Major Tank Problems, Ideas?

[TimV]

Removing an inch of your sand and exposing sand that would have been in the anoxic zone was probably not a good idea. Also, it can be sometimes difficult to discern the difference between diatoms and dinoflagellates (blooms in pictures on the web are often misidentified). If your problem was the latter, it could account for your issues.

Last thing I'd do is take apart all your pumps. You might have an impeller with a fractured epoxy coating. I've had that happen (as has Paul) coincident with tank issues. When I've replaced the impellers, things magically got better. Anecdotal, but while I wouldn't be concerned with iron rust, who knows what rusts might be leaching from the other metals in a magnet.

T

 

[pwhitby]

I had forgotten about the rusty impeller Tim....yep, thats a factor to consider.

P.

 

[papagimp]

I understand what you're saying Travis, but I honestly would not expect the rock after 7 months to start this process. I mean, if the current rock was enough to filter the tank, and I added new rock, wouldn't the current live rock be sufficient to filter out the ammonia and nitrite? But I do think you're on the right track by mentioning a dominoe effect occuring. Problems started about the time I "overharvested" my fuge a couplem onths back, that spiked the phosphate and nitrates, but those were both almost down to 0 again when all this started.

 

[papagimp]

No problems with impellars. I regularly take apart the return and skimmer pump for cleaning, they clog easily.

 

[papagimp]

okay, so for the time being, given the options that I have, are there any decent suggestions as far as a course of action to take? Also, I do have a 42g hex tank set up for the moment, it's fully stocked with predominatly leather corals, so with that in mind, is there a type of coral (sps, lps, softies, ect.) that has a higher tolerance to nitrite/ammonia? My thinking is that I may move some of the more sensistive corals to this other tank in hopes of not losing everything. But if anything goes in the 42, than something has got to come out, it's stuffed full as is.

 

[Travis L. Stevens]

I think you should pull as a last resort. Ammonia is a kill-all, but the nitrates can be tolerated by your coral list (that is alive, sorry for the SPS). I highly suggest finding some way to quickly increase the amount of surface area exposed to aerobic environment. Dump buckets of bioballs, add some HOB powerfilters with BioWheels, add a canister filter filled with some sort of biomedia, etc. You need to get your Bacteria level up to handle the increased Ammonia and Nitrite. This will quickly spike your Nitrates, but Nitrates are much more tolerable with your livestock. Water changes are obviously not cutting it right now.

 

[papagimp]

Well, one step ahead of ya there, I added two different HOB filters, one biowheel and the other a cheapy walmart, both with the biofilters still attached and cycled (these have been sitting on the 42g) And also added Matrix biomedia stuff as well. Added another 10lbs or so of cured rock, very porous stuff too. I've still got quite a bit of bioballs sitting around, about a 5g water jug 2/3rd full of em, and a few other bags of em sitting around, so I can definatly throw those in there ASAP. Other than that? Jess is supposed to be pickin' up some ammolock today, I've used that in the past during "rushed" cycles on freshwater tanks, but never for a situtation like this. I also added a Nitra-Zorb pad a few days ago, think I forgot to mention that. I had used them before when I first got into the hobby and it did make a nice dent in the nitrate levels I had at the time, but this is far worse so hopefully every little bit will help in some way. I did notice an improvment on certain LPS and the pom pom xenia after performing the last couple water changes. Would adding some of the "ammonia reducing" carbon stuff help? Not sure how effective that sort is compared to just plain ol' activated carbon.

 

[Travis L. Stevens]

I don't know about any of the ammonia reducing chemicals, but the activated carbon will do very little for organics like ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. I think you are doing the right thing right now. Of course, don't stop the water changes.

 

[papagimp]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9861065#post9861065 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Travis L. Stevens
Of course, don't stop the water changes.

You ain't telling me nothing there I don't already know, lol. Got my large rubber maid tub mixing up saltwater 24/7 for the past couple weeks. Spending more on water this month than ever! Coinincidence that the company I bought my RO/DI unit from sent me a "filter replacment order form" yesterday? I think not!