"Disaster" Reefcovery?

[Rovert]

Hey, guys. I've been contacted by an area RC member here to help set his tank to rights. As you'll see by the photos below, things have gotten a bit out of hand. I'd be interested in "second opinions" to validate my analysis.

Based on an inspection of the tank, I strongly believe that the explosion of algae traces back to the water source as the root cause of the problems.

The owner is not using a true marine quality RO/DI filter, but a consumer grade filter (a 'home depot' style one, possibly GE?) that has only three stages - sediment, carbon, RO). So, I strongly suspect what's really happening is that rather than the water changes removing nutrients, he's actually replenishing N and Po with each water change, exacerbating matters.

He's had an enormous algae bloom (photos below) and has since been chasing his tail in a downward spiral, experimenting with different MH bulbs, and other factors that are contribatory, but not the probable root cause.

Hardware & Configuration:
500 Gallon acrylic
2x overflows
2x Sumps (baffled 'settling filters')
3x175watt MH lamps (all three are over 1 year old now)
Skimmer (Marine Technical Concepts?)
Chiller

Chemistry:
Salinity ~1.021 (on the low end of the spectrum)
pH: 7.62 (also low by a tad)
N: 0 (though the test kit might not be right, I suspect that all the N is locked up in the algal growth)
Po: Not tested (kits are notoriously inaccurate), but I suspect fairly high, and traceable back to the water source.

Please take a look at the photos and comment on my "battle plan"? Here's what I have in mind. There's a lot of work here, and it's the job of an entire weekend, but it's a start. I figure he can be out of the woods in about two months, or so:

1) Purchase a marine quality RO/DI filter (SpectraPure, AquaFX, or similar)
2) Harvest algae to manually export
3) Clean skimmer venturis, replace skimmer pump with a more powerful unit. As you can see in the photo, it's not very efficient.
4) 4-day or slightly longer lights out treatment
5) Screen 1' out from overflows to trap algae that breaks loose, then manually harvest again.
6) Massive water change, ~220 gallons, vacuuming out accumulated detritus from sumps in the process.
7) Repopulate tank with a dozen or two dozen mexican turbos, a few good algae eating fish like tangs or similar, and adequate detritivore and algavores sufficient to the tank volume.
8) Replace MH lighting with new bulbs, probably 14K or thereabouts.
9) Reconfigure at least one of the baffled sumps as a refugium, grow "friendly" (non-sexual) algae like Cheato or Ochtodes illuminated in an inverse photoperiod to the main tank to maintain pH.
10) Monitor to test and verify nutrients are stabile and declining over the coming months.

Here are the photos. Please comment if you see anything amiss, or any algae that you think is potentially problematic.

Thanks!

 

[SeanT]

Wow.
I was there once, I feel the pain.

I like your #'s 1,2,3, & 6 for sure.

Where "I" would start as well:
1. Being a HUGE barebottom advocate I would go there, but if that is not the case then...

2. I would remove all of the live rock, not at once if that kind of time isn't available and "cook" it or at the very least to manually remove and brush all alage off, no half hearted job either...get it all off. Then dunk. swish repeat all of the rocks vigorously to get as much of the crud out as possible.

3. While the rocks are out I would siphon much of the sand away from under them, as this is where a lot of detritus sluffs out too, and replace with new sand.

4. I would put only SOME of the rocks back in. From the pics it looks as if there is almost no flow between them.

5. MORE FLOW, MORE FLOW, MORE FLOW...The more random the better.

6. Get a better skimmer. Or at least save for one while keeping that constantly maintained.

7. While doing all this work have filter socks on the sump drains to catch the crud. Keep them on there especially after adding more flow.
Change them out every TWO days and wash them correctly.

There is more but this is just off the top of my head.

Sean

 

[Rovert]

Sean, thanks for your thoughts.

1 & 2) Not gonna happen. This tank is a display in a doctor's office, and that kind of reconfiguration is just not possible. Also, even if I could get the rock out, there's just no place to cook it up for months it'd take.

3 & 4) Ruled out because of 1 & 2.

5) Actually, flow wasn't bad, but inhibited by all the algae. However, I agree it's a possibility and we can make a determination when everything is cleaned up... extra flow can always be added later.

6) I think the dimensions of that skimmer are not coming across in the photo. The skimmer is about 6' tall. It's adequate to the system, however I do believe it is in need of a more powerful pump, and cleaning of the venturis.

