I need Advice

[Robert Wynn]

Ok eveyone I need some solid advice on how to proceed.

While my finances were low my tank was on a "please don't crash mode". Now that that is passed I need to get it back in gear and better than ever.

I have a massive amount of hair algae, diatoms(I think, its a brown dust on rocks and the glass). And my sand looks like crap(I added 40lbs of crushed coral when I was new and didn't realize what I was doing.

So I now have the following list of things to do this weekend, please help me eliminate anything unneeded and add something I left out.

1. Implement weekly 10g water changes(25%).

2. Add a protein skimmer.

3. Add a full CUC(I only have a few hermits and fighting conch right now).

4. Remove all rock and water and inhabitants and replace the detritus trap of a sandbed with new sugar sized dead sand.

5. Replace 50% of the cycled water and rock and then fill to top with fresh saltwater mix.

6. Add timers to regulate my photoperiod to 10hrs a day 2hrs actinic, 6hrs MH+actinic, 2hrs actinic.

Please let me know if any of this should be removed, or if I should add something else to this list. I do not have a sump or room for it, but I have converted an aqueon 55 HOB filter into a fuge packed with chaeto on a reverse photo period.

Thank you everyone for your assistance,

Robert

[Robb in Austin]

Not sure on the sand bed replacement, although a good siphoning wont hurt.

I think if you do a large volume water change as soon as possible, manually remove as much algae as possible, and get the skimmer going you will be in a much better place. Then keep up with the water changes.

[innate1]

test or get your water tested. Once you know where your params are It'll be the map of what needs to be done. I wouldn't go to sugar sand, it blows around and becomes a pain. Just ask Chad and Belinda. I would start with 1-3 and see where that gets you.

[innate1]

There are a couple of skimmers that should fit your tank well in the for sale hardware section

[Robert Wynn]

Thanks guys, I'll start there.

[Robert Wynn]

I saw no HOB skimmers left that havent sold, if anyone knows of a good place to pick one up please let me know. Or willing and prefer to buy used if anyone has one, or knows someone.

[Starsprinkle Rainbowsmile]

Any sand bed is going to be a detritus trap, and will eventually crash.  IMO, crushed coral is going to serve you much better than sugar sand.  If you don't like the looks of crushed coral or bare bottom and insist on fine sand, just be aware its not going to help you any better.  Siphoning the sand regularly might be a good idea, but a 40g is a little small for a full grown sand sifting star.  Plenty of nassarius snails will help keep the sand bed stirred.

[Mike M.]

Consider carbon dosing or biopellets to help control excess nutrients that are feeding the algae and diatom blooms.

Skimmer for sure!

Timers to control photoperiod and cut that back to minimum needed on the MH lights to sustain any invertebrates you may have would be a good first step also. This will not, however, eliminate algae until the nutrient supply is also limited...hence the recommendation to either use a carbon source and bacteria culture like MB7 or Zeo's ZeoBak in conjunction with a carbon source like Vodka or Zeo Start 2. If you go with the zeo product, use 2 drops Zeobak per day and .5mL of Start 2 daily. You MUST have a skimmer for either carbon dosing scheme. Same with biopellets. So, back to the buy a skimmer idea.

You can get this under control. I'd estimate six weeks.

Carbon in a filter bag would be a good idea also to reduce dissolved organics.

So, buy a skimmer. If you have money for timers, get those too!

Finally, remember that nothing good happens quickly in a reef tank.

Mike

[Robert Wynn]

Thanks everyone so much. I just picked up some more salt mix for a WC and a timer for the MH, I only have a Zoa colony, an Acan, and a green mushroom, how long do I really need to keep the MH on? I really need to find a skimmer it seems, craigslist is failing me for a good low priced one, nothing in the WTS section, do any of the Austin stores have reasonably priced HOB skimmers that yall know of?

The petsmart didn't have a test kit so I've got to wait until tomorrow to go pick one up from Petco or Polly's in New Braunfels.

That brings me to #3 on the list is there a good Austin LFS with CuC in stock at good prices?

