big skimmer yet lots of algae

[lReef lKeeper]

hermits (blue leg), nassairius snails, astraea snails, and abalone snails. i have the abalones because they are reported to eat diatoms. maybe even a couple of emerald crabs and sand sifting stars or a serpent star.

[jojo22]

What about water changes?????

[segraves1]

I don't like water changes. I'm trying really hard to have a setup that is all bust self sustaining (just need top offs). As I said, I think things were going really well untill that masive water change was required and that messed things up.

[seahorsedreams]

II think things were going really well untill that masive water change was required and that messed things up.

Could you break down the process you believe got you from point "A" to "B" on this one?

[segraves1]

Could you break down the process you believe got you from point "A" to "B" on this one?

Well, prior to sending the alkalinity to 30+, the tank was just about finished with its cycle and everything was going smoothly. Then after I did the alkalinity spike (I miss read my test kit and kept watching for a "change" to happen that never would......), I had to change 90% of the water and as such required the use of water from a "fill your own bottles" RO station. My guess is the water was not as clean as it should have been because once this water change was done, over the next two weeks algae started to show up and has since grown like wild.

The other possibility is because of this water change, I could have had a die off in the tank (bacteria and such). At the same time, I had to start feeding my fish more (because they were in bad shape from the alkalinity spike) and this increased the bio load.

I'm sure it was not ONE thing but rather a number of small things adding up.

[lReef lKeeper]

ok, with the water changes (RO water), and lighting cut back lets see where we stand on a complete water test if you dont mind. do one today, one i a couple days, and so on for a week and see where we stand on the algae. sounds like a solid plan, how are the fish doing now ??

[segraves1]

fish are fine.....they got fat and lazy.....

[seahorsedreams]

I'm sure it was not ONE thing but rather a number of small things adding up.

Yup, I bet you are right... it's why it's so hard to fight nuisance algaes.

How long has your tank been up and running?

[segraves1]

since early June

[seahorsedreams]

DOH! You had already said this... sorry about that!

That's twice I've done that. I work night shift and am on the computer when I get home. Sometimes I'm in a little haze :-)