PDA

View Full Version : Help, I need some guidance


ODB_Heck
04/18/2006, 10:54 AM
Hello everyone, I need to know if im on the right track to getting a my tank looking good. These pics show the current condition and it makes me want to give up. Now I been reading all this info on this site and I realize that I had been a very bad at taking care of this thing. Yes I been lazy and done only 30% water changes like every 6 months with tap water no less and no skimmer. That’s just some of the sins I am guilty of. But that’s the old me.

This is what im doing now. I got pc lights 50/50 96 watts each, put in a rio 2100 660 gph pump for more flow, just got a typhoon 5 stage ro/di unit. Css 65 skimmer is on the way.

This weekend I did a 40 gal water change with new ro/di water (10 gal at a time). And plan on tapping off with ro/di water from now on.

Tank info. 60 gal simplicity plus http://www.tropicalfishstore.com/simplicity.htm 10 to 15 pounds of live rock or it could be dead by now. Ph about 8.2 sg 1.022 nitrate down from 80 ppm to 10 ppm after this weekend water changes.

So I guess my question is will I ever see my pink rock again and am I on the road to fixing this toilet.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. Cheers.http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/123157tank3.JPG

WaterKeeper
04/18/2006, 11:16 AM
Well now that you have a powerful weapon on your hands, RO/DI, keep up the water changes and that enemy alga will soon surrender.

ODB_Heck
04/18/2006, 11:20 AM
Yeah I see its one of the ones to have and so far Im happy with it. My tap was only 40ppm but who knows what else was in there. and after about 50 gal of water making my settlement chamber looks like mud.

sttroyiii
04/18/2006, 11:30 AM
That tank is begging for a Lawnmower Blenny! Get a big'n!

ODB_Heck
04/18/2006, 11:34 AM
Problem is deep in that grass is a 3 inch picasso trigger will a blenny be just a snack for him?

SBJim
04/18/2006, 11:39 AM
If you don't currently have corals affixed to those rocks, a little (or a lot) of manual algae removal might be in order.

ODB_Heck
04/18/2006, 11:44 AM
well the good news is I dont have any corals. so can I speed thinks up by taking out that rock and letting it bake in the sun or something the way it looks I want to throw it out the window if its doing more harm than good.

ChunksInClemson
04/18/2006, 12:09 PM
After sun-baking it, you could use it as base rock. Dont throw it out!

ODB_Heck
04/18/2006, 12:27 PM
I think im going to pull out that rock and bake it to get rid of all that green stuff. that rock has not seen the light in a very long time.

bertoni
04/18/2006, 12:42 PM
You'll kill most all of the life on the rock if you put it in the sun. That would kill the algae, though.

ODB_Heck
04/18/2006, 01:08 PM
at this point most of the life on that rock is the algae. hopefully with work and care some of the good stuff will come back.

ricks
04/18/2006, 01:25 PM
You've come so far... It's a shame to ruin all that perfectly good algae. It looks so nice in the current. You've started the best saltwater algae tank, I've seen in awhile.... heheheh

Keep up the hard work, and with time and ro/di it will improve...

ODB_Heck
04/18/2006, 01:27 PM
Rock is now out and in the sun. Now how many 10 gal water changes will it take to get most of that old tap replaced with the new ro/di water? I have done 4 10 gal changes so far.

ODB_Heck
04/18/2006, 01:32 PM
lol ricks, If I tried to make a algae only tank I would have failed.

Bluemorningwind
04/18/2006, 01:40 PM
Why do small partials?

I think you change all of your water ASAP and do constant 30% partials/fortnight.

I doubt your losing too much by baking that rock in the Sun.

You could try to introduce a large and diverse CUC and do partials of a goodsom size (30%) regularly.

All the best with it.

ODB_Heck
04/18/2006, 01:56 PM
Im set up for 10 gal changes for now. Ill work on that also. what are CUC ?

Bluemorningwind
04/18/2006, 02:06 PM
You are in trouble if you can't maintain a minimum of 30% partials per fortnight.

CUC = Clean UP Crew.

ODB_Heck
04/18/2006, 02:15 PM
Ill set up with a larger drum, maybe a 40 gal to do changes and a new heater.

ricks
04/18/2006, 02:36 PM
I think your real problem is.... Your tank is to small for all that algae. You really need a bigger tank!!! Wait till the algae police get ahold of you..

