Something happened in my tank.

[goober35]

I have been having a cyano algae problem for about 2 months. So about a 3 weeks ago i added some cheato in my sump under a macro grow light. Well that helped some but did not take all of the phosfates out of my water. Then last week my power went out and my check valve did not work but my sump was able to handle the extra water. So i decided to pull the check valve out and just put a straight pipe in. I noticed that my hose clamp had also started to rust really bad so this time i am not using any kind of clamp and it seems to be holding just fine. I also got my optics in for my LED fixture i built. I installed them with no problem. The next 2 days i had no cyano in the tank just the left over dead junk. I cleaned it all out and did my 10gal water change. On Saturday though all of my Zoas did not open my mushrooms tightened up and so did my torch fully extend.

My question is what the hell did i do. IS it the lights or is it the new pipe i put in? Why the hell did the cyano just go away over night and could the extra light be affecting my tank that much

All my water test of the new saltwater and my tank water where clear and within the norm. Ph was at 8.0 and the temp has not changed and sits at 77 all day and night.

I will load pic's of the lighting as soon as i find my software for my camera sense i broke my other laptop and had to buy a new one last week.

 

[chimmike]

if you put optics on the LED's you hyperfocused the light, so the zoas are either getting used to it or don't like it at all.

Any particular reason you put the optics on? Does the fixture sit high up off the water?

 

[goober35]

it sits about a foot form the water. I did to with an 80 degree optics.

 

[njudson]

can you dim the lights? sounds like the corals are adjusting to an increase in lighting. If you can dim them thats what I would do and gradually work your way up to the light you want.

 

[wrott]

Are you using a refractometer? Use RowaPhos and carbon, and a Polyfilter for possible metals. I'll bet you stressed them out w/ temp/salinity. It'll take 4-5 days to return to normal--just my prediction. SG and temp during WCs is important, if you are not using a refractometer, go higher than normal on the SG.

 

[goober35]

LOL last week i ordered a reactor with rowaphos. I also wandered if i had some kind of metal in the water from the rusting hose clamp so i was going to run some carbon in hopes it would pull out the metal if there was any. As far as a refractometer no i do not have one.

 

[wrott]

This will solve a lot of problems, I would not be reefing w/ out 1 (or 2 in my case):
http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4690+9957&pcatid=9957

This could help w/ possible heavy metals:
http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=4335

 

[goober35]

My reactor will be here on Tuesday to bad i wont be here went it gets here i will be in the middle of an interview. I will go out and get the polyfilter and work in the refractometer into the budget. Good thing it is the start of a new month sense i only set aside so much money per month for my aquarium

 

[chimmike]

Well, you should raise the fixture more than 12" off the water with the 80* optics, or dim it some, IMO. you may end up cooking the stuff

 

[goober35]

I got a refractometer and my SG is at 1.020 so i will start by raising my sg a .001 a week until i am at 1.024.

I am no running some phosban and charcoal in hopes to pull out what ever is in the water.