About to Panic

[twomccormicks]

Okay I have had my 40 gal going for about 7 weeks now. I had gotten LR from the LFS and uncured substrate. Seemed to be great rock and I didn't see much of a cycle. Parameters were great so I added a snowflake eel. Had him in for about 2 weeks by himself and then added 5 red legged hermits and 1 blue legged hermit and a lawnmower blenny. I let them get acclimated and in about a week or so I added a pair of damsels. Everyone is getting along great. I LOVE my agressive tank. I alternate between mysis and brine. I'm thinking I need to add something else to their diet but not sure what. Here's my concern........I'm getting this goldy color on my substrate and also my big piece of live rock. I'm starting to get panicy thinking my flow isn't right or I need more. I have not gotten a skimmer but I'm about to order one today. I have been testing my water but maybe I'm not testing for enough things.

I am running a hang on filter (came with the tank set up) that can filter 300 gph. My salinity is running at 1.023. My pH is up a little to 8.4 down from 8.6 after my weekly 10% water change. Nitites are .05. Alkalinity was up a little but I don't remember the number.

Is this an algae bloom, am I not getting enough flow? It seems to be "creeping" around the entire tank. I'm feeding twice a day and the fish are in a routine where they are looking to be fed at the same time every day. I'm really trying here. I have read so much stuff before I got the tank and now that I have it...well....I feel like I know nothing. Here's what I THINK I need...snails and lots of 'em. Maybe a star but not sure I want to put anything else in there just yet until the yellow-creepin-crud goes away. I also need a protein skimmer since I have a FWLR. Maybe I don't have enough LR. I have a 40 gal but I probably only have 17 pounds of LR.

How often do I need to change my filter media. I have read a few different things....change often in the beginning and also don't over change because of the cleaning out beneficial bacteria.

HELP!

 

[kremit2007]

What are your Ammonia and Nitrates at? Also, it seems like your starting to go through a cycle. I will let someone else comment on how often to do the water changes but Im thinking 10% a week or so for a couple weeks. You will def. want to start getting some snails in there, especially when there is more algae in bloom. I wouldn't panic, but you need to keep the nitrites, ammonia, and nitrates AT LEAST down curing this cycle or it could make your fish very sick.

 

[dileggi]

Ok, this goldy color..does it look brownish? Judging by the timeframe you stated, you may be getting a diatom bloom, which is quite normal in a new tank set up. I've read it appears around the 2-4 month marker. I just got over mine...hopefully the only one.

As for the live rock, most people say 1-2 lbs per gallon of water is what is needed. I just don't know if that's for a reef, or if that includes FOWLR as well.

When I had my bloom, I was told it was because of phosphates. Bascially, phosphates = brown algae. I did weekly water changes, cut back on feeding, adding phosban media to reduce the phosphates, used a turkey baster to keep my rock clean of any detrius that fell on it and cleaned my filter pads and filter floss almost daily. I also added a skimmer.

I think it lasted for about 2 weeks before it subsided.

Also, for the filter, I'm not sure again if it pertains to a reef or FOWLR, but generally, it seems that the phosphates and nitrates..if I've interpretted what I've been told correctly really build up in the bio filters, meaning bio balls and bio wheels. With that in mind, I completely removed my bio filter, in my case they were bio balls and replaced with LR. This really helped in lowering my nitrate levels, which in turn helped in starting to rid the tank of any nuisance algae problems.

 

[Vinnie71975]

Re: About to Panic

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11661481#post11661481 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by twomccormicks
Okay I have had my 40 gal going for about 7 weeks now. I had gotten LR from the LFS and uncured substrate. Seemed to be great rock and I didn't see much of a cycle. Parameters were great so I added a snowflake eel. Had him in for about 2 weeks by himself and then added 5 red legged hermits and 1 blue legged hermit and a lawnmower blenny. I let them get acclimated and in about a week or so I added a pair of damsels. Everyone is getting along great. I LOVE my agressive tank. I alternate between mysis and brine. I'm thinking I need to add something else to their diet but not sure what. Here's my concern........I'm getting this goldy color on my substrate and also my big piece of live rock. I'm starting to get panicy thinking my flow isn't right or I need more. I have not gotten a skimmer but I'm about to order one today. I have been testing my water but maybe I'm not testing for enough things.

