the cause of my diatoms...

[BL1]

when you say slowly. can you explain this process. I dont want to mess anything up.

When you do your water changes, just take out 3 or 4 and eventually they'll all be out. Also, for the stuff building up in your sump you can use a gravel vac to suck it out during water changes. Oh, and you need to have a light over your macro algae so that it will grow, it's basically a plant.

 

[saltywaters]

here are my parameters.
ph level: 8.2ppm
nitrite 0-.10 ppm
amonia 0-.10ppm
nitrate level 0-3.0 ppm
phosphate .15ppm

powerhead is well i dont know
definately not lava rock. it is very poreous but when i received it was very white dry, said it had been cured not sure what else i can say.

 

[saltywaters]

the rocks are from either key largo or cape cod

 

[saltywaters]

do i take them (bio-balls) out and not put them back in?

 

[Dakwan]

your phosphates are a bit too high.. ideally you would like to see less than 0.05 ppm

everything else looks fine though. Getting a light on that macro in your sump will help out for sure.

the bioballs are not necessary if you have liverock (about 1.25 lbs per gallon ideally) and i would personally remove them...too big of a source for problems in my opinion

 

[Dakwan]

Also I would personally look at trading in your kole tang for one or two fish...something a bit more suited for your size of tank. Something like a nice blenny or goby. Alot of blennys will rasp algae of rocks and the tank wall too as a bonus.

 

[saltywaters]

wow, thanks I will continue to update as I start to resolve my issues.

 

[Bifferwine]

It sounds like your rock is okay. It doesn't sound like it's lava rock. I agree with the rest of them about the bioballs -- remove them gradually, about a handful per day.

What kind of lights do you have? What type, how many bulbs? I think we need to find out why your corals are dying.

 

[saltywaters]

So, marco rocks are the rocks I chose. EBAY!!! Now for my lights I am running two atinics 10 hours a day. thinking about reducing that by 3 hours and 2 day lights for 7 hours. they are all on timers all are odyssea bulbs days are 12000k. by the way the powerhead is 3000L/H. I will post me picks for you to see.

 

[Ulta]

odyssea bulbs

That is one prob, Odyssea bulbs are pretty much crap when they send them to you, I used mine for 6 months and I am very glad that I changed them out. Go with ATI, UV, or Giesemann bulbs.

Other than that mostly what others has posted will get you on track.

Try to get your ammonia/nitrite and Phosphates to 0. Of the 3 I would be most concerned with your phosphates.

 

[saltywaters]

Here are two pics of my aquarium

 

[saltywaters]

not finding any bulbs that will fit mine

 

[Bifferwine]

The tank looks great so far! Love the rockwork. Is it really that green? Or is that just the pictures?

 

[saltywaters]

its really that green side pic not really sure. the front view is more of an idea of what it looks like

 

[saltywaters]

I am having a problem finding the lights for my fixture due to the fact that my fixture is running 2 65w middays, and 2 65w actinics. both are compact bulbs. cant find the lights for this fixture.

 

[saltywaters]

is uv lighting company good. they are straight pin 65w lights. I really like the look of the actinics and not the middays. what can I do?

 

[Bifferwine]

Half your lights should be actinics, half should be daylights. Or you can buy bulbs that are 50/50.

Here are a bunch of bulbs to choose from.

ReefGeek > Lighting > Power Compact Fluorescent > Bulbs

 

[saltywaters]

I have one rock covered in red hair algae should I remove it. My emerald crab and tang keep it clipped, but not sure if this would be a cause of concern

 

[yote]

When you do your next water change,just scrub the algae off that rock using the old water and a NEW stiff birstled tooth brush.

 

[Ulta]

Your tank looks good!
My rocks were mostly green like yours for months 1-3 >_<!