I have a 90 tank with a clown fish and a pajama blenny I also have some overgrown pom pom xenia. I got the tank used and the pervious people had it didn't take that good of care of it but still looked fairly good. since ive had it its gotten worse and i got a huge out break or green hair alege and i cant get rid of it. im looking to add some equipment just not sure what I should get next. Any help is appreciated.
Bad Water Quality Not Sure What to do Next? Help?
- Thread starter ReadyRock
- Start date
gone fishin
New member
What is your WC frequency, lighting schedule and feeding routine? Do you have a skimmer?
To clear up excess phosphates you can get a reactor and run some GFO. Bulk reef supply can give you some ideas. Manual removal of the algae can help as well. Just remember to have patience this could take awhile to get back on track.
To clear up excess phosphates you can get a reactor and run some GFO. Bulk reef supply can give you some ideas. Manual removal of the algae can help as well. Just remember to have patience this could take awhile to get back on track.
Bpb
New member
The above mentioned ideas will take care of it...
Ensure you are using RODI water rather than tap water. A series of large (25% or more) water changes, 2-3 days apart, with a good thorough sand vaccuming and cleaning, and really blasting the rocks strong with a powerhead to free/suspend all the detritus that has settled. Do that for a week or two in order to get most of the built up junk out and reset your water parameters.
Then look into purchasing a media reactor (can range from very cheap to very expensive), and bite the bullet and purchase a gallon of GFO (granular ferric oxide, it is a phosphate absorbing media). Watch as many youtube videos as you can find on how to set up, rinse, and run a GFO media reactor, and install it on the tank. Change out the GFO every couple weeks at first, for the first couple months as it will be absorbing a ton of phosphate.
Purchase a quality phosphate tester (preferably a Hanna digital phosphate checker, along with the required reagent packs) to measure where you're at on phosphate.
Ensure you have a decent skimmer that is working as it should.
This will help you get on track. I haven't personally found it necessary to continue GFO long term once your rocks and sand are no longer leeching enough phosphate to cause an algae bloom. Once your tank is free of hair algae you can try to ween yourself off of GFO.
Make sure you're feeding quality food in small amounts since you only have a couple fish. Don't overdo it on lights.
You have a 90 gallon tank correct? A baby onespot Foxface and a couple florida pincushion urchins along with 2-3 mexican turbo snails will also do wonders for cleaning up nuisance algae.
Bulkreefsupply.com or marinedepot.com are excellent places to purchase all these pieces of gear, as well as see instructional videos on how to use them.
Ensure you are using RODI water rather than tap water. A series of large (25% or more) water changes, 2-3 days apart, with a good thorough sand vaccuming and cleaning, and really blasting the rocks strong with a powerhead to free/suspend all the detritus that has settled. Do that for a week or two in order to get most of the built up junk out and reset your water parameters.
Then look into purchasing a media reactor (can range from very cheap to very expensive), and bite the bullet and purchase a gallon of GFO (granular ferric oxide, it is a phosphate absorbing media). Watch as many youtube videos as you can find on how to set up, rinse, and run a GFO media reactor, and install it on the tank. Change out the GFO every couple weeks at first, for the first couple months as it will be absorbing a ton of phosphate.
Purchase a quality phosphate tester (preferably a Hanna digital phosphate checker, along with the required reagent packs) to measure where you're at on phosphate.
Ensure you have a decent skimmer that is working as it should.
This will help you get on track. I haven't personally found it necessary to continue GFO long term once your rocks and sand are no longer leeching enough phosphate to cause an algae bloom. Once your tank is free of hair algae you can try to ween yourself off of GFO.
Make sure you're feeding quality food in small amounts since you only have a couple fish. Don't overdo it on lights.
You have a 90 gallon tank correct? A baby onespot Foxface and a couple florida pincushion urchins along with 2-3 mexican turbo snails will also do wonders for cleaning up nuisance algae.
Bulkreefsupply.com or marinedepot.com are excellent places to purchase all these pieces of gear, as well as see instructional videos on how to use them.
