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Aggressive Predators United

Aggressive Predators United Fish Forum - The Fastest Growing and Most Viewed Freshwater Online Community Dedicated to Rare, Exotic and Predatory Fish.

Ok APU,Time too send in your pics for the next POTM contest... Please email me at metal.maniac@live.com or please PM myself ...Depending on how many pics we get and the variety of species we will have several categories...Only 1 pic per member per species so you can send in 1 fish 1 cat 1 lizard just not 2 fish 2 cat...you get the idea!!...So send em in and lets make this a BIG ONE!!!... Cheers!!!...Metal Maniac and the APU Staff
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    Algae. Combat

    pboost
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    Algae. Combat Empty Algae. Combat

    Post by pboost Fri 10 Jul 2009, 14:35

    Well fella's I am like 2 years in to having my salt setup and last weekend I picked up some small pants to plant in the corner of the tank. I seen some weird brown hair algae forming on the rock just above where i planted the plants never had anything like this before and have only added the plants so im thinking it was on them or something?

    Anyways i blew it off with the power head and sucked it up with the grav vac. Well now 3 days later it is covering that one rock almost completely. I suck it up and it comes back. Yesterday I unplugged the timers for the lights going to let the tank go no light for 2 days I know in the wild im sure it has storms that cloud the sky for a day or two so im thinking this can't hurt anything besides the algae? right?
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    Algae. Combat Empty Re: Algae. Combat

    Post by burgh Fri 10 Jul 2009, 21:25

    A Pboost, if you get a chance post a pic of it.Do you have a clean up crew they usually will take care of it? Also, when you get a chance check your nitrates and phosphates. If you don't see any the hair algae might be feeding of them if they are very low. Have you made any major changes and keeping up or your water changes?
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    Algae. Combat Empty Tank

    Post by pboost Fri 10 Jul 2009, 22:38

    I do my water changes once a week and I always feed every other day to corals, and once daily on my fish.
    I have had the same clean up crew for ever lots of hermits,2 urchins,1 sally lightfoot, and a seacucmber which some say are hard to keep but mine has been fine for about a year now.I did have 2 lettuce nudi's but i think the sump picked those guys up and tossed em threw the shredder. There are also some slugs in there a blue one well a few of those. Also black one and some white looking ones. Not sure if they are good or not but they have been in there for very long time.

    No red algae or slim just this hair algae stuff.
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    Algae. Combat Empty Re: Algae. Combat

    Post by burgh Fri 10 Jul 2009, 23:02

    Tuxedo Urchins eat it and Mexican turbo snails. You probably have a RO system or store bought water.
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    Algae. Combat Empty Re: Algae. Combat

    Post by pboost Sat 11 Jul 2009, 01:35

    Thats it i need some mexican turbo snails. I think i had only 10 way back when i had a small nano i don't recall seeing any in my tank right now so going to hit up the pet store this weekend. Also i do not use RO water nore store water. Don't shout when you read this but Great lakes i been using the water for shit 3 years for my marine and forever for freshwater. I just fill up a rubbermaid toat 20 gallons worth and let it sit for a day or two before add salt i do my water change with a powerhead in it and mix it up. Add my couple chems i use and thats it.
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    Algae. Combat Empty Re: Algae. Combat

    Post by burgh Sat 11 Jul 2009, 04:20

    Pboost, let me know how it works out and if they take care of the hair algae.
    Also, if your tank is stable and your not having algae blooms and all from tap water roll with it. I only used RO water in my reef tank and tap water in my FOWLR and freshwater setups.
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    Algae. Combat Empty Will Do

    Post by pboost Sat 11 Jul 2009, 12:25

    Im about to head out to the store and get some snails also going to plug in my lights today. Ill give you an update over the next couple days.
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    Algae. Combat Empty Snails

    Post by pboost Sat 11 Jul 2009, 18:47

    Picked up 6 nice big turbo snails. So will see how this works out keep ya posted.
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    Algae. Combat Empty Re: Algae. Combat

    Post by burgh Sun 12 Jul 2009, 06:18

    Sounds good man, hope they do the job.
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    Algae. Combat Empty Re: Algae. Combat

    Post by cichlidlover27 Mon 13 Jul 2009, 04:10

    hey pboost have you considered a phosphate reactor? I have heard they work pretty nice although I am not to sure as I never messed with one before.
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    Post by pboost Mon 13 Jul 2009, 16:18

    Well i have thought of it but just havn't come across one that fits my budget. I would like to have one as i hear great things about them.
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    Algae. Combat Empty Re: Algae. Combat

    Post by pboost Thu 23 Jul 2009, 19:23

    Well just a tiny update. I believe my root problem is old bulbs replaced two and i have 5 more to replace over the next couple weeks. Its crazy how much brighter the tank is with only the 2 new bulbs. So i guess time will get me back to normal and get rid of the algae.

    I usually run my lights for 7-8hrs a day. Should when is an good time to start changing the bulbs. T5's are what i have. DO acitnic bulbs have longer or shorter life over the 10k bulbs?
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    Algae. Combat Empty Re: Algae. Combat

    Post by burgh Thu 23 Jul 2009, 22:23

    Sounds good man.
    (If) I rememeber correctly they all have the same burn life artound 18 months. But if you don't run your actinic as long as your 10k's than they might last a little long. (If used as part of you morning and night cycle.)

