How to nuke a fish tank

[surfer64]

I have a reef tank and want to make sure that this horrible white slime/fuzz all dies. It's all over my rock which I am going to throw out but it's also only PVC tubes and glass. Do you think it would be best to drain the tank and let it sit for a few days or add bleach to the tank. Do I have to worry about bleach messing with the silicone? Please help me so I don't have to look at the horrible stuff anymore.

[Joe0813]

take pictures of the algae... im sure you can beat it without having to rip apart your tank

[Painted skin]

^^^
Like above said, but if you want to nuke depending on your goal in your case I would bleach it all start fresh. No you don't have to worry about bleach hurting the silicone. Bleach is great if you if you know how properly neutralize after properly which is easy..

[eyesinthedrk]

How long has this tank been up and running?

[surfer64]

I'm pretty sure it's not an algae and the tank has been up for over a year and the fuzz has been around for 6 months. This is my 3rd upgrade in the last 4 years and the only thing different with this tank is I started with all base rock. I've tried doing rodi water changes every week didn't do a thing.my sps and lps r doing great it's just this white fuzz. I think the dry rock is releasing something that is cause a bacterial slime or something along those lines. How do I neutralize the bleach

[Dmorty217]

Leave your lights off for 3 days and it should die off

[Dmorty217]

You can neutralize bleach with water conditioner

[surfer64]

But wouldn't it just grow back when the lights came back on and I've red that bacteria isn't affected by light

[Painted skin]

I use sodium thiosulfate to neutralize it just cheaper for me, prime or other water conditioner works too.

[Joe0813]

Any pictures of this fuzz ?

[squishifishi]

add a couple mollies. they eat everything. i had lots of annoying whitish grey fuzz in my pico so i added a tiny molly fry(3 mo old) and he got rid of it all. havent had any since! its worth a shot i say.

[Genesis Corals]

It could be bacteria, not algae. Are you dosing an carbon source?

[surfer64]

I just really dislike mollies so I don't think I could get myself to put one in my tank. I am not dosing anything just doing my water changes and feeding. I only have 2 clowns, blue/green chromis, royal gramma, and a lyretail anthias in a barebottom reef and I do water changes once every 2 weeks. I don't get where it could be coming from so only thing I could think is the rock is leaching and causing it. I will try and sign up to photobucket later on and see if I can get a decent picture with my iPad.

[rrasco]

^^^
Like above said, but if you want to nuke depending on your goal in your case I would bleach it all start fresh. No you don't have to worry about bleach hurting the silicone. Bleach is great if you if you know how properly neutralize after properly which is easy..

You can neutralize bleach with water conditioner

I use sodium thiosulfate to neutralize it just cheaper for me, prime or other water conditioner works too.

Bleach doesn't have to be neutralized, it oxidizes naturally if left out to dry.

[Painted skin]

Bleach doesn't have to be neutralized, it oxidizes naturally if left out to dry.

Seems like a bit more work though to soak it in bleach then take it out lay them one by one out in the sun to dry then put it back in to soak in just water to get as much of that bleach smell out.

[rrasco]

Seems like a bit more work though to soak it in bleach then take it out lay them one by one out in the sun to dry then put it back in to soak in just water to get as much of that bleach smell out.

The power of choice. I was just presenting another one that costs zero.

[Painted skin]

The power of choice. I was just presenting another one that costs zero.


Gotcha, I see what you mean and agree with alternative. Unless the economy is really bad, for me saving maybe 5 cents if that on conditioner (sodium thiosulfate) isn't going send me laughing to the bank.

[surfer64]

Well I'm throwing out the rock so it's only the tank ,plumbing , skimmer, and return pump sitting in bleach for a day. I'll just fill the tank with freshwater a few times and add conditioner each time to make sure I get all the bleach. Thank you very much for the information

[Joe0813]

why throw out all that rock??? bleach the rock and leave it outside for a few days in the sun? let it dry out

[surfer64]

Because what else could of caused it? Only thing i can think of is the rock is leaching something into the which is causing this stuff to grow. In my other tank which I started with lr not base rock I have no problems at all. If I do all of this I want to have the best shot of this not returning because if it does I might close this tank down

[no1bubba]

I have had this too, does it look like little white (floating but attached ) puffs?
I have searched and wanted to nuke my tank too and just about the time that I am ready to do the dastardly deed it is gone. Have had it several times with no ill effects on my livestock or coral. I do a 20% water change every 7 days without fail. Hang in there it is easier and cheaper than the alternative you seek. Good Luck, Bubba

[AdamSabina]

I have used live and dead rock and I prefer dead rock if you are going though the trouble of killing the live rock, CURE IT! It will not hurt the tank I promise!

Mine had lots of dead stuff if it when I cycled my 150 SPS. Currently have no algae problem and no pest.

