Tell me there is still hope.

xxwake4lifexx · 12/15/2009, 10:38 PM

My tank has been neglected somewhat over the past months. With other things going on in my life, I haven't been able to properly prioritize. I just wanna know what I'm dealing with and if this is a lost war or not.

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The stuff here in the first picture is nasty. It comes off the sand and LR in "sheets." What is it? Cyano?

These last two pictures have the most nuisance algae I've come across. I try tear it out by the roots when I do water changes, but within a week or so it's grown back to a visible size. What is it and am I able to eradicate it?

Jersey Bounce · 12/15/2009, 11:07 PM

The red slime is cyanobacteria which I've only had trouble with once, and a single treatment with "Chemiclean" took care of it within 12 hours! I did follow it up with a water change (which hadn't been done in quite some time and I suspect what caused the cyano outbreak).

The leafy green plant in your tank is caulerpa prolifera. It can be hard to get all of the "roots" off the rock when you're pulling it out. Most tangs will gladly eat it, and I've seen several dwarf (centropyge) angels eat it as well. Your tank is only 29 gallons though which isn't really big enough for a tang, but you might be able fit a dwarf angel in there.

Other than that, I would suggest testing your nitrate levels and plan on doing a few water changes. I'd say there's definitely some hope; your tank isn't in that bad of shape.

xxwake4lifexx · 12/15/2009, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jersey Bounce

The red slime is cyanobacteria which I've only had trouble with once, and a single treatment with "Chemiclean" took care of it within 12 hours! I did follow it up with a water change (which hadn't been done in quite some time and I suspect what caused the cyano outbreak).

The leafy green plant in your tank is caulerpa prolifera. It can be hard to get all of the "roots" off the rock when you're pulling it out. Most tangs will gladly eat it, and I've seen several dwarf (centropyge) angels eat it as well. Your tank is only 29 gallons though which isn't really big enough for a tang, but you might be able fit a dwarf angel in there.

Other than that, I would suggest testing your nitrate levels and plan on doing a few water changes. I'd say there's definitely some hope; your tank isn't in that bad of shape.

First off thanks for the awesome reply and secondly thanks for telling me there's still hope.

I assume the Chemiclean is coral safe, correct? I don't know if I'll buy a Dwarf Angel just on the hopes that it will eat the caulerpa. Will it go away if I'll able to get all the roots?

ramblinreefer · 12/15/2009, 11:21 PM

I would try doing some water changes and maybe increasing flow before I would add Chemiclean. Even though it is reef safe, the natural method is the best course IMO.

jenglish · 12/15/2009, 11:23 PM

It's far from lost. WHen you do a waterchange just siphon out the cyano. Pick as much of the caulerpa out as you can. A dwarf angel is more likely to pick at you corals as the algae... but there are worse algaes ou there ot have. You also have some aptasia in there that you will need to deal with at some point. If they are small a peppermint shrimp may eat them. Otherwise you can inject them with lemonjuice or hotwater, or cover them in a paste of pickling lime.

Just focus on taking out more nutrients than you put in and things should line out.

xxwake4lifexx · 12/15/2009, 11:26 PM

Thanks for the advice. I actually put another Koralia power head in there today so that should be helping with the flow. I'll do a few water changes, siphon out the cyano that I can, and pick off as much caulerpa as possible. If I'm still having problems I'll try the Chemiclean.

ramblinreefer · 12/15/2009, 11:33 PM

Sounds like plan, good luck!

tuckdawaytoo · 12/15/2009, 11:55 PM

+1 on the cleanup and water change...you might be pleasently surprised.

Chris27 · 12/16/2009, 09:55 AM

There's always hope!

The caulerpa is best combated by removing the rock from the aquarium and scrubbing in a bucket of saltwater - that way you get all the roots - and little pieces aren't free to find another rock to inhabit.

As for the cyano - man that stuff is horrible - any of the red slime removers will work well, but you need to get the nutrients down in the tank so that it doesn't come back. If you decide to use the red-slime remover, follow the directions carefully, make sure to use an air pump and stone in there so your oxygen levels don't drop too much.

Good Luck

Blownsvt · 12/16/2009, 10:35 AM

i had the same cyano on my sand bed as well. I recently put a diamond goby in the tank and now the sand bet is pure white and clean. Best working fish ever. Of course in a tank your size it would not be a good idea. How is the flow over the sand/ rock where you get it?

anyone know what actualy causes cyano?

fatdaddy · 12/16/2009, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blownsvt

anyone know what actualy causes cyano?

Nutrients! You always have some in your tank, but it won't take off unless you have nutrients for it to grow. Over feeding is the biggest culprit, so I'd add an automatic feeder and dial it back.

