Hello and thanks for reading!
Maintenance was rough for about two years with water changes every few months because life. Got some help and they have been diligently done weekly for 6months. Moved to bi-weekly for the last two months but we may move back to weekly now. Battled through a bunch of hair algae and rounds of cyano and diatoms as we tried to reach a new equilibrium. Thought we were there, but now the brown uglies are back after only two clear weeks. General maintenance is not cutting it now so I’m ready to step it up and use something stronger. Please help me identify what the heck I’m dealing with here and what to do about it. I’m assuming a type of cyano or cyano mixed with diatoms? Pics are after lights have been on all day then first thing in the morning.
Details below:
Tank is 90G display and 20ish in the sump. Filter sock, skimmer, and refugium in the sump. GFO in media bags between baffles and activated carbon in a hang on back filter. Chaeto is decreasing rather than growing though. Tank has been going for 4.5 years. Occupants are 2 clownfish (6 yrs old and very territorial), 1 Coral Beauty Angelfish, 3 chromis. Corals are purple mushrooms, one Duncan colony, and one open brain coral.
RO/DI water used from fish store. Red Sea black bucket salt.
Salinity 1.025 (reftactometer)
Alk= 7.7 (Hannah, new reagents)
Ca/Mg= expired reagents, not tested
NO3= 12 (Red Sea, new reagents)
PO4= 0.17 (Red Sea, expired reagents)
Water changes are 10 or 20 gallons every other week. 10 to just do the sand. 20 also sucks crud off the rocks while we toothbrush/ turkey blast the algae.
Maintenance was rough for about two years with water changes every few months because life. Got some help and they have been diligently done weekly for 6months. Moved to bi-weekly for the last two months but we may move back to weekly now. Battled through a bunch of hair algae and rounds of cyano and diatoms as we tried to reach a new equilibrium. Thought we were there, but now the brown uglies are back after only two clear weeks. General maintenance is not cutting it now so I’m ready to step it up and use something stronger. Please help me identify what the heck I’m dealing with here and what to do about it. I’m assuming a type of cyano or cyano mixed with diatoms? Pics are after lights have been on all day then first thing in the morning.
Details below:
Tank is 90G display and 20ish in the sump. Filter sock, skimmer, and refugium in the sump. GFO in media bags between baffles and activated carbon in a hang on back filter. Chaeto is decreasing rather than growing though. Tank has been going for 4.5 years. Occupants are 2 clownfish (6 yrs old and very territorial), 1 Coral Beauty Angelfish, 3 chromis. Corals are purple mushrooms, one Duncan colony, and one open brain coral.
RO/DI water used from fish store. Red Sea black bucket salt.
Salinity 1.025 (reftactometer)
Alk= 7.7 (Hannah, new reagents)
Ca/Mg= expired reagents, not tested
NO3= 12 (Red Sea, new reagents)
PO4= 0.17 (Red Sea, expired reagents)
Water changes are 10 or 20 gallons every other week. 10 to just do the sand. 20 also sucks crud off the rocks while we toothbrush/ turkey blast the algae.