Need help guys, tank is in bad shape

joem1cha3l · 07/29/2008, 05:28 PM

Over the past few weeks ive let my tank go to hell and yes i know its very unfair to the fish. Ive been struck with working well over 60 hours a week and just have not had time. Now there is green "stringy" stuff growin in my tank and my sand has been overtaken with a black substance. My cleanup crew is very minimal and i think its time to get a new one int here. What can i get to eat the stringy algae and the cleanup my sand? A direct link to something off liveaquaria.com or a comparable site would be great so i can get this ordered up. Thanks guys

Capt_Cully · 07/29/2008, 05:50 PM

I think you may have to roll up your sleeves on this one. You may need to siphon off the sand, prune the stringy stuff by hand if possible, and do a MAJOR water change.

I think the clean up crew can only do so much if your water is thick with disolved organic compounds that usually fuel this type of bloom.

What lights you running?

Capt_Cully · 07/29/2008, 05:51 PM

Oh, and 3 fish in the 10gal is a pretty big bio-load for that much water to handle.

Hope I'm not coming across negatively, just trying to help ya out

joem1cha3l · 07/29/2008, 05:56 PM

no i certainly appreciate the words, right now im running 2 x 24 T5HO lighting.

snorvich · 07/29/2008, 05:58 PM

I go with Capt_Cully on his advice. a HOB protein skimmer would be useful going forward.

joem1cha3l · 07/29/2008, 06:24 PM

Will my fish be alright when i have my hands in there? I always feel like they will have a "heart attack"

atrox · 07/29/2008, 06:40 PM

Look at the brightside though, they are all signs of a healthy tank.

FBNitro · 07/30/2008, 12:09 AM

Your fish should be fine. They'll probably hide. My Brown Goby swims around while I have my hands in my tank, the Green Goby hides, and the Lawnmower plucks my hands a couple times either to scare me off or to see if I'm food and then hides.

HOB skimmer would be nice (I don't have one either on my 10g)... but I just don't have the room with the Fuge on there, not sure if you do or not.

Toddrtrex · 07/30/2008, 12:16 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by atrox
Look at the brightside though, they are all signs of a healthy tank.

Huh?? Those are signs of a healthy tank.

Like others have said, going to have to get your hands wet and do some water changes. Which, once you get it down, should only take 20 minutes at most. Granted the first couple of times are going to take longer, since you will have more to do.

And having a Sebae anemone is a 10 gallon tank ( besides it going to get too big ) is contributing to this ( IMO )

I had 2 medium sized LTAs in my 29, and was starting to get some cayno on the sandbed, within 2 weeks of selling them ( and doing the same water changes ) it was gone.

Sk8r · 07/30/2008, 10:09 AM

weellll, in the sense green is better than toxic cloudy white soup...

You've got too much phosphate in there; nothing likes that except algae. A phosphate reactor would help. A skimmer would help. You're over-populated with an under-equipped tank, basically, and if you neglect it for a single week, it's going to go south as it has: very fragile. Knowing you have a life outside your tank, and things will intervene, see if you can score a larger tank (use this one for a sump) and a skimmer; and use ro/di water only. Used equipment if you check out your vendor can be a real plus: minimal cost for higher quality. Concentrate on your equipment and setup for a while instead of buying live things and you will be able to keep the live things much better.

Toddrtrex · 07/30/2008, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Toddrtrex
Huh?? Those are signs of a healthy tank.

There should have been one more " ?? " after "tank" as in those are signs of a healthy tank. IMO

07/29/2008, 05:28 PM	#1
joem1cha3l Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 1,158	Need help guys, tank is in bad shape Over the past few weeks ive let my tank go to hell and yes i know its very unfair to the fish. Ive been struck with working well over 60 hours a week and just have not had time. Now there is green "stringy" stuff growin in my tank and my sand has been overtaken with a black substance. My cleanup crew is very minimal and i think its time to get a new one int here. What can i get to eat the stringy algae and the cleanup my sand? A direct link to something off liveaquaria.com or a comparable site would be great so i can get this ordered up. Thanks guys

07/29/2008, 05:50 PM	#2
Capt_Cully Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Syracuse, NY Posts: 13,574	I think you may have to roll up your sleeves on this one. You may need to siphon off the sand, prune the stringy stuff by hand if possible, and do a MAJOR water change. I think the clean up crew can only do so much if your water is thick with disolved organic compounds that usually fuel this type of bloom. What lights you running? __________________ People say cars are a bad investment. Those people don't have reef tanks. Current Tank Info: 120, Radion Gen 2 Pro x 2

07/29/2008, 05:51 PM	#3
Capt_Cully Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Syracuse, NY Posts: 13,574	Oh, and 3 fish in the 10gal is a pretty big bio-load for that much water to handle. Hope I'm not coming across negatively, just trying to help ya out __________________ People say cars are a bad investment. Those people don't have reef tanks. Current Tank Info: 120, Radion Gen 2 Pro x 2

07/29/2008, 05:56 PM	#4
joem1cha3l Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 1,158	no i certainly appreciate the words, right now im running 2 x 24 T5HO lighting. __________________ IM10G Nano - MP10, AI Nano, RKL

07/29/2008, 05:58 PM	#5
snorvich Team RC member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Outlander Posts: 40,953 Blog Entries: 46	I go with Capt_Cully on his advice. a HOB protein skimmer would be useful going forward. __________________ Warmest regards, ~Steve~

07/29/2008, 06:24 PM	#6
joem1cha3l Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 1,158	Will my fish be alright when i have my hands in there? I always feel like they will have a "heart attack" __________________ IM10G Nano - MP10, AI Nano, RKL

07/29/2008, 06:40 PM	#7
atrox Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: San Angelo, Texas Posts: 574	Look at the brightside though, they are all signs of a healthy tank.

07/30/2008, 12:09 AM	#8
FBNitro Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada Posts: 641	Your fish should be fine. They'll probably hide. My Brown Goby swims around while I have my hands in my tank, the Green Goby hides, and the Lawnmower plucks my hands a couple times either to scare me off or to see if I'm food and then hides. HOB skimmer would be nice (I don't have one either on my 10g)... but I just don't have the room with the Fuge on there, not sure if you do or not.

07/30/2008, 10:09 AM	#10
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	weellll, in the sense green is better than toxic cloudy white soup... You've got too much phosphate in there; nothing likes that except algae. A phosphate reactor would help. A skimmer would help. You're over-populated with an under-equipped tank, basically, and if you neglect it for a single week, it's going to go south as it has: very fragile. Knowing you have a life outside your tank, and things will intervene, see if you can score a larger tank (use this one for a sump) and a skimmer; and use ro/di water only. Used equipment if you check out your vendor can be a real plus: minimal cost for higher quality. Concentrate on your equipment and setup for a while instead of buying live things and you will be able to keep the live things much better. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.