekly.
The tank is 90 gal, 40 gal sump with 4XT5 light fixture on main tank and single T5 strip on sump, and a fist size piece of cheato in the sump, G1x protein skimmer and two koralia's for flow in the main tank. Lights on sump 24/7 lights on display 12 hrs/day.
Chemically the water is mint, and its crystal clear, However I'm still getting algae blooms. I've gone from diatoms to cyano to green hair algae and now I'm getting brown slime algae.
I would have thought after 2 months that the algae would have taken a break but it seems that one doesnt get chance to clear before the next one starts. The only algae thats not growing is the cheato....
Is it somthing I'm doing or am I getting to the end of the algae blooms for now ?
I dont remember this much algae on my 44 gal tank...
Is there somthing I should be running on my sump to help clear it up ?

superduperwesman · #2 03-04-2009, 10:25 PM

What are "mint" water conditions?

e46er · #3 03-04-2009, 10:53 PM

just becuase a test kit is reading zero nitrates and phosphates doesnt mean they arnt there it just means the algae is consuming them at the same rate of production

algae is a good indicator both are present

im dealing with hair algae that is growing at 1/2" a day and i havent had any fish in the tank for weeks

Jay180reef · #4 03-04-2009, 11:02 PM

that seems like the normal algae progression I had. I added a bunch of snails and crabs and a rabbitfish to tidy up the rest of the tank.

Ripwoop · #5 03-04-2009, 11:03 PM

have you looked at Myka's posts on how to get rid of this and the common causes? http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=44860
This should help with most questions you have. My first thought was are you using tap water instead of RO/DI ? If so there is your culprit.