Can You help me out with these questions??

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Hi

I have a few questions i would like some help with...

1) Why does my LR have green hair algae growing on only the front side, is it like moss on a tree and only grows on the north?? ;) Or is there something that is causing it to grow on this side, if i turned it around would it help get rid of it?

2) What are the small branch like stems coming off of my live rock? I guess u may need a pic for this one.

3a) Is it possible to keep Sea water in a large drum to use for topping up and water changes, so i dont have to go to the sea to get water often? If so what would i need in order to keep it healthy?

3b) Part 2 to this question would be is it better to use RO water than Sea water? I'm
using RO water at the moment, but have been thinking of moving to sea water.

Thanks for the help :)
 
The most urgent question that needs answering at the moment is definitely the one about topping up of water. Stop topping up with sea water immediately!!!! Go and get a SG meter from your LFS and check your salinity. It should be 1.025. Only fresh water is lost by evaporation, so you should only top up with RO(fresh) water, or the salt content will obviously increase to dangerous levels.
 
Hair algae just grows simple as, you need to control your water perameters to starve it out.
They could be small feather duster worms or similar, but a pic is needed for a positive ID
As Mudshark said, R/O for top ups and either R/O salt mix or Sea water for water changes, please be careful when collecting sea water, collect away from busy beaches, sewer outfalls or esturies, the incoming tide is the best time to collect.
Sea water is best for your tank, but you do need to be careful when and where you get it from.
 
Thanks for the info, i definately could have caused some high salinity levels if u hadnt told me about the fresh RO for top ups, lucky for me as of yet they are still in the 1.020-1.025 range. Die offs from the live rock? What would cause the RO/Sea salt mix to do this as apposed to sea water for interest? Being new i like to know these kind of things :)
 
Hi guys - I keep my NSW I collect at the 2 Oceans for at least 2 to 3 weeks before using it...... And I don't have any problems with it.... I keep it in the 25 litre drums that I collect it in.
 
Would u say keeping it in 5L water bottles would be ok for 2 weeks as well?

We have a large rock pool here in EL that other marine tank keepers use so i guess i will go there for water, must be safe if others use it :)
 
maybe thats the reason for your hair algae jacques?i mean die off would mean more phosphates and nutrients in your water.....

kunhart firstly bro you need to go get a hydrometer if you wanna keep marines lol really i'm not kidding it's CRAZY to attempt this hobby without one!!!

secondly the hair algae grows on the side of your rocks that catches the light,but dont try turning your rocks as you'll kill alot of other growth on them that you want...the algae control will come at a much much later stage for now just concentrate on the basics....

thirdly sea water tanks definitely look healthier so go that route,us reefers here in JHB wish we had a sea.....sigh......
 
Kunhardt I store my water aswell, Hundreds of liters at a time for weeks on end. I have had no problems. So u should be safe. As for the other things, if u need help PM me. Im in EL aswell and would be happy to help u if you need. Otherwise the info you get here should be enough to go on as nobody posts misleading facts.
 
Thanks guys...lol i got a hydrometer, dont know why ppl asumed i didnt?? :p

Ya i was thinking of Mermaids pool at nahoon...um how is gonubie for water? is it safe? I was thinking maybe black rock out there instead of mermaids. Otherwise where is kwelera river mouth? Excuse my ignorance :lol:
 
Oh...one more question.
I was thinking of getting a harlequin shrimp, my LFS told me they not to hard to keep just have to feed 'em star fish. Is this accurate? The fact that they not to hard to keep i mean.
 
Oh...one more question.
I was thinking of getting a harlequin shrimp, my LFS told me they not to hard to keep just have to feed 'em star fish. Is this accurate? The fact that they not to hard to keep i mean.
They not hard to keep, but where are you going to get a constant supply of starfish from, because that is ALL they eat, nothing else.
 
Was planning on getting them when ever i went to get sea water to do water changes, was told i could maybe do with 5 or 6 a week, if this is correct, then get more. Does this sound alright?
 
Gonubie is OK ish but still has phosphate. Kwelera is Yellowsands river mouth. Best is mixing your own salt water, which I can't afford. Be very cautious when given advice by an LFS. Always google facts on the creature you are about to purchase. Stick to hardier fish to start with. As you and the tank mature, you can try more difficult creatures. You will know when that time comes. As an example, a heavy shift in salinity would have killed a harlequin shrimp. Being able to feed it is not all that is required.
 
They not hard to keep, but where are you going to get a constant supply of starfish from, because that is ALL they eat, nothing else.

They eat the small 5 sided starfish which are abundant around here. Mine holds it like a hamburger and munches away. You get some raggedy ass looking starfish in your tank though.
 
They eat the small 5 sided starfish which are abundant around here. Mine holds it like a hamburger and munches away. You get some raggedy ass looking starfish in your tank though.
You talking about the cushion stars, those are perfect.

If you are sure you can keep them fed then by all means get them, they are wonderful little creatures, fantastic to watch. Just take your time to acclimatise them as shrimps are very sensitive to changes in salinity,
 
Thanks guys...lol i got a hydrometer, dont know why ppl asumed i didnt?? :p

Ya i was thinking of Mermaids pool at nahoon...um how is gonubie for water? is it safe? I was thinking maybe black rock out there instead of mermaids. Otherwise where is kwelera river mouth? Excuse my ignorance :lol:

what type of hydrometer? if it is a swing arm i would suggest you bin it and get a refractometer, they are much more acurate.
 
maybe thats the reason for your hair algae jacques?i mean die off would mean more phosphates and nutrients in your water.....

kunhart firstly bro you need to go get a hydrometer if you wanna keep marines lol really i'm not kidding it's CRAZY to attempt this hobby without one!!!

secondly the hair algae grows on the side of your rocks that catches the light,but dont try turning your rocks as you'll kill alot of other growth on them that you want...the algae control will come at a much much later stage for now just concentrate on the basics....

thirdly sea water tanks definitely look healthier so go that route,us reefers here in JHB wish we had a sea.....sigh......

Hi Falcon - no - My reason for the nuisance algae at this moment, is that I am overfeeding with reason.....
Once my soft-corals have achieved the sizes I want them to be, I will cut-down on my feeding again.....


Kunhardt - another reason for the green hair algae (nuisance algae - GHA) is that your live rock is leaching phosphates/nitrates only there where the GHA is growing.... Use a power-head or turkey baster and blast your life rock underwater with some strong water flow - you will be surprised at the amount of crap (looks like white dust) that comes out of your live rock.
 
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