Brown Algae in Refugium

[JVU]

With regard to the Redfield ratio, the point of it is that life in the ocean, especially simple life like bacteria and algae, take up the nutrients in that ratio. For our purposes (comparing ppm NO3 vs ppm PO4), the ratio is functionally about 10:1 when you account for the different molecular weights of NO3 and PO4. So 1 ppm NO3 is in balance with 0.1 ppm PO4.

It has nothing to do with what we, reef keepers, should keep our levels at to avoid problems. It is what the ratio of uptake is when things like bacteria and algae grow in our aquarium.

 

[JVU]

Hmm. I have never ever had algae in my sump, not sure I would call this normal..
Yes during cycling or mini cycles phases green algae grow on rocks. Tangs, urchins and snails take care if that well until system is mature and algae phase pass.

but never in the sump without light. That's why I was wondering if it algae not bacteria something else. Algae needs light and nutrients.

I might be wrong..

He is lighting an empty refugium with nutrients flowing through

 

[Flagg37]

Hmm. I have never ever had algae in my sump, not sure I would call this normal..
Yes during cycling or mini cycles phases green algae grow on rocks. Tangs, urchins and snails take care if that well until system is mature and algae phase pass.

but never in the sump without light. That's why I was wondering if it algae not bacteria something else. Algae needs light and nutrients.

I might be wrong..

You also run zeovit and keep an ulns. I agree with @JVU that its completely normal. Once my chaeto started taking off there was less and less other algae growing in the fuge.

 

[ofzakaria]

He is lighting an empty refugium with nutrients flowing through

Oh I missed that.
Then yes this is normal.

 

[ofzakaria]

You also run zeovit and keep an ulns. I agree with @JVU that its completely normal. Once my chaeto started taking off there was less and less other algae growing in the fuge.

Agreed, I missed the fact the OP have light in the sump.
Totally normal.

 

[Coral reefer]

I think everyone has their own idea of what is high and low. The longer I’ve been reefing the more liberal I am with what I consider an acceptable range. If a new reefer was to ask me what they should shoot for I’d tell them less than 10 for no3 and less than .03 for po4 but let them know that this is a very loose recommendation. My first tank consistently sat around 40 for no3 and I didn’t even own a po4 test kit and I had minimal algae.

Less than .03? No way

 

[ofzakaria]

Less than .03? No way

I think it depend what unit are we talking about here. If he meant 0.03ppm then it should not he a big deal. You can drop your po4 to zero with aggressive gfo..which is not good thing actually.

Here is what redsea recommend for their nopox. I used it for couppe of years but zeovit gave me better nutrient control.

 

[sfsuphysics]

Also a tang or 2 in the system will keep green algae in check.

Well considering it's a nano tank, I'd say that's not the best advice

 

[ofzakaria]

Well considering it's a nano tank, I'd say that's not the best advice

Was talking in general terms. If size is constrained then urchins and snails are the way to go.

 

[Coral reefer]

I don’t know the units well enough I guess. Ppm or ppb....
.03 In Whatever units it is that we basically all use all the time is an absolute minimum in my opinion. I feel like there is no harm at .1 even. To each Their own. I would never want 0 nitrate or phosphate if I’m keeping corals.

 

[ofzakaria]

I don’t know the units well enough I guess. Ppm or ppb....
.03 In Whatever units it is that we basically all use all the time is an absolute minimum in my opinion. I feel like there is no harm at .1 even. To each Their own. I would never want 0 nitrate or phosphate if I’m keeping corals.

100% agreed.
The worst you can do is to have zero po4 or no3.
Agree on the rest if your post as well.

 

[Flagg37]

Less than .03? No way

You think .03 is unreasonably low? I’d be fine with that assertion. That’s why I said that it’s a very loose recommendation.

 

[bluprntguy]

Thanks everyone. I cleaned out the sump, shortened the light cycle, and threw one of the trochus snails down there. Also moved most of the biomedia to the return pump chamber so that it wouldn’t get covered in algae and be a pain to clean.

Tested phosphates after the water change and I’m down to zero on the Hanna ULR.
Tested nitrates again and I’d say I’m a little over zero. Let’s call it 1.

I’ll keep feeding and hopefully phosphates become detectable again. I’ll be out of town next weekend, so no water change, which should help as well.

 

[Coral reefer]

You think .03 is unreasonably low? I’d be fine with that assertion. That’s why I said that it’s a very loose recommendation.

