A number of related issues Biocube-- Possibly do to water changes?

[Cheezefrog]

Long story short:


Biocube 29 gal tank is about a year and three months old. Almost one month ago I added a sump(5-7 more gal?) because I've been fighting allot of bubble algae growth and hair algae, including just unstable water parameters. I've usually tried to conduct 5 gal weekly water changes, but I'm aware that a 50% change is needed roughly every 6 months or so to get rid of that 'ladder' effect.

I also wanted to mention, my water parameters have been perfect, except for KH. My carbonate hardness from API is ranging in 9-10 dKH, roughly 161-179ppm, this is the only off parameter in my tank and I can't get it lower.

Recently picked up a RO unit too, however I just wanted to ask, because I've been seeing allot of die off from my nassarius snails, including trying to nurse back a open brain coral that was given to me, that still isn't blooming. I have tested frequently in almost every category, standard tests, copper, oxygen, etc.

Is it suitable in conducting a '15gal' water change at this point? If so....if anyone has any pictures of there setups of water changing systems they'd like to share for there Biocube please post it.

Also...wanted to mention I've been running Chemi-pure elite since the beginning, and seachem purgien. I like the purigen and will probably keep running it, but is it time to yank the carbon?

[ReeferBill]

If alk is between 8-12 it's considered good.

[Cheezefrog]

I've been running 7-8.9 alk as recommended from Salifert.

[Torx]

What test kits are your using to test your parameters?

Also, you note that you just started using your own RO unit? Not RO/DI? You have been using another source for RO water? If it was a retailer, sometimes they do not change their filters for months, if not a year. There could be a number of issues right now, probably caused by your water issues.

Good luck, I used to do 5 gallon water changes on my 29gallon nano cube heavily stocked. I used RO/DI water and IO salt. Never had algae issues. It is all you should need on a nano, which is why I think your water source did this to you.

[msderganc]

To me, it sounds like there is some source of contamination. Are you dosing anything? Is it open top? Have you used any cleaning products near the tank?

In most of these cases, people do multiple large (<50%) water changes, and run a lot of carbon (chemipure) to pull any contaminants out of the water.

[Cheezefrog]

I use Salifert if I need to accurately test something, but I use it for Mg, Cal, Alk. API for mostly everything else.

I was actually just going to my local fish store to fill up on water, but they've now moved across town.

I've got somewhat of another thread on the RO Buddie I just bought. I'm getting 1ppm here out my faucet, w/o the DI, but I do think I'll get it since its refillable and to iron it out to 0.

So as far as the carbonate hardness though....is this suitable, even the API test kit says natural seawaters around 89-125ppm, which is way over what I'm at.

To me, it sounds like there is some source of contamination. Are you dosing anything? Is it open top? Have you used any cleaning products near the tank?

In most of these cases, people do multiple large (<50%) water changes, and run a lot of carbon (chemipure) to pull any contaminants out of the water.

Tank is sealed, always has been with the lid. That's what I thought was a contamination at first, which is why I bought copper test kits the other day, I added a fairly decent large clean up crew after the sump was added, and my existing astreia snails were toast a couple weeks later. Now allot of the nassarius snails are dying off, nerites are fine.

Clean up crew was
6 red leg hermits - all fine
10 nerites - lost 2
12 nassarius - lost 7-8?

[Torx]

I use Salifert if I need to accurately test something, but I use it for Mg, Cal, Alk. API for mostly everything else.


What about other killers? API can not accurately test phosephates, nitrites and nitrates, which is probably the main cause of your hair algae issues. Any sudden fluctuation in any of those will kill your snails.

Yes, 1ppm can be bad depending on what that 1ppm is. 1ppm of just about anything can be killing your snails and causing your issues, you need to test the basics with better kits. I think the only thing I would use API on in a reef tank is Ammonia and Ph.

[Cheezefrog]

What about other killers? API can not accurately test phosephates, nitrites and nitrates, which is probably the main cause of your hair algae issues. Any sudden fluctuation in any of those will kill your snails.

Yes, 1ppm can be bad depending on what that 1ppm is. 1ppm of just about anything can be killing your snails and causing your issues, you need to test the basics with better kits. I think the only thing I would use API on in a reef tank is Ammonia and Ph.

The only other suspect I could think of is my peppermint shrimp, although I'm getting rid of him soon, and he hasn't been in my tank long. Just for aiptasia clean up. I have no fish either, corals only.

Now that you mention it though, I have seen my phosphate levels a little elevated, but I run phosguard when needed, itis one of the big reasons I went with a sump. I run a Tunze 9002 skimmer, however I've been considering the CPR nano tumber(link (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A40B712/ref=s9_simh_gw_p199_d0_i3?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1X7C2914YMNB15TCNYSB&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1688200382&pf_rd_i=507846))

Anyone used it? I'm limited in space even with the sump under my stand its crammed so this is the only thing I could find that was halfway decent on a gfo reactor.

[Torx]

You have great equipment, like I mentioned, I did not use anything in my 29gal nano. I still think the suspect is actually your water. 5 gallons a week should be more then enough to have a healthy tank your size with no extra equipment. Now that you have your own RO (I still suggest the DI as well) give it some big water changes and time and all should start turning around.

