PLease help me :(

[AaronOwens]

I cannot work out what is going on with my tank, It's been up and running for about 3-4 months now, cycled after 4 weeks after very diligent water checks, I waited a further 2 weeks until I added 4 hermit crabs very small in size. I waited about a month + after this and I added about 6 purple mushys and 1 red mushy.. everything looked amazing, no diatoms, no fur algae, clean as a whistle.. for a nother month.. then this week, 2 crabs have died and the tank is full of diatoms, the flowers still look relatively healthy though.. the class is caked in diatoms, also caked in copepods.. I don't know what to do, the water physically looks green despite only doing a water change about a 6-7 days ago.. Is there something I'm doing wrong?

It is a 100cm custom tank with a 2foot sump underneath with a filter sock, protein skimmer, heater, a refugium with about 5-10kg of live rock, and a return to the tank.. Please help, I was going to add fish within the next month or two but now I am shying away.. I don't know what to do and how to make my water crystal clear.. is there a piece of quipment I can buy? I don't think my protein skimmer is even working properly.. cheers Aaron

[Ou8me2]

You need to test your water and list the parameters before anyone can help diagnose the problem. Sounds to me like after you thought the tank was cycled you stopped testing.

[oldbones]

That tank needs a fish!

Wouldn't hurt to run some carbon to clear up the water either.

[AaronOwens]

Originally Posted by Ou8me2

You need to test your water and list the parameters before anyone can help diagnose the problem. Sounds to me like after you thought the tank was cycled you stopped testing.

I didn't though! I was constantly checking for nitrates.. not so much ammonia and Nitrite as there was like 5ppm of nitrates meaning it was cycling efficiently.. it doesn't explain why it was fine for a month, running beautifully and looking great, and now it's running terribly?

[AaronOwens]

Originally Posted by oldbones

That tank needs a fish!

Wouldn't hurt to run some carbon to clear up the water either.

I'm totally against buying a fish if it's going to hurt it.. I'm not that type of person and am happy to wait for a fish to make sure it's healthy and happy..

where would I position the carbona nd how would I do it?

[davocean]

Post pics of your tank so we may see if we notice anything that looks off, and give specs on tank, including where you get your water.
It is common to have issues like diatoms, algae, cyano, all around anywhere from 4-9mo in as a new tank has not really quite balanced out yet, could be your issue, but just know these things eventually pass.

[AaronOwens]

Originally Posted by davocean

Post pics of your tank so we may see if we notice anything that looks off, and give specs on tank, including where you get your water.
It is common to have issues like diatoms, algae, cyano, all around anywhere from 4-9mo in as a new tank has not really quite balanced out yet, could be your issue, but just know these things eventually pass.

Unfortunately due to money I have to use a puretap in Australia.. A lot of people I know down here all use it and have good results.. however would be opened to buying a RODI.. It's weird how my water went from being crystal clear one day, to green the enxt with algae on the glass.. the glass is also littered in copepods so I'm reluctant to scrub it!

[Ou8me2]

if your water is truly turning green it sounds like you have a large algae bloom going on in the tank. I would definitely get a RO/DI unit.

[HammerLover]

Whenever I use tap water my tank will have a diatom outbreak followed by hair algae.

I would switch to RODI, but I found NSW to be much cheaper though. I've been using NSW these past few months without an issue.

And even though your nitrates are low, have you checked phosphates?

[davocean]

I would say your water source may be a big part if not most of your problems.
Maybe you can get water from an LFS or score a used RO/DI

[kurt_n]

Originally Posted by AaronOwens

I cannot work out what is going on with my tank, It's been up and running for about 3-4 months now, cycled after 4 weeks after very diligent water checks,...

If I'm reading this right, the tank was cycled for 1 month, but has sat fishless another 2-3 months?

If that's the case, my guess is that you're seeing water quality problems because of the massive bacterial dieoff. You cycled the tank to build up the nitrifying bacteria, but without fish or anything generating ammonia, that bacteria will die off. Have you been "ghost feeding" the tank (giving it food of some sort) so that it'll have an ammonia source while it's been without fish?

[oldbones]

Originally Posted by kurt_n

If I'm reading this right, the tank was cycled for 1 month, but has sat fishless another 2-3 months?

If that's the case, my guess is that you're seeing water quality problems because of the massive bacterial dieoff. You cycled the tank to build up the nitrifying bacteria, but without fish or anything generating ammonia, that bacteria will die off. Have you been "ghost feeding" the tank (giving it food of some sort) so that it'll have an ammonia source while it's been without fish?

This is what I was hinting at. The tank won't get 'more ready' for fish until you add one. Also, your skimmer isn't pulling anything, because there's nothing for it to remove.

Believe me, your tank will be happier with a little fish poo blowing around in it.

[CStrickland]

If you can borrow a uv from someone, that often clears green water right up. It's just a diff kind of algae. If not, the usual nutrient reduction should resolve it over time

The other poster is asking what your parameters are now, not what they were during the cycle.

One of the risks of not using rodi water is that you don't have any control over your source. It can change without warning seasonally or because of how its treated. When that happens you don't find out until your tank starts going sideways.

[victorcan]

Originally Posted by kurt_n

If I'm reading this right, the tank was cycled for 1 month, but has sat fishless another 2-3 months?

