Various issues in my tank

[Jess]

Hi everyone,

I'm having a bit of a problem with a few things in my tank. First of all I have this mildewy thing that collects in my BioWheel filtration. What is it? and why is this happenning? This started a couple of weeks ago. Also, as you can see from one of the pics my flowerpots is dieing or drying out. How can I stop this? One of my mushrooms touch the edge and it has been two days since mostly half of it is gone. Can I cut it or do something to say the other half? Also, but not least I have these read bubbles growing on the side of the rocks. I don't know what they are I would like to know how to get rid of these things. I did cut a few, but more just keep growing. When I cut one, a clear mildew appears in it. Can some one help me on these situation, it'll be greatly appreciated. Please reply!

 

[bad coffee]

Jess, it looks like cyanobacteria. Syphon it out when you do a water change.

The 'flowerpot' you have is a Gonipora. They don't do well in captivity. THey're pretty, but they pretty much starve in a tank.

We need other info on helping you out. What size tank? what kind of lights? what other filtration?

What are your water parameters?
Temp
SG
Nitrate
Nitrite
Ammonia
ph

Do you use RO/DI water for changes?

B

 

[deelucky]

do you have a protein skimmer?when i had my bio-wheel i would get that sometimes, i guess it was telling me it was time for a water change.i hear tese flowerpots are hard to keep.as for the red stuff i cant really see the pics that good to blurry.thats as much as i can help you with i know they'll be others that can help you further

 

[Jess]

Thank you for your reply!

I'm a 2yr beginner so bare with me. I have a 36 Bow front tank. I do have a protein skimmer. I forgot the name. The one that hangs in the back of the tank. This mildew has been on going for about more that 4 weeks or so. I do water changes every week. I do check the chemicals test for, PH 8.4, Nitrate between 10 & 20, Ammonia .25, Nitrite 0. My water temperature is always between 78-79 degrees. I make the water changes with the tap water filtration catridge. I do dose only with the Kentmarine vitamine blue liquid. My lighting is a 65watt dual daylight and a 65 dual atinike light. I have the lights set up for the atinike blue light to come on 2hrs before the daylight. I give the tank 8hrs of the daylight and 11-12hrs of the bluelight. I'm sure I don't over feed. I only give a pitch of flake food to the fishes(5 fishes, Domino, Firefish, yellowwathchmen, clown fish, and small yellow goby).

 

[wxl14]

May want to use RODI water. Since you are doing water changes once a week. Also you should not have any ammonia levels..That is about the only advice I can give. I am sure others will give more info.

 

[Jess]

Thank you for the advice. I will start to look into one.

 

[wxl14]

YA I use to use just regular carbon filtered tap water. I was very pleased when i got my RODI. First off I use my rodi for cooking and drinking water and for my fish tank. It is really fantastic. But I am sure others will have better advice.

 

[andylee]

Red bubbles don't show up well in your pics. Is your protein skimmer producing much waste? The mildewy stuff may be a layer of protein and lipids that is being caught by your filter pad.

Has your tank been up and running for 2 years? If so and you've had no problems, look back to see if you've made any changes.

If your lightbulbs haven't been changed for 2 years, they likely should.

Overall problems (ammonia, nitrate, cyanobacteria) suggest that tank is overfed or overstocked, or that something has died and is decaying. Have you always had high ammonia and nitrate levels?

Andy

 

[wxl14]

Oh also you may want to test the water you are putting into your tank if you are doing water changes once a week you actually may be adding ammonia into the tank which in time will increase the rest of your paramaters. So check your tap water paramaters. You would be surprised what you will find in most cases.

 

[DevIouS]

Overall,
I would say you really need to get your water parameters in check.

That piece is an Alveopora.
Once it starts receding....there's not much you can do.
You can try fragging off the dead part.
They are sensitive corals.

Definitely get an RO/DI.
Also purchase some accurate test kits (i.e. Salifert).

Can't really tell you about the red bubble algae or the film.....but it goes back to my above advice in "cleaning up" your water.

A quality skimmer will help.
Look into a AquaC Remora.


Keep us posted.

 

[Jess]

Thanx guys for all of your advice. Come to think of it I do have the aqua remora. The black one that hangs on the back of the tank. My protein skimmer is picking up a lot of junk also. I did have a piece that did die. The brain you can see it on my gallery in the middle bottom of my tank. But this was a sometime about 4-5 weeks ago. Could this stuff still collect in the filters after removing it from the tank after several weeks have pass? My water looks crystal clear. Can anyone tell me about how much would a RODI cost? I would like to research one. I would like to also mention, I did move this January that past to the lower level of the building, could this must have made things worst. My tank was very cycle for about 2 whole years before the move. During the move I did empty the tank half way. The remaining of the water I placed in buckettes. Was this okay to do?

 

[Hotwheels]

whats your salinity? and has it been constant?

 

[Hotwheels]

did you reuse the sand ?

 

[Hotwheels]

Whenever you do major things to your system you should treat it as a new system++.
Think of it like this, new tank cycle with established inhabitats. Deadly combo.
Cleaners can help, And a common rule of thumb is
1.5 x (gallons of water)= amount of cleaners you should have
I get my cleaners from DeepWater

Nerite snails
cerith snails
green algae crabs
and small hermits

do not bust the bubble algae they are fill with nitrates. when busted the are release into the water column and spread the bubble algae faster.
siphoning and cleaners will help with this

 

[Tonyscoots84]

Thank you for your reply!

I do check the chemicals test for, PH 8.4, Nitrate between 10 & 20, Ammonia .25, Nitrite 0. My water temperature is always between 78-79 degrees. I make the water changes with the tap water filtration catridge. I do dose only with the Kentmarine vitamine blue liquid.

ok im surer this was said already but imma say it again..

u need to balance out ur water par... u def. should not have ammonia if you cycled ur tank the right way... ur ammonia, nitrites should be at 0 and have ur nitrates less then 5ppm..

also use rodi if ur planning on doing a reef tank.. much healthier for the livestock and very beneficial to ur tank....

temp. is good....

ph is good... i would feel safer if it was at 8.2-8.3 buts thats just me..

good luck and any other questions ask away...

 

[Jess]

Is the salinity the salt level? if not what is it? Sorry I need to start understanding this kind of other language. I did not use new sand I did keep the same one in the sand. All I did was just remove the water and that was all. I do have 1 green algae crab and about 5 hermit crabs 5 snails and 1 red blooded and 1 peppermint shrimp. I did purchased more than this amount but I did loose 2 shrimps and the hermit crabs seem to take the snails shell and also each other. Over the 2 years I may of have purchase about 50+ of snails and crabs all together. I kind of gave up on purchasing more.

 

[Tonyscoots84]

salinity = the salt level as u said... hermits will usually kill each other for the shells... no biggie just have empty shells in the tank so they dont kill each other...

 

[Jess]

My salt level is 24-25. I do have the leftovers shells in the tank. I did frag the dieing piece for the flower pot that went well (I think) I will monitor it to see if the rest starts to die. Should I do a 10-20% water change in order to remove the high levels of nitritate and ammonia? How should I test the water I filter with the tap water cartridge? I have the saltwater master liquid test kit, only for PH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate. I also test the calcium it's always at 420-450. Should I be testing for something else?

 

[Hotwheels]

there are other test you can do. but it mainly depends on what your keeping. JMO if you stick to the basics and keep it simple you should be fine. Observing and knowing your livestock are good test, each inhabitant will have specific habits but you probably know that already being a reefer.

I would do a 20% and then test daily, and doing 10% water changes until your parameters balance out.

 

[wxl14]

My salt level is 24-25. I do have the leftovers shells in the tank. I did frag the dieing piece for the flower pot that went well (I think) I will monitor it to see if the rest starts to die. Should I do a 10-20% water change in order to remove the high levels of nitritate and ammonia? How should I test the water I filter with the tap water cartridge? I have the saltwater master liquid test kit, only for PH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate. I also test the calcium it's always at 420-450. Should I be testing for something else?

What kind of filter are you using. I doubt it is removing anything from the water it is probably a carbon based filter it really does nothing for anything else. Even more so if it has been used alot. You would probobly be better off if you just bought RODI water from a store. And how are you removing water from the tank you should be using a syphon and clean your substrate with it..