Is my tank crashing?

amosgirl · 03/25/2008, 09:33 PM

Hey. Its been a while since I've been on here, but I'm needing some ideas or advise!! My tank has been doing well for over a year now. 6 weeks ago I changed from PC's to T5's. Everything was going good. My RBTA decided to split about two weeks into it, everything was still good. Two weeks ago I added two frags. A monti digitata and a green slimer.

So just a few days after the new additions I started getting some gunk growing in the tank. At first I thought it was like red slime or something but now I'm not so sure. It is brown and stringy, covered in bubbles and covers everything in a matter of hours. I do a huge water change and vac as much as I can out and within hours it is growing back. As it grows it releases in strings and floats to the top.

So tank parameters are all good. Amonia - 0 Nitrite - 0 Nitrate - 0 Phosphates - 0 PH - 8.3 KH - 8 Calcium - 400

Those were the parameters before the issues and remain the same. Temp varies between 76.5 and 77.5

Any ideas what I'm dealing with or what is going on? I did have one RBTA get meet its demise in a power head last night but these issues have been going on for over a week with daily 40 to 50 percent water changes.

PLEASE!! I need help!! My corals are all starting to look really stressed.

BLKTANG · 03/25/2008, 09:57 PM

R u using ro/di water? Phosban reactor?Overfeeding?

Skimming?

Tell us a little more.It sounds like cyano bacteria.

Magnatron · 03/25/2008, 09:58 PM

a pic sure would be helpful.

but a few questions, whats your light cycle.

also has the daily water changes helped...that also seems like a lot of volume to be changing out everyday this may not be helping the coral very much IMO.

have you added anything besides these frags or done anything out of the norm (ie stir up the sand bed ect)

but in the end the reef gods of this site wont be as able to aid you with out the almighty PIC hehe

well best of luck

super noob out

rollnheavy · 03/25/2008, 09:59 PM

covers everything in a couple hours?
sounds like dinos,maybe someone else can chime in..

mr pink floyd · 03/25/2008, 10:01 PM

this is kind of a stupid question. similar to asking, "did i just crap myself?"

its one of those things you just kinda know

all kidding aside though, sounds like cyano or dino outbreak

ManotheSea · 03/25/2008, 10:22 PM

I lean towards dinos. Cyano lifts up in matts when it rises and doesnt grow that fast. Whats the cure for dinos?

demonsp · 03/25/2008, 10:25 PM

Whene replaceing bulbs or increases the lights you would want to reduce main light time and bring up slowly.This would reduce algea outbreaks and let corals get used to new higher lighting.

amosgirl · 03/25/2008, 10:26 PM

I will get a pic tomorrow. There have been no new fish or critters of any sort, or losses for that matter. feeding has not changed. The tank is fed 3 times a week (not much in it). I run a skimmer. Use ro/di water. Light cycle: Actinics on at 10am, daylights on at 11:30am, daylights off at 6pm Actinics off at 7:30pm, moons on til midnight.

rollnheavy, I can see it growing back within 6 hours and everything is covered in 12 hours.

I don't have any other reactors or anything running.

mr pink floyd - you don't have to be rude. I'm just trying to determine if my tank is on the edge of crashing.

I started with 10 percent water changes and nothing was changing that is why I went with bigger changes. I can mix salt water up to 150 gallons at a time so it has plenty of time to "mature" before I use it.

I was so frustrated today that I didn't do a water change and all the parameters have stayed the same.

I have had cyano before but this just doesn't seem the same. If its dino outbreak, how do I determine that and how do I deal with it?

amosgirl · 03/25/2008, 10:28 PM

demonsp - I started with the lights nearly two feet away from the tank and on only 2/3 as long. They are currently about 12 inches from the tank and on the above stated light cycle. Should I reduce light cycle again?

demonsp · 03/25/2008, 10:56 PM

You went from PC to T-5 and the better lighting if not controlled will only stress coral and creat unwanted algea. I would reduce the lights and a water change or 2.Algea will always be around to show its unwanted face and its from our control its retarded.

SeaMac2 · 03/25/2008, 11:22 PM

Sounds like dinoflagellates.

The lighting doesn't create unwanted algae...excess nutrients in the water column do.

Do a search for dinoflagellates for some info... HTH.

