neuro
the cat did it
IMO adding dry rock to a tank is far from 'too clean'.
Ok Im at a loss on what more to do. Help please
- Thread starter sponger0
- Start date
IMO adding dry rock to a tank is far from 'too clean'.
PaleHorse
New member
Are you serious.....
I would agree that PH is/was probably the main issue. I also noticed that you state your Alk as being 9.2... If your system is as clean as you state (undetectable NO3 and PO4) then that Alk is indeed a bit high and will certainly cause tip burn at the least. I would either A) lower Alk and maintain an ULNS, or B) raise your NO3 and PO4.
I agree with you and people aiming for 0 nutrients. Its not good to have zero honestly. So my goal wasnt to have zero nutrients. My goal is to have phos read at .03-.06. Thats my ideal target range.
The corals were slow loosing flesh and color.
I chose dry rock not due to any other reason than the type of rock. Simply cause it is my preference. I like the look of key largo rock.
Ok I tried to respond to everyone.
Well I asked this question when I initially put the CO2 scrubber on. I wasnt sure how it would or wouldnt help and wanted my next plan of action if corals kept dying. The CO2 scrubber has helped tremendiously. The sps have stopped losing flesh and all are now having good polyp extension. So they are responding. Some are coloring back up too.
I also decided to let the alk drop down closer to 8 and keep it there and see what kind of difference it makes. So far everything is coming back.
The mere fact of the tank being too clean has been a concern of mine. So I have fed heavily to try and bring it up a bit. Since the pH has stablized at 8.0, I am also having a cyano break out, so Im guessing the pH rise is causing a small cycle. I didnt have cyano in this tank until now. So now Im battling that in the process.
Added also a light and running my fuge on opposite light cycles. The cyano is beginning to grow down in the fuge...which im glad and maybe it will stay out of the display aan I can battle it in the sump.
As of Sunday night, I did a new water change, everything is still about the same except the alk is not 8.4 and phosphates reading .05. Im happier with this reading than zero on phosphates.
Well I asked this question when I initially put the CO2 scrubber on. I wasnt sure how it would or wouldnt help and wanted my next plan of action if corals kept dying. The CO2 scrubber has helped tremendiously. The sps have stopped losing flesh and all are now having good polyp extension. So they are responding. Some are coloring back up too.
I also decided to let the alk drop down closer to 8 and keep it there and see what kind of difference it makes. So far everything is coming back.
The mere fact of the tank being too clean has been a concern of mine. So I have fed heavily to try and bring it up a bit. Since the pH has stablized at 8.0, I am also having a cyano break out, so Im guessing the pH rise is causing a small cycle. I didnt have cyano in this tank until now. So now Im battling that in the process.
Added also a light and running my fuge on opposite light cycles. The cyano is beginning to grow down in the fuge...which im glad and maybe it will stay out of the display aan I can battle it in the sump.
As of Sunday night, I did a new water change, everything is still about the same except the alk is not 8.4 and phosphates reading .05. Im happier with this reading than zero on phosphates.
Chris Lakies
Active member
Hi Spong! Recently i went through the same type of thing. I started out feeding my system mostly frozen foods. Everything was growing decent. I then added a Powder blue tang which started to get ick. I started feeding NLS + garlic pellets strictly. I believe there was a lot less waste and phosphate being fed to the system at that point. My corals started getting lighter and lighter then the skin started peeling, but not on all my acro's. I tried water changes, checking and rechecking ALK, Cal, Mag, Salinity. Everything seemed ok. So finally i thought as a last resort to start feeding more frozen food + the pellets. Within a month things have started coming back getting more colorful better polyp extension and actually growing. The good news in the end is I kicked the ICK, my PBT is healthy as can be and now my corals are getting better.
neuro
the cat did it
glad to hear things are back to normal.
You are the first that I've heard, to suggest that the pH change is causing a cyano break out.
I would be more inclined to say that your practice of heavily feeding is doing that. Because that is exactly what happens to me unless I cut back and do some major sucking-out. I had cyano present even within two weeks after my initial cycle of my tank.
You are the first that I've heard, to suggest that the pH change is causing a cyano break out.
I would be more inclined to say that your practice of heavily feeding is doing that. Because that is exactly what happens to me unless I cut back and do some major sucking-out. I had cyano present even within two weeks after my initial cycle of my tank.
Cyano is a commmon issue in ULNS systems as well..
neuro
the cat did it
My observations based on my experiences don't dispute that. However, it is much more difficult to manage in a high nutrient environment.
Well if the cyano was due to a high nutrient issue, it would have happened a long time ago IMO.
I mean when the first tank cycled, shortly after dinos broke out. But cyano didnt.
And also I normally wouldnt chase a pH issue.
But due to the system and the water paramters, I have had to think outside the box and away from normal troubleshooting tank issues.
I have had the same feeding habits since the tank started so I dont think its due to the feeding habits, on top of that, as soon as the pH got away from the 7.4-6 range cyano broke out.
I mean when the first tank cycled, shortly after dinos broke out. But cyano didnt.
And also I normally wouldnt chase a pH issue.
But due to the system and the water paramters, I have had to think outside the box and away from normal troubleshooting tank issues.
I have had the same feeding habits since the tank started so I dont think its due to the feeding habits, on top of that, as soon as the pH got away from the 7.4-6 range cyano broke out.
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tripdad
Frustrated Stick Gardener
Hey spongerO, I would just let it settle at this point. I think when we have a tank "upset" like your ph swing or an alk swing we can lose some of the beneficial bacteria balancing the system so then we get outbreaks of cyano, algae,etc.. Sometimes I think we just need to not react, after fixing the initial problem, and see if the system will come back into balance as long as animals are healthy. Don't know if I would call it a cycle but maybe. Best of luck and glad things are doing better.
neuro
the cat did it
it'd be great if you could update us! very interested in your observations
I havent done anything else at this time. Im letting everything do its thing. Feed and observe. And syphon this damn cyano lol. I might pick up red slime remover. Not sure yet. Getting on my damn nerves lol
Neuro, everything seems to be doing better. Things are coloring up, stn has stopped. I havent lost a piece since I added the CO2 scrubber. Good polyp extensions. So Im expecting soon to get some growth. I just need to get rid of this cyano.
dg3147
Active member
I have used "cyanoclean" to out compete red slime in the past. I'm a bit phobic of nuking tank with things that kill it.
neuro
the cat did it
lol I totally feel you on this statement. Though, I am glad it's cyano and not something extremely difficult to remove like turf algae
I decided to turn the lights off. Also I just picked up an LED unit so that may help and Im getting rid of my T5s. The bulbs may be the issues so we shall see
neuro
the cat did it
fyi i had my main lights off with just actinics on for a while, and that didn't do anything for me. a complete lights-out i haven't tried myself
I had dinos when this tank first started, and turned off the white. That killed them even with the blues running for 10 hrs a day. It was strange
