Help for Sump Set Up & Algae issues

[Rockymalvia]

Hi Seniors

I need help with my Fish Only Tank set up. Been running it for 1 year plus but my tank is still a mess. My fishes grown from as tiny as a thumb and now they are as big as a palm. Feed them once a day.

But the issue I am so concern of is the Algae outbreak. There and then I always faced problem with brown hairs powerdery algaes on the display tank and on my LR. Did waterchange frequently once a week but the problem still happen.

Lately I realised my skimmer is not skimming well. There is no foam collected into the collection cup. But my display tank showing mess under the sand bend, on LR and the glass screen. My fishes are healthy and active.

I wonder if this is due to the wrong set up of my sump tank. My display tank is 3ft and my sump is 2 ft. My 1st compartment of the sump is designed for the filter medias. No space to slot my SK201 skimmer. So my skimmer is placed at the centre compartment. The last compartment is ofcourse for return pump. I am only running a skimmer in my sump currently. Everytime my 1st compartment collected lots of mess which remain stagnant in the water and also in between coral chips + media rings.

I plan to slowly start Reefs setup but with current problem I am very worried it will crash. Read in some of the threads that the brown hair algaes frequently outbreak could be mainly caused by dying LiveRock and bad quality sand. Is this true? When I was cleaning up my tank, rocks and sand in my main tank, I do discover lots of worms especially those red worms coming out from my LR. It was so many that I got so worried.

Need advise please. Do I really need to restart my setup? throw my LR and sand and get a new good ones into the tank? Can I still use my sump setup and what I can I do to make sure the 1st compartment water to be fully skimmed by my skimmer which is in my 2nd compartment? I am getting tired of all the mess but at the same time I dont want to give up this hobby..

[[V]tEc]

what kind of lighting u using? using di or tap water? my sk2 is sitting in the 2nd compartment too, my skim mate is dark green colour. do u have any filter for your 1st compartment?

every tank uses different set up, that y most of us go for custom made tank. i will suggest u to list down at least your tank perimeters. pic of your sump tank will be helpful to see what went wrong

[Rockymalvia]

Hi

Here's my sump. 1st compartment is a mess.. pic taken 2months back. My display tank as mentioned developed lots of hair brown algae on rocks and glass screen.

[Admiraltian]

Hi

Here's my sump. 1st compartment is a mess.. pic taken 2months back. My display tank as mentioned developed lots of hair brown algae on rocks and glass screen.

Do u use Ro/Di water for your water topup and synthetic salt mixing? Running some phosphate remover in FR and chaeto in refugium might help to export some nutrients away.

[[V]tEc]

Hi

Here's my sump. 1st compartment is a mess.. pic taken 2months back. My display tank as mentioned developed lots of hair brown algae on rocks and glass screen.

filter floss can just use 1 or 2 layer, dirty just change new one.

get rid of the coral chip or media ring. they trapped dirt.

are u running on some kind of med? your water seem very yellow.

run rowa or biopellet will help to reduce your po4. water change with di water only. dont use tapwater as it will worsen the algea prob.

get some clean up crew like turbo snails to eat the algea on the rocks

clean your skimmer cup more often.

[Rockymalvia]

I changed water with saltmixed and top up with RODI. actually it got better after i bought ans changed to new RODI. But my display tank still show signs of brown algaes.. Could it be my sump set up? I have no space for refugium unless my 1st compartment is used as one and the skimmer remains in 2nd compartment. Is this arrangement still ok?

[[V]tEc]

sump arrangement seems fine. u might want to do a test on your no3 and po4. if reading are high, that may be the cause for brown algaes

[yangster]

suggest turning off the lights for a week first since its a fish only tank. meanwhile when the light is off, do 30-50% water change with RO/DI water.

turning off the lights helped for me..... replace your media rings(they look very dirty). I am using seachem Denitrator that i place in a box with many holes drilled on the sides placed in the final compartment. can consider squeezing a place for cheato to help keep nitrate removal

[Zubir khan]

On 20/12/2012 at 4:50 PM, [V]tEc said:

filter floss can just use 1 or 2 layer, dirty just change new one.

get rid of the coral chip or media ring. they trapped dirt.

are u running on some kind of med? your water seem very yellow.

run rowa or biopellet will help to reduce your po4. water change with di water only. dont use tapwater as it will worsen the algea prob.

get some clean up crew like turbo snails to eat the algea on the rocks

clean your skimmer cup more often.

 

[Zubir khan]

Hi! Ur sump layout is axactly same as mine . 1st compartment consist 3 layer. First filter floss 2nd medial ball then third corals chip. Then 2nd compartment my skimmer and chiller in out. Third compartmant is return pump. Ive been thinking to use a chaeto too. Can i know how u solve ur problem? Thanks 

Edited March 30, 2018 by Zubir khan
Mistype

[Zubir khan]

Can i remove the first compartment 3rd layer coral chips remove and change to chaeto? 

[soggycookies]

Can i remove the first compartment 3rd layer coral chips remove and change to chaeto? 

It’s hard for light to reach the 3rd layer and you’re better off getting a remote tank or a chaeto reactor for your chaeto bro. The stuff needs light to grow and thrive


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