Chris

03/25/2008, 09:33 PM	#1
amosgirl Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 103	Is my tank crashing? Hey. Its been a while since I've been on here, but I'm needing some ideas or advise!! My tank has been doing well for over a year now. 6 weeks ago I changed from PC's to T5's. Everything was going good. My RBTA decided to split about two weeks into it, everything was still good. Two weeks ago I added two frags. A monti digitata and a green slimer. So just a few days after the new additions I started getting some gunk growing in the tank. At first I thought it was like red slime or something but now I'm not so sure. It is brown and stringy, covered in bubbles and covers everything in a matter of hours. I do a huge water change and vac as much as I can out and within hours it is growing back. As it grows it releases in strings and floats to the top. So tank parameters are all good. Amonia - 0 Nitrite - 0 Nitrate - 0 Phosphates - 0 PH - 8.3 KH - 8 Calcium - 400 Those were the parameters before the issues and remain the same. Temp varies between 76.5 and 77.5 Any ideas what I'm dealing with or what is going on? I did have one RBTA get meet its demise in a power head last night but these issues have been going on for over a week with daily 40 to 50 percent water changes. PLEASE!! I need help!! My corals are all starting to look really stressed.

03/25/2008, 09:57 PM	#2
BLKTANG Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Never,Never Land Posts: 7,061	R u using ro/di water? Phosban reactor?Overfeeding? Skimming? Tell us a little more.It sounds like cyano bacteria. __________________ We the few have done so much,for so long,for so little.That we are now qualified to do anything with nothing. ____________________________________________________________________________ Current Tank Info: RR 90 Maganvore sump,250w Hamilton fixture,VorTec's ASM skimmer.

03/25/2008, 09:58 PM	#3
Magnatron Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: harrison twp MI Posts: 29	a pic sure would be helpful. but a few questions, whats your light cycle. also has the daily water changes helped...that also seems like a lot of volume to be changing out everyday this may not be helping the coral very much IMO. have you added anything besides these frags or done anything out of the norm (ie stir up the sand bed ect) but in the end the reef gods of this site wont be as able to aid you with out the almighty PIC hehe well best of luck super noob out __________________ We are armed to the teeth, and low on prozac Current Tank Info: 85 gal

03/25/2008, 09:59 PM	#4
rollnheavy Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: columbia sc Posts: 59	covers everything in a couple hours? sounds like dinos,maybe someone else can chime in..

03/25/2008, 10:01 PM	#5
mr pink floyd Moved On Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: west hartford, CT Posts: 3,480	this is kind of a stupid question. similar to asking, "did i just crap myself?" its one of those things you just kinda know all kidding aside though, sounds like cyano or dino outbreak

03/25/2008, 10:22 PM	#6
ManotheSea Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: FL Posts: 414	I lean towards dinos. Cyano lifts up in matts when it rises and doesnt grow that fast. Whats the cure for dinos?

03/25/2008, 10:25 PM	#7
demonsp Moved On Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: el paso tx Posts: 7,634	Whene replaceing bulbs or increases the lights you would want to reduce main light time and bring up slowly.This would reduce algea outbreaks and let corals get used to new higher lighting.

03/25/2008, 10:26 PM	#8
amosgirl Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 103	I will get a pic tomorrow. There have been no new fish or critters of any sort, or losses for that matter. feeding has not changed. The tank is fed 3 times a week (not much in it). I run a skimmer. Use ro/di water. Light cycle: Actinics on at 10am, daylights on at 11:30am, daylights off at 6pm Actinics off at 7:30pm, moons on til midnight. rollnheavy, I can see it growing back within 6 hours and everything is covered in 12 hours. I don't have any other reactors or anything running. mr pink floyd - you don't have to be rude. I'm just trying to determine if my tank is on the edge of crashing. I started with 10 percent water changes and nothing was changing that is why I went with bigger changes. I can mix salt water up to 150 gallons at a time so it has plenty of time to "mature" before I use it. I was so frustrated today that I didn't do a water change and all the parameters have stayed the same. I have had cyano before but this just doesn't seem the same. If its dino outbreak, how do I determine that and how do I deal with it?

03/25/2008, 10:28 PM	#9
amosgirl Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 103	demonsp - I started with the lights nearly two feet away from the tank and on only 2/3 as long. They are currently about 12 inches from the tank and on the above stated light cycle. Should I reduce light cycle again?

03/25/2008, 10:56 PM	#10
demonsp Moved On Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: el paso tx Posts: 7,634	You went from PC to T-5 and the better lighting if not controlled will only stress coral and creat unwanted algea. I would reduce the lights and a water change or 2.Algea will always be around to show its unwanted face and its from our control its retarded.

03/25/2008, 11:22 PM	#11
SeaMac2 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 306	Sounds like dinoflagellates. The lighting doesn't create unwanted algae...excess nutrients in the water column do. Do a search for dinoflagellates for some info... HTH. Chris