Help with neglected tank

[miston]

I got a JBJ 12DX in late june, added my live rock and sand, barely cycled and haven't done anything since!!

Partly because I was lazy, partly becasue I couldn;t decide on my cleanup crew, and partly because I've been out of town a lot and busy as ######! But things have started to die down and I'm excited about my tank again

I had an algae out break, partly because my lights were on too long. But the green hair algae has since subsided. But I do have bubble algae.

The only inhabitant that I know of is a hitchhiker hermit crab who appeared OUT OF KNOWWHERE about six weeks ago! Where the m/f's been hiding and where he got that shell is beyond me!!

My live rock looks like crap. Its covered with residue and some bubble algae. What should I do?

I thought about tossing the live rock and starting from scratch? or should I....
Scrub the rock? If so with what kind of brush and how hard?
Stir the live sand? (which looks like crap with all the ###### growin on it)
Do a huge water change? what percent? Or do a complete water change?

Thanks in advance for any comments or suggestions....I'm OPEN to them!

 

[shavo]

your nuts, how much live rock are we talking about? offer it to somebody on here if that is how your going to do it. in the for sale section, say free live rock in your area and they will come.

geta bucket with salt water in it and clean it up, no big deal

I actually use a tooth brush in my tank a day before a new filter and water change, i scrub it off in the tank and turn everything on to the max

then i do my changes of water and filters. nothing seems to have any problems with this so far.

post a pic if possible

 

[shavo]

hey get a sand sifter star for the sand problem,

you can vacuum it off the top level and clean the rocks, that's all

get some hermits and snails

 

[mr_X]

your live rock is still live rock. it's worth whatever you paid for it.
take a bucket..take the rocks out one by one and scrub them off..make sure you don't burst those bubbles in the tank. i hear that's the easiest way to make it spread.
why did you start a tank if you aren't going to be there to care for it?
you might sell off the rock and stuff, and add freshwater, then some goldfish, and a feeder on a timer....and you can be away for a long time and won't have to worry so much. :?

 

[trido]

Dont worry about the valonia algea. The guys are right. If you get a bucket of salt water and use a tooth brush or baby bottle brush ( a little bigger) you can just scrub off as much as possible. Afterward rinse each rock in some clean salt water and your good to go. As far as your sand goes, when you do a water change just vacuum it as you would any other time. A reef takes a bit of work even after established. At least now, since you took your time and gave your tank an extra long cycle period. You know what can happen when you neglect it. We all get busy with life sometimes and unfortunately, our hobbies, and sometimes our jobs and families take a back seat to more pressing issues.

Shavo wrote:
"hey get a sand sifter star for the sand problem,"
I would not recommend this. A sand sifting star will decimate any life in the sand bed very quickly and then starve to death. A 12 Gallon tank is way too small for one of these. If you research them you will likely agree.

Mr. X wrote:
"you might sell off the rock and stuff, and add freshwater, then some goldfish, and a feeder on a timer....and you can be away for a long time and won't have to worry so much."

I think that that is a little extreme. Just be prepared to make the commitment when you are ready to add live stock. It sounds like last summer wasnt a good time to start a tank.

 

[Anubis1]

Shavo wrote:
"hey get a sand sifter star for the sand problem,"
I would not recommend this. A sand sifting star will decimate any life in the sand bed very quickly and then starve to death. A 12 Gallon tank is way too small for one of these. If you research them you will likely agree.

What about some of those mini stars?.. I haven't ever had any... but I would think they would be ok in a 12 gallon...

 

[trido]

Im unsure about the mini stars. I only know what I have read about sand sifters and would never put on in any tank regardless of its size. A fighting conch for stirring the sand bed a little bit is highly recommend by some of the very experienced reefers around the forums. I myself need to aquire one of these.

 

[shavo]

I missed the part of it being a 12 gallong tank, I guess a sand sifter might not be good here.

i would like to get thise little stars never see them anywhere