Nanocube Quandries... What are these and why is it happening??

[ZCciVic22]

OK, So I've had a 14gal nanocube up for about a year now. 10lbs of LR and a couple coral. Not sure of the exact type right now, but I'll take some pix of them tomorrow.

Problem 1..

A thick greenish brown algae took over the tank. Covered the LR.. the Live Sand... Everything. We have probably 15 hermits... 8 Margarita snails.. A6 white snails that dig under the substrate, can't remember their names at the moment, and 1 fire shrimp.
Everything tests fine at the water with our kit. We were worried about Phosphates. So we took our wated to our trusted LFS... Everything tests fine.. No Phosphates or anything. Well, after weeks of going round and round, the one guy asked how long we've had our tank. We told him about a year. He then advises it's probably time for new lights, saying after 6-8 months the covering on the lights wear off, and allows the red spectrum of light to get strong promoting growth. We bought new lights, but it didn't seem to help much. I then left the lights completly off for a few days, and the algae started to go away, but not completly. Please, can someone give me some advice?? The algae even traps little air bubbles under it.


Issue 2

So, like I said, the tank has been up for about a year. A few weeks ago, we noticed very small white things in the tank. Nowwww. They are a bit larger... Maybe 1/2", and brown. They are very fast, making about a .04% chance of getting a picture. Brown, and it appears they have an exoskeleton. I saw at least 2, and Cara (my wife) said she saw several other smaller ones. Anyone have any idea what these could be? The closest thing I could compare them to (for how small and fast they are) would like kinda like a millipede or something. Their tails seem to curl under which makes me want to think some kind of shrimp... But we only have the one. Are they baby hermits or something? Sorry for the vauge descriptions, but any help is appreciated!

[labnjab]

Issue 1

What are you nitrates? Seems like you have a phosphate problem. Is it hair algae (long strands) or cyno (almost like a film) All it takes is a very small amount of phosphate to cause an algae problem (I think or higher .03) and most test kits are not accurate enough or the algae uses it up before it can best seen on a test kit. I would start running some sort of phosphate remover (I use a pura pad http://www.bigalsonline.com/StoreCatalog/ctl3684/cp18424/si1378618/cl1/magnavore_pura_filtration_pad__75_x_105?&query=pura+pad&queryType=0&offset= placed in an area of high flow in my sump) Aside from that I would cut back on feeding. Its a good idea to run phosphate remover in any reef environment


Issue 2

Hard to say without a picture, but if their small and move fast they may be a large pod. Do they look like this? http://s27.photobucket.com/albums/c172/clemmatt/?action=view&current=pod2.jpg If it is a pod then they are beneficial.

[coachfraley]

Issue 1

Adding to Labnjab's response...what do you have in your rear chambers? Please provide a run down of each chamber. You might be able to solve your problem by changing what you have back there. A great start would be to put a cut out piece of the pura pad right below your intake. If you never got rid of your bio-balls, that could be a big part of your problem.

Also, if you haven't done it all ready, you can modify the back of your tank, and turn it into a refugium, and grow chaeto back there. That will help a lot in controlling algae.

Issue 2

Totally agree with labnjab, just sounds like pods.

BTW, which nc do you have? The 24 watt model with 4 chambers, or the 48watt model with 3?

[ZCciVic22]

Wow, that's pretty much exactly what they look like... It's about 2am and I need to be at work at 7, so I'll add more to this tomorrow.

About the pods... Where did they come from? The tank has been running for about a year with no previous sign of them. Same LR, nothing added.

When last checked at the LFS, Phosphate readings were at 0. I have indeed periodically continued use of an anti-phosphate stuff. As it's downstairs, I'll provide more details tomorrow.

It's the delux version of the nanocube. 2 bulbs, one white light and one blue, with the blue towards the back of the tank. I'll get more details on this as well, as I still have the bulb boxes downstairs.

The filter is has 3 chambers. The first has filter pad in it, which I recently rinsed in the water I took out during a water change. As it's a small tank, I buy premixed water since it's cheap insurance that everything is correct. The 2nd chamber does have bio-balls. Is this a problem? And the 3rd chamber is just the pump and heater.

Can anyone give me more info or direct me to some good information regarding pods? I'd love to learn more.

Thanks guys!

[coachfraley]

The bio-balls ARE a problem. You should get them out of there. Don't do it all at once, maybe take out about a third of them, wait a week or so, then another third, etc.

