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Lessening Bio-Load?

Euphyllia

Euphyllia

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I've noticed that lots of algae have been growing all over my tank, my skimmer is filling up a lot faster, and my fish seemed to be very stressed. I realized everyone who told me I had a large bio-load was correct and I should have listened earlier, but everyone makes mistakes and I'm learning from mine. I got my 14g into really good condition and started to move over corals. I've been moving over many zoa frags and almost all of my LPS to the 14g over the last few weeks and I've been leaving the skimmer on 24/7 even though it bothers me at night. I've seen a HUGE difference! The fish are a lot happier, my skimmer isn't filling up as quick, and my corals aren't crowded and stressed. My rose anemone is opening up bigger now. However, I still have 1 question. The algae in my tank is still growing very quickly. Is there a way to slow down growth and eventually eliminate the fast growth? I have decided to not add anything to the tank for a while, which is why I'm only going to BAYMAC to donate corals to BAR and to give out DBTC corals.
Thanks! :bigsmile:
 
Did you reduce the bioload by just moving a few frags or have you also moved some fish/nems? Algae grow best when there are an abundance of nutrients (simplification, but good enough here). If you aren't going to move more livestock, I would first check what your phosphate/nitrate and ammonia levels are at (might have spiked it if you weren't careful on relocation). To limit algae food, you can cut back a little on how much food you feed (feed only what your fish eat right away) and don't worry about feeding coral now (if you are). Do more frequent water changes. Manual removal of algae. Keep up on these things and with patience and dedication, your algae will slowly wane and likely go away.
 
matthew remember that these are eco systems, so changes which are good happen slowly over large peroids of time (months not days or weeks) and changes which are bad happen very quickly
 
I understand that, and I was planning on trying to lessen the bio-load over a large period of time. Thanks :)

I'm doing a 2.5g water change every 4 days, so about 5g water change per week. I actually took the initiative to go get a big bucket of salt from Green Marine 2 weekends ago. My salinity is 1.023 and I mix the water to 1.023 so the water changes should keep the parameters more stable than they used to be. I normally feed my fish tiny amounts of frozen, live, and pellet food 3 times per day, so I'll cut back to small feedings of only what they can eat right away as Gomer suggested once or twice per day. I'll keep the skimmer going 24/7 and I'll slowly move a few ricordeas and zoanthids to the 14g, however I don't want to put too much in my 14g since it is a small tank. :bigsmile:
 
Matthew,

If it is the truth that you are really trying to lessen the bio-load, that is great and we are all supportive on your decision. I am not trying to be suspicious or anything, but I know you purchased a medium size colony of Euphylia at an LFS 2 days ago. So, I am really confused by your statement/decision above. I am not sure where you are putting that Euphylia, but if you moving stuff (rics and zoas) to 14 gallon and adding Euphylia, where is the lessening the bioload thing. I hope you are not putting that Euphylia into 14 gallon either.
I am also not hoping that you unload corals to DBTC and BAR, just so you can add more coral into your tank.
Please do not take this as an attack, but I do (and all people here) care about the animal. I was not planning to post this until I saw your statement in which contradicted with what you did 2 days ago.
 
Algae is impossible to completely eradicate so you should be prepared to live with it. For myself, battling bryopsis is neverending. Do you have a refugium connected to you tank? If not, you should get one--it will be the best thing you can ever do for your tank.
do
 
Radiolunatic said:
Matthew,but I know you purchased a medium size colony of Euphylia at an LFS 2 days ago. So, I am really confused by your statement/decision above.
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The Euphyllia is going into the 14g as the main center piece. I'm trying to lessen the bio-load in the 34g. The 14g only has a few small (1") LPS, some zoas frags (1"), some rics (.75"), and the frogspawn.
 
OK. Next time I'll mix the water to 1.024, then 1.025, then 1.026, and keep mixing it at 1.026. I mix water about once per week, so it should bring the salinity up slowly over time.
 
Euphyllia said:
OK. Next time I'll mix the water to 1.024, then 1.025, then 1.026, and keep mixing it at 1.026. I mix water about once per week, so it should bring the salinity up slowly over time.
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You don't need to mix it at specific SG. Just mix it at 1.026 and use that. Depending on how much water you remove the salinity will go up. You can also use the saltwater for topoff to bring the salinity up.
 
Actually Matthew the BEST waty to do it is as follows:

Test the Salinity in the tank right before you mix water for the water change, make the water you are mixing a point higher then the water in your tank, contunie to do this until the water in your tank is at 1.026 and the water your mixing is at 1.026, Considering how small the tank is and the amount of water changes you are doing, it should only take a couple of weeks for this to happen, and your corals will most likely never get shocked
 
The algae growth doesn't seem to stop, and it there are now more different types. There is a macroalgae that grows on the rocks that looks like a maroon colored chateo. Can anyone ID that?
Could there be another reason why there is so much algae growth? I haven't added anything to the tank for over a month. I've actually been removing lots of stuff and giving it a new home in my 14g. I just removed lots of the small frags of common zoa types, half a colony of hammer coral (3 heads, each head 1"), an acan, a few other LPS, and some frags of softies. I've been running the skimmer 24/7 for about 2 months now and I do small water changes (a few gallons) every few days with water that I've mixed.
 
Euphyllia said:
The algae growth doesn't seem to stop, and it there are now more different types. There is a macroalgae that grows on the rocks that looks like a maroon colored chateo. Can anyone ID that?
Could there be another reason why there is so much algae growth? I haven't added anything to the tank for over a month. I've actually been removing lots of stuff and giving it a new home in my 14g. I just removed lots of the small frags of common zoa types, half a colony of hammer coral (3 heads, each head 1"), an acan, a few other LPS, and some frags of softies. I've been running the skimmer 24/7 for about 2 months now and I do small water changes (a few gallons) every few days with water that I've mixed.
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red algae on the rocks that looks like cheto is most like red turf algae or as I call it pube algae, it's next to impossiable to remove, and giving the chance can and will overrun corals.

As far as trying to see lots of changes ina month, well thats barely a spec of time in what it takes to see changes in a tank, think about how long it takes for thing to grow in the oceans 100's of years, you should just keep up with your water changes and over time you should see some changes
 
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