If that's the case, my guess is that you're seeing water quality problems because of the massive bacterial dieoff. You cycled the tank to build up the nitrifying bacteria, but without fish or anything generating ammonia, that bacteria will die off. Have you been "ghost feeding" the tank (giving it food of some sort) so that it'll have an ammonia source while it's been without fish?

this is 100% correct..totally get not wanting to "hurt" a fish, but to properly cycle any tank I and most use a fish to establish the cycle without something "Peeing and Poooping" in the water no cycle can truly start.. Ive put a pair of clowns or any type of damsel , they are near impossible to kill in the cycling of a tank, they are extremely hardy they won't die as a result of the cycle.. Heres the bad news, your gonna have to wait another month after you put in the 1-2 fish before your cycle is complete again but hey now ya know.

[OrQidz]

First, don't panic - almost every new tank goes through these periods. You were just in a honeymoon phase there for a while. Reefs are kind of a process that you work with and tweak as you go, more than something you set up and get to a finished point where everything is done.
The algae can definitely be managed, as has been said RO/DI is your best bet. I'm not sure what a Puretap is? Or if you just mean you are using tap water? NSW - natural sea water, not New South Wales, since you're in Oz thought I should clarify that - could be a better option than tap water IF you can source pollution free NSW.
What has your water change regimen been so far?

[Grkgod36]

Originally Posted by AaronOwens

Unfortunately due to money I have to use a puretap in Australia.. A lot of people I know down here all use it and have good results.. however would be opened to buying a RODI.. It's weird how my water went from being crystal clear one day, to green the enxt with algae on the glass.. the glass is also littered in copepods so I'm reluctant to scrub it!

You spend the money to get into the hobby , and skimp on one of the most important things you should of waited a little longer and do it once do it right .and get the rodi unit .

It is super important and that's most likely where your issue is. Think about it your going to spend money on fish coral etc all of that will be a waste if you can't get water quality down .

And when you don't set up properly you will most likely have issues then you will start to not enjoy this hobby and when that happens it's a wrap

[whosurcaddie]

Originally Posted by victorcan

this is 100% correct..totally get not wanting to "hurt" a fish, but to properly cycle any tank I and most use a fish to establish the cycle without something "Peeing and Poooping" in the water no cycle can truly start.. Ive put a pair of clowns or any type of damsel , they are near impossible to kill in the cycling of a tank, they are extremely hardy they won't die as a result of the cycle.. Heres the bad news, your gonna have to wait another month after you put in the 1-2 fish before your cycle is complete again but hey now ya know.

He's not advocating cycling with fish he's saying nothing was feeding the bacteria so they died off. I don't think anyone here should be advocating cycling with a fish when there are much less harmful ways to cycle a tank. Ammonia burns the fish, every part of it its gills eyes fins all get burned and its non stop until the tank is cycled.

Can a fish survive this... sure but why put them through it when you can dose ammonia to 2ppm and achieve the same result.

[kurt_n]

Originally Posted by whosurcaddie

He's not advocating cycling with fish he's saying nothing was feeding the bacteria so they died off. I don't think anyone here should be advocating cycling with a fish when there are much less harmful ways to cycle a tank. Ammonia burns the fish, every part of it its gills eyes fins all get burned and its non stop until the tank is cycled.

Can a fish survive this... sure but why put them through it when you can dose ammonia to 2ppm and achieve the same result.

Thanks whosurcaddie... you are correct - I am *NOT* advocating cycling with live fish. Never done it, won't do it, wouldn't recommend it. Cycling with a piece of shrimp or fish food works just as well and has worked for me everytime.

What I *was* suggesting was that the bacteria have died off. I've read that the bacteria in our tanks often account for more bioload than the fish themselves. With a bacteria dieoff, that will give you an ammonia spike creating even more nitrites/nitrates and fueling poor water conditions. In addition, if enough bacteria has died off you will probably have to cycle the tank all over again. Granted, a bacteria dieoff creates ammonia which then feeds the bacteria, but at that point you're in a losing battle and have an ever declining population of bacteria.

Since you don't have any fish in your tank, I'd do several very large water changes (say 50-75%) to get your water pristine again. I'm guessing your current nitrate level is pretty high. Once you get your water clean again, then I'd throw in a cocktail shrimp or some fish food (but not live fish) and wait to see if you get any ammonia. If you do, you obviously have to cycle the tank again. If it just shows up as additional nitrates with no ammonia/nitrites, then you still have enough bacteria in the tank.

Either way, once you cycle a tank you want to add a fish pretty soon or your bacteria will start dieing off. Ideally, you can buy your first fish and quarantine it in a hospital/quarantine tank for 4-6 weeks while cycling your main tank. Then when your main tank is cycled, your new fish will be clear to move into its new house.

[sneeyatch]

If you've been moving rock around and stirring the sand, etc. that will also cause diatom blooms. Lots of people can't keep their hands out of a new tank, re-arranging this and that to get it where you like.

The fact that you see lots of copepods and the corals still look good, I would just clean the glass, run some filter socks and leave the sand and rock alone. Diatoms will go away by themselves as long as they're left alone.

Anyway - my $.02