If you are using the stock filter sponge, you should be rinsing that out every 3 days or so. I used to rinse mine out with hot tap water. The sponge is not acting as a home for bacteria, so the type of water you use to rinse it doesn't matter, you just want to get all the gunk out.

[kaybee]

...When last checked at the LFS, Phosphate readings were at 0...

What type of test kit did they use? Unless the kit can measure levels below 0.1ppm (not to include 0ppm), and preferably even measure below 0.05ppm, then the test kit cannot accurately measure the phosphate. Ideally, as stated by labnjab, phosphate should be no higher than 0.03ppm. And, as noted, algae utilizes phosphate. If the tank is producing 0.5ppm of phosphate a daily and the algae is utilizing 0.5ppm daily, phosphate won't be detected. The presence of algae is evident that phosphate is in the tank.


...the pods... Where did they come from? The tank has been running for about a year with no previous sign of them. Same LR, nothing added.

They can pretty much come from anything you've added into the tank (live rock, sand, even corals). They're expert at hiding. A golfball-sized piece of live rock rubble could house a good dozen of them. The younger ones are even tinier than the adults. They're mostly nocturnal (fish would eat them if they were scurrying around in broad daylight. Check out your tank with a flash light a couple of hours after the lights have gone off and you'll see them. They only have a life span of a few months, so if you've added nothing to your tank in a year, then theyr'e definately reproducing in the tank...which is a good thing (providing food for many corals and fish that can seek them out; they're also awesome detritivores).

[ZCciVic22]

The LFS that tested the water is called Wet Pets. They have 2 saltwater displays, on 600gal and another 800gal. I'm not sure what kit they used, but I guess it'd be pretty good.

The phosphate control I use is Blue Life Phosphate Control. Is it possible to hurt the fish using this stuff if it's not a phosphate problem? I took some pictures of the tank coral and the algae, tell me what you guys think could be the problem here...

As far as lights are concerned, the the new ones I bought are made by Coralife. One is a 10,000K 24watt compact fluorescent, and the other is a 24watt actinic fluorescent. Each are 13 inches long.

Can someone explain why bioballs are bad? I was under the impression that they were the way to go... How could the filter be turned into a refugium?

Thanks again guys!

[coachfraley]

I don't have experience with that phosphate remover, maybe somebody else does???? I would still suggest using the pura pad as labnjab stated. It is a great pad, and it will really help to "scrub" your water.

Bio-balls are great for fresh water, but they are useless/detrimental in a SW tank. The reason they aren't helping you, is because your live rock does the same job only much better. Having the balls in the rear chambers just creates an area for detritus to collect. Bio balls in the rear of the tank are commonly called "nitrate factories", due to their propensity to increase the nitrate levels in a tank.

If you want to read a bunch on the fuge conversion, here are 19 pgs. of thread on it (http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=70138).

The quick summary is this: The back of your cube is covered with a black "sticker". You can cut a hole in the sticker (where the middle chamber is), and peal it off of the glass. Then you clean out the chamber. The hardest part is finding the light. I made my own, and bought a 6500k compact florescent light bulb from target. You find a way to aim the light at the open hole in your sticker. You set up a timer on the light, so that it runs opposite of your display lights (this helps to equalize your tank's PH). Once the light is set up, you drop in some chaeto algae, and watch it grow. Some people talk to their chaeto, but I don't think there is any proof that this helps. :ssuprised:

It might sound difficult, but it really isn't tough at all.

[labnjab]

Its hard to tell, but the algae looks like cynobacteria. What are you using for flow?

[kaybee]

...The phosphate control I use is Blue Life Phosphate Control. Is it possible to hurt the fish using this stuff if it's not a phosphate problem

I've never used that product as well. Since it appears to be a liquid that is added to the tank the product probably binds phosphate (rendering it un-useable) rather than actual removal. If the binding is permanent the affects should equate to removal.

[AABatteries]

:O I go to a LFS named Wet Pets. Lol.

No clue abot your problem. Sorry I can't be of any help.

[ZCciVic22]

Its hard to tell, but the algae looks like cynobacteria. What are you using for flow?


To be honest with you, the only flow I have is the filter itself, aimed down towards the rocks. I had a little protien skimmer I bought, but it didn't fit back in the filter area, and took up too much room in my little tank. It also made a ton of bubbles. Shame, since it costed around $40.


The fuge idea sounds pretty interesting. I'll read up on that thread you sent Coach after work today. thumbs2: