General Question - getting things cleaned back up...

[scottkel]

Okay - to begin, I feel horrible about letting things get to where they are...

I have a 180g reef that I have had running and doing really well for approx 4 years. Everything was flourishing and seemed to be doing really good. I had 4 korolia 4's (2 each end) which provided decent flow (not like the mp40's probably would that I would eventually like to have). Within a 3 week period, 3 stopped working so I only have 1 still in the tank. Also, during this period one of my 250w MH's went out. So with the change in overall lighting and flow, I started to notice some unwanted detritus and overall dirty areas in the tank, including some unwanted redish/brownish algea.

I then had to go out of town for approx 4 weeks. Now that I am back, all my fish are still doing fine but some corals have died and the others are not looking so hot. there is brownish stuff on the live rock and sands and beginings of some type of growth on the back. I know this is due to neglect on the tank but what is the best way to get be back into shape?

Any thoughts here would be apprecieated. Thanks.

Scott

[mullinsd2]

I would start with adding more flow if you have to pick between that and lighting. Just get anything you can really to get some circulation until you can get what you want or need!

[RVANANO]

I would add more flow, get the light fixed, remove as much algae as possible by hand, do a large water change and then run some activated carbon. In that order. Although the light should maybe come before flow.

[outy]

your in need of a %90 water change lol first hand

then I would start with getting equipment back on line and operational

your water has taken quite the hit from neglect, done it myself many times

[JeF4y]

buy new test kits.
Test....
30% water change including vacuuming some sand
replace broken equipment
Add Carbon & GFO
Test
30% water change again vacuuming sand

and repeat... I'd be doing water changes right now about once a week at the 30% mark for a month until the water was turned over good and everything cleaned up. However, none of it will do you any good unless you get the broken hardware replaced.