Tank update - Uh Oh?

[Anonymous]

Here is a pic of the bottom

 

[Anonymous]

Huh, looks like maybe cyanobacteria, hopefully someone else will kick in with an opinion. When you do your water change, try and siphon as much out as you can and kick up circulation big time. What's your water testing at now?

 

[Anonymous]

Circulation is pretty maxed. its not like a typical cyano film though. Its more hairy like.

I dont know the parameters. I am affraid to test now.

 

[Anonymous]

Test anyway!

 

[Meloco14]

Looks like diatoms maybe. Is there any possible chance that silica somehow was introduced into your system? From new water or sand or something?

 

[Anonymous]

Alk - 9.3 DKH
CA - 365
PH - 8.2
Temp - 81
Sal - 1.025
Nitrate - 0
Phosphate - 0
Silicate - 0
Magnesioum - 1050

I did add 2 pieces of LR about 3-4 weeks ago. The other clown does not look to good right now either.

 

[Anonymous]

Can you aeriate the snot out of that tank? If you have some type of bloom going on it can really drop the available O2 in the tank.

 

[Anonymous]

Well, It looks like the hair algae is coming back now. This is what I get for not redoing the tank correctly and tried to save a few dollars by recuring/cooking the LR. It was only a matter of time before the bloom started. After battling with that stuff for 2+ years I am not going to go through that again. I am going to watch the tank the next 2 weeks. If the algae continues to spread across the LR then that will be it and the tank will come down. I am not going to battle this adn loose more corals/money for nothing. Stay tuned for a coral giveaway party.

 

[Anonymous]

Rob, have you tried macroalgae to compete for whatever it is thats feeding that growth? There are a lot of differing opinions about its use here, but I have found that its really good at controlling problem algae. I know its just a symptom treatment, but it may help you hang on long enough to solve the cause.Also take out any phosphates or silicates that may be leaching into the system. Also hermits, loads of hermits... also controvertial, but I have found that they have decimated any available hair algae in my system... It may be worth a try if you havnt considered it yet, at least it should keep you involved and increase your chance of solving the problem. Sounds like you have battled this a while so you prolly tried these already....Good luck!

 

[Anonymous]

Over the past 2 years before rebuilding the tank in January I tried everything. I tried snails/hermits. Hermits just ended up killing all the snails.

I have not where to put a refugium so thats out of the question.

This LR is just no good.

 

[Anonymous]

Just a thought, try putting the macro in your display- its easier to pull out than problem algae, and have you tried the hermits without the snails? if you dont give them an alternative food source (your snails) they should(?) attack the hair algae. I wish I could send you some of the local ones we get here, they are hair destroyers! You need quite a few however. I returned most of mine whan they were done with the bulk of the problem.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm with Andy, try using macros in the display. Something fast growing like caulerpa (stay away from caulerpa racemosa, though, that stuff is The Devil). Normally I wouldn't advocate adding caulerpa at all, let alone in the display tank... but, really, the stuff practically grows as you watch it. I doubt hair algae can out compete it.

 

[Anonymous]

Dont want macros in the tank. Once they get a foothold they will be there for good.

 

[Anonymous]

Thats it. The other clown just died. Thats $50 in 6 days in fish that died.

Tank is coming down. I will post a list of the pricing if the tank, equipment, and corals shortly.

 

[Anonymous]

I am sorry Rob.

 

[bleedingthought]

Thats it. The other clown just died. Thats $50 in 6 days in fish that died.

Tank is coming down. I will post a list of the pricing if the tank, equipment, and corals shortly.

Can you still be convinced not to take it down?



Give it a little longer...

 

[Anonymous]

Dont see the point. I just cant have a reef tank. Not having an algae infested swamp in my living room.

 

[bleedingthought]

Give it time to see what's going on, though.

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry Rob....The caulerpa is not that difficult to remove, I have some feather in my display and when it gets too big for my liking, I just pull some out. I put it in there coz I like the look of it.... Will look for a pic and post it just now, otherwise, look on the thread on my sig, its on the LHS of the tank, there should be a closeup somewhere there...