I am running a hang on filter (came with the tank set up) that can filter 300 gph. My salinity is running at 1.023. My pH is up a little to 8.4 down from 8.6 after my weekly 10% water change. Nitites are .05. Alkalinity was up a little but I don't remember the number.

Is this an algae bloom, am I not getting enough flow? It seems to be "creeping" around the entire tank. I'm feeding twice a day and the fish are in a routine where they are looking to be fed at the same time every day. I'm really trying here. I have read so much stuff before I got the tank and now that I have it...well....I feel like I know nothing. Here's what I THINK I need...snails and lots of 'em. Maybe a star but not sure I want to put anything else in there just yet until the yellow-creepin-crud goes away. I also need a protein skimmer since I have a FWLR. Maybe I don't have enough LR. I have a 40 gal but I probably only have 17 pounds of LR.

How often do I need to change my filter media. I have read a few different things....change often in the beginning and also don't over change because of the cleaning out beneficial bacteria.

HELP!

Sounds like a Diatom outbreak you should take a deep breath and test for Phospate, which can be the cause. I do know that in new set ups this is VERY common and mine did it and it has cleared with time. You can also run phosban to try and help but as with everything in this hobby it takes time. you can sphion off as much as you can during a water change and step up your water changes to 2xper week, there are chemical "cures" on the market but i know nothing about them so i wouldn't say use them.With good maintance it should clear in time.change Media 2x a week at least or better yet gut it and use it for flow only! 40g tank =45 to 50 lbs live rock you really should get more fully cured rock from a lfs!

 

[dileggi]

This is an older pic of my tank a few months ago. Does this look like what is developing on your rock and substrate?

 

[Siberman]

You're gonna want to move those Star Polyps. Trust me.

 

[twomccormicks]

Dil....
No it doesn't look like that just yet. It is just at that yellowy/goldy tint stage. It may get to that but not just yet. I will take a pic tonight and see if I can get it posted (that will be a task in itself..hehehe). I think I'm in the early stages so it isn't the brown hairy "style" just yet. NICE tank by the way. I was thinking I needed to get some power heads to increase flow. I found one of those nasty antipistae things....grrr... I noticed it about 3 weeks ago.

Kermit...
I'm not testing for ammonia, guess I'd better get a test kit for that since I have 4 fish in there. I'm baptizing myself good in this expensive hobby!

Vinnie...
*sigh* I'm taking a deep breath. I'll get a test kit for phosphates too. I thought I had been doing great maintance with 10% water changes weekly.

 

[dileggi]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11661726#post11661726 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Siberman
You're gonna want to move those Star Polyps. Trust me.

Ok, but please educate me a bit and just let me know why? They were doing pretty well until I burnt them with some PH way back. They're just now starting to come back with new growth! LOL!

 

[kremit2007]

Twomccormicks....Yes, you absolutely should be testing for Ammonia. lol I thought you said you read up on this hobby a lot? Nah, Im just joking around but you definately need to be testing that Ammonia. That specific component of your chemistries is CRITICAL to the living organisms in your tank. All the fish waste, etc. is what creates ammonia, which is just like urea in many ways with humans. Its just waste and is VERY toxic to your fish. Good luck, I would go with a decent test kit right off the bat in my experience (which isn't very long either).

 

[kremit2007]

Twomccormicks.. Also, I guess I forgot to add that as I would be willing to bet, your Ammonia is starting to creep up, your going to want to drop down to maybe feeding once a day for now. Just my suggestion.

 

[twomccormicks]

Oh no you didn't Kermit! You didn't just bust me by implying I haven't read up on this hobby...LMAO. I promise to get the test kit here in about 30 minutes when I leave work. Oh and some snails too! Honestly I feel like a new parent. I'm all freaked out if something is a little off. Most evenings you'll find me with my nose pressed against the glass looking for any sign of something sliding downhill. I'm really trying here. I appreciate everyone's help.

