I been having a problem with this neon green slime for about a month now. I have been doing 10 -20 % water changes every week and have cut my lights back to 3 hours max but I cant get this stuff to go away. Now my levels have spiked. I use RO water and mix Instance Ocean baged salt my CA levels have always been high and my LSF told me it was because of the salt but I dont see how is at 920 I have never used and additives. My dKH is at 6 (107.4). My PO4 is at 0. My NO3 is at 40. My NO2 is at 1.0. and My Ammonia is at 0. Last week all levels were in the normal range. I dont know what has happened the tank has been going for about 4 months. I have 2 fish 1 fire fish and a royal gamma which both are doing great. I have 2 peppermint shrimp which are fine. I have 6 purple snails are great and 5 now 4 hermits which I got the 1 out as soon as I noticed he was gone. I also have a candy cane coral, a feather duster and a polyp rock that all seem to be doing great. I only feed about every 2-3 days a few pellets. Sorry for such a long post but I am trying to give yall all information I can think of. We only have 1 LSF and I am not really sure that they know very much. Please help any advice would be greatly appreciatied
green slime???
- Thread starter kristy
- Start date
Piggy
Reef enthusiast
I would switch to frozen food. Have you tested the water before you put it in the tank. The salt mixture shouldn't cause high calcium. Are these the LFS readings?
Piggy
Reef enthusiast
I would take a sample of the water to the LFS and have them test it. When you make up a batch of saltwater test it to see what it's reading are. Hard to believe your calcium is that high without adding any.
fishbait
I found Nemo
that's strange. Instant ocean is notorious for having low calcium. have you verified your readings at the lfs? you may have a bad test kit.
the pellets are probaly introducing phospate into the water. that along with the high nitrates are fertilizer for algae. how many hours a day are you running the metal halide? don't go any longer than 12 hours. and since you are having algae problems, I would go half that for now.
the tetra biofilter, is that biowheel type filter? it can cause the high nitrates. try removing the biowheel. the live rock is all the bioligical filtration that you need. you can run a phosphate removing media such as phosban in the filter to eat up the phosphate and help starve out the algae.
the pellets are probaly introducing phospate into the water. that along with the high nitrates are fertilizer for algae. how many hours a day are you running the metal halide? don't go any longer than 12 hours. and since you are having algae problems, I would go half that for now.
the tetra biofilter, is that biowheel type filter? it can cause the high nitrates. try removing the biowheel. the live rock is all the bioligical filtration that you need. you can run a phosphate removing media such as phosban in the filter to eat up the phosphate and help starve out the algae.
I started out running my lights for 10 hours but since this out break I have cut back for max 3 hours a day just for my corals. Piggy just suggested taking a sample in to my LFS but I have to work til noon and I was wondering if it would be ok in a bag til I could take it by at lunch?
SalteeDogg
Reefing newb
Sounds like your test kit might be bad.
fishbait
I found Nemo
no, it won't hurt. if it's been in there a really long time it could become a nitrate producer. they need to be changed out every couple of weeks to keep this from happening.
reeffreak
Reef pro
Sure,you can take it the sample water with you to work and get it a second opinion.I would have them test everything including ammonia,nitrite,nitrate,pH,akalinity and calcium.Something is off there...you should have zero nitrite,your akalinity is low and your calcium is sky high.As far as the algae problems,the nitrate at 40ppm could be feeding the problem.
Bifferwine
I am a girl
I also recommend running some sort of phosphate removal media, like RowaPhos, PhosBan or PhosGuard. Even though your phosphates are reading 0, the algae often consumes them as soon as they are released into the water column. So there aren't any left for the test kit to read because the algae takes up phosphates right away. The pellets you are feeding can lead to algae problems, so I would switch to frozen food only. I also agree that your nitrates could be contributing to the problem.
yote
In Memoriam
I'm not going to repeat what everybody else posted.I agree with em BTW.
While you at the LFS,go a head and pick up a bottle of some Marine SAT.
its a live bacteria that will compete with the algae for nutrients.
While you at the LFS,go a head and pick up a bottle of some Marine SAT.
its a live bacteria that will compete with the algae for nutrients.
kimoy
CERTIFIED BUM
looking at your post count and your sig, I have to ask How old is the tank? it seems that it is still cycling.
I took a water sample by the LSF today are my readings are correct except Ca they couldnt test that ( i dont know exactly why) I did a PWC and added some stuff called PRIME it to help detoxify nitrite and nitrates. They suggested that my live sand my be producing the Ca also and I dont have enough in my tank to help absorb it I dont understand that either? I going to go by a new Ca test kit this weekend (can only 1 test go bad in a full kit) just wondering! I dont see what else could be causing my Ca to be so high.
Piggy
Reef enthusiast
Yep, it could be the test seeing all your other readings are good. I would pick up a new test kit and something to absorb phosphates. Are you using RO water? How deep is your sand bed? What did you use for your sand bed? Are you using any bio balls or any type of media?
yote
In Memoriam
I'll bet a years pay that your calcium kits is bad.
With your alkalinity being that low,the calcium would percipatate out of the water if it was that high.
With your alkalinity being that low,the calcium would percipatate out of the water if it was that high.
I used live sand that I bought from the LSF and my bed is about 4 inches deep. I did a 20% water change yesterday and my tank looks good right now. I left my light on for about 6 hours. I wont have any time to get to the store until this weekend but I am going to go ahead and get a new Ca test and rerun myt test and see. I took out all filters, what would be the best if anything to but back in there?
