Seeking advice

[dakar652]

So, I'm pretty embarrassed to even have to post this, but I've been a bad reef dad for some time now and have decided I either need to spend a considerable amount of time getting my tank where it needs to be, or shut it down and start over due to an algae bloom that I've been ignoring for months now.

For those of you that don't know my current setup, it's not very large...a 30g JBJ rimless. Has anyone successfully brought a tank back from the depths while managing to keep your livestock healthy/happy?

I have successfully killed off most of my acros/millis, but still have quite a few lps/softies that could be salvaged.

My main concern is my two clowns and my inferno anemone, as they have mysteriously survived my neglect unscathed and seem healthy/happy!

I won't get into details as to why I let this go for so long, but life happens I guess and as I see it I have three options.

1. Give up on my current setup - rehome my clowns and inferno anemone permanently along with any remaining coral and start fresh with my 80g shallow project I had started last year, but gave up on when the SHTF.

2. Temporarily rehome my livestock in another tank somewhere else in the house or with a fellow reefer while I either revamp/re-cycle my current setup or setup my 80g

3. Scrub the sin out of my live rock/tank and slowly work it back to health, while keeping my livestock and work on my 80g at my own pace. Chemicals are probably out of the question due to the anemone, and I don't think it is QUITE to the point of no return just yet, but I'm wondering if only ridding the liverock/tank of the external and visible algae is going to be enough along with resuming routine water changes as was once religion to me every sunday.

It should be mentioned that I plan to go with a slightly simpler setup with whatever I decide to do...no more SPS for now, though my plate coral seems to be doing amazing somehow, so i'll probably keep that if possible. I also would like to streamline my water change process to get rid of the buckets and make my water changes into a few hour project as opposed to almost an entire day project as it was previously (yes, I was tinkering here and there and drawing the process out with probably unnecessary precautionary measures).

I really love this hobby, but I think I just burnt myself out.

Any advice is appreciated, and please respond with HONEST constructive criticism. If you feel as though the best avenue is for me to get rid of my beloved livestock, just say so. I haven't ever let a tank crash intentionally...in fact, the last tank I had only failed because of the ice storm of December 2010 and it took me years to work up the courage to get into it again.

I know this community will give me some good advice, that's why I come here first.

Thank you for reading folks,
Mike

 

[GobyWanKenobie]

Is algae your only problem? If so, siphon off what you can and then try vodka/carbon dosing. It will take about a month to get rid of all the algae, but as long as you are good about siphoning it off as it dies, it's pretty easy. I've done it on both sps and softie tanks without losing anything. I would also vacuum the sandbed, but just a small section at a time. You've probably trapped a lot of bad stuff in there so be careful about disturbing it. Good luck and be patient.

 

[dakar652]

GobyWan, is vodka dosing OK for the anemone?

I like that this serves dual purpose and allows my to buy more vodka without feeling like an alcoholic.

As far as carbon goes, you mean to just put a carbon bag or two in with my mechanical filtration and change it out every week (more/less often?)?

 

[jokersplayground]

Vodka is carbon dosing. It helps boost your bacteria in your system. Also going that route can have its own issues as well. If you decide you don't want to do it anymore you can not just stop as you will end up back in the same spot or worse. You will have to ween your system off of it over the course of a couple months to be able to stop dosing. If you do want to go this route you will need to research it very heavily as you can dose to much to fast or you can not be dosing it enough and it will be pointless. It can be a hassle if you don't have the time to watch it closely. In a small tank like yours I wouldn't bother in doing vodka dosing. Simple but large water changes will help you out much faster. As well as removing as much as possible. You should also add a turbo snail or two with a emerald crab.

 

[cilyjr]

carbon (vodka/vinegar) dosing will eventually help with the algae like barb said. and like jokerpg stated there is a process involved and simply stopping can crash your tank.
if you are looking to do a simpler tank with less steps for maintenance this may not be the best route for you.

 

[reefstarter]

You also need to start slow. I think manual removal and aggressive nutrient export via gfo and some nitrate media and water changes are your best option

 

[dannyp02908]

i agree with the others. I would actually not get in to vodka as it requires nutrients (phosphate and nitrate) that are likely locked up in the algae and probably your rock. Realistically, knowing what kind of algae it is will help. Something like bryopsis usually requires a chemical intervention (tech m to raise mag).

At the end of the day, you have to decide for yourself. There isn't anything that you cant manage. I would do like suggested and start with a healthy water change and get back in the rythym. From there, start back at the basics. test for phosphate and nitrate regularly until under control. Red Sea has the algae control test kit that comes with both and you can just buy refills once you have the kit.

If it is just hair algae, try some cleanup crew like snails and maybe add a lawnmower blenny. If its bryopsis (looks like little ferns) then tech m to raise your mag and hold it until its gone.

 

[dakar652]

great advice so far, thanks guys.

at least I know that it's not beyond repair what with my clowns still swimming around and especially my nem still appearing lively. i suppose i'll start slow and keep it steady as recommended and take it from there.

i'll give some updates when i make a little progress.

 

[SteveDola]

First you need to identify the type of algae. This will help in deleting from your system.
Second you need to reduce your nutrient import...reduce feedings and additives
Third you need to increase your nutrient export...improve skim production, more water changes, maybe add Ferric Oxide (GFO)
Fourth you need to manually remove as much as possible from the rock if its algae.
Once you get the tank cleaned manually then add a prolific clean up crew with an assortment of different snails, conch, lawnmower blenny, hermits etc...

I just went through this with my fathers tank. He had algae, dinos and some cyano...(terrible case of dinos). We tried everything practically but what eventually won was the time and effort he put into it. It took months of cleaning, waterchanges, scraping, and lights off cycles to finally get it out. Once the stuff starts to reduce and retreat then you have to hit it hard with your hard work.

