Starting over

jimyoyo · 04/13/2011, 06:48 AM

After seven years of my 90G tank consuming way too much of my money in dead coral and fish, an incurable green hair algae problem has pushed me over the edge, to the point where I plan on emptying my tank today and start all over with new everything. And I mean everything.

Any ideas on how I should clean the entire system out? Bleach? Ammonia? Something else? I want to ensure that when I start again I am starting as fresh and biological-free as possible. I plan on letting the whole system sit dry for about a month.

And don't bother with my old signature below. All I have left is the banghai, a pj, and a clown

stingythingy45 · 04/13/2011, 06:57 AM

Have you figured out why you had so much trouble?
Did you use ro/di water?
I'd use a combo of bleach and water(not sure what ratio).
But,even a strong combo of hot water vinegar and allowed to dry would work.

jimyoyo · 04/13/2011, 07:01 AM

Man, I have used everything, from Kent Algae Fix, to scrubbing rock, to a phosphate media reactor, and have only used RO water for four years. I got a $60 clean up crew which did it's job, then the GHA started coming back and the turbos all died.

No, I can't sink any more good $ against bad with the current setup. In talking to a few fellow reefers, starting over is probably my best bet.

Jerokane · 04/13/2011, 07:02 AM

I agree. You should first figure out why you had so much trouble.

Because if it is due to human error (no offense), then you will just repeat it all over again... and again... and again, continueing the unecessary suffering of coral and fish.

JoeRonda · 04/13/2011, 11:15 AM

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.

risika67 · 04/13/2011, 03:09 PM

For cleaning I'd go vinegar and water. I know a lot of people use bleach but I just never felt safe even bringing it near my tank

Liquid Hobby · 04/13/2011, 05:02 PM

Bleach is fine, it's what I clean my filter socks with in the washing machine. Just rinse heavily and let it air out for a while as bleach evaps pretty quickly.

There's also muratic acid that will kill anything biological it touches - but use with caution as it can burn your skin - and let soak in fresh water for a while also.

The other method is to just clean it and let it sit. Time in the air will kill everything that came from the sea...

tkeracer619 · 04/13/2011, 05:08 PM

I will just go ahead and say it. Your problem is that you had a naso tang, hippo tang, yellow tang, and a mag. foxface in a 90g. You were way overloaded.

Clean the tank with vinegar and next time take it slow with your livestock while keeping nitrates and phosphates in check.

Keep in mind that no animal or critter you get for your tank will get rid of algae. All they do is eat it and poop it. They are like mulching lawn mowers as you found out with your snails that ended up polluting the tank for a net increase in nutrients compared to when you added them to the tank.

CoreyGardner · 04/13/2011, 05:29 PM

Good luck and keep us posted on the re-build...

04/13/2011, 06:48 AM	#1
jimyoyo Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: ny Posts: 36	Starting over After seven years of my 90G tank consuming way too much of my money in dead coral and fish, an incurable green hair algae problem has pushed me over the edge, to the point where I plan on emptying my tank today and start all over with new everything. And I mean everything. Any ideas on how I should clean the entire system out? Bleach? Ammonia? Something else? I want to ensure that when I start again I am starting as fresh and biological-free as possible. I plan on letting the whole system sit dry for about a month. And don't bother with my old signature below. All I have left is the banghai, a pj, and a clown __________________ Jy the Yoyo Current Tank Info: 90 gal reef, 2 clowns, royal gramma, purple pseudochromis, fairy wrasse, six line, sleeper goby, naso tang, hippo tang, yellow tang, mag. foxface, coral beauty, 3 pj cards, bangghai card

04/13/2011, 06:57 AM	#2
stingythingy45 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: MA Posts: 3,296	Have you figured out why you had so much trouble? Did you use ro/di water? I'd use a combo of bleach and water(not sure what ratio). But,even a strong combo of hot water vinegar and allowed to dry would work. __________________ Bob Current Tank Info: 90 gallon,mixed Reef,2-250 watt Optix 3 pendants(Phoenix 14K)2-54 watt T5 Super actnics ,ASM G-2 Gate/recirc mods,70 gal. basement sump,20L ref