GFO reactor (about 50.00 new), if you have a bad case of algae, is the best. You'll have to change the medium monthly, because it doesn't change colors when it's 'full up.' It sops up phosphate that fuels the algae.
Likewise check your nitrates.
If you don't have a skimmer, this would be a good move.
If you have sky-high nitrate, as in, over 20, it's a good idea to begin weekly water changes, which will gradually lower it.
Likewise check your nitrates.
If you don't have a skimmer, this would be a good move.
If you have sky-high nitrate, as in, over 20, it's a good idea to begin weekly water changes, which will gradually lower it.
Thanks all for the help. I currently have a skimmer and uv sterilizer. I keep the water changes to about 15-20 gallons a week. I do not have a rodi unit yet have just been using tap water. Wasnt sure if i should get a media reactor or an rodi unit first? my light schedule is not where it needs to be im sure of that. i have it currently on the auto factory settings for all times of the day not really to sure how i should have them set. I was thinking about changing the tank around and putting new sand in the tank because the current substrate is more of a rubble rock rather than sand should I wait until the water quality get better or should i do it before. Is a 15g water change enough or should i do more? The lights what should i have them set to? sorry for all the questions im new to the hobby and not sure what i need to do to get the tank where i want it to be thanks again for the help
homer1475
New member
RO/DI unit first and foremost. More then likely the algae outbreak is from using your tap water which is filled with cr*p that's not designed to be in a glass box full of water. Once you have the RO/DI, then look into a media reactor.
The reactor isn't going to help you with the algae as long as your filling and topping off with tap.
20 Gallons a week is plenty, your problems are coming from using tap water to make your salt.
The reactor isn't going to help you with the algae as long as your filling and topping off with tap.
20 Gallons a week is plenty, your problems are coming from using tap water to make your salt.
shifty51008
12-5 Chiefs record
Deff get a rodi filter first, your most likely adding a ton of stuff for the algae to feed on and even metals. The 15 gal water changes are fine though.
As for a light schedual i have my blues on from 10am - 10pm and the mh's from noon-8pm
As for a light schedual i have my blues on from 10am - 10pm and the mh's from noon-8pm
Martini5788
New member
Bulk reef supply has some good reasonably priced rodi units. Until you get one, use distilled water from the grocery store or buy ro water from your lfs. I would check Craigslist and local reef clubs for a used one
shifty51008
12-5 Chiefs record
Noooo lol my lights are on for 12 hours total. The blues come on at 10am then mh comes on at noon. Mh turns off at 8pm and the blues off at 10pm.
For an rodi unit buckeyehydro, spectrapure, bulkreefsupply, the filter guys all make good units.
I wouldnt worry about aditives for the algae yet as thats just a band aid. Once you get good water and you start to get your phosphates and nitrates down the algae will start to go away
The lights that I have are a 6 bulb t5 fixture. It should have 3 white and 3 blue but the pervious owners swapped a white bulb for a purple but for some reason the purple only comes on with the blues not the white. I am not sure why that is do you guys have any ideas on how to fix it? It is an Aquatic Life light fixture is that a good setup? Also i feel like i should just scrap everything inside the tank and start over once I get the rodi unit because I want to change the sand bed and clean the rock off should I do that or just keep at it the way it is and work on getting it better?
Martini5788
New member
If you have an extra tank to use as a qt for the fish and Xenia then I would
Start over. Just remember that you will have to
Recycle the tank if you
Do that.
Start over. Just remember that you will have to
Recycle the tank if you
Do that.
A neighbor of mine had a tank I was thinking about seeing if he could keep the fish until i get it back up and running, but I do not like the xenia cause it over took the tank and killed off my other corals so i done wanna keep that if i do it will be one rock isolated so it wont spread like wild fire again. I am purchasing a rodi this week not sure if I wanna restart yet or not but will deff be getting good rodi water in there very soon if I cannot kick the algae. Thanks al for the help