My main advice is to be diligent. This is going to take many months to rectify. Its going to cost you money, time and effort. It didnt happen over night although sometimes it seems like it did. You basically have to over compensate your tank husbandry duties because of your unfaithfulness from prior months. You cheated on your tank and got caught...make the decision to rebuild and fix or divorce from the hobby. The most important thing to know is that there is a light at the end of the tank disaster tunnel...others beat it and so can you.

Best of luck.

 

[dz6t]

It is easier to cleanup the tank without the anemone and clownfish inside, I can house your anemone and clownfish till you fix the tank.

 

[Reefless me]

Mechanical filtration is a no no!! Its one of the biggest mistakes I've seen with anybody who posts about a nuisance algae bloom. All the uneaten fish food and waste and all the other biomaterials that are trapped in the mechanical filter media sit there and have hundreds of gallons per hour washed over it and break it down exponentially faster than if it's left for the critters in the sand to eat or to break down naturally and be carried out by the protein skimmer.

I would get myself a Rubbermaid tub and put a bunch of water in it and take each piece of rock one by one, and use a tooth brush to scrub off as much of the algae as you can. when you're done stack it as you see fit and eliminate any floss, foam sponges or any other mechanical filtration media. I would definitely use a mesh bag with activated carbon somewhere in the system but passively, not actively. I would also test for phosphate and use a phosphate adsorption media temporarily in the same fashion as the carbon do it passively a bag in the sump will do. this along with several large water changes should turn things around. provided you keep your calcium and alkalinity in the levels that are recommended.

Really there should be no reason why you can't get this thing to turn itself around. the other potential problem I would see is how old the ligjt bulbs are. They may have shifted spectrum and not properly lighting the tank. Flow is another biggie. Make dure that you are turning ten times the tanks volume per hour or more.

Hope this helps

 

[Reefless me]

something else that just came to mind if you may want to consider introducing some sort of caulerpa in the system somewhere.It is a fast-growing macroalgae which after it gets established should out compete you're a nuisance algae for the nutrients that it feeds on. when you harvest the calerpa you're essentially exporting the nutrients. consider doing this in a refugium as once it gets a hold in the rock work you will be harvesting quite a bit, as it may become invasive.

Some may recommend chaeto, bit it has been my experience that chaeto is too slow growing to be really effective.

 

[Coalminer]

Mechanical filtration is a no no!! Its one of the biggest mistakes I've seen with anybody who posts about a nuisance algae bloom. All the uneaten fish food and waste and all the other biomaterials that are trapped in the mechanical filter media sit there and have hundreds of gallons per hour washed over it and break it down exponentially faster than if it's left for the critters in the sand to eat or to break down naturally and be carried out by the protein skimmer.

when you're done stack it as you see fit and eliminate any floss, foam sponges or any other mechanical filtration media.

Not to hijack the original thread, but can you expound on this a little more?

I'm having similar GHA issues as the poster, but maybe not quite as bad. I thought that mechanical filters were needed to remove material from the water, when then get removed from the filter when it gets rinsed? Should I have no mechanical filtration?

For reference, I think I have the same tank, the Nuvo 30, just manufactured for IM instead of JBJ.

 

[reefstarter]

I don't run socks or carbon or GFO at all and the only algae I have is going away all on its own . I afree mechanical filtration is not the best . but ...... It can help clear the water if changed out very often . every 2-3 days max . lots of rock , and water changes and my nitrates and phos are 0 though I am not certain about the nitrates since I have not a good test for it . for phosphates I use a photometer

 

[Reefless me]

I go back to what I consider my bible for reef keeping. The Reef Aquarium by Delbeek and Sprung. I read it when it was first released back in the nineties.There's an entire section devoted to filtration. Any debris collected by means of mechanical filtration is usually organic in nature. If you remember the nitrification cycle the first by product of organic breakdown is ammonia, followed by the conversion to nitrite, then to nitrate, and the eventual conversion to nitrogenous gases by facultive anerobes in a mature aquarium. Phosphate can also be released as a part of the process. This process provides the nutrients that foster the growth of nuisance algae. In any sysyem there will a couple of different algae present in small quantities. They are kept in check by nutrient regulation.

The process of decay is expedited when debris trapped within mechanical filtration medium. Forcing hundreds of gallons of water through it per hour forces the breakdown to occur very rapidly as opposed to leaving it in the system for microfaunauna to consume, or to break down into disolved organic compounds to be removed ny protien skimming.

Although mechanicsl filtration cam be employed it needs to be serviced often. I have found that if it becomes a chore, the less likely one will be to stay on top of it. I use it only for water polishing as mechanical filtration also removes planktonic organisms.
The use of GAC is subjective. Some use it constantly, some use it periodically to promoted the water clarity. But when it is used it should be used passively in a mesh bag in an area of high flow in the sump. not in a reactor vessel which can also trap debris.

I like to make tank maintenance as easy and simple as possible. Aka, KISS, keep it simple stupid. My only additives come in the form of a calcium reactor. I clean the collection cup and foam neck of my protein skimmer once to twice a week and make sure that my water is topped off via an ATO, with a 25% water change once monthly. Thats my maintenance routine.

I hope this helps clarify a little more.

 

[Reefless me]

By the way make sure your calcium and alkalinity in the neighborhood where they belong. This will help to foster the growth of coralline algae and help to defeat the hair algae. It would almost even look like it burns it away. Ime low alk and Ca usually are found in systems with excessive hair or other nuisance algae

 

[Rone]

Hey Mike sorry to hear this but Im here if you need anything. You may still have my number.

 

[Coalminer]

I hope this helps clarify a little more.

Thanks. That gives me a lot to think about. Hope it helps dakar too.