While you were gone...

[X_not_again_x]

So here is my situation.. Around my 18th birthday me and my mom have some falling out issues, and I decide to move out! I parted out most of my huge 75 gallon reef and put the left overs in my smaller 29g. She told me she would take care of it (she has the same experience as I do, she's just not as dedicated!) I come back three months later and my tank is INFESTED with hair algae, and I'm not over reacting, its everywhere, my power heads were clogged with it, my filter, skimmer, everything. You coulnd't see the rocks, the hermits had hair on their shells, it was everywhere. So I come home last night, and boil all the rock, every bit of it.. Then I siphon all of the water out and let it go through a few filters into a new bucket (I'm moving the tank into my room) I fill the tank back up, do a 30% water change (RO/DI) then filter it for about another hour! I add the rock an hour later, dose with polyox, essential elements, purple up, phosphate remover, and im running a phosphate remover filter. I plan going on tuesday and buying a sea hare from my LFS. Heres some pictures, any more advice?

Right now I'm just running two maxijet 1200's, no skimmer, and a filter that i clean and change out every three hours..

 

[X_not_again_x]

ttt

 

[flyyyguy]

simply boiling the rock is not going to fix the damage that was doen to those rocks in the form of phosphate absorption.

I would actually cook it before starting back up again.

Boiling and "cooking" are not the same thing. By boiling it you killed all the beneficial bacteria which is actually key in the cooking process. Do a search on cokking your rock and you can find the directions

 

[PhilliePhil]

Thats an awesome SW Planted Tank!

Just kidding.

That stinks though that it happened. I would try to be a little easy though on your mom, outta sight outta mind. It'd be hard to remember to stay on top of everything that goes with a SW tank thats not yours and is hidden away from sight....

Good luck though!

 

[X_not_again_x]

Yeah I knew the boiling would kill all beneficial bacteria, but at this point idc! so yeah.. hopefully the sea hare will work out!

 

[blaze98]

your cleaning did a world of wonder

 

[X_not_again_x]

haha yeah you're telling me.. im not seeing any growth on the glass today or anything.. So hopefully the phosphate exporters are working! Can anyone give me advice?! I've heard to not use flake foods, I use formula one, that okay to use?

 

[crab0000]

A skimmer would definitely help the situation. The only other thing I would suggest is to do lots of water changes and stock slowly. Good luck!

 

[X_not_again_x]

I've seen all these tanks gone skimerless, so I'm going to atempt to do it!

 

[davidryder]

Since you have no corals in there keep the lights on for short periods of time. And unless your tap water is immaculate or you are using RO/DI I would not do any water changes.

 

[X_not_again_x]

I'm using RO water..

 

[TitusvileSurfer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10929734#post10929734 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by X_not_again_x
I've seen all these tanks gone skimerless, so I'm going to atempt to do it!

Hehe, at first I thought this was some bloke making fun of you. I don't advise it but to each his own! If you have VERY proven technology at your disposal, why wouldn't you use it? Its like buying a square tire because it cheaper IMO.

 

[Anemone]

By boiling the rocks, you killed the biofiltration bacteria. You should expect a cycle - not something you'd want a sea hare to be in there for.

Kevin

 

[ernestlives]

Stop moving out...that should help.

 

[yellowwatchmen]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10930161#post10930161 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by davidryder
Since you have no corals in there keep the lights on for short periods of time. And unless your tap water is immaculate or you are using RO/DI I would not do any water changes.

There was some xenia in there. I know the light wont effect xenia since they are so hardy. but i just wanted to point that out. That sucks that you mom would let that happen. Did you lose any livestock or did any thing get ruined such as pumps.

 

[X_not_again_x]

i lost two maxijets, a few corals, and a watchman goby.