So I'm getting attacked with probs *pics update 11/13/07

[asonitez]

Well my tank is going through some changes that I have no idea what they are. Some of them is causing my skin to crawl just looking at them. I'd appreciate some help if possible.

Heres the current status of the problems.

and my Test Readings

Tank has been running for 3 weeks but I've changed filtering setup from canister to sump w/ Live rock In sump.

54 Gallon Corner
380Watt 1 X HQI MH - 2 X 65 Watt Acitinic PC
Lighting Schedule 4-5pm Acitinics 6pm - 4 am MH + Acitinics 4am - 5am Blue Acitinics 5am - 4pm darkness w/ moonlights
Live Rock 60lbs In Tank
15 Lbs in Sump

3X Maxi Jet 900's 1 Point directly behind rock Blowing the back foward 2 in either corner of the tank directed toward live rock

2 Returns from Sump angled up to create water disturbance.
Phosphate 0.0 - o.5 it was very blue with only a hint of phosphate (Phosbuster Time? )
Calcium 380
PH 8.4
Nitrite 0

I'm a little at a loss to desribe whats happening. I lost 1 fish.. my Algae Blenny Bob. /cry.

What kind of Coral is this??

I also have Hair algae on the left hand side of the tank near the rock bottom.

 

[mr_X]

3 weeks is not a long time. the algae pictured is perfectly normal, and expected. it will subside eventually. there is not 1 person on this forum that didn't get some kind of "ugly tank" stage in the beginning. my tank is a month old, and i used practically everything from my old tank. my rock was transported completely submerged so that the die off would be non-existent, and i still have issues.
you mean the zooanthids when you asked "what coral is this?" right?
below is a picture of a frag i have for sale...pay close attention to the sand bed..kinda looks like yours alittle...don't it...

 

[Brian5000]

It's a zooanthid coral: soft coral, easy to care for.

A three week old tank is very new and the brown slime is actually kinda normal (Diatoms, I think). You can expect to see blooms of this and other strange critters as the tank grows into itself. If you have good filtration and treat blooms as they arrive, you can minimize the extent to which they take over the tank during their temporary stay.

Algea blennies need lots of algea to feed on, and don't typically do well in new tanks. You may want to wait a few months before attempting to buy Bob Jr.

On your setup:
You seem to have plenty of live rock (even without the sump) and flow.

What's in your sump besides live rock? Do you have a protein skimmer? Refugium?

Yes, you can try a little phosbuster. Do you do water changes at all?
_________________
Honda Ruckus

 

[Anonymous]

Is your tank really on 3 weeks old?

 

[asonitez]

Yeah Its about 3 weeks 21-25 days old Should I scoop the brown stuff off the sand? Or perhaps should I do a water change and release all the bubbles? I was thinking of adding a mollie to the tank to get to work on the algae and cyano i was told that it might be that.

btw..


Thanks Mr.X and everyone else thats helping me. I probably piss you all off with my questions and problems but I do a fair amount of research before I ask my questions and try to give all the information at my disposal to make it easier for advice. So thanks for not burning me at the stake.

Should I get a PHOSBAN Reactor? I see them at marinedepot for 37 bux

 

[Anonymous]

I would do anything or add anything to the tank for another month or two or three. Your tank is very new, and needs time to stabilize. Mucking with it at this stage, IME, only costs money and gets your frustrated.

I also don't see a reading for Ammonia or Nitrate.

 

[Brian5000]

Questions and problems are why this forum exists. Trust me, everyone here has been in your shoes at least once. Don't feel shy about asking.

You can sweep off the sand bed. If you suck a lot of sand, you can wash it out and put the sand back. If it's live sand, the part you wash will be repopulated quickly as long as you don't suck up the whole bed.

Regular water changes should do the job for controling phosphates. Other than that, I agree with Thales. Give your tank some time to stabalize before you make any drastic purchase decisions.
_________________
Mexican Forum

 

[asonitez]

well i do my waterchanges every sunday to both my saltwater and my freshwater tank. I also do my tests and such at that point. I guess It won't be until way after Xmas that im able to buy a fish.

 

[cklayko2000]

good circulation and water changes will help....

 

[cklayko2000]

good circulation and water changes will help....

 

[asonitez]

I have A TUNZE skimmer in the tank going full force though skimming a bit wet at the moment. I still need to tweak it. I didn't have a test at hand for ammonia and nitrate..


will my freshwater ammonia and nitrate tests work ??

 

[Anonymous]

No, you need tests calibrated for saltwater. There are some test kits out there that say they do both but I've had bad results in the past with that type. Testing the water will help you to determine exactly when it is safe to add more livestock. The bacteria that break down the ammonia, etc. take time to colonize and if you add bioload too quickly you can set yourself up for major problems.

I'm with Thales on this one, your tank has not cycled and these outbreaks are quite normal. Running the skimmer will help, but as long as you are patient and don't add anything else to the tank and do WCs this should settle itself out.

 

[Anonymous]

No, you need tests calibrated for saltwater. There are some test kits out there that say they do both but I've had bad results in the past with that type. Testing the water will help you to determine exactly when it is safe to add more livestock. The bacteria that break down the ammonia, etc. take time to colonize and if you add bioload too quickly you can set yourself up for major problems.

I'm with Thales on this one, your tank has not cycled and these outbreaks are quite normal. Running the skimmer will help, but as long as you are patient and don't add anything else to the tank and do WCs this should settle itself out.

+1

 

[Anonymous]

I would do anything or add anything to the tank for another month or two or three. Your tank is very new, and needs time to stabilize. Mucking with it at this stage, IME, only costs money and gets your frustrated.

I also don't see a reading for Ammonia or Nitrate.

I noticed the same thing. I think you meant to say that you would NOT do anything or add anything to the tank.

Listen to Thales and stop messing with the tank.

 

[Anonymous]

Yep...not!

 

[SnowManSnow]

NOT!

 

[asonitez]

Well update I got pissed off at the stupid brown algae and diatoms growing in my tank. The Snails had started in on them but the nasty looking bubbles started to get on my nerves and crawl my skin. I went to town on them with a razor blade and my siphon. Sunday I performed a 12.5 Gallon Water Change, Cleaned my powerheads brushed and siphoned off all of the hair algae I could and scraped the brown crap off of the tank. It looks good and clean now. The sand I see has some brown on it but my snails are going to town on that. I think I should get some more hermit crabs because I only have about 10 if that many small ones. I have found at least 3 of them dead. I think I'm gonna pick up 2 more emerald crabs as well. I'm gonna grab some nassarius snails for the sand as well. I figure in the ball park of 4 or 5 i have 2 currently.


Current Readings are

Phosphate 0
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate .1 if anything at all. Barely anything water change prolly took it all away.
Alk - 8 Great according to my LFS
Calcium - 400 thanks to purple up
Salinity 1.024
PH 8.3

Lighting 380 Watt's total
250 Watt MH + 2 True Blue Acitinics


Tank Inhabitants

4 Green Chromis
1 Perc/OC clownfish
1 Sand sifter Goby
1 Serpent Sea star
1 Emerald Crab

some hermits and snails.

Can I add more fishies now !

 

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't add anything at all for a while, even snails and crabs. The tank is young, and young tanks are unstable. I think you have it stocked too early, and suspect that you are going to see fluctuations in levels of toxic stuff.

 

[mr_X]

nassarius snails are good for eating uneaten food on the sand bed. they are not going to clean the algae off of the sand.

 

[asonitez]

What about corals? Can I add any corals? Like Zoo's? MY goal is to have the entire front of my sand covered over by multicolored ZOo's or Star Polyps. What is the fastest growing most bacterial like Zoo or Polyps? I want them all over the sand bed. I think that would look cool.