 State of the Tank: (cont.) |
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For instance, the tangs, especially Attilla, the Sohal, make quick work of any 'hair' algae that pops up. As this type of algae tends to only form on the returns or the Tunzes, simply turning off the power as we do during maintenance, is all that's needed for them to get at it. The control of the valonia (bubble) algae seems to be handled quite well by the Emerald Crabs I added last month or so. Emeralds seem to be particularly good at this when they're small, apparently preferring to scavenge when they grow up. And finally, I think all of the stepped up husbandry, such as more water changes, consistently blowing out debris from behind the rockwork, and even rinsing the food in RO/DI water before feeding, is really helping to keep most other kinds at bay.
Speaking of RO/DI, if you have one of these units (and if you're maintaining an 'SPS' dominant tank, I hope like heck you do), please stay on top of its effectiveness with regards to the cartridges. Once they 'fill up', they'll begin kicking the TDS's (Total Dissolved Solids) they've absorbed back into your new water and you'd be shocked at how little can turn this water into algae fertilizer. That was pretty much what happened to me, although in my case, I actually KNEW my cartridge had become full! Since my mixing tank wasn't quite at capacity when the cartridge expired (it's the color changing type)
I thought I'd just let it go...y'know, figuring if the last few gallons had a little 'not totally pure' liquid mixed in, |
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what's the big deal? Well, over time, the big deal was phosphates, algae, and possibly, the subsequent loss of some of my favorite corals. Now I don't even wait until my cartridges are completely full. I change them out at about 85%. Many experienced reef keepers actually have TWO DI cartridges placed next to each other and swap cartridges when the first one is nearing (but not at) capacity. But, no matter how you do it, monitor what gets into your water carefully. Trust me, this is absolutely no place to scrimp. Not even a little bit.
Next to removing impurities from the water, if I had to choose what I thought was most responsible for the decline in my algae, I'd have to say the Tunzes, or more accurately, the increase in flow brought about by the Tunzes. I'm telling you, the difference these things have made is nothing short of amazing. Almost NOTHING has a chance to sink and consequently rot on the bottom of my tank anymore as they really do keep everything in suspension until it's either eaten or swept away by the overflows. That means far less chance for nutrient (phosphate) build-up and THAT, my friends, is a major key in keeping a healthy 'SPS' dominant tank. There is almost no such thing as too much water flow.
Before I move on, I would like to thank everyone who wrote in to ask about the Tunzes and whatever else was on your mind. |
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