7) Good idea. I like that, rather than screening off the overflows. The only worry I have is that if a large chunk of algae breaks off and floats to the surface box, it might block both of them and (literally) cause an overflow.

Keep those cards 'n letters comin', folks!

 

[humbugy]

1) Purchase a marine quality RO/DI filter (SpectraPure, AquaFX, or similar)

a good filmtech membrane with a high rejection rate, the 75gpd is 98%

2) Harvest algae to manually export

always a good idea

3) Clean skimmer venturis, replace skimmer pump with a more powerful unit. As you can see in the photo, it's not very efficient.

yes, it really looks like it needs a bigger pump, but maybe the pump or venturi is clogged, a good external preasure rated pump, talk to the skimmer manufacturer.

4) 4-day or slightly longer lights out treatment

an option, or just simply cut back the hours every day.

5) Screen 1' out from overflows to trap algae that breaks loose, then manually harvest again.

be careful so that the water level wouldnt climb to high

6) Massive water change, ~220 gallons, vacuuming out accumulated detritus from sumps in the process.

after new membrane of course

7) Repopulate tank with a dozen or two dozen mexican turbos, a few good algae eating fish like tangs or similar, and adequate detritivore and algavores sufficient to the tank volume.

atlantic turbos are better and can take the higher reef tank temperatues, but if lacking in snails, astreas, turbos, cerith.
tangs and foxfaces would be a good choice. yellow tang, yellow eye tang, powder brown tang, i also like, foxface rabbit, scribbled rabbit, coral rabbit, all would be good choices, and they should all co-inhibit the tank nicely.

8) Replace MH lighting with new bulbs, probably 14K or thereabouts.

would have less red, green ligth, witch algae likes.

9) Reconfigure at least one of the baffled sumps as a refugium, grow "friendly" (non-sexual) algae like Cheato or Ochtodes illuminated in an inverse photoperiod to the main tank to maintain pH.

if you have the space, make it as big as possible. ive always liked cheato

10) Monitor to test and verify nutrients are stabile and declining over the coming months.

also a good idea, water changes with good clean water.

other suggestions would include a uv-steralizer, phosphate reactor, and a carbon reactor.
and replace that salt encrusted hang on back heater, someone is gonna get zapped some day. two 500w heaters on a realiable controller is a good choice, like a ranco, i assume the temp in the office dosnt get to low.

good luck

 

[humbugy]

is the circulaton pump off for pictures?
whats is the turnover rate for the aquarium??

 

[Rovert]

Thanks for the feedback, guys. There are some variations on a theme here, but it sounds like I'm on the right track.

 

[KEstep]

I do this with my business all the time. Most of our LFS cause peoples tanks to look like that here. I have a before and after shot of a tank I did.

Here is before:

And this is 4 months after.

All the corals and fish did made it through the overhaul I did on it.

Get the RO and clean up all the equipment.

1. Order "Mexican Turbo Snails" They are the only snail that are proven to me to eat this algae and quickly. A couple dozen isn't going to cut it on a tank that size I would order around 150 to 250. For me that is easy because I get them at cost and sell them to other clients after they do their job. You can sell them back to your LFS or other people with tanks in your area. I would not bother with margaritas, astreas, or any other snails until the tank is fixed. I would also leave about 75 or so snails in the tank for regular maintenance. The more you put in the faster it is going to get better.

2. Take each rock out and in a clean bucket of saltwater scrub the algae down as close as you can get it. Also swish the rock around in the bucket to get any accumulated detritus out. Do every rock like this. You can stack them dry in a large rubber maid trashcan while you are working on the rest of them. There is no need to cook the rock. You will be amazed how much coralline algae is under that algae.

3. As you remove rocks siphon as much crap out of the sand as you can. Be prepared to do a very large water change. In your case like around 300 gallons for the cleaning of the rocks and sand. It does not appear that they have many coral or fish so a large water change will not hurt anything. Most softies and Mushrooms will look amazing after the overhaul is done.

3. Scrub off the back wall, overflow, equipment, anything that has the algae on it. Make it as short as possible.

4. Re-stack the rock, fill up with new salt water. Try to get the salinity at 1.025. It helps the snails a lot do not put them in low salinity <1.023.

5. Add a lot of phosphate sponge, carbon, and nitrate sponges to the sump. Be ready to come back every day for the next 5 days and change the phosphate sponge out and the carbon ( I use seachem po4 and Marineland Carbon).