    Also, you said you have T5's - Only or do you have Mh's running with them?
    Reason I ask is that the added heat from the MH'S will shorten the life of your T5's.
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    Algae. Combat Empty t5

    Post by pboost Fri 24 Jul 2009, 12:34

    Hey I don't have any Metal halide yet but hopefully soon ive been trying to save up for a nice fixture Decent ones around here are minimum 600-800 as this one is just 7 t5 ballast and a home depot fixture lol.

    I figure if i just replace the remaning bulbs it should get me by untill i have enough to get the new stuff. I am really counting on keeping some nice hard corals.
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    Algae. Combat Empty Re: Algae. Combat

    Post by burgh Sat 25 Jul 2009, 02:50

    A as long as it works. To be honest thou, if you like the look of you T5's I would stick with them rather than upgrading to MH's.

    You can grow just about anything with T5's as long as you have enough. Plus less heat compared to MH's, bulbs cost less, last alittle longer, and cost less to run. Overall can't beat them.
    (But)this is only true as long as you set them up correct. They need good indidivual reflectors.

    Heres some info that might be helpful down the road -- My replies to a guy that has two large tanks that he wanted to plant from a diff forum.


    My reply:
    Mh's produce the most heat out off any other lights used on aquariums, they also are not cheap to purchase nor run. Four foot deep tank you would probably need to look at 400watt or higher bulbs and ballast not including the reflector and so on. Than like already said fans to push cool air onto the lights and fans to pull hot air off.
    The lights probably would need to be atleast 8" off the water and you might need to get a chiller for the summertime. Mh's will raise the temp not only in the tank , but also in your room both in the summer and winter months.

    But as said above the dimensions of your tank would help out more to help you out.

    His response:
    I have two that I will be setting up lighting for - they are;
    8'x4'x4'tall

    8'x4'x3' tall

    Perhaps a stupid question, but in regards to cost of running (which is of main concern, as this will certainly outweight the one time cost of purchase) Would a 400W Metal Halide not cost the same as 8x50watt t-5 bulbs?

    I realize that the heat produced from the Halides cannot replace the actual heaters themselves, though could it be used to compliment them - ie: could this heat be used to compliment the actual heaters in the water? But I suppose if that were the case then I would have to invest in a chiller, which just seems stupid to myself when t5's are available and won't give off heat... No?

    Room temp moving up is fine, these are going in wall, and behind the walls, I have sort of isolated this area from the house with vapor barrier/insullation/heat exchanger. The heat exchanger will be of no use though during the summer months, and air conditioning has not been set up to pump cool air in this fish room - so obviously in summer months I don't want the tanks to exceed 83 degrees at most.

    Reply:
    Perhaps a stupid question, but in regards to cost of running (which is of main concern, as this will certainly outweight the one time cost of purchase) Would a 400W Metal Halide not cost the same as 8x50watt t-5 bulbs? "

    The MH's would cost you alot more. 8' long tank you would probably be looking at 3 to 4 400 watt Mh's which will give you 1200 to 1600 watts. If I calculated correct your tank is around 957 gallons?
    So at 1200watts I think 3 MH's would give you around 1.25 wpg and 1600watts for 1.67 wpg. But you would have to check with one of the planted tank guys to check my math.
    As for cost not sure for you, but where I live for the 1200 watts I would be looking at $43.80 a month and 1600watts $58.40 a month for 10hours a day 12 months a year. T-5's use less energy,give of way less heat and can be considered as an option if used with good reflectors. Plus 1200 or 1600 is going to put off alot of heat and cause your tanks to evap faster. Also T-5 bulbs are way cheaper.

    Well I don't think I wouldn't waste my time with: S.L's nor PC's. Maybe VHO's but would make them last choose.

    Shop Lights -- just not enough light.

    PC's -- better than shop lights but won't penitrate to the bottom of your tank for smaller plants.

    VHO's -- better than two above but you would need 3 sets of 4 110watt bulbs at 48" to give you 1.37wpg. You could use 6 to
    8 72" ones which would give you 1.00wpg to 1.34wpg, but you would have to move your complete light setup to do maintance.

    T-5's -- are a great all around light (ONLY if you get good reflectors) if not they will be equal to VHO's.

    MH's -- are the best lights and as close to the sun, but as listed above can have many cons.

    LED's are suppose to be better than MH's and use 40% less power, but they are still fairly new to the hobby and fixture are expensive.

    Also Icecap make some real good ballasts with DIY kits and are very easy to wire. As long as you aren't color blind since its all color coded.

    All the above info about the different lights can be applied to marine and planted tanks.
    If you ever need info just drop me a line on here or email and I'll give you a hand.
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    Algae. Combat Empty Re: Algae. Combat

    Post by pboost Mon 27 Jul 2009, 12:29

    So basically if im satisfied with the t-5's i should keep rocking them and as long as i keep up the bulb changes all should be well. I do like the colors of my corals and they seem to grow rather good too. What kind of light combo's should i be using right now i have 5 10k bulbs and two actinc (run as start up and shut down mostly)
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    Algae. Combat Empty Re: Algae. Combat

    Post by Packers Thu 30 Jul 2009, 01:38

    I would, if you like them. You could even grow clams under them. Also if you corals are growing good why change. If its not broke done fix it :)
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    Post by burgh Tue 04 Aug 2009, 22:17

    Yea pretty much. But, like above make sure you have good reflectors or you will be wasting alot of light. Good reflectors and bulbs and you will be set. :)
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    Post by burgh Fri 04 Sep 2009, 20:34

    A man hows your tank coming along?

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