You could get a baby yellow tang, but you'll need to trade him out every few years for a smaller one. Some argue that this is bad husbandry, but I've seen it done successfully.

+1 for Water changes, back off on feedings, siphoning, etc.

Blownsvt · 12/16/2009, 10:48 AM

I have been trying to figure out what is causing my cyano. as i said my sand is perfectly clean now thanks to my goby but i still get it on some of my rocks. It is wierd how it only grows on certain rocks in my tank. I just can't figure out why since my phosphates are at 0 ppm and all other parameters are in order and i have plenty of flow. I also have about as many tangs of about every kind and they don't really do a whole lot for the cyano. I already run a rowaphos reactor and a corbon reactor as well.

fatdaddy · 12/16/2009, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blownsvt

I have been trying to figure out what is causing my cyano. as i said my sand is perfectly clean now thanks to my goby but i still get it on some of my rocks. It is wierd how it only grows on certain rocks in my tank. I just can't figure out why since my phosphates are at 0 ppm and all other parameters are in order and i have plenty of flow. I also have about as many tangs of about every kind and they don't really do a whole lot for the cyano. I already run a rowaphos reactor and a corbon reactor as well.

dissolved solids. I still have some growing from previous overfeeding, but it has gotten steadily better since installing automatic feeders and more aggressive skimming.

I also had some issues with my RO unit and the DI exhausted while I traveled, so I know some tap water DS made it in the tank as well.

I got some chaeto growing now too. It's been growing fast, so I know I have a ways to go.

Blownsvt · 12/16/2009, 10:58 AM

i don't have a TDS meter so i am not sure if my RO di is turly giving me water with 0 TDS or not.

fatdaddy · 12/16/2009, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blownsvt

i don't have a TDS meter so i am not sure if my RO di is turly giving me water with 0 TDS or not.

I'd get one of these. Install before your RO filter and after. I also have pressure gauges before and after to debug it when I have issues. Otherwise, you have no way of knowing how your RO is doing other then that you're using a lot of DI resin.

Also, use a large pressure tank. Small runs on the RO system are inefficient.

If you use DI that changes color, I wouldn't bother monitoring the output as it's always zero.

Blownsvt · 12/16/2009, 11:32 AM

what does a unit like that cost in general? is that better than say a hand held meter?

fatdaddy · 12/16/2009, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blownsvt

what does a unit like that cost in general? is that better than say a hand held meter?

I think I bought mine for $20 off ebay.

hand held is fine, but I'm not sure how people test the outflow from the RO without pulling out tubes to test it. Maybe they have a valve to extract some water that they then test. Seems inconvient, but they do have the ability to test water in bucket which I don't currently have.

I'd add it to your list of things to buy to combine shipping. You don't have an immediate need, so I wouldn't run out and get one.

Chiefsurfer · 12/16/2009, 12:54 PM

thise in-line go for about $50 online new, I got one for mine. I also got a handheld TDS for my own use when I feel like I want to test like my RO/DI for top-offs or whatever else. I think the hand-held was like $20 new.

frewd · 12/16/2009, 06:22 PM

i think i bought mine for 35 from my lfs, alo i found the cyno easy to get rid after two days but that other alge i had to scrub and scrub. mine may have been worse though

12/15/2009, 10:38 PM	#1
xxwake4lifexx Josh Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Riverside Posts: 269	Tell me there is still hope. My tank has been neglected somewhat over the past months. With other things going on in my life, I haven't been able to properly prioritize. I just wanna know what I'm dealing with and if this is a lost war or not. [IMG][/IMG] The stuff here in the first picture is nasty. It comes off the sand and LR in "sheets." What is it? Cyano? These last two pictures have the most nuisance algae I've come across. I try tear it out by the roots when I do water changes, but within a week or so it's grown back to a visible size. What is it and am I able to eradicate it? __________________ Every man dies. Not every man really lives. - William Wallace Current Tank Info: 29g mixed reef: monti cap, frogspawn, GSP, xenia, candy cane coral, zoanthids, mushrooms, pipe organ

12/15/2009, 11:23 PM	#5
jenglish Marquis de Carabas Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Evansville, IN Posts: 2,523	It's far from lost. WHen you do a waterchange just siphon out the cyano. Pick as much of the caulerpa out as you can. A dwarf angel is more likely to pick at you corals as the algae... but there are worse algaes ou there ot have. You also have some aptasia in there that you will need to deal with at some point. If they are small a peppermint shrimp may eat them. Otherwise you can inject them with lemonjuice or hotwater, or cover them in a paste of pickling lime. Just focus on taking out more nutrients than you put in and things should line out. __________________ Jeremy Brown liquor never hurt anybody “Je n'ai pas besoin de cette hypothèse" Pierre-Simon Laplace I should want to cook him a simple meal, but I shouldn't want to cut into him, to tear the flesh, to wear the flesh, to be born unto new worlds where his flesh becomes my key. Current Tank Info: broken and dry