Sorry about that, to much fun...
Good Luck

bertoni
04/18/2006, 03:00 PM
I'm not sure what's left in the tank at this point. I'd probably just tear down the tank and restart. You could ditch the substrate, which might be part of the problem.

The SG is a bit low. I target 1.026-1.027, which is about the canonical "average sea water".

ODB_Heck
04/18/2006, 04:32 PM
Well my skimmer just came today and I just scrubed the bottom rock and put it back in the tank. now about 95% of the algae is out. Guess I ll just set up the skimmer and maybe I wont have to tear down. as for substrate I could take out the crushed coral thats in there. should I go with none for now or something else?

And Thanks guys for all the info and help so far.

Ricks maybe the algae police will cut me a break seeing how hard im trying now. put in a good word for me, will ya.http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/123157rock_scrub.JPG

ricks
04/18/2006, 05:03 PM
That looks more gooder.....

cwegescheide
04/18/2006, 05:18 PM
I don't think laying your rocks in the sun is what you wanted to do. Do a search on "cooking rocks" and what they mean if I understand it right is to scrub most of the nasty algae off the rock and keep it out of the light for a while (like a few weeks or more) problem is leaving your rocks out in the sun for a length of time will kill the bacteria on the rock that makes it 'live'

I left my rocks in the sun for several months and it killed EVERYTHING on them. My rocks were white as bones when I finally got around to setting up my new tank after I moved..

WaterKeeper
04/18/2006, 06:35 PM
Sun cooked rock? Is that like Sun Tea? I don't know folks but my own experience has shown that wet rock is good rock. Cooking, IMO, is really counter productive. It's your $$$ however.

ODB_Heck
05/01/2006, 11:15 AM
Ok I have done many water changes, had my new css 65 running and taking out nasty black and green tea like stuff, been useing ro/di for top offs and adding that 2 part b ionc stuff. Now I have almost white base rock in the tank. should I seed the tank with a few chunks of live rock. and I think I need more water flow. What size power head should be used for a 60gal and should I use one or two of them Thanks.

nitrates 0
sg 1.26
phos 3
temp 80
ph 8.6

Im set up with a 44 gal can to make salt water and a 10 gal for fresh. all ro/di.

bertoni
05/01/2006, 01:24 PM
You'll probably want at least 2-3 Maxi-Jet 900s or the equivalent in flow, and some good live rock would help a lot, IMO.

Before adding anything, I'd suggest getting the phosphate under control. 3ppm is huge. Even .03ppm is too high.

ODB_Heck
05/01/2006, 02:32 PM
I took that phos test a few days ago, Ill work on getting it down with more water changes I guess. My fish look so much better now that im taking better care of the tank. Ill wait on the live rock for now. cheers.

WaterKeeper
05/01/2006, 05:40 PM
Ahh,

It is amazing what water will do for a hobby that is based on water. ;)

dermer
05/01/2006, 10:30 PM
water flow all depends on what u are going to have in the tank when time is right
2 for sure then go from there

Bluemorningwind
05/02/2006, 11:06 AM
Besides your PO4 level, which is high, perhapes you might like to consider a larger and more diverse CUC.

I don't agree that higher flows will discourages all algea. For example, hair algea seems to enjoy higher flows.

Also, high flow levels will be troublesom for softies and tube/fanworms among other things, I'm sure.

Lowering your temp to 24 degrees C may help. Also, make sure you are providing best possible gas exchange by disturbing the water's surface. You will be surprised by how useful, but over looked, some of the basics can be.

You'll get there, if you keep at it.

All the best with it.

Bluemorningwind
05/04/2006, 07:41 AM
I'm surprised that the kingpins have nothing to say.

ODB_Heck
05/09/2006, 08:27 AM
Ok. this is where im at now after 21 days.
Added to tank.
ro/di, running it is not as bad i I thought.
css skimmer 65, very good for the money and works great.
2 maxi jet 900s for more flow, easy to install and small.
bunch of test kits.
timers for lights.


Im am down to 1.0 phos with water changes (It seems like its taking forever).I still see some green hair grow but its not as fast as before. I put a poly filter pad to see if that helps. My cal is way over 500 I dont know it thats too high? Alk Ph nit nat are all good. I been using i bionic 2 part. Will coraline grow with my phos at 1?

bertoni
05/09/2006, 10:58 AM
I think phosphorus at 1 ppm is very high, and I wouldn't expect much coralline growth, but it might happen. Calcium should top off at 450 ppm, so I'd recommend not supplementing it for a while so that it can fall on its own, if that's possible, given the phosphate level. Just use the alkalinity part of the B-Ionic for a while.

