Tank Degrading

[NavyNano212]

OK...I have had my Solana set up in my new home since August. Transferred all my old livestock, corals, sand etc from a 24G Nano to my newest tank. Success!! Everyone made it, corals were THRIVING...my frogspawn has 4 new heads on each stalk, even baby ones on the bottom!! Yellow polyps splitting like crazy, zoos multiplying like there was a race on!
Everyone was happy until about 3 weeks ago. I purchased some cheato and a few snails, porcelain crabs and Scarlett hermits from a LFS(very reliable). I put the cheato in the back of my Solana, in one of the compartments as an in tank refuge...added a CF light(12inch slimline) from Home Depot, put it on a timer with the tank, and let it go.
Almost instantly, my corals started degrading??Toadstool starting to have white tips(almost like it was stung) Polyps all shut, frog not opening, zoos closed and a thick brownlike algae forming on EVERYTHING!! So, I did a huge water change..15 gallons.cleaned out the back, cleaned off the LR, corals, scraped the glass...major cleaning. Everyone seemed happy for a day(this was on Thursday 2/5), but the slime stuff is returning. It settles on everything...I will post some pics, but I wanted to start the thread in hopes someone might know something from my description.
The culprit seems obvious...cheato and light? Too much? producing slime algae?? Everything since August has been picture perfect, it's totally frustrating.

Thanks,
Navy

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

What are your water parameters?

 

[reefman]

well, if the corals reaction was that drastic, the curprit is most likely the new additions. cheatos having the ability to leach out the most chemicals would be my guess. i remember some1 posted a thread addressing "if it aint broken..."
i guess i'm wondering if your tank was doing so well as u've stated, y mess with it.
before even an investigation is done, i hope u've reverse the changes.
stating the obvious, small tanks are at a disadvantage due to changes are magnified because of the system size.
have you done any test on the water,ie.(ph range, alk, ca,sg,no3)

 

[James983]

I'm guessing high nitrates or phosphates. Especially with the algea bloom your having. Test and post results. Remember most, if not all phosphate test kits are not great so if your getting any reading I would look in to more accurate phosphate testing.

 

[NavyNano212]

Thanks for the responses...

Yes, it wasn't broken, so why did I fix it? I wanted to add Cheato to the back as another preventive measure to keep my nitrites down, plus it eats up the bad stuff in the water. I have had it before, never had problem after adding it.

I took two different days of tests. One with the lights on, one with them off.
See below:

Lights on: CA - 475 mq/L; KH -125mq/L; NH3 - 0; Phos - 0; PH 8.4; N03 - 0; N02 - 0; Iron, Magnesium - 0
Lights off: Same results done the next day except that CA registered 450mq/L and PH was 8.1(normal for lights off tank). I even double check PHos, N03 & N02 to be sure.

My protein skimmer is producing lots of foam, which is a good/bad thing(it's removing dissolved particles, but apparently there is lots of them).

Maybe my light in the back is too bright??

If it does not get any better in a few days, I am thinking of a huge water change, at least 50% or higher. I cannot think of anything else to do & do not want my corals to perish. The fish, crabs seem fine, but they can tolerate more disproportioned water problems.

Any more thoughts?

 

[Killerdrgn]

Could the cheato be acting like a sponge and a nitrate trap?
Shake out the cheato and see if a lot of detrius comes out. If there is you may want to reconfigure how you keep the cheato in your system.

 

[ladyhealth]

Hope this works out as I was planning on placing chaeto in my 29 gallon reef tank since my nitrates are around 10 ppm. Best of luck.

 

[NavyNano212]

Cheato is pretty clean, I checked it when I did a 10 gallon water change last Thursday.
I might take it out regardless and see what happens. Can't figure out what went wrong...but something is wrong, my yellow polyps are looking so sad...
I may just have to do a 80% water change with some PETCO water and see if that makes a difference.
It's a huge change, but I need to try something...

 

[KathyC]

hmmm...since this all happened immediately after you added the new stuff, the cause must be there somewhere...

Did you add ANY of the water these items came from into your tank?
Do you have a Copper test kit around? Might want to use if it you do, or borrow one.
Personally, I would pitch the cheato (freeze it first, then into the garbage). Do another water change...not 80%..more like 20% and get yourself some Chemipure Elite and add that into the rear compartment. Not sure if you need 1 'unit' as Im not sure of your tank size, read the packaging directions.

I'd also turn off the new light in the back (wrong spectrum? though most likely not to blame for the current issues) and see if you can get the tank stable again.
If you are going to get more cheato and try again in the future - get it from someone here

 

[Killerdrgn]

hmmm maybe something from the packaging on the light, Home depot isn't known to be the cleanest place in the world. Or the light itself, maybe mercury or copper in the tank?

 

[NavyNano212]

Well, the light isn't IN the tank, so it couldn't contaminate it...might be too bright or something. Will turn it off and toss the Cheato just incase that it the problem. Do another water change as suggested and some ChemPure Elite.

See if my kids spring back to life!

 

[jackson6745]

Do you have a full tank shot?

 

[NavyNano212]

Not right now, will post one in a bit when I get home.

 

[Killerdrgn]

Well, the light isn't IN the tank, so it couldn't contaminate it...might be too bright or something. Will turn it off and toss the Cheato just incase that it the problem. Do another water change as suggested and some ChemPure Elite.

See if my kids spring back to life!

Well i meant like when you installed the light stuff could have flaked into the tank water.

Oh and how are the inverts doing? If they were sitting in copper water they should be dying.

 

[KathyC]

Killer - I do agree about the inverts but you never know what else might be in that water that Navy's tank isn't used to. Since he got a little of the LFS water into his tank, best to try and dilute it at this point with another water change and add the Chemipure as that will remove most nasties.

I think getting the tank back to where it was is probably best for now and then try again in the future nce it is stable.

It will probably be a few days before you see things bouncing back (expecting they will ), so be patient!

 

[NavyNano212]

Inverts seem fine since this started a few weeks ago...no major die off. May a hermie here and there, but nothing noticeable. Shrimp, porcelain crabs, brittle star all seem good.

So, just to ask a stupid question...how do you NOT get other water in your tank?? If you drip them, do you just pull them out and put them in your tank after acclimation?

 

[KathyC]

 

[NavyNano212]

Kathy,

ChemPure Elite same as PhosBan? Because I use PhosBan...but if CPElite works better or is better recommended, I will comply!!

I have a 34G to answer your question about the size...

 

[reefman]

phosban only reduces phosphates. chemipure is probably more useful in this situation.

 

[NavyNano212]

Great, Thanks!