ditching pellets

[Petercar (RIP Dec 2017)]

The bulbs are now 6 months old.    I swap the gfo  out 3times since i started this new  tank in aug

 

[Salty Cracker]

The bulbs are now 6 months old.    I swap the gfo  out 3times since i started this new  tank in aug

When I was battling slime, I used the hi-cap gfo and swapped it out every month, took 6 months for the numbers to stay low, the GFO was pulling phosphates out of the rock and substrate and feeding the bad algae, maybe that's what you have now??  I remember thinking that "it's not working" at one point, but just kept with it, and swapping it.  Now I wait 2 months before swapping gfo and carbon. 

 

[jones02]

Algae x is a big thinnk on the uk forums and everyone loves it. Its dinos I have I believe. Is there anyway to take pellets offline and re use them after a week?

 

[jones02]

This is when the lights 1st came on

 

[jones02]

I took most the rock out and scrubbed it 3 days ago and that's what it looks like again. Gfo was changed a week ago. 1.5 cups. I'm ready to just tare the tank down and say fuck it.

 

[Krazykarl]

Chances are the rock is leaching phosphates. I had bad algae issues. I just ripped it off as it grew an threw in a yellow tang. Kept it under control until it disappeared. Don't give up. Nothing happens fast in this hobby. Let nature take its course

 

[phi delt reefer]

Its gonna get worse before it gets better. Just keep up with the maintenance and in a few weeks it will pass. Reefing isn't for the impatient. Probably the reason why most people give up after a year.

 

[jones02]

Tank has been up for about a year and a half, went thru all the blooms n shit then went away. Added pellets and this came. It comes back faster then I can clean it. Sps all have nice extentions on them and then this shit gets on it and kills them.

 

[davesolo29]

if you read a bit more, you will find that many people go thru some major algae blooms when adding biopellets to their system.  just wait it out.  it will go away.  some systems have different side effects than others.

 

[Salty Cracker]

That looks like dinoflagellates. 

 

[jones02]

That looks like dinoflagellates.

Yup, amd I read that it like really clean water and can be a nnever ending battle. That's what lead me to this ultra algae x stuff.

 

[pulpfiction1]

Algae x is a big thinnk on the uk forums and everyone loves it. Its dinos I have I believe. Is there anyway to take pellets offline and re use them after a week?

i have dried them out and reused them without issues

 

[Salty Cracker]

[quote author=Salty Cracker link=topic=4137.msg37743#msg37743 date=1359167145]
That looks like dinoflagellates.

Yup, amd I read that it like really clean water and can be a nnever ending battle. That's what lead me to this ultra algae x stuff.
[/quote]

I battled them for over a year.  They completely disappeared the day I added the UV bulbs and switched salt mix to strictly reef crystals.  Not sure which was the deciding factor in that, because those things are a goddamn pain in the ass.  I will tell you this, the pellets had nothing to do with my outbreaks, I was convinced it was the gfo since it is known as  "the red tide" because somehow they feed on iron. 

I had some luck dosing hydrogen peroxide, but they always returned...

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2054171

 

[jones02]

[quote author=jones02 link=topic=4137.msg37744#msg37744 date=1359167324]
[quote author=Salty Cracker link=topic=4137.msg37743#msg37743 date=1359167145]
That looks like dinoflagellates.

Yup, amd I read that it like really clean water and can be a nnever ending battle. That's what lead me to this ultra algae x stuff.
[/quote]

I battled them for over a year.  They completely disappeared the day I added the UV bulbs and switched salt mix to strictly reef crystals.  Not sure which was the deciding factor in that, because those things are a goddamn pain in the ass.  I will tell you this, the pellets had nothing to do with my outbreaks, I was convinced it was the gfo since it is known as  "the red tide" because somehow they feed on iron. 

I had some luck dosing hydrogen peroxide, but they always returned...

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2054171
[/quote]

Was just reading a guy covered his tanks and had lights out for 72hours and used kalk to raise the ph to 8.4+ then did a 33% WC and did the peroxide thing 1ml -10g.

 

[pulpfiction1]

myself i would increase the flow in the tank,keep siphoning or blowing the stuff off if your able,i wouldn't take the pellets off line,lessen the lights some and wait it out,don't add anything,stop trying to fix it for a bit and see what direction it heads.sounds like it is frustrating you but i think patience will be key

JMO

 

[Duke]

myself i would increase the flow in the tank,keep siphoning or blowing the stuff off if your able,i wouldn't take the pellets off line,lessen the lights some and wait it out,don't add anything,stop trying to fix it for a bit and see what direction it heads.sounds like it is frustrating you but i think patience will be key

JMO

+1, its the trying to fix it that screws stuff up more often than not.

 

[jones02]

i have 2 mp10s and using a friends mp40 so theres so much flow the fish are stuck against the glass... whats would happen if i turn off my pellet reactor for a couple days?

 

[pulpfiction1]

i cant see anything happening in the tank but your reactor will keep producing inside until it all dies then stinks real nasty,id just dump them in a colander and let them dry out,my fish need grab rails in my tank,i am soaking some pellets today to increase the capacity .
You are enjoying the zero PO4 and extremely low NO3,i would think that would change fairly soon

 

[jones02]

i was thinking on drying them out and using them again after but i just dont want to start all over again at 1/4 dose and workign my way up. a pita if you ask me.