New tank 'honeymoon' period; older tank problems...how to head off...FYI

Sk8r · 12/19/2015, 09:39 AM

Past the fairly frequent chain of hair algae, bubble, cyano (which often has to do either with rock & sand bringing in a lot of phosphate or initial fill with tapwater---)...past all those hiccups, granted good care, there is often a 'honeymoon' period in which corals flourish and fish are happy and everything seems cool.

Then there begins a slow slide to little problems...

What's going on here?

In many tanks, it's because the tank started with a new fill of fresh, well-balanced seawater/or mix---and over time, some elements got used more than others, some elements piled up with evaporation, some got depleted by fish or corals, and other stuff gets in from food, bioprocess, etc---in short, things slowly drift off the 'perfect' balance you started with.

What to do, what to do?

One of the best answers is a campaign of water changes, not so many or so large as would be a problem, but something to noodge the tank back to a better balance. My own answer is a chain of daily or every-2-day changes of about 3-5%, which are easy to do from the sump---just turn the ATO off for a sec, swipe a little water out, put some in, not forgetting to flip the ATO on again--- and just keep it up for a while. This process lowers nitrates and provides trace elements, and over all brings the tank back toward that balance it's lost.

There are more exotic things you can do if the system is a) older than a year and b) showing real problems, including carbon dosing (a precise program of adding a dose of, say, white vinegar to your tank), which should be done according to strict tables, which can be had.

In general, for a younger tank, your best answer is literally to clean up the act early on, before you have any problem at all---do the water changes, watch your chemical balance through an array of tests---you don't have to run some of these EVERY week, but running them once a month or every couple of months is a good thing. Keeping a logbook of results and dates is a good thing. Sometimes it all looks sorta good---but if you look at the 'trend' or curve of certain numbers up or down over time, this can show you where things are headed so you can fix it before it gets there.

Sure, fish-onlies have looser 'requirements' than reefs. But the more both fish-onlies and reefs can try to keep things as close to those 'honeymoon' conditions as possible, the healthier the tank as a whole.

Pet Detective · 12/19/2015, 02:29 PM

Good post, & within your scenario lies the solution to the "honeymoon" period lasting forever....regularly scheduled maintenance & testing....not just when you feel like it.

Sk8r · 12/19/2015, 02:42 PM

If you slip, there's a way back if you get to it in any reasonable time. You just have to understand what's apt to go on, and take measures to reel back the clock and get the system back---that's where the more 'radical' solutions like carbon dosing can be a big help---not something to cowboy your way through, but if you follow the charts and use your smarts, a real good help.

It makes me real sad when somebody writes saying essentially that they gave up, did radical treatment on their rock and are practically starting over when there's very often a situation that can be solved way short of that. If you head into a time when you can't do regular maintenance, eg, a scheduled surgery, no lifting, or some other thing that puts your tank on hold, just figure when you get back at it you're going to have a program of restoration---in such instances, even if it's gotten 'off', a well-managed carbon-dosing program may help you a lot. The frequent problem is chemistry out of balance and, very often, a 'bloom' of some algae or critter taking full advantage of the situation. Reduce sharply the nutrient it's using, and you may have a much easier route to getting whatever-it-is under control.

Pet Detective · 12/19/2015, 02:51 PM

Yes this true, however I am too OCD to even let a surgery or sickness interfere with my husbandry....I would just direct others in the household as to what to do LOL.

again, good post.

12/19/2015, 09:39 AM	#1
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	New tank 'honeymoon' period; older tank problems...how to head off...FYI Past the fairly frequent chain of hair algae, bubble, cyano (which often has to do either with rock & sand bringing in a lot of phosphate or initial fill with tapwater---)...past all those hiccups, granted good care, there is often a 'honeymoon' period in which corals flourish and fish are happy and everything seems cool. Then there begins a slow slide to little problems... What's going on here? In many tanks, it's because the tank started with a new fill of fresh, well-balanced seawater/or mix---and over time, some elements got used more than others, some elements piled up with evaporation, some got depleted by fish or corals, and other stuff gets in from food, bioprocess, etc---in short, things slowly drift off the 'perfect' balance you started with. What to do, what to do? One of the best answers is a campaign of water changes, not so many or so large as would be a problem, but something to noodge the tank back to a better balance. My own answer is a chain of daily or every-2-day changes of about 3-5%, which are easy to do from the sump---just turn the ATO off for a sec, swipe a little water out, put some in, not forgetting to flip the ATO on again--- and just keep it up for a while. This process lowers nitrates and provides trace elements, and over all brings the tank back toward that balance it's lost. There are more exotic things you can do if the system is a) older than a year and b) showing real problems, including carbon dosing (a precise program of adding a dose of, say, white vinegar to your tank), which should be done according to strict tables, which can be had. In general, for a younger tank, your best answer is literally to clean up the act early on, before you have any problem at all---do the water changes, watch your chemical balance through an array of tests---you don't have to run some of these EVERY week, but running them once a month or every couple of months is a good thing. Keeping a logbook of results and dates is a good thing. Sometimes it all looks sorta good---but if you look at the 'trend' or curve of certain numbers up or down over time, this can show you where things are headed so you can fix it before it gets there. Sure, fish-onlies have looser 'requirements' than reefs. But the more both fish-onlies and reefs can try to keep things as close to those 'honeymoon' conditions as possible, the healthier the tank as a whole. __________________ 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%.

12/19/2015, 02:42 PM	#3
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	If you slip, there's a way back if you get to it in any reasonable time. You just have to understand what's apt to go on, and take measures to reel back the clock and get the system back---that's where the more 'radical' solutions like carbon dosing can be a big help---not something to cowboy your way through, but if you follow the charts and use your smarts, a real good help. It makes me real sad when somebody writes saying essentially that they gave up, did radical treatment on their rock and are practically starting over when there's very often a situation that can be solved way short of that. If you head into a time when you can't do regular maintenance, eg, a scheduled surgery, no lifting, or some other thing that puts your tank on hold, just figure when you get back at it you're going to have a program of restoration---in such instances, even if it's gotten 'off', a well-managed carbon-dosing program may help you a lot. The frequent problem is chemistry out of balance and, very often, a 'bloom' of some algae or critter taking full advantage of the situation. Reduce sharply the nutrient it's using, and you may have a much easier route to getting whatever-it-is under control. __________________ 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%.

12/19/2015, 02:29 PM	#2
Pet Detective Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 328	Good post, & within your scenario lies the solution to the "honeymoon" period lasting forever....regularly scheduled maintenance & testing....not just when you feel like it.

12/19/2015, 02:51 PM	#4
Pet Detective Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 328	Yes this true, however I am too OCD to even let a surgery or sickness interfere with my husbandry....I would just direct others in the household as to what to do LOL. again, good post.