Help

[sylviawrasse]

Any hobbyists live downtown in Cleveland that could help with advice?

Thanks

 

[Cove Beach]

Whats the problem? Someone will chime in...

 

[sylviawrasse]

I have a 75 gallon tank that is one year mature ... I have a wet dry filter and a power head for internal circulation ... I am frustrated ... There is a lot of debris in the tank .... I had an algae outbreak two months ago that has devastated my tank and well ... I want to give up ... I think I have just had some bad advice ... any advice would be appreciated.


Thanks

 

[Tbohinc]

we need more info on your problem and I am sure you can get some help

what are your water test like do you use ro/di water and things like that

 

[itZme]

Is your tank a reef tank, Fish Only, or Fish Only With Live Rock (FOWLR)?

The first bit of bad advice might be that wet/dry filter if it is a reef tank. Take a deep breath and we will help you through it . We all have had some issues to iron out while letting a tank mature.

 

[Fdfiremedic]

Where do you live maybe someone close could help you get back on track??? If close to me I can try to help out

 

[sylviawrasse]

HI Guys,

Thank so much for the quick support ....

Tank: 75 Gallons

Filter : Wet dry with protien skimmer

Power head in tank

Lights: Perfect fluo. strip
Jebo 48" PC

Inhabitants: Several large chunks of Live rock
One large piece that was cover with green star
polyp but is now half covered with algae
Two small leathers
Two yellow tangs
One Blue hippo
One ENgineer Goby
One Royal Gramma
5 damsels


I don't use RO ... I age my water in a 5 gallon jug .... water chemistry is perfect ... thats why I am puzzled ...

I am still learning so I apologize for my ignorance.

Thanks

 

[itZme]

If you cut back on your feedings to every other or every 3rd day your tangs will probably start to pick at your algae more. There will also be less phosphates added to the water too. Phosphate is actually plant fertilizer and algae loves it. If you feed flake food(usually high in phosphate), try to cut waaay back on those feedings and start feeding RINSED frozen mysis or brine shrimp for the fish. Often there are preservative that are on the frozen cubes of food and if you rinse them thoroughly before adding them to your tank it will feed the algae much less and the fish will still be happy.

Do you have a proper clean up crew (crabs and snails) to keep munching on algae? Is it Green hair algae, bubble algae, or some other type that you are battling?

Sometimes manual removal is the most effective method to get that stuff out of your tank. You might want to consider spending a bit of money on buying RO water from either a machine at a grocery store or from a LFS for a few weeks of top off water at least until you can rule that out as your main source of phosphates.
I have also heard horror stories about those RO machines being way past their prime but they still continue to dispense water for money.

If you are a club member we have a TDS meter that you can use to test a sample to see if it is good enough.

Keep the info coming and we will keep the feedback flowing.

 

[MJAnderson]

do you have a phosphate test kit? i know you say you age your water in a jug, but I think that just releases chlorine. I'd do a test of your jug. You could be adding phosphates with every water change.

 

[Thinslis]

You say you have a power head, what make an model? A lack of flow could also be a problem.

I would agree that your water quality might be a major factor. You can find a really nice RO/DI unit for $150 or less. Some come with connectors that hook directly to your kitchen faucet or washing machine connection. This investment is worth its weight in.... Aussie Acans =)

 

[Tbohinc]

Sounds like a major phosphate problem do what you can to get a RO/di system I live in Euclid and you can use my TDS meter if you want. but phosphate low flow or old lights are some of the top problems the cause algae oh yea and over feeding

 

[crazyseany]

Be careful testing plain tap water.

after you do so you might not want to drink it!! LOL
ours had like 10 or maybe it was 1.0ppm phosphates and 20ppm nitrates in the tap. I was having algae problems till I got a RO/DI unit.....

Sean

 

[CleveYank]

The advice so far is solid on.
Flow increase.
Lower nutrient input in food and city water. Old bulbs just make it worse.

IF you cannot throw the cash for RO/DI system at the exact moment. I would figure out a way (canister or even glorified trickle method in a couple mesh bags in wetdry) to run some carbon(approved saltwater kind not BONE) and some granular ferric oxide in 2 to 4 day intervals with the above advice by the esteemed fellows. (leaving the carbon or GFO for extended period can become inhabited with ammonia and nitrite feeding bacteria which will compete with liverock and can spike nitrates or = more algae food)

Using the carbon and or GFO could be used as a stop gap for now as far as lack of RO/DI water. And it would help get your nutrient levels down and offset the issues coming in with the city water you are mixing with your salt. ALSO, I didn't see this mentioned, If your wetdry has media in it for bio removal...bio beads, balls, stars, floss or the like remove it. It will house the same bacteria mentioned above and compete with liverock and cause algae food/nitrate.

2 of my tanks have trickle filters that are used as glorifed sumps. They have empty trickle areas. I place a bag of each (carbon and GFO) below the input of tank water on the eggcrate shelves that normally were designed to hold bioballs to help pull nutrient levels down. I have even used an inverted 2 liter bottle suspended below my skimmer output in the sump to house carbon or GFO in one of my other systems that is just a sump. This in conjunction with water changes help keep nitrate and phosphate levels in check.

Hope you are able to get the levels down.

btw...I hate it when my Aussie is acan.