04/13/2011, 07:01 AM	#3
jimyoyo Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: ny Posts: 36	Man, I have used everything, from Kent Algae Fix, to scrubbing rock, to a phosphate media reactor, and have only used RO water for four years. I got a $60 clean up crew which did it's job, then the GHA started coming back and the turbos all died. No, I can't sink any more good $ against bad with the current setup. In talking to a few fellow reefers, starting over is probably my best bet. __________________ Jy the Yoyo Current Tank Info: 90 gal reef, 2 clowns, royal gramma, purple pseudochromis, fairy wrasse, six line, sleeper goby, naso tang, hippo tang, yellow tang, mag. foxface, coral beauty, 3 pj cards, bangghai card

04/13/2011, 05:02 PM	#7
Liquid Hobby Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 810	Bleach is fine, it's what I clean my filter socks with in the washing machine. Just rinse heavily and let it air out for a while as bleach evaps pretty quickly. There's also muratic acid that will kill anything biological it touches - but use with caution as it can burn your skin - and let soak in fresh water for a while also. The other method is to just clean it and let it sit. Time in the air will kill everything that came from the sea... __________________ 120 DT/200 G mixed reef: birthed on Dec 1, 2010 * Neptune Systems controller * 40G Sump + 40G Fuge which gravity feeds into DT * Huge Reef Octopus Skimmer * Calc, GFO and Carbon RXs * 2x250W 20K Radium MH with VHO supplement * 3600 GPH closed loop with OM 4 way * 1700 GPH return

04/13/2011, 05:08 PM	#8
tkeracer619 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Westminster, CO Posts: 17,289	I will just go ahead and say it. Your problem is that you had a naso tang, hippo tang, yellow tang, and a mag. foxface in a 90g. You were way overloaded. Clean the tank with vinegar and next time take it slow with your livestock while keeping nitrates and phosphates in check. Keep in mind that no animal or critter you get for your tank will get rid of algae. All they do is eat it and poop it. They are like mulching lawn mowers as you found out with your snails that ended up polluting the tank for a net increase in nutrients compared to when you added them to the tank. __________________ Hobby Experience: 9200ish gallons, 26 skimmers, and a handful of Kent Scrapers. Current Tank: Vortech Powered 600G SPS Tank w/ 100gal frag tank & 100g Sump. RK2-RK10 Skimmer. ReefAngel. Radium 20k.

04/13/2011, 07:02 AM	#4
Jerokane Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 68	I agree. You should first figure out why you had so much trouble. Because if it is due to human error (no offense), then you will just repeat it all over again... and again... and again, continueing the unecessary suffering of coral and fish.

04/13/2011, 11:15 AM	#5
JoeRonda Made in the U.S.A. Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Washington,PA Posts: 694	If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.

04/13/2011, 03:09 PM	#6
risika67 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Upper Peninsula of Michigan Posts: 143	For cleaning I'd go vinegar and water. I know a lot of people use bleach but I just never felt safe even bringing it near my tank

04/13/2011, 05:29 PM	#9
CoreyGardner Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: San Tan Valley, AZ Posts: 117	Good luck and keep us posted on the re-build... __________________ ~Corey Gardner Current Tank Info: 10 Gallon Nano- 60 gallon Rebuild

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
getting started for the first time, please give me your input	mnotta	New to the Hobby	16	12/21/2016 06:33 AM
Starting new nano tank	musicman980	Nano Reefs	7	12/03/2012 08:02 PM
feed pause and delay start skimmer	plankton99	GHL /ProfiLux / Mitras	4	01/24/2011 08:09 AM
Pulse start vs. Probe start	robitreef	Lighting, Filtration & Other Equipment	5	04/17/2006 08:26 PM
6 T12 Sufficient for starting a reef if not what do I need to get started cheap.	stillcity	Lighting, Filtration & Other Equipment	9	01/25/2006 11:33 AM