I thought you said you would tell them keep it less than that. I think that is a bare minimum and I wouldn’t want to go below.

 

[ofzakaria]

Thanks everyone. I cleaned out the sump, shortened the light cycle, and threw one of the trochus snails down there. Also moved most of the biomedia to the return pump chamber so that it wouldn’t get covered in algae and be a pain to clean.

Tested phosphates after the water change and I’m down to zero on the Hanna ULR.
Tested nitrates again and I’d say I’m a little over zero. Let’s call it 1.

I’ll keep feeding and hopefully phosphates become detectable again. I’ll be out of town next weekend, so no water change, which should help as well.

Do not try to raise tour po4 via feeding. That will bring lots of issues.
Bring up your po4 by reducing po4 if you are using any. Otherwise just be patient po4 will raise no question by time. Just to not use over feeding to increase nutrients. Keep good husbandry like water changes and cleaning and reasonable feeding and thing will fall in place.

 

[bluprntguy]

Do not try to raise tour po4 via feeding. That will bring lots of issues.
Bring up your po4 by reducing po4 if you are using any. Otherwise just be patient po4 will raise no question by time. Just to not use over feeding to increase nutrients. Keep good husbandry like water changes and cleaning and reasonable feeding and thing will fall in place.

Not planning to overfeed, but not planning to underfeed either.
I’ve not been using any phosphate reduction media in this tank.
I was using zeovit, but had to stop since phosphates were just too low.

 

[ofzakaria]

Not planning to overfeed, but not planning to underfeed either.
I’ve not been using any phosphate reduction media in this tank.
I was using zeovit, but had to stop since phosphates were just too low.

And that's why you had this big imbalance.
I wish you have asked for help I would have helped you with the zeovit. Been running it for years on 3 setups so far.
But that's ok ot do not msgger now. Since you stopped zeovit. System will build up biological filtration over time. When you stop the reactor and remove the zeolites you trigger something bigger than mino cycle and smaller than full cycle.
Part of any cycle is the algae phase you are seeing. I'm zeovit this phase take couple of days as you know during the 14 days cycle. But without the zeolite this phase take bit more so just be patient and remember though you might not have po4 now, without good husbandry po4 cab suddenly jump and hard to contain so alwayes keep hood husbandry and water changes.

Wish you luck.

 

[bluprntguy]

And that's why you had this big imbalance.
I wish you have asked for help I would have helped you with the zeovit. Been running it for years on 3 setups so far.
But that's ok ot do not msgger now. Since you stopped zeovit. System will build up biological filtration over time. When you stop the reactor and remove the zeolites you trigger something bigger than mino cycle and smaller than full cycle.
Part of any cycle is the algae phase you are seeing. I'm zeovit this phase take couple of days as you know during the 14 days cycle. But without the zeolite this phase take bit more so just be patient and remember though you might not have po4 now, without good husbandry po4 cab suddenly jump and hard to contain so alwayes keep hood husbandry and water changes.

Wish you luck.

You probably missed the post in my tank thread, but I'm using one part alk/ca (all-for-reef by Tropic Marin). That product is basically acting as a carbon source so the addition of the zeovit dosing was doubling up on carbon and seemed to be creating issues. I've just ceased dosing the zeostart and zeofood as they both appear to be carbon sources (and both smell like vinegar). I'm still using the Pohl's Extra Special and have some zeolites in my system.

I'm keeping an eye on phosphates, but since this tank was started with dry rock, I'm noticing way less phosphate issues than when I had tanks started with live rock. I'll adjust dosing once things come back from zero.

I ran zeovit in my last tank, but I'll reach out if I have questions for sure. I've seen your posts and you have way more blue bottles than I do!

 

[ofzakaria]

You probably missed the post in my tank thread, but I'm using one part alk/ca (all-for-reef by Tropic Marin). That product is basically acting as a carbon source so the addition of the zeovit dosing was doubling up on carbon and seemed to be creating issues. I've just ceased dosing the zeostart and zeofood as they both appear to be carbon sources (and both smell like vinegar). I'm still using the Pohl's Extra Special and have some zeolites in my system.

I'm keeping an eye on phosphates, but since this tank was started with dry rock, I'm noticing way less phosphate issues than when I had tanks started with live rock. I'll adjust dosing once things come back from zero.

I ran zeovit in my last tank, but I'll reach out if I have questions for sure. I've seen your posts and you have way more blue bottles than I do!

Make sense. Good luck and glad to help any time.