need help

lwaxman · 01/21/2008, 12:16 PM

so i have a huge diatom outbreak. my tank has been going for more than 3 weeks now. my live rocks have hairy brown algae all over them, the glass on my tank has a lot of brown algae spots on it, even though i wiped it off it comes back fast, and even my live sand has brown spots. what can i do to remove it. all my levels are fine.

29 g
15 lb lr
20lb ls
2 clows,
2 damsels,
saly foot crab
emerald crab,
4 hermit crabs, small ones
snail,
coral banded shrimp

thanks

Shooter7 · 01/21/2008, 12:27 PM

That's a lot of stock in there already for that young a tank.

What are all your water test results?

hmello@bermexin · 01/21/2008, 12:31 PM

I would question your bio filtration at this point. You have about 1/2 of the needed live rock. You have four very mobile fish that will produce a lot of excess nutrients. These nutrients need to be removed via a mechanical (which you have not told us about) or biological filtration method. At three weeks you are probably just seeing the diatom bloom from cycling but have added to it with the fish. Tell us more about your tank, filtration lighting etc.

Burbs · 01/21/2008, 12:32 PM

do you have any powerheads for water flow? also new tanks go through a algae bloom so it will pass but if you dont have any kind of powerhead there is one problemright there, need water movement.

lwaxman · 01/21/2008, 12:39 PM

i have 3 hang on back filters, soon will have a protein skimmer, nitrites 0 amonium 0 nitrate 10 or lower and ph 8.1

hmello@bermexin · 01/21/2008, 12:43 PM

What is in the 3 hang on the back filters?

lwaxman · 01/21/2008, 12:54 PM

its the filters that come with the interchangeable cotton on the outside cartriges. the bio cartriges. where the long tube hangs down in the water and sucks it up then water passes through the spongelike cotton material then passes through the actual filter cartrige. i don't know what they are called. but one came with the tank, the lfs said i need another one so i got one but actually has two in one if you know what i mean. sorry if i confuse you all, i just don't know what the filters are called. i am new, and my terminology sucks. thanks for the help. should i scrape off the diatoms on the lr and suck up the diatoms on the sand. i don't want to disturb the sand though. what do i do. i thought my cleanup crew would take care of this problem, but its not looking like they are going to do that. it has been going on for a week now and it seems to be getting worse, not better

thanks

lwaxman · 01/21/2008, 12:57 PM

for lighting i have one florescent that came with the tank. soon i will get the 2 X 55 i believe its pc with actinic light. one white bulb and one blue

hmello@bermexin · 01/21/2008, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by lwaxman
[B]its the filters that come with the interchangeable cotton on the outside cartriges. the bio cartriges. where the long tube hangs down in the water and sucks it up then water passes through the spongelike cotton material then passes through the actual filter cartrige. i don't know what they are called. but one came with the tank, the lfs said i need another one so i got one but actually has two in one if you know what i mean.ok. if the cartridges are full of gunk they need to be changed. sorry if i confuse you all, i just don't know what the filters are called. i am new, and my terminology sucks. thanks for the help. should i scrape off the diatoms on the lr and suck up the diatoms on the sand. You will not really be able to do this. Leave them alone and they will subside on their own. Have you done a water change yet? i don't want to disturb the sand though. what do i do. i thought my cleanup crew would take care of this problem, but its not looking like they are going to do that. it has been going on for a week now and it seems to be getting worse, not better

thanks

lwaxman · 01/21/2008, 01:29 PM

should i shut off the light for a couple of days?

thanks so much for the help, i did change the cartriges and there was gunk on them. will do a water change tonight.

thanks

Vinnie71975 · 01/21/2008, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by lwaxman
should i shut off the light for a couple of days?

thanks so much for the help, i did change the cartriges and there was gunk on them. will do a water change tonight.

thanks

More Live Rock and Skimmer and Only use the HOB Filters for Flow and Carbon(which you Can run all the time) Most will tell you to Remove the HOB all together Or take out the pads and put live rock rubble in them I personally run one, change the pad weekly and no problems(it could just be luck and the fact that i maintain it well)

hmello@bermexin · 01/21/2008, 01:39 PM

Maintenance is definitely needed if you run the stock filter cartridges. Put it in on Sunday, rinse it on Wednesday, and replace it on Sunday.

Vinnie71975 · 01/21/2008, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by hmello@bermexin
Maintenance is definitely needed if you run the stock filter cartridges. Put it in on Sunday, rinse it on Wednesday, and replace it on Sunday.

Thats EXACTLY what i do lol!

hmello@bermexin · 01/21/2008, 01:48 PM

Hee Hee, you know you can probably get away with two weeks out of a cartridge, new Sun, rinse Wed, rinse Sun, Rinse Wed, replace Sun. I am a little more anal and only use mine for one week though.

lwaxman · 01/21/2008, 02:21 PM

so then what should i do. those are not good filters? I am not rich yet

hmello@bermexin · 01/21/2008, 02:25 PM

What filter is it, brand name model?

