6 year old tank needs LOTS of tlc..how would you approach?

[88rxna]

Neglect has gotten the better of my 90 gallon. I'm ready to get this tank back into shape!
Most of my rock is covered in this though and I'm not sure how to deal with it?
It looks like algae and I think dino's?
Is it better to rip it all apart or slowly starve the algae of nutrients and start the fight with dino's?

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[mcgyvr]

Nitrate and phosphate results?

[Alfrareef]

Fts?

[MyMocha]

I think getting the baseline parameters is neccessary. Then start doing large water changes. If you're real ambitious, do water changes 2x week... get all your parameters where they need to be, zero phosphates... add chemipure and purigen , (or similar) skim, and I bet you'll get it it in check within a few weeks. How exciting! Do you have a decent clean up crew?

[Uncle99]

IMO, I