1.algae---id it. Generally common in new tanks from phosphate leaching from rock and sand. To remove phosphate, use a GFO medium IN a reactor, changed monthly until result shows.
2. salinity accident: it's safe to LOWER salinity fast. Not safe to raise it fast. To restore salinity safely, top off with salt water over several days.
3. tank crashing---get your living specimens out to clean water in your qt or into a bucket, remove dead ones, run carbon, do a 30% water change first day, 20% on the third, and this MAY be enough to prevent a total crash, because you've cut off the supply of death and decay, and given the sandbed and rock what it needs to try to process the problem.
4. cyanobacteria---solution needs a skimmer well-tuned and/or heavy water changes PLUS turning your tank lights off for 3 days, blues-only on the next day, then back to normal, with window curtains drawn. [Room lights are ok.] May not get it on the first try. But doing this once a month will knock back the problem and ultimately solve it.
5. fish fight---check your adult size: if you have fish in too small a tank, there is no solution but to return the new fish to the lfs. Sometimes a simple lights-out will solve it. Sometimes rearranging the rockwork will rearrange territories and solve it. Sometimes putting the older fish into qt for a few days will solve it. If nothing works, even if your tank is large enough---you need to rescue the newest fish and get it back to the lfs. If you suspect you're going to push it with an addition---f' gosh sakes, don't mail order the fish, get it where you can return it.
6. dinos or dinoflagellates, brown dust on everything: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1620464
2. salinity accident: it's safe to LOWER salinity fast. Not safe to raise it fast. To restore salinity safely, top off with salt water over several days.
3. tank crashing---get your living specimens out to clean water in your qt or into a bucket, remove dead ones, run carbon, do a 30% water change first day, 20% on the third, and this MAY be enough to prevent a total crash, because you've cut off the supply of death and decay, and given the sandbed and rock what it needs to try to process the problem.
4. cyanobacteria---solution needs a skimmer well-tuned and/or heavy water changes PLUS turning your tank lights off for 3 days, blues-only on the next day, then back to normal, with window curtains drawn. [Room lights are ok.] May not get it on the first try. But doing this once a month will knock back the problem and ultimately solve it.
5. fish fight---check your adult size: if you have fish in too small a tank, there is no solution but to return the new fish to the lfs. Sometimes a simple lights-out will solve it. Sometimes rearranging the rockwork will rearrange territories and solve it. Sometimes putting the older fish into qt for a few days will solve it. If nothing works, even if your tank is large enough---you need to rescue the newest fish and get it back to the lfs. If you suspect you're going to push it with an addition---f' gosh sakes, don't mail order the fish, get it where you can return it.
6. dinos or dinoflagellates, brown dust on everything: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1620464
