# algae



## McFishin' (Oct 8, 2008)

I haven't started cycling my tank yet, but I've been reading a lot about good and bad algae and I was wondering what's the best thing I can do to prevent the bad stuff and encourage the good stuff? Also, what bad algae is inevitable during cycling and will soon pass?


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## SKAustin (Aug 1, 2006)

To keep your system free of undesirable algae, you want to ensure that conditions are favorable for Coralline growth, and that nutrients aren't allowed to build up in the system.

1. Keep Calcium levels in the range of 400-500 ppm
2. Keep Alkalinity Levels in the range of 8-12 dkh
3. Keep Magnesium levels around 1280.
4. Keep Phosphate levels at 0. (I highly recommend the use of RO/DI water to help achieve this)
5. Keep Nitrate levels as close to 0 as possible. (good skimmer, regular water changes, Macroalgae in the sump)
Test, monitor and suppliment (where necessary) for all of the above.


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## McFishin' (Oct 8, 2008)

Thank you, that helps out a lot! One more question on this, how do I raise or lower calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium levels?


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## SKAustin (Aug 1, 2006)

All 3 will be depleted by the calcification process carried out by the corals and various other organisms. There are several means by which to replenish Calcium and Alkalinity. 2 part additives like B-Ionic or C-Balance, Kalkwasser (limewater) in Top-Off water, Stand-alone supplements, Calcium reactors, Kalkwasser reactors. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. I personally use daily B-Ionic dosing coupled with Kalkwasser mixed into my Top-Off water. I also use Kent Marine's Tech M (magnesium supplement) to replenish the Magnesium.


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## McFishin' (Oct 8, 2008)

SKAustin said:


> I personally use daily B-Ionic dosing coupled with Kalkwasser mixed into my Top-Off water.


You add this stuff daily? Does it cost a lot of money?


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## SKAustin (Aug 1, 2006)

Depending on the corals you keep, it can. I pay $ 39.98 total for 1 gallon of each part ($19.99 ea). 

1 gallon is equal to 3784 mL. I use a 10 mL per day of each, so $40 lasts me 1 year and 13 days. But I keep mostly Soft corals, which use substantially less Calcium and Bicarbonate (alkalinity is the measure of carbonate and bicarbonateions in the water) than the Stony corals.


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## McFishin' (Oct 8, 2008)

I like the soft and stony corals, but even if I use more for the stony corals it sounds like that gallon will still last a long time! Thanks for your help. :-D


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## Kellsindell (Sep 15, 2008)

One other thing that you may want to take into consideration is the type of water you use. some use decloranator and most use and swear by RO/DI (revers osmosis de-ionized) water. if you don't use RO/DI you run the risk of putting phostphates and nitrates into the water initially which will help the algae grow. So initial water quality is very important as well.


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## McFishin' (Oct 8, 2008)

Do you simply buy RO/DI water in gallon jugs or do you acquire it some other way? Also, I assume I will want to use RO/DI water for water changes as well, right? Can this be costly for a 10-20 nano reef?


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## onefish2fish (Jul 22, 2008)

you can purchase a RO unit and make your own RO water from tap water. yes you will need RO water as well as a salt mix (premixed a day or two in advance seperate from your tank) and just RO water to top off daily what was lost from evaporation


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## Kellsindell (Sep 15, 2008)

Couldn't have said it better my self. You can get RO water from your local pet store, but it does get very pricy after a short time and if you're evaping half a gallon to 1g a day then yeah i'd go with an RO unit. Online vendors will have the cheapest prices and that's my recamendation.


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## McFishin' (Oct 8, 2008)

Thanks for the responses guys. I didn't realize that much water would evaporate daily! I'm not sure what a RO unit looks like let alone how it works but, it sounds like that's going to be the cheapest way to go about getting water. Sense I need so much water, is the RO unit going to be running all the time? Or is it better to make and store some in a bunch of jugs? What do you guys do?


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## Kellsindell (Sep 15, 2008)

the RO units make a certain amount of water a day because they don't go as fast as a faucet because of all the chambers it must go through to get clean. i would recamend making the water the day before you are going to do the water change or top off water, get the water to the correct temp (that means drop a water heater in it if need be) and keep it in the same room your tank is in (helps alk be the same as tank). then the next day do the water change or use the top off as needed.

i don't recamend making saltwater days in adv because everything in it is going to change and you also may have somethings grow in it if you don't have flow ect ect. so just make a bit more then you're going to use. making saltwater is so much easier this way because you don't have to spend several mins spinning turning or misc you do to mix the salt and declorinator or whatever method you use (unless you do your workout that way). just drop a pump in, heater and next day check your SG and alk and do what you need to do.