How to cure:

Way #1: (no living things in tank). Empty the tank so you can spend time aquascaping. When done add carbon (for smell), salt water (go CHEAP), and heat 75 degrees will save power wait 3 week and cheap nitrogen cycle once a week.

Way #2: at rock to water container with power head and heater. If you live in warm place just leave that out side covered. It 80-90 in Cali it seem stupid to add a heater. After 3-4 week wash the rock (RODI and tooth brush of a person you HATE) and add to tank.

[AdamSabina]

For nuking rock why not use both sun and bleach?

[surfer64]

No1 it sounds like maybe you had pineapple sponge. Adam my whole tank is Marco rock which is out of the ground which I seeded with live rock. I've read other people have had this problem with this rock too. I should give it an acid bath to release whatever is in the rock but really don't have the time because I'm goin to cram all my fish and coral into my 29 for a few days while I drain the 55

[AdamSabina]

I don't think acid will be fast enough but it may be safer than bleach (basic). I've use vinegar on lots of equipment but never on live rock.

If I tried vinegar or bleach I try bottled denitrifying bacteria instead of adding live rock to seed. It could eliminate one possible source of contamination.

Sorry acid is virgin ground for me... Be careful though limestone dissolves in acid!!!

[Beandawg]

Nothing good happens fast in a reef. Slowwwww down. WAY down. This fuzz isn't harming anything right now. Correct? It is unsightly, and you can't stand it. If you bleach that rock, throw it out, etc... You are wasting a lot of your own time and money. You need an ID. From that ID, you can formulate a plan of attack. Once the plan is formulated, it will only take a couple weeks to get rid of the problem algae. Post a pic. Get an ID.

[KafudaFish]

I don't think acid will be fast enough but it may be safer than bleach (basic). I've use vinegar on lots of equipment but never on live rock.

If I tried vinegar or bleach I try bottled denitrifying bacteria instead of adding live rock to seed. It could eliminate one possible source of contamination.

Sorry acid is virgin ground for me... Be careful though limestone dissolves in acid!!!

An acid bath would work as fast as a bleach bath to kill everything like the OP is wanting but that should be a last step when all else has been tried and ruled out.

Possibilities: light spectrum has shifted, food source, water source or this is just a normal part of the cycle. One thing that has changed in this hobby is the timeline. People use to wait months or even years before stocking a tank and now some do it the same weekend.

As far as one being safer than the other it isn't an acid vs. base issue rather the pH of what is being used. Vinegar and baking soda are weak but HCl and lye are strong.

Both HCl and lye will ruin your day.

Again a picture would allow an ID whether it is bacterial or algal and what steps can be used to battle it.

[rrasco]

FWIW, I started my tank out with dry rock and had the white fuzzy fungus growing all over the rocks during my cycle. It went away after I added a CUC and let time do all the work. I know it was asked, but I didn't see a clear answer: how long has this tank been setup with this rock?

[surfer64]

They tank has been set up for over a year and the fuzz has been around for 6 months

[surfer64]

Pics hopefully<a href="http://s1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj615/sixline123/?action=view&current=83486ab1a9cebc678d58fa83e1633ace.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj615/sixline123/83486ab1a9cebc678d58fa83e1633ace.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a>

[surfer64]

<a href="http://s1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj615/sixline123/?action=view&current=b09470546691c579869fe3f0309d27cf.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj615/sixline123/b09470546691c579869fe3f0309d27cf.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a>

[surfer64]

<a href="http://s1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj615/sixline123/?action=view&current=3ef811f92ce733c14777e7f2adf5d83d.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj615/sixline123/3ef811f92ce733c14777e7f2adf5d83d.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a>

[surfer64]

Have some pictures anybody know what it is

[Beandawg]

The bubbles in it makes me think it may be a type of cyano bacteria. You could try a red slime remover, or lights out/black out for a few days (3-4) usually does the trick. No need to yank the tank apart. If you try the lights out/black out, make sure you block out any sources of ambient light. I use newspaper and tape to cover the glass. Works like a charm.

[leveldrummer]

take the powerheads and other removable equipment out and clean it.

then see if you can blow the crap off the rocks with a powerhead/turkey baster.

[surfer64]

Alright so what's gona happen when I turn my lights back on after a 20 gallon water change isnt it just going grow back if the rock is releasing phosphates?

[Beandawg]

Not necessarily. If it does come back, it will be less than before. All you do is black it out again. The corals will be fine, they are a more complex organism than bacteria/algae. I just did a black out on my tank for dinoflagellates, it wiped them out 1st shot. Either way it's worth a try, and you don't have to spend any money or time to try it. If phosphate is the route cause, there are ways to deal with it that don't involve a tank tear down.

[surfer64]

ounds good. When I get home from work ill turn off the lights and block any light ill let you kno how it goes in 3 or 4 days thanks for the help

[Beandawg]

:beer: