Need advice

[j0hnnyb0y13ave]

Had my tank for 6-7 years now past year haven?t took care of it started getting bad aptasia breakout and red slime over sand corals dying.. if it takes breaking tank down I don?t think I?ll be doing again as life is just way to busy right now.. so question is is the tank to far gone from being fixed? Thanks for any advise

 

[theMeat]

Where?s nitrates and phosphates?

 

[j0hnnyb0y13ave]

Wish I could tell ya. Do test kit expire? I could find it and take measures now

 

[j0hnnyb0y13ave]

Ok so nitrate is reading 0 ppm nitrite 0 ppm phosphate 0.0ppm I?m thinking the test kits go bad after while so I?ll go get new test kit tomorrow and update

 

[j0hnnyb0y13ave]

I was think of going to buy a ton of peppermint shrimp.and an aptasia rafting file fish.. lol be hard to find by me but I?ll drive we?re ever to get them if they?d help

 

[Timbo]

If you have let it go this far the real question is do you see yourself putting the effort in to get it back on track and then maintaining after? It is hard enough keeeping a healthy tank healthy???

 

[j0hnnyb0y13ave]

I actually love the hobby n don?t wnt to get rid of it all together but it?s a very hard hobby and I have zero time to maintain it.. the amount of money spent on corals n equipment is unreal n if I sell I know I won?t get 1/4 of what I put into it smh hard choice.. I have two huge frog spawn / huge leather / nice size hammer coral that?s almost dead / zoos ton of diff ones / gsp that started taking over the tank / few diff color mushrooms / and some other things that I have no idea the names of.. I?m sure it could all come back to life since it?s not totally dead.. I was thinking of giving whatever is salvageable away to someone that?d get it back to life and when I re do tank break of but of whatever they take to put into new tank..

 

[j0hnnyb0y13ave]

Would buying a clean up crew be an option.. I saw that kp aquatics has crazy deals on peppermint shrimp ( the l. Wurdemanni ) 5 for $18 x 2 - 5 emerald crabs 5 for $20 - 20 nas snails 20 for $10 - 100 dwarf cerith snails 100 for $15.. total $120 with shipping and they guarantee.. thing I don?t want to do is buy them n put them into a tank that?s going to kill them so another question is how hardy r these guys.. still going to go out n buy the new test kit..

 

[reefiness]

Clean up crew may help with some of your issues. Seems your parameters are fine so they shouldnt die assuming those test results are somewhere near accurate. Personally ive never been able to keep an emerald crabs for any measureable amount of time so i dont think theyre worth their price.

Also what fish do you have in that tank? Berghia nudibranchs may be a better option for you if your fish wont eat them.

And then to address the cyano, ive had mixed success witg red slime remover combined with siphoning what ever you can out

 

[j0hnnyb0y13ave]

Calcium level between 340-350 alkalinity is low like 5.6 magnesium is at1000 so this might be why coral dying off

 

[Timbo]

Taking out the aptasia with peppermint shrimp and attacking the red slime with manual removal and water changes is worth a shot if you want to salvage. Not sure if bacteria like vibrant is useful for redslime but would look into it as an option...

 

[Donewiththisplace]

Hit it with red slime remover and do a few substantial water changes.

Unfortunately though...maintenance is the key to success...so if ur not gonna keep up on the at least a monthly water change, all the effort trying to get it back may be a waste of time.

I know probably not what u want to hear.

There's always contracting a service to come in and do maintenance for u.

 

[reefiness]

Taking out the aptasia with peppermint shrimp and attacking the red slime with manual removal and water changes is worth a shot if you want to salvage. Not sure if bacteria like vibrant is useful for redslime but would look into it as an option...

Vibrant definitely isnt good for red slime. I tried using it for bubble algae, but all it did was cause a cyano outbreak in my tank. I would advise against using that stuff, although i do know some people say they have gotten it to work great.

 

[Donewiththisplace]

I think the apthasia is gonna be a longer, slower battle than u anticipate.

If the outbreak is that full blown..I'd consider starting over.