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## McFishin' (Oct 8, 2008)

So, I'll need a pump and heater for this as well, huh. This sounds like a system all in its own! Is this something you buy all packaged together? Could you explain more about the different chambers and where I add the salt in, please?


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## SKAustin (Aug 1, 2006)

Yes, RO/DI filtration is also essential to controlling undesirable algae. I'm not sure how I missed that in my initial reply. RO/DI needs to be stored in a food safe container. Most folks use a Rubbermaid Brute trash can. Very few trash cans are food safe, and this is important as RO/DI water is so pure that it will actually draw out impurities in other types of plastic.



SKAustin said:


> RO stands for Reverse Osmosis. This is the 4th stage in the 5 stage RO/DI process, wherein the water is forced to pass through a special membrane. This membrane allows only the water molecules to permeate through.
> 
> DI stands for De-Ionization. This is the 5th (and final) stage in the 5 stage RO/DI. In this stage, the water is passed through a resin that converts any remaining ions in the water to the Hydrogen ion.
> 
> ...


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## McFishin' (Oct 8, 2008)

So, I process the water through the RO unit and store it in a food safe garbage can. Should I mix the salt in the garbage can? Hypothetically, if I were trying to fill a 55 gallon tank for the first time could I fill it little by little while the RO unit produces the water?


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## Kellsindell (Sep 15, 2008)

If there's nothing in the tank than air then you can save yourself a step and just mix it in the tank. that's what i've done in the past. just don't forget about the cycle before you begin to add anything and remember to be patient.


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## SKAustin (Aug 1, 2006)

You will want a second Brute container for the mixing of water. I personally use a 40 gallon Brute for the Storage of RO, and a 32 gallon Brute for mixing.

You do not want to introduce salt to your RO supply as you will need plain fresh (no salt) RO for the purposes of topping off the system. You will lose some water each day to evaporation, but the salt content does not evaporate. As the water evaporates, the salinity rises. By adding fresh water to top off, you bring the salinity back to the normal range. If you were to add saltwater to top off, your salinity would continue to rise to levels far beyond healthy within a very short period of time.


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## Kellsindell (Sep 15, 2008)

An excellent point Austin.


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## McFishin' (Oct 8, 2008)

I forgot that the salt doesn't evaporate with the water, good point! So I'll mix salt in the first batch of water in the tank its self. So how much am I looking to spend on a RO unit?


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## onefish2fish (Jul 22, 2008)

hmm about $100-200 but can def. get more expensive then that. i paid $20 for mine from some guy but had to replace all filters which was i think like $70-80 but it was a 50gpd.

look at the GPD (gallon per DAY) rates, which will pretty much indicate price.

i dont know if you posted your tanks size, but a 35gpd or 50gpd should be good enough.


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## SKAustin (Aug 1, 2006)

You can get everything you need for an adequate system including the Brute Container, pump, float valve, & TDS meter for under $200. Go to ebay and search "0 ppm" , "RO/DI" or "Reverse Osmosis"


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## Kellsindell (Sep 15, 2008)

Wish i had known that. i'd check online vendors to get an idea of what the better units will be then check e-bay.


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## McFishin' (Oct 8, 2008)

Sounds good, thanks for all the help! I'm planning on getting a 55 gallon tank. I guess one last question (for this thread) is if I have a 55 gallon tank and a RO unit that produces 35 gallons a day, could I put 35 gallons of water in one day and the other 20 gallons in the next day? Of course I would mix the salt separately. I would only have live sand and a few pounds of live rock to start with.


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## Kellsindell (Sep 15, 2008)

that should work. also only put one piece of live rock into the tank. if you put more it'll make the tank stink for a while.


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## McFishin' (Oct 8, 2008)

Ohh, it stinks from all the die off? Thanks for that. My roommates would have hated me!


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## Kellsindell (Sep 15, 2008)

:lol: lol no problem


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## Kellsindell (Sep 15, 2008)

Sorry i accendentall ypostde here some how.


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