01/21/2008, 12:16 PM	#1
lwaxman Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: mountain view, ca Posts: 297	need help so i have a huge diatom outbreak. my tank has been going for more than 3 weeks now. my live rocks have hairy brown algae all over them, the glass on my tank has a lot of brown algae spots on it, even though i wiped it off it comes back fast, and even my live sand has brown spots. what can i do to remove it. all my levels are fine. 29 g 15 lb lr 20lb ls 2 clows, 2 damsels, saly foot crab emerald crab, 4 hermit crabs, small ones snail, coral banded shrimp thanks

01/21/2008, 12:27 PM	#2
Shooter7 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Tolono, IL Posts: 6,754	That's a lot of stock in there already for that young a tank. What are all your water test results? __________________ Dave Current Tank Info: 10 years salty - standard 29g reef - moved from 120 gal reef, 2x250w Reeflux 10k's on ARO electronics and VHO super actinics on Icecap ballast, 2xTunze 6060, MSX 200 skimmer, GEO 612 Ca reactor, mag 12 return

01/21/2008, 12:31 PM	#3
hmello@bermexin Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,205	I would question your bio filtration at this point. You have about 1/2 of the needed live rock. You have four very mobile fish that will produce a lot of excess nutrients. These nutrients need to be removed via a mechanical (which you have not told us about) or biological filtration method. At three weeks you are probably just seeing the diatom bloom from cycling but have added to it with the fish. Tell us more about your tank, filtration lighting etc. __________________ Henry Somewhere something incredible is waiting to be known. Current Tank Info: 29g BioCube, AI SOL 12" Super Blue

01/21/2008, 12:43 PM	#6
hmello@bermexin Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,205	What is in the 3 hang on the back filters? __________________ Henry Somewhere something incredible is waiting to be known. Current Tank Info: 29g BioCube, AI SOL 12" Super Blue

01/21/2008, 01:39 PM	#12
hmello@bermexin Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,205	Maintenance is definitely needed if you run the stock filter cartridges. Put it in on Sunday, rinse it on Wednesday, and replace it on Sunday. __________________ Henry Somewhere something incredible is waiting to be known. Current Tank Info: 29g BioCube, AI SOL 12" Super Blue

01/21/2008, 12:32 PM	#4
Burbs Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Charleston,SC Posts: 324	do you have any powerheads for water flow? also new tanks go through a algae bloom so it will pass but if you dont have any kind of powerhead there is one problemright there, need water movement.

01/21/2008, 12:39 PM	#5
lwaxman Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: mountain view, ca Posts: 297	i have 3 hang on back filters, soon will have a protein skimmer, nitrites 0 amonium 0 nitrate 10 or lower and ph 8.1

01/21/2008, 12:54 PM	#7
lwaxman Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: mountain view, ca Posts: 297	its the filters that come with the interchangeable cotton on the outside cartriges. the bio cartriges. where the long tube hangs down in the water and sucks it up then water passes through the spongelike cotton material then passes through the actual filter cartrige. i don't know what they are called. but one came with the tank, the lfs said i need another one so i got one but actually has two in one if you know what i mean. sorry if i confuse you all, i just don't know what the filters are called. i am new, and my terminology sucks. thanks for the help. should i scrape off the diatoms on the lr and suck up the diatoms on the sand. i don't want to disturb the sand though. what do i do. i thought my cleanup crew would take care of this problem, but its not looking like they are going to do that. it has been going on for a week now and it seems to be getting worse, not better thanks

01/21/2008, 12:57 PM	#8
lwaxman Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: mountain view, ca Posts: 297	for lighting i have one florescent that came with the tank. soon i will get the 2 X 55 i believe its pc with actinic light. one white bulb and one blue

01/21/2008, 01:29 PM	#10
lwaxman Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: mountain view, ca Posts: 297	should i shut off the light for a couple of days? thanks so much for the help, i did change the cartriges and there was gunk on them. will do a water change tonight. thanks

01/21/2008, 01:48 PM	#14
hmello@bermexin Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,205	Hee Hee, you know you can probably get away with two weeks out of a cartridge, new Sun, rinse Wed, rinse Sun, Rinse Wed, replace Sun. I am a little more anal and only use mine for one week though. __________________ Henry Somewhere something incredible is waiting to be known. Current Tank Info: 29g BioCube, AI SOL 12" Super Blue

01/21/2008, 02:21 PM	#15
lwaxman Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: mountain view, ca Posts: 297	so then what should i do. those are not good filters? I am not rich yet

01/21/2008, 02:25 PM	#16
hmello@bermexin Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,205	What filter is it, brand name model? __________________ Henry Somewhere something incredible is waiting to be known. Current Tank Info: 29g BioCube, AI SOL 12" Super Blue