12/15/2009, 11:26 PM	#6
xxwake4lifexx Josh Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Riverside Posts: 269	Thanks for the advice. I actually put another Koralia power head in there today so that should be helping with the flow. I'll do a few water changes, siphon out the cyano that I can, and pick off as much caulerpa as possible. If I'm still having problems I'll try the Chemiclean. __________________ Every man dies. Not every man really lives. - William Wallace Current Tank Info: 29g mixed reef: monti cap, frogspawn, GSP, xenia, candy cane coral, zoanthids, mushrooms, pipe organ

12/15/2009, 11:07 PM	#2
Jersey Bounce Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: either Madison, WI or Dallas, TX Posts: 82	The red slime is cyanobacteria which I've only had trouble with once, and a single treatment with "Chemiclean" took care of it within 12 hours! I did follow it up with a water change (which hadn't been done in quite some time and I suspect what caused the cyano outbreak). The leafy green plant in your tank is caulerpa prolifera. It can be hard to get all of the "roots" off the rock when you're pulling it out. Most tangs will gladly eat it, and I've seen several dwarf (centropyge) angels eat it as well. Your tank is only 29 gallons though which isn't really big enough for a tang, but you might be able fit a dwarf angel in there. Other than that, I would suggest testing your nitrate levels and plan on doing a few water changes. I'd say there's definitely some hope; your tank isn't in that bad of shape.

12/15/2009, 11:21 PM	#4
ramblinreefer Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Tennessee Posts: 41	I would try doing some water changes and maybe increasing flow before I would add Chemiclean. Even though it is reef safe, the natural method is the best course IMO.

12/15/2009, 11:33 PM	#7
ramblinreefer Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Tennessee Posts: 41	Sounds like plan, good luck!

12/15/2009, 11:55 PM	#8
tuckdawaytoo Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Canton, GA Posts: 62	+1 on the cleanup and water change...you might be pleasently surprised.

12/16/2009, 09:55 AM	#9
Chris27 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 4,452	There's always hope! The caulerpa is best combated by removing the rock from the aquarium and scrubbing in a bucket of saltwater - that way you get all the roots - and little pieces aren't free to find another rock to inhabit. As for the cyano - man that stuff is horrible - any of the red slime removers will work well, but you need to get the nutrients down in the tank so that it doesn't come back. If you decide to use the red-slime remover, follow the directions carefully, make sure to use an air pump and stone in there so your oxygen levels don't drop too much. Good Luck

12/16/2009, 10:35 AM	#10
Blownsvt Moved On Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Minnesota Posts: 514	i had the same cyano on my sand bed as well. I recently put a diamond goby in the tank and now the sand bet is pure white and clean. Best working fish ever. Of course in a tank your size it would not be a good idea. How is the flow over the sand/ rock where you get it? anyone know what actualy causes cyano?

12/16/2009, 10:48 AM	#12
Blownsvt Moved On Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Minnesota Posts: 514	I have been trying to figure out what is causing my cyano. as i said my sand is perfectly clean now thanks to my goby but i still get it on some of my rocks. It is wierd how it only grows on certain rocks in my tank. I just can't figure out why since my phosphates are at 0 ppm and all other parameters are in order and i have plenty of flow. I also have about as many tangs of about every kind and they don't really do a whole lot for the cyano. I already run a rowaphos reactor and a corbon reactor as well.

12/16/2009, 10:58 AM	#14
Blownsvt Moved On Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Minnesota Posts: 514	i don't have a TDS meter so i am not sure if my RO di is turly giving me water with 0 TDS or not.

12/16/2009, 11:32 AM	#16
Blownsvt Moved On Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Minnesota Posts: 514	what does a unit like that cost in general? is that better than say a hand held meter?

12/16/2009, 12:54 PM	#18
Chiefsurfer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Seaside Park, NJ Posts: 2,138	thise in-line go for about $50 online new, I got one for mine. I also got a handheld TDS for my own use when I feel like I want to test like my RO/DI for top-offs or whatever else. I think the hand-held was like $20 new.

12/16/2009, 06:22 PM	#19
frewd Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 57	i think i bought mine for 35 from my lfs, alo i found the cyno easy to get rid after two days but that other alge i had to scrub and scrub. mine may have been worse though