Fixing the problem.

[Gizmoh]

After spending a few days reading around until my eyes went square, I realize while my intentions may have been pure when I jumped into this hobby I may not have had the whole picture. :bounce: I was going to post a tank showcase but i got looking at some of the posts and started saying to myself things like; mine doesn't look that nice. While my test results remain at 0's and the coral and livestock seem quite happy and healthy:

As you may be able to see I have a serious diatom issue. I think i have pinpointed three main problems, Softened tap water, Bio Balls, and to much light. Here is where I become needy for those nice enough to help.
I have already researched and located my RO supply, and am ready to start switching, how fast can I do this? how much at a time? can I start to remove the bio balls at the same time? I know this has to be done carefully.

This is my simple sump set up Bio balls in intake chamber topped with polly wool and a phoszorb pad, as you can see I went a little overboard to begin with. Refugium then equipment in the return chamber with my extra LR (which is the only rock in my tank without a speck of diatom). I would like to clear out the entire first chamber and use the skimmer in it as a hang on. Finally the lights, I have 4x 4' 54w T5 HO over a 44'L and 16.5'T tank and I know i was running them to long, I think it was something like 9 hours full out. I have since switched to 2 hours back 2 bulbs 5 both 2 hours front and off staggered pattern, is this enough? should i tone it back more?? should I incorporate a blackout into this too?

Well now that you have my life story, I am looking forward to the help and advice and the confidence to showcase with pride!! maybe even some before and afters :^:.

 

[Smitty]

Dino's can be a real headache, and may take awhile to conquer, but it can be done. Remove the bio-balls a little at a time, to allow your tank to adjust to the new bio-load. I would tone the lights back a little more also. And as far as the water go, it'll take awhile to dilute the old tap water out, but start doing massive water changes using RO water and while doing the changes siphon as much of the dinos out. Good luck, stay on top of them, and keep us posted. :)

 

[little_fish]

+1 Smitty

Make sure you also change the filter pad stuff every 3 or 4 days, otherwise the junk it caught is just going to rot releasing algae fuel back into the water column.

and when you do your water changes, i would remove about a cup or so of the bioballs. Dont do water changes greater than 40%. I personally would do a large water change, removing as much algae by had as possible, then do a 3 day blackout. Do another large water change, once again pulling out as much crap as possible. Then do another 3 day blackout, after that do another big water change. Then slow bring your lights back up to the schedule you have outlined.

 

[Gizmoh]

Brilliant!! thank you both very much! I will get on it today! onward and upward! If I am going to go with blackouts the tank gets a little light creep from a near by window and the room lights, should I blanket it or will that be fine, and do I black out the sump? just worried about my jungle of a refugium.

! will be sure to keep you posted

 

[little_fish]

I would leave the sump light on to try and keep the pH stable. And it wouldnt hurt to blanket the tank from any ambient light.

 

[Sharkie]

Fish, would you suggest doing the same thing with the slime algae i'm experiencing? I think that my corals would be fine but would my tube nem be alright with 3day blackouts?

 

[little_fish]

Tube nems arent photosynetic actually, so i think he will be just fine and dandy! And your corals will be fine as well, if you think about a reef might not get light for a week or more if there is a hurricane in the area.

Just reacclimate to the light!

 

[Sharkie]

awesome i shall try this and se how it goes :D

 

[Gizmoh]

Has anyone used seachem reef salts? Only one available in my area that states it is silicate free. I could get the instant ocean regular salt, but they don't stock the reef salts

 

[Sharkie]

GIzmoh, i used seachem in my 75 and ALWAYS had PH problems... i swapped back to my instant ocean and now things are fine.... as funny as it sounds i'd rather stick with my cheapo instant ocean and have good levels and growing corals than using the seachem

 

[Gizmoh]

Thanks Sharkie, crisis averted! day one of the blackout and i don't like looking at a blanket :(

 

[parrotchute]

Try artificially raising your pH a bit higher and that may help with the dinos.

 

[sen5241b]

1+ smitty --gradually remove the bio-balls about 20% every few days.

 

[Gizmoh]

Thanks for the advice parrot, I will make my outlined changes first and if I am still experiencing issues I will give it a whirl. I am also looking at starting to collect my supplies for my ninety. Are there any canadians on here that know a good online store for pumps lighting and maybe even rock? My lfs's are way to expensive. One was trying to sell LR for close to 13 bucks a pound and it all looked like dead slate .... Awful. Don't mind paying shipping for a quality product from an american site if they will ship to me!! Thanks again everyone!!! You guys rock eh!!! :p

 

[BL1]

Not sure but, have you seen this yet?

https://www.livingreefs.com/vendors-ship-canada-t23997.html

 

[Gizmoh]

Nope sorry, thanks BL, now I feel like an idiot.

 

[Gizmoh]

Alright! So today is day three of the blackout! I was going to remove the blanket today and do a water change on the system, then start to assimalate the coral back to the light. Whats the best way to do this? I was thinking slowly over the next three days getting it back to its regular outline `-

 

[little_fish]

I would start with 4 hours of lights, and then increase the photoperiod by an hour every other day personally. I have torched a few corals by not acclimating them to the light properly so im now extra cautious

 

[Gizmoh]

Wow, Speedy! ;) kk ! Thank you! I will let you know how it is going!

 

[Gizmoh]

Well I definitely have to say thank you to little fish, the blanket came off yesterday and everything seems to be doing much better. I got in there with a toothbrush and brushed of the rocks that still looked to be a little covered and the dino's just swept right off :). The only coral that seemed to be disturbed was my Nem, which decided to go on an adventure all the way across the tank and plastered itself against the glass. I am guessing there was a crack of light :). Looking forward to turning the lights back on this evening!! Thanks again for all the help. Depending on how she looks when the lights come back on possibly some pictures to follow. :). Maintaining the 3 day water changes and Bio ball removal for the next little while until I have the balls out and am comfortable the water is diluted.