[xcountryx]

Could I use an old HOB filter for phosban media? If I removed the carbon from the bag and replace with phosban media, or should I run both carbon and phosban in the bag? How often should I use the phosban or carbon (if any)? Or could I put the phosban in yhe lower chamber of my HOB skimmer where the water enters the skimmer? I have a bad cyano prob just looking at ways to rid it other then just weekly wc. Thanks

 

[Geoff]

why do you want to use phosban? as with anything there are drawbacks. no matter how hard you try. phosban will add iron to your system. Fe is used for increasing plant growth.

i would look at other methods for controlling phosphates before starting down the GFO path.

G~

 

[xcountryx]

I have a massive algea outbreak both cyano and brown hair. I've been working on nitrates that's at 40ppm. I'm geting a phosphate test kit today but pretty sure I have a high amour with as much cyano I have now. Did a 25% wc Fri and the tank looks like crap all ready. I haven't fed anything since right before I did wc

 

[xcountryx]

What are other ways?

 

[[email protected]]

First, just know there isn't a fast fix for getting algae under control. To properly manage, you'll want to balance this equation: nutrient import < nutrient export.

Right now your tank has a higher level of nutrient (phosphates, nitrates) source than you get rid of.

So you first want to look at how often and how much you feed as this introduces nutrients. Secondly and more importantly is keeping uneaten food and general waste from accumilating in the tank.

Easiest way is by siphoning during your water change. You'll want to siphon your subtrate (if it isn't very fine sand) or at least stir it up some to release any trapped waste. I use a turkey baster to blow the crud off my rocks once a week so that my skimmer has chance to collect it.

From your picture, I don't see a skimmer. So you may want to add either polyfill( doll stuffing) or other filter media to your hob filter and then stirup your tank sand. Create a mini storm if you must. Let the filter catch as much gunk as it can. Then do your water change and toss the filter pad. Scrub off as much cyano and algae during this time as well. Let the filter run for an hour or two with the media before doing your change.

If your sand and LR have excess bound nutrients, it will take some time for the rock to purge the excess and/or the algae to use what's left. By preventing new food/poo turning into more nutrients, once the current supply is gone the algae will receed as there is no food.

This is where you want to pay attention to how much food you feed and increase flow within your tank so waste doesn't really settle on the bottom. Skimmers are good at helping to pull this crud from the water when circulated, but if you don't have a skimmer (and generally a tank your size doesn't NEED one), the above routine will help prevent much of the waste from breaking down into algae food source.

This is why I say it takes time, because you are balancing the source of the problem. Phosban and other chemicals are good for attacking the symptoms, but getting to the source is the sure fire way.

 

[[email protected]]

Also, how old is the tank? If still young, the 'uglies' may be in effect as tanks go through a nutrient cycle and unwanted algae is common during this time.

 

[xcountryx]

I do have a skimmer! And I also siphon my sand and turkey baste my rock during wc.

 

[Geoff]

how long has the tank been setup?

G~

 

[xcountryx]

5 months old. I went through the ugliest and when that passed it looked beautiful. Now I know my nitrates are from useing tap water when I first started but I have switched over to ro/di and ever since then my tank has looked like crap. Honestly I was doing a hell of alot better with just tap and realy thinking about going back to it.

 

[xcountryx]

this is my tank setup a few months ago

 

[xcountryx]

I have 2 blue damsels and 1 clown and a coral banded shrimp. 4 snails and 2 hermits. I feed every other day about 1/4 ts I was feeding once a day but backed off since the start of this crap. And now I haven't fed since a half hour before I did the wc Friday I'm sure my fish are realy hungry by now

 

[postaldave]

noticed you don't have any power heads down low or behind the rocks. all that stuff just settles in the tank if it can't get out to the skimmer or filter media. having lots of water movement down low and behind the rocks will give your skimmer a chance at the cleaning it out.

you can cut down on how long the lights are on. that will not fix anything but will slow it down while you get the tank turned around and dialed in.

that HOB might be useful to help clean up the water but you will have to keep the filter pads clean(rinse with tank water) and dump the water out often.

take the rocks out and scrub the the algae off if you can. otherwise if you get the water perfect it will just die off and start the problem over.

 

[xcountryx]

I tried puting one down low and behind the rock but it seemed like way to much flow so I just have them both aiming up to the surface. I was planing on removeing the rock and breaking it up into smaller pieces and then trying diffrent ways with the powerheads. I know its all a learning experience but like i said so far the tap water was better my tank was cleaner and my corals were happy. Right now my Duncan and mushrooms are closed up most the time. But I'm realy working on doing it all right.

 

[xcountryx]

Oh and the two I have in the tank are 800gph each I also have another that's 850gph