could the temperature be causing this?

[nick danger]

Im witnessing a slow decline in my 29g.

In the last two weeks I have lost two cleaner shrimp which had been in the tank over a year, and the bubble coral and star polyps look terrible. The cynarina and lobophylia, while not bad, have seen better days. The sand and LR are slowly getting a strange dusting of detritus and there is a sort of stringy brown algae growing.

This is North Carolina, not the coolest of states in summer, and the tank temperature peaks at 85-86.

Is it the temperature? I would expect temperature-related die-off to show something in ammonia, nitrites, or nitrates, but these all read zero.

In addition, I have a 75g with MHs which tops out maybe a bit higher because of the heat of the lights, and everything (including a cynarina and a cleaner shrimp) is doing very well.

I plan on a water change tonight, but could it be something else? The tank has a plenum and is about 3 or so years old.

All speculation wlecome and apreciated!

ND

 

[Anonymous]

The animals you listed can handle temps much higher than 85. What they can't handle are large temperature swings. What is the low end on the 29?

 

[SPC]

With these higher temperatures you may not have enough oxygen in the water.
Steve

 

[nick danger]

I wouldnt think oxygen is an issue what with a skimmer and a powerhead pointing up. But maybe the higher temperature is somehow causing the oxygen to leave solution. Should I stick another PH in there?

Ill check to see what the low point is, but its pretty damn hot here even at night.

I swear, the south in summer is hell!

 

[Joey1]

I must agree...I live in south carolina and my new setup is hard to keep from swinging,(temp wise)even with the ac on all day,and only pc lighting....

 

[nick danger]

The temperature only goes down to 82 or so minimum. This means 3 or so degrees change -- not a significant drop I would think to cause the damage the tank had suffered the last couple of weeks.

I did a water change today and added Reef Builder to raise my alkalinity.

My big tank has a larger temperature swing and seems to have absolutely no ill effects, including, as I said, a cynarina and a cleaner shrimp, which I have/had in the smaller tank as well. BUT the big tank has a high alkalinity. So maybe thats the problem.

It could well be the algae (dinoflagellates?) in the small tank (which the big tank doesnt have), it could be some other organism, it could be the tank's age (it is older than the big tank). I am trying to see what possible differences there are between the two tanks to determine the problem.

I hope I can figure it out before I lose anything more...

 

[nick danger]

By the way I was unable to find anything good about dinoflagellates. Can anyone tell be about it and specifically why it is detrimental (or more detrimental than, say, hair algae).

 

[Emmitt]

Smokinreefer: You might want to rethink taking your heater out. I know you're further south than me, but the temp. here in Boston went from 90's to 58 last night (outside). Not impossible for it to happen down there either.

 

[jmeader]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by nick danger:
<STRONG>By the way I was unable to find anything good about dinoflagellates. Can anyone tell be about it and specifically why it is detrimental (or more detrimental than, say, hair algae).</STRONG><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I can't help you there. I read a bit about it here and there but have never had to deal with it.

 

[Mike02]

Nick Danger, i read on the web somewhere that the brown stringy stuff that looks like algae really isnt. It's caused by a bacteria bloom. If youre interested i can post the link up on this website when i get home tonite to that article i read. if it is a bacteria bloom, one has to wonder what caused it all of a sudden. high temp? lack of water flow? i remember the article did say something about dosing with Vitamin C, and also getting the stuff out of the tank.

 

[smokin reefer]

Hell, I recently took my heater out for the summer. I placed a clip on fan under the stand, pointed it at a 45 degree angle toward the water. I also have two 3in. rat shack fans blowing in on the MH. All this, and the temp. is stable at 80 to 82 degree. I have a 75g with a 30g sump. Two 175w MH, and 2 96w PC's. Hell the temp. is cooler (80 degree's) during the running of the MH and PC's, because the fans are running at that time. At night the temp rises, it is at 82 degree's in the morning.

By doing this you may be able to cut down on the temp. swings. I have to agree that the temp. swings are hard on the livestock. Just my .02 cents.

 

[jmeader]

The warmer that water gets, the less oxygen it can hold. However, from your description of the algae you might want to do a search on dinoflaggilates (not sure about spelling).

 

[nick danger]

Mike,

high temp: maybe

water flow: doubt it

change of any sort other than temperature: none that I can think of

If it is the temperature, why hasnt the other tank been affected?

 

[nick danger]

Emmett,

Gol durn, bwah, you aint from round here, are yuh?

 

[Mike02]

Nick, i think it said something about unclean conditions but your nitrates are 0. I'll post up the link to that article tonite

 

[john f]

Sounds like poor water quality to me.
My guess is high DOC. What type of skimmer do you use?
I would:
1. Do a series of 30% water changes weekly.
2. Either clean the skimmer or get a better one.

Dino. blooms and cyano as well IME are fueled more by DOC that by nitrate and phosphate. And DOC is almost impossible to test for.


John

 

[nick danger]

Its a 29g with a CPR Bakpak skimmer. I use RO water and feed the tank about once every two weeks. While DOCs cant be tested for, would it not show up in some way in the nitrogen cycle?

 

[john f]

No.
DOC can be present in high amounts and you still test zero for nitrate and nitrite.
For that matter one can have a large pool of phosphate and the tank water test zero for phosphate. I learned this one the hard way.
Bottom line........your creatures are telling you the water quality is poor. Don't rely on some test when you have real live critters showing you their displeasure.

I don't know if your skimmer is removing enough DOCs but suspect it is not. I have not had much experience with CPR skimmers so I can't begin to guess if yours is sufficient for your bioload.


John

 

[Mike02]

Here ya go Nick. this is the article i was refering to earlier. http://www.aquarium.net/996/996_4.sh

 

[Mike02]

That link didnt work, try this: http://www.aquarium.net/996/996_4.shtml