[ponda]

<---also has a biocube and recently battled a nasty case of several types of algaes
ur tank is about double my tanks age.

my problem was fixed by syphening the sand bed and doing multiple large water changes.
took about a month to start seeing positive results. also added some chaeto in the middle chamber :-0
best of luck!

[dkeller_nc]

The reason your alkalinity is stable and hasn't lowered on its own may be do to the source water you were using for evaporation make-up and seawater changes. Depending on what part of the country you're in, the municipal tap water carbonate hardness could be 15, 25, or 30 dKH.

If you were using tap water for evap make-up, you may have been adding a substantial amount of alkalinity to your tank. If you were getting the water exclusively from an LFS, you might or might not have been adding substantial alkalinity depending on how well their system was functioning/maintained.

Since you have your own source now, you should be able to eliminate this possibility pretty quickly - your alkalinity should gradually fall a couple of dKH over the next one to two weeks, depending on how many stony corals and how much coraline algae is in the tank.

With regard to the snail deaths, there's a number of contaminants that could be in tap water or water from a poorly maintained RO/DI system that could cause their demise. Copper is one of them, but another one that's less obvious is magnesium. Most municipal tap water contains a fair amount of magnesium, and if that water is used as evaporation make-up, it can concentrate in the tank.

Finally, another possibility is aluminum. Since you mention that you use Phosguard, realize that it's an alumina-silicate mineral that binds phosphate, which is different than GFO (Rowaphos, Phosban, etc...). Alumina-silicate is insoluble at reef tank pH, but if the media isn't really, really thoroughly rinsed, it tends to put a fine powder into the water column. This can work its way into a sandbed, where the pH can be substantially lower than the tank's pH. That's why most SPS and other delicate organism keepers tend to use GFO instead of the aluminum medias.

[Cheezefrog]

<---also has a biocube and recently battled a nasty case of several types of algaes
ur tank is about double my tanks age.

my problem was fixed by syphening the sand bed and doing multiple large water changes.
took about a month to start seeing positive results. also added some chaeto in the middle chamber :-0
best of luck!

How many gallons were you doing on these 'large' water changes? I may need to pick up a couple 55 gal trash bins or something, a little over kill, but I'm thinking in the range of 15 gal is what my tank needs, as I've only done 5 gal weekly-bi weekly for the last year+.

The reason your alkalinity is stable and hasn't lowered on its own may be do to the source water you were using for evaporation make-up and seawater changes. Depending on what part of the country you're in, the municipal tap water carbonate hardness could be 15, 25, or 30 dKH.

If you were using tap water for evap make-up, you may have been adding a substantial amount of alkalinity to your tank. If you were getting the water exclusively from an LFS, you might or might not have been adding substantial alkalinity depending on how well their system was functioning/maintained.

Since you have your own source now, you should be able to eliminate this possibility pretty quickly - your alkalinity should gradually fall a couple of dKH over the next one to two weeks, depending on how many stony corals and how much coraline algae is in the tank.

With regard to the snail deaths, there's a number of contaminants that could be in tap water or water from a poorly maintained RO/DI system that could cause their demise. Copper is one of them, but another one that's less obvious is magnesium. Most municipal tap water contains a fair amount of magnesium, and if that water is used as evaporation make-up, it can concentrate in the tank.

Finally, another possibility is aluminum. Since you mention that you use Phosguard, realize that it's an alumina-silicate mineral that binds phosphate, which is different than GFO (Rowaphos, Phosban, etc...). Alumina-silicate is insoluble at reef tank pH, but if the media isn't really, really thoroughly rinsed, it tends to put a fine powder into the water column. This can work its way into a sandbed, where the pH can be substantially lower than the tank's pH. That's why most SPS and other delicate organism keepers tend to use GFO instead of the aluminum medias.

I should have mentioned I haven't been using phosguard as of lately, never used it before, and I do agree above, the dang API tester is worthless but I've only recently added it. I do dose frequently, most of my cal, mg, and alk levels usually drop so I'm frequently dosing.

I managed to pickup a TDS meter when I bought my RO unit. My in water is around 175ppm, and 0-1ppm out, which is reasonable. However I do think I'll get the DI unit for "RO Buddie"

[Torx]

Frequently dosing in a nano tank? Just a slight bit too much can crash your small tank. Seriously...a good salt is enough to keep your nano tank healthy. IF you accidentally double dosed, you will kill your entire tank off.

You also need a fish for bioload to feed your corals. A reef tank is a delicate balance of nutrients. I hate to say it, but your tank may be bound for self destruction at this point.

[dkeller_nc]

I don't get it.

You said "I also wanted to mention, my water parameters have been perfect, except for KH. My carbonate hardness from API is ranging in 9-10 dKH, roughly 161-179ppm, this is the only off parameter in my tank and I can't get it lower." in the first post, but you're dosing Ca, Alk and Mg? It would seem to be a simple solution - cut down on the volume of the Alk additions. Am I missing something?

[Torx]

I am with you dkeller_nc

Hold off on pretty much everything IMHO, do your 5 gallon a week water changes and keep doing that. I have no idea why you would have even started dosing, unless your nano is packed so heavy with SPS that light does not hit the sand bed, you should never need to dose in a nano.

Maybe run carbon if you like the cleaner water look, and a nano skimmer, but that is all that you should need.