Tank reaction after NSW water change

Sammy

Sammy

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Hi guys,

after every water change using NSW i see a mini cycle occur, in my minute knowlegde in marine aquatics i feel this might be quite normal ??? i see the brown algea on glass and diatoms on substrate re-occur??? and this is with only a 10% water change???

How can i not cause this (might be an illogical question ????)
 
Could be true if your tank hasn't cycled yet.

If it has cycled then the algae blooms are caused by a certain chemical compound in the NSW. Possibly PO4.

Where are you getting your NSW ?
 
I never had that problem.Whats the phosphate readings of the water you collected?
 
I always cover up my NSW in a dark room for about a week to kill of any plankton ect, had once where i did a water change in my nano and got a mayor bloom, good for corals, looks ugly though.
 
I would reccommend you take a look at the way you collect and store your nsw, as above cover and store, but what about where you are getting the water from and at what point in the tidal cycle?
NSW is a thousand times better than synthetic, but it does have drawbacks if you don't collect and store with great care.
 
Yea all those things play a role, but ive been storing my water like this (And the rest of my reefing clan) for quite a while with no drawbacks or problems, or any new algae blooms.
 
It all comes down to what has already been pointed out... The problem is obviously the water you are adding... Where are you collecting? (If he says two oceans I will bite my lip and not say I told you so..) The diatoms usually appear with an influx of nutrients. A slight & sudden increase in nutrients, especially carbon and silicate, will result in an almost instant diatom bloom. They will die back once the suddenly excessive nutrients are depleted. However, over the long term, you are looking at excessive build up of nutrients not favoured by diatoms. Think NO3, PO4, cyano and bryopsis...
 
Hhhhmm - this is really strange - OK - I know that 2 Oceans' water seems to have high'ish phosphates at some stages/some times. BUT - I use ONLY 2 Oceans water without these problems (anymore).

I used to have MAJOR MAJOR nuisance algae issues. BUT nothing of this anymore.

Could the amount of water difference between my tank, and Sammy's tank be the difference on why I would not experience these problems?

Also perhaps the fact that I only do water changes once a month (13 - 16%)?

Why would I NOT experience these issues?

Could it be that I am running 2 x ReefTek TS2 skimmers in my sump?
Or could it perhaps be that I use chaetomorpha as a POC filter (with my down-pipe going INTO the chaeto before the water goes to the sump)?

What would the difference be? I don't have problems with cyano, diatoms, or nuisance algae (anymore).....

Since I "cooked" my live rock, my nuisance algae problems have "dissappeared"..... AND I have not changed my water source, neither my water changing regime?
 
is it better to keep the NSW in a container for 21 days or to add it directly to the tank like mek does?i once heard that it is better to keep the water one side and then just add a powerhead, heater etc to it when you're ready to do a water change.
 
Andreas - I keep my water for at least 2 to 3 weeks before I use it..... Alan once also suggested that this is better.
I am not sure whether this way or adding the water competely fresh would be the better way.

I just know that once I am ready to use my water, all of the possible pathogens has most likely died off, that could possibly cause problems in my tank.
 
i've got a 250 liter container and i'm planning on getting about 10 25lcontainer as well.

i'll fill the 250l container and 25 liter containers the same time and then use water from the 250 l container.i'll then fill the 250 when it's empty, with the 25l containers and then use the empty 25l and collect water from the sea. that way i know that all the water is at least be 20-30 days old.

is it better to run a UV light and powerhead on the water in the 250l container?don't trust still standing water
 
Hi Guys, remember also that my tank is only 7 weeks old so far les matured than yours Jacques, this could be a major factor ? I dont really have any algea problems only the diatoms appear after a water change ???
 
I do use my water with in an hour of collection, i kinda like the new life entering the system. My suggestion is if you are going to store NSW then store for at least 3 weeks because all the die off that happens causes the container of water to cycle. You will notice the water goes merky after a few days and will then clear again, when it clears the cycle is usually complete. Never add the fall out that collects at the bottom of the container if you have stored your water.
 
Hi guys i used to use sea water as well and had heavy nutrients then changed to mixing my own and problems gone,like irie said rather mix much better
 
Sammy said:
Hi Guys, remember also that my tank is only 7 weeks old so far les matured than yours Jacques, this could be a major factor ? I dont really have any algea problems only the diatoms appear after a water change ???
Click to expand...

Hi Sammy - I think the two differences between your system and mine, is:
1) water volume (I have +-870 litres of total water volume)
2) the maturity of the tank (as you said - your tank is still cycling).....

BUT - I don't think that the diatoms appearing is specifically ONLY to do with the changing of water with 2 Oceans NSW. As you said yourself - your tank is STILL in the cycling process.
YES - the 2 Oceans NSW possibly have some "unwanted nutrients" in.....
 
Sammy said:
Hi guys,

after every water change using NSW i see a mini cycle occur, in my minute knowlegde in marine aquatics i feel this might be quite normal ??? i see the brown algea on glass and diatoms on substrate re-occur??? and this is with only a 10% water change???

How can i not cause this (might be an illogical question ????)
Click to expand...
Hello Sammy

There is nothing wrong in using NSW the execution is incorrect , if you don,t use the seawater immediately then store as you do for a minimum of 4 weeks so that it goes throug what it has to and then only use it. Try this and you willfind many benifits without the problems you have been having.

George
 
I never said salt mix is better.... There is nothing better than the real thing.... but the real thing (clean, unpolluted) is not avail at two oceans...
 
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