Tank Help

[Xerious]

Ok, need some help with my tank. Look at the below pictures, and let me know what I can do to improve my tank.

I have a 80 gallon, with about 120lbs of live rock. I have 260watt lighting...

I have about 100 various tank janitors, and 2 cleaner shrimp.

My tank gets dirty really fast... my mushrooms appear to be doing very well, but my poly is not doing good at all.

Also, my sand gets dirty really fast.... what can I do to help this?

I don't have a sump yet...i will be adding that soon I hope..

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Poly doing bad:<p>
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Section of the tank with mushrooms:<p>
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Dirty sand after just a few days:<p>

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[bertoni]

How long has the tank been running? Such sand problems are common in new tanks. How about the basic water parameters?

 

[Xerious]

Running for almost a year. Water parmeters are normal
1.025 sal.
Almost 0 amm/rate/rite

 

[bertoni]

Okay, I'd guess the problem is too many nutrients going into the tank vs the amount the protein skimmer, etc, can remove. This article covers nutrient export, although it's written in terms of a nitrate problem:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/august2003/chem.htm\

Growing and harvesting a macroalga or better skimming are two of the more popular approaches. A phosphate reactor with a GFO like PhosBan or RowaPhos might help, as well.

More flow sometimes helps. I'd target 800 gph minimum for that size tank.

Is that a fine sand substrate? If so, a sand-sifting cucumber might be a useful addition. I'd stick with a tiger-tail or similar less-toxic species.

 

[Xerious]

Im putting in a sump (this weekend I hope) and will be buying a much better skimmer...

also, I am going to buy a wavemake with 3 Maxi-1200s.. (I already have a Ehim 800gph) + add the flow from the sump..so I think it will be getting better...

Thanks for the article!

 

[Xerious]

One question... when I put in my sump in and grow macro algea..what do I do with the algea? just let it grow?

I plan on putting a spot-light on the refuge to let the algea grow...is that the best way?

 

[KRASHPD]

Yeah, just let the algae grow. Depending on what you put in, you might have to harvest and remove some of the algae at time. Read on melev's site for how to have a successful sump/refugium.

Running some carbon might help clear your tank up as well. Some people also believe that a UV helps with keeping the water clearer.

You didn't mention it but are you using RO/DI water? That would also help keep the water from getting that murky that fast.

 

[Xerious]

I am using DI water..no RO though

 

[bertoni]

The goal of growing the macro is to be able to pull some out of the tank, and thus remove the nutrients. That's the only way it can help with this problem, in the end.