 

[kremit2007]

I can tell that your really trying and thats a big part of this hobby. I too spend ALL of my free time staring into my tank, which is worth its weight in gold. Let me know either in this thread, a new one, or PM what your ammonia level was when you check it tonight, Im curious to see where its at. May I suggest an API test kit or better?

 

[twomccormicks]

Eric,
API ....Ammonia, Phosphate aaaaaaand?

 

[kremit2007]

API is the brand name, Im not sure that it stands for those. Ha ha, It just a brand name test kit which I hear is simple and good. It will test your ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, pH, and alkalinity. I use one similar by Red Sea but Im not happy with it.

 

[twomccormicks]

I have one from Red Sea also....maybe I missed the ammonia part! Mine tests for Nitrates, Nitrites, pH and Alkalinity. Ooooo....I'd better look again before I go buy more stuff I don't need. This hobby is expensive enough. Thanks Eric!

 

[NirvanaFan]

dileggi, he said to move the star polyps because they grow fast under most conditions. They will quickly spread to surrounding rocks and can overcome a tank pretty quickly. If you keep up on fragging them like once a month or so, you can probably keep them in check. That is what I do. A lot of people put the rock they are on in the sand so they don't spread to the surrounding rockwork. Then when the mat spreads on the sand, they snip the mat off.

 

[twomccormicks]

Okay, did my water tests. Don't seem to bad...

pH: 8.6 (a little high)
Nitrite: .05
Nitrate: 10
Ammonia: less than .25 (color read between 0 and .25)
Salinity 1.021
Water temp: 75

Running a Tetratec PF300 and I have not changed the filter material since start up.

Now what? I still have this yellowy/brown color on the floor of my tank (on the substrate).

 

[twomccormicks]

I'm going to try and attach pictures taken last night and this morning. As you can see (hopefully) there is the nice brown "stuff" on the substrate. My big piece of LR was already brownish but it's almost gold in color now. With these pics you can also see the alge on the glass. What on earth will solve this problem or should I just concentrate on beefing up my clean up crew for now. Water parameters aren't to awful bad.

 

[kremit2007]

Yup that is definately algae/diatoms growing. Your tank is just cycling, I wouldn't worry about it because it will go away when your tank is finished cycling and your cleaning crew is introduced. Not a problem, nice damsels but the way, I haven't seen any 3-stripes get that big before. I should warn you about that eel though, they are cool but nothing but a huge PITA. If you want to keep small fish, at least in my experience, the eel has got to go. At night, mine have always prowled around and by morning, I found at least one fish, or one snail and a hermit dead. EVERY MORNING. These guys are a pain so I would suggest a different tankmate, but up to you...Nice tank, you seem to be off to a good start. How are the levels today now?

 

[twomccormicks]

Eric,

My eel was the first fish introduced to the tank. I read that he'll eat the herm's so I waited but then thought I'd try it. I still have all 6 and he doesn't even bother them. When I introduced the pair of damsels, at feeding time he would get frenzied and snapped at them a few times. Eels don't see well so I just think with the food floating around he was just looking for something to nip. Now he doesn't even bother them. He has never chased anything. He normally hides, oh and my blenny is his best friend. He will swim by slowly and end up curling around the blenny. So far so good. I actually like him a lot. And to think that when I started this I was wanting a reef tank! haha I love the agressive tank.

I will check my levels when I get home from work tonight. I'd almost bet that they are the same since I did them late last night. I guess now that my tank is cycling I should go ahead and add more LR if I want. It is a little sparce and I have been wanting to add. Oh and I didn't start out with live substrate.

If I can get the hang of this I really want to try a nano reef system. But first things first

I'll recheck levels tonight and see. Any comments on adding the LR? Should I clean the substrate or let it cycle through this algae? I have to get those snails and was thinking maybe an urchin to clean the nasties off the glass. Thoughts??