Edited August 21, 2010 by Robert Wynn

[Robb in Austin]

Dont forget about MAAST.

[Jlo]

I bought a reef octopus at Aquatek and it is working real well on my 46g tank that i just got set up. They gave me the sale price too with 20% off for next Saturday so you might want to look into getting that its really cleared up my water in just a few days.

[lexiemc]

Thanks everyone so much. I just picked up some more salt mix for a WC and a timer for the MH, I only have a Zoa colony, an Acan, and a green mushroom, how long do I really need to keep the MH on? I really need to find a skimmer it seems, craigslist is failing me for a good low priced one, nothing in the WTS section, do any of the Austin stores have reasonably priced HOB skimmers that yall know of?

The petsmart didn't have a test kit so I've got to wait until tomorrow to go pick one up from Petco or Polly's in New Braunfels.

That brings me to #3 on the list is there a good Austin LFS with CuC in stock at good prices?

Aquatek will have their big sale next weekend (aug 28th) check their sponsor link in the forum for details. "Tunze equipment 10% OFF"

We are using the Tunze nano 9002 (rated for 75g) for our 45gal. It is internal mount and takes very little space but comes with the internal pump. It runs super quiet and very efficiently.

It was listed for around $160 retail which is much the same to some online suppliers. If you decide to go, get there early. But not sure about any other local sources.

You can always post on the "want to Buy" section. See if you get any feed back.

Cerith snails work great on the brown diatoms. Nassarius do stir the sand bed more like "bulldozers" but they are carnivores so they will need to be fed.

Some blennies, like tails spot or lawnmower will eat the algae, but be sure you know which ones are reef safe and what your size limitations are for your tank size. Lawnmowers need lots to keep them sustained.

We have a tailspot, he is eating both hair algae and flake food as well. Between the skimmer and the Blennie we are starting to find a good balance with algae & tank inhabitants.

Good luck.

Edited August 22, 2010 by lexiemc

[Robert Wynn]

Thanks, yes a lawnmower will be had tomorrow. I've got a LOT of algae to deal with.

[Robert Wynn]

Ok thanks to Noodle I will be picking up an AquaC Remora skimmer tomorrow!

[LiverDog]

I am new here, but I have a bunch of experience with green hair algae. A few months ago we had some bad power outages. as a result both of my bulbs failed. I was broke and going to be so for the next 3 weeks. I had my water for changes and did them like normal. I could tell that the algae was dying. In that three week period, I got rid of all of my algae. This lack of lights did not seem to affect my fish, but the nasty green hair is gone. I had been fighting it for 3 years.

[mooric]

Did you have corals in your tank? If yes, how were they affected?

[barderer]

I have this process down to an science. For tanks 50 gal and under its a breeze. For larger tanks more money should be invested into the design to avoid having to do this.

1) Remove all infested rocks and throw them in a garbage can or bucket full of fresh salt water and let it sit in the dark for a few weeks. Change the water completely a few times to let all the phosphates leech out. The darkness will also kill off the algae.

1b) Remove existing sand bed, clean and dry and store. Run bare bottom.

2) Siphon out as much algae and grim out of the display and do a large 30% water change.

3) Let the tank sit in darkness for 3 days, covered by a towel.

4) Start a new sand bed in a separate tank and seed it. Let it grow for 2 months.

5) Run a media reactor in the main tank with phosphate absorption material of your choice during this whole process.

7) Replace existing sand bed with new seeded sand bed from step 2.

8) Reduce photo period to 8 hours. (My corals do quite well with the reduced period because there is no "slim" for them to fight)

9) Reintroduce rocks, but elevate the above the sanded with smaller rocks or a pvc framework such that flow can get under the rocks and move the whole sand bed around the tank.

10) Mad flow, madddd floooooooooooooowwwww.

Repeat this process every 9 months. If you keep turning over your sand beds (use the same two beds over and over) you won't have to do the rock step again.

[innate1]

that sounds exhausting

[barderer]

well when you slack off you have to pay the price.