New growth causing lack of color?

[Craigdillman]

I'm guessing if you have algea like that your po4 isn't zero what test kits are you using, most kits are very inaccurate at low po4 levels and are very hard to " tell what shade of off light blue is this stupid vial compaired to the paper" ,

I bet if you had a Hanna checker you would see the po4

Regardless I would still run the rowa and try to manually remove as much as you can and It should start to starve it out, manual removal is best at the start then work on starving it out and not giving it the nutrients it needs ---> via gfo/rowa and water changes

Good luck man it will come around

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by jason604

Here's a pic I just took of an area I haven't been able to reach and manually pluck yet. I've been manually trying to take out as much algae as I can. I currently have my API phosphate remover media bag In My filter sock and I also purchased rowaphos but if my reading is 0ppm of phosphate should I still add rowaphos or no? My tank has never looked so hideous with long hair algae and most sps browning out. Sometimes I don't even want to look at it.

There looks to be a lack of flow in that corner , you can tell from the pics that detritus is clogging and building up on the rock , nutrients will getbtrapped in the ditrius mats feulng the algae above , I would turkey baste the areas and adjust it so theres more current in tht area. Manual remove what you can and keep on the po4 battle.

As for your calcium I agree raise your mg levels but get your calcium up at least to 400ppm , if what your adding isn't rasining then add more and log all doses and tests.

A log book is a beautiful thing until things get into a natural routine.

[jason604]

Originally Posted by reefwars

There looks to be a lack of flow in that corner , you can tell from the pics that detritus is clogging and building up on the rock , nutrients will getbtrapped in the ditrius mats feulng the algae above , I would turkey baste the areas and adjust it so theres more current in tht area. Manual remove what you can and keep on the po4 battle.

As for your calcium I agree raise your mg levels but get your calcium up at least to 400ppm , if what your adding isn't rasining then add more and log all doses and tests.

A log book is a beautiful thing until things get into a natural routine.

I have tons of detritus. I do turkey blast my live rocks daily. This is because I have way too many fist sized live rocks n everything just gets stuck underneath it. Does algae consume cal/alk/mag? I'm really considering in getting reactors to run carbon and rowophos to get rid off all my long hair algae.

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by jason604

I have tons of detritus. I do turkey blast my live rocks daily. This is because I have way too many fist sized live rocks n everything just gets stuck underneath it. Does algae consume cal/alk/mag? I'm really considering in getting reactors to run carbon and rowophos to get rid off all my long hair algae.

Some Algae can consume some but the nuisance type that you have isn't consuming much. Coraline on the other hand consumes a fair bit.

Yes you should look at using the media in a reactor , results are better/efficient and faster and more bang for your buck. Use small amounts changed more often than large amounts changed less often , remember these arnt natural processes and misuse Could lead to bigger issues so go slow and small


The detritus should be removed using a syphon tube , blasting the rocks is good but all that detritus needs to be removed, another sign that flow could be better as well and maybe even filtration methods.

[jason604]

How much rowophos should I use for my 75g tank? I'm using 2 wp25 which is pretty strong but flow can't go under the mass amount of rocks I have. Ya I should try removing all the rocks and siphon the area. I have an euro reef rs135 skimmer and it's skimming pretty good

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by jason604

How much rowophos should I use for my 75g tank? I'm using 2 wp25 which is pretty strong but flow can't go under the mass amount of rocks I have. Ya I should try removing all the rocks and siphon the area.

Yes your rock scape should allow for ample flow around so as not to trap ditrius as your seeing.

I'm not sure how much of rowaphos to use as I don't use that product anymore but see what their recommended dose is and cut it in half or more and just change it out more often. Again rowa is aggressive and should be used sparingly so as or to deprive the corals of po4 by too much.

Two wp25 is plenty of flow but you should try to arrange your rock in a way thay allows flow throughout the whole tank , size is on your side so should be easy to do.

If corals are healthy then I'd look at setting the tank up more efficiently as in the way of rock and flow , allowing better access to all areas and then start on nutrient export a bit more aggressively if you wish.

[jason604]

Yea I think I'm gonna do some aquascaping and make my fist sized rocks into a bunch of arcs. I just have way too many corals for my small 75g tank so it's hard glueing them down. Ok so what's better 2 TLF reactors for carbon and phosphate remover media or the BRS dual reactor? And rowaphos or brs gfo?

[The Guy]

Originally Posted by Craigdillman

I'm guessing if you have algea like that your po4 isn't zero what test kits are you using, most kits are very inaccurate at low po4 levels and are very hard to " tell what shade of off light blue is this stupid vial compaired to the paper" ,

I bet if you had a Hanna checker you would see the po4

Regardless I would still run the rowa and try to manually remove as much as you can and It should start to starve it out, manual removal is best at the start then work on starving it out and not giving it the nutrients it needs ---> via gfo/rowa and water changes

Good luck man it will come around

I was testing with a salifert for po4 and it always said 0, reefpilot tested my water with his Hanna checker and bingo! I had po4. I bought one and now test with it. You will have more success if you run your rowaphos in a reactor vs a bag in the sump. I run my ca at 440, alk at around 7-8, mag at 1350, TLF reactors work just fine and Rowaphos or BRS stuff are both good and work well for me, best of luck to you.

[jason604]

ok i just bought a brs reactor. Are there any of you guys out there that put both carbon and rowaphos in the same single reactor? If so how is it working out for you and what u put in first rowa or carbon.

[canadianbudz604]

They can be ran in the same reactor, but the problem is carbon will exhaust faster than the rowaphos will.