not new to the hobby but still welcome your advise

MarcoPolo · 01/22/2009, 10:40 AM

I was out two weeks for vacation and when I returned my 120 marine tank was literraly covered with long brown slimy alge, not a single rock escaped. a huge outburst - it's really ugly and long! I've never seen anything like this in all my years in the hobby. A friend of mine took care of the aquarium while I was gone - but he did this for me many times over the years - never had issues before. I can't figure out what on earth caused such slimly growth in only 2 weeks. Any idea - and more important - how to get my aquarium back to normal?

patsfan1130 · 01/22/2009, 10:49 AM

Current water perams will help alot. I suppose determining wht it happened is less important than correcting the problem. did he overfeed? leave the lights on for 2 weeks? *shrug*

I am going to guess excess nutrients are playing a role here. I would receommend a pretty large water change as well as some good ol fashioned rock scrubbing. leave your lights off for a few days. continue to test water and handle accordingly. (additional water changes, run carbon, etc)

MarcoPolo · 01/22/2009, 10:56 AM

lighting was automatic, and feeding limited. I measured my top-off water, nitrate is very small but higher than tank level. While I was away, this water was fed into the tank. Could small nitrate levels do all this harm in 2 weeks?

01/22/2009, 10:40 AM	#1
MarcoPolo Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Brussels, EU Posts: 475	not new to the hobby but still welcome your advise I was out two weeks for vacation and when I returned my 120 marine tank was literraly covered with long brown slimy alge, not a single rock escaped. a huge outburst - it's really ugly and long! I've never seen anything like this in all my years in the hobby. A friend of mine took care of the aquarium while I was gone - but he did this for me many times over the years - never had issues before. I can't figure out what on earth caused such slimly growth in only 2 weeks. Any idea - and more important - how to get my aquarium back to normal?

01/22/2009, 10:49 AM	#2
patsfan1130 Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Woburn, Ma Posts: 2,010	Current water perams will help alot. I suppose determining wht it happened is less important than correcting the problem. did he overfeed? leave the lights on for 2 weeks? shrug I am going to guess excess nutrients are playing a role here. I would receommend a pretty large water change as well as some good ol fashioned rock scrubbing. leave your lights off for a few days. continue to test water and handle accordingly. (additional water changes, run carbon, etc) __________________ My cat's breath smells like cat food Member of the Boston Reefers Society Current Tank Info: 75g lps, 90g sps, 120g mixed, 180 nem tank, 300g reef, 600g up & coming reef

01/22/2009, 10:56 AM	#3
MarcoPolo Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Brussels, EU Posts: 475	lighting was automatic, and feeding limited. I measured my top-off water, nitrate is very small but higher than tank level. While I was away, this water was fed into the tank. Could small nitrate levels do all this harm in 2 weeks?