Came home to a possibel Major Issue HELP!!!

Beldarr · 06/28/2015, 11:00 AM

I went on vacation for 6 days. Had my tank in good shape, and had an auto refill set up and eveything. Came home this morning, and all the auto top off water had been used and the tank was not getting new water. I got it all turned back on but heres my issues.....

The water is green like a dirty pond
There is a huge amount of reddish/black hairy algae growing on sand bed
My levels tested fine

Now what?

andrek787 · 06/28/2015, 11:05 AM

Did you have your lights on the timer? Did you use Ro/Di for the top off?

Sounds like nitrates or phoshates got into the system or your lights got stuck in ON position. Is all of the livestock alive?

gone fishin · 06/28/2015, 11:11 AM

Sounds like a major algae bloom going on. since you ran out of top off water what was your salinity.

I would speculate you had an automatic feeder on while away and it put in quite a bit of food.

I would probably start with few WC's over the next few days and see what you have left and skim wet. It may be worthwhile to leave your lights of for a couple of days as well.

Hal · 06/28/2015, 11:46 AM

Yep, water changes to start. I would think that extra carbon might filter some of it out too. Lastly, if you have a diatom filter, I would use it.

Pics might help us diagnose it better.

Cosmojo · 06/28/2015, 02:52 PM

doesn't sound like you have it too bad then. WC's, balance out the salinity slowly, and you should be good to go.

Sapelo · 06/28/2015, 03:58 PM

Time to use those test kits! What are your parameters?

06/28/2015, 11:00 AM	#1
Beldarr Registered Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: Pickerington, OH Posts: 50	Came home to a possibel Major Issue HELP!!! I went on vacation for 6 days. Had my tank in good shape, and had an auto refill set up and eveything. Came home this morning, and all the auto top off water had been used and the tank was not getting new water. I got it all turned back on but heres my issues..... The water is green like a dirty pond There is a huge amount of reddish/black hairy algae growing on sand bed My levels tested fine Now what?

06/28/2015, 11:05 AM	#2
andrek787 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 378	Did you have your lights on the timer? Did you use Ro/Di for the top off? Sounds like nitrates or phoshates got into the system or your lights got stuck in ON position. Is all of the livestock alive? __________________ SCA starphire 150 gallon, custom Advanced Acrylics 50g sump, 3 x Hydra52 Hybrids, 2 x Gyre xf-150, 2 x Kessil A150 6700k fuge lights, ATI 250is Skimmer, Skimz RR-153 bio-pellet, Kore 5th Doser

06/28/2015, 11:11 AM	#3
gone fishin Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Wyocena Wi Posts: 6,936	Sounds like a major algae bloom going on. since you ran out of top off water what was your salinity. I would speculate you had an automatic feeder on while away and it put in quite a bit of food. I would probably start with few WC's over the next few days and see what you have left and skim wet. It may be worthwhile to leave your lights of for a couple of days as well. __________________ Tony Current Tank Info: 180gal DT, BM NAC77 skimmer,3 Maxspect razors, Maxspect Gyre 150, 30g QT

06/28/2015, 11:46 AM	#4
Hal Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Longmont, CO Posts: 1,889	Yep, water changes to start. I would think that extra carbon might filter some of it out too. Lastly, if you have a diatom filter, I would use it. Pics might help us diagnose it better. __________________ Some days it's not even worth chewing through the restraints. Current Tank Info: 250g starphire: 72x28x30, BeanAnimal drain with an oversized non-durso emergency drain, 4 inch DSB, 3x Reefbreeders Value LED fixtures, SWC/MSX 300A skimmer, Geo kalk reactor, 3 Vortechs w/bb, carbon reactor, and a RKL

06/28/2015, 02:52 PM	#5
Cosmojo Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: San Antonio Posts: 350	doesn't sound like you have it too bad then. WC's, balance out the salinity slowly, and you should be good to go.

06/28/2015, 03:58 PM	#6
Sapelo Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: North Georgia Posts: 869	Time to use those test kits! What are your parameters?