6. Add filter socks, sponges, any kind of mechanical filtration you can to the tank to help trap the stuff the snails kick up. Come back and clean them daily while the tank is recovering. After tank is better remove the mechanical filtration.

7. Acclimate your snails slowly and add them when ready. Be sure to tell whoever in the office that feeds the tank not to feed, and bring tongs so that they can help any snails that fall on their backs back over so they don't die.

8. Turn off the lights completely for 4 or 5 days. After that time start running them for 4 hours a day for a week, then to 6 hours a day for another week, until you get them back to a normal cycle. In my doctor offices I visit I use digital timers so i can turn the lights on for 2 hours a day on weekends when they are not there. It acts as a cloudy day to the tank and I have never had any ill effects from it. One tank I even leave completely dark all day on Saturday.

9. Come back and use your scrub brush and scrub the rock down as much as you can to keep it short and close to the rock. The snails seem to not eat the long hair algae. Most of the time it seems they fall over n their backs and die if it is too long. Also use a turkey baster and blow out the rocks as often as you can.

10. Do not add any fish or livestock (Mexican Turbo Snails exception of course) to the tank until it has recovered. The last thing you want to do is kill new livestock. Most tangs will not touch this algae anyway.

11 Come back in 2 days to do another large water change (150 gallons this time). Then on the last day of the lights out go back and do another 150.

Change out your bulbs 1 at a time after the tank seems to begin recovery. If you do all at once you may have a relapse and start all over again. If I were you i would add as many Mexican Turbo Snails that you can during this initial cleaning. I would say 1 per 2 gallons. When they finish off the algae you can always sell them to people in your area. These snails can strip the tank completely clean in less than a week if you put enough of them in and do all I have said. I have fixed so many tanks in our area. Like I said our LFS's around here are more interested in selling chemicals and gadgets to make a buck rather than solve the solution. This will work if done right. Changing out the phosphate sponge daily helps to ensure it doesn't get released back into the water. I hope this helps. Good luck.

 

[Rovert]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10184931#post10184931 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by KEstep
1. Order "Mexican Turbo Snails" They are the only snail that are proven to me to eat this algae and quickly.
2. Take each rock out and in a clean bucket of saltwater scrub the algae down as close as you can get it.
3. As you remove rocks siphon as much crap out of the sand as you can.
3. Scrub off the back wall, overflow, equipment, anything that has the algae on it. Make it as short as possible.
4. Re-stack the rock, fill up with new salt water.
5. Add a lot of phosphate sponge, carbon, and nitrate sponges to the sump.
6. Add filter socks, sponges, any kind of mechanical filtration you can to the tank to help trap the stuff the snails kick up.
7. Acclimate your snails slowly and add them when ready.
8. Turn off the lights completely for 4 or 5 days.
9. Come back and use your scrub brush and scrub the rock down as much as you can to keep it short and close to the rock.
10. Do not add any fish or livestock (Mexican Turbo Snails exception of course) to the tank until it has recovered.
11 Come back in 2 days to do another large water change (150 gallons this time). Then on the last day of the lights out go back and do another 150.

Thanks for the feedback!

I'm with you on most of this, but as mentioned, removal of the rock is just not an option. That rules out numbers 1,2,4 and 9 for this scenario. The tank is in an actual practicing area of the office (chiropractor), not in an office area. So it's just not possible to remove the rock. There are space limitations for one thing, the hood is absolutely huge (roughly 8' x 3' x 2') making access nearly impossible, and this must be done in a way that does not interrupt the business flow or disturb the patients.

The rest I pretty much agree with, but for the exception of the order in which it's done. Here's what I had in mind:

- Manual harvest
- Lights out
- Manual harvest (again)
- Water change

I tend to think the lights out phase should be done between manual harvests, so that the lights out phase actually weakens the algae to the point where it's easier to release and it can be siphoned off when I do the w/c.

Of course, #7 is SOP and I totally agree about SG and Mexican Turbos.

This will definitely be a work-in-progress. There are no easy and fast solutions, since this has obviously taken months and months, if not a year or more, to get this way.

Thanks again for everyone's thoughts. I really appreciate the input, and I'm sure that the RC member here will be grateful for the advice.

 

[KEstep]

If you want to nip it in the bud I would try to go on a weekend when they are not practicing. You do not have to remove all the rock then scrub, remove some rock scrub it and replace it and go like that. As for scrubbing the rock after I mean while it is in the tank, not to take it out again.