ODB_Heck
05/09/2006, 11:49 AM
Man, Phosphates are the devil! Ill hit the water changes and get the phos knocked down. funny thing is Ill have a post talking about coraline all over my glass and what kind of scraper to get in 6 months.

SkiFletch
05/13/2006, 08:14 AM
Run a phosphate binder man :) Even if you're dilligeng about your water changes you'll still never be able to eradicate phosphates from your tank... And unless you remove phosphates completely, you'll be ripe for more hair algae and or cyanobacteria.

Edit: Also, I've found that my lettuce nudibranch gobbles up hair algae ;)

ODB_Heck
05/13/2006, 11:34 AM
After todays huge water change im reading .20 to zero on my phos test. I know its not zero but Ive come a long way with just changing water. Now Im going to start using rowaphos in a bag when I can afford it. Ane while changing the water I was pulling the cruched coral from the tank now its mostly bare bottom, Ill get some sand in there but Im not sure which sand will work the best. I spent about 600 buck so far this month messing with this tank.

ODB_Heck
05/13/2006, 12:10 PM
Whats the best sand to put in?

hairymushroom
05/13/2006, 01:06 PM
first prize for live sand or you could use aragonite ( 2nd best IMO), silica sand ( pool filter sand) or southdown sand.

HTH

ODB_Heck
05/18/2006, 12:02 PM
The sand is now in the tank and Im using phosguard for 3 days. the last round of test look good. phos is very close to 0. but I have some green hair still on the rocks. so im thinking a clean up crew is next. I have a 3 inch picasso trigger who may eat the crabs for dinner soon. I also would like a yellow tang. would that be a good move. one or the other or both in time?

bertoni
05/18/2006, 12:41 PM
I wouldn't add a tang to that size tank, and the triggers can get quite aggressive. Hard to say.

boomsticks
05/18/2006, 02:33 PM
That's quite the project! Congrats on coming this far in the end the beauty of the tank will be enough payoff for the effort. I would warn against an algea blenny it would end up turning into the equivilant of godzilla after eating all that algea!

Bluemorningwind
06/07/2006, 03:49 AM
Im curious why you didn't start with a CUC much sooner?

rekn
06/07/2006, 07:11 AM
that lookedlike bryopsis in the pic and i dont think blenies eat that

ODB_Heck
06/07/2006, 08:47 AM
I was afraid the trigger would kill the cuc. But after reading more I put in 25 small crabs from the local lfs. Please dont flame me but I put a yellow tang in to help clean the rock also and because I just like them. Now as for the tank, Things are looking good im keeping up with testing and water changes like I never did before. The big key is to have a nice set up for the changes to make life easy, And its kinda fun. The algae it seems to be dieing back and I see some of the rock totaly clean which I thought would never happen the way things were going. Im still waiting for new coraline to come in. Ill get a new pic up soon.

ODB_Heck
07/14/2006, 06:19 PM
Well better late than never. The crazy long hair stuff stayed away and now it looks like this. My alk is a little on the low side and im dealing with that and then maybe the coraline will take off

ODB_Heck
07/14/2006, 06:24 PM
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/123157live_rock.JPG

4 months later

jerehmy
07/14/2006, 06:36 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7359393#post7359393 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ODB_Heck
I spent about 600 buck so far this month messing with this tank.

All that stuff you bought should of been there from day 1 but better late than never right?

Your tank looks soooooooooo much better its almost hard to believe. Im glad youre still trying and not givin up.

If at first you don't suceed then try and try again :)

ODB_Heck
07/14/2006, 06:45 PM
Yeah I had to come back from less than zero..I did not have the internet when I got into saltwater and the lsf said tap water was fine...Maybe for him. Hes place is long gone by the way.

jerehmy
07/14/2006, 07:05 PM
At least you on the right track now, you will be a very happ guy very soon

You can call your tank a 60 Gal Real Reef :)

ODB_Heck
09/17/2006, 05:05 PM
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/123157tank_at_09162006-med.JPG


I traded in the trigger for some more rock and so I can add some coral, Its very slow going but well worth the wait and work I have put into it. The coraline is slow but im hopefull it will come in time.

scott30si
09/17/2006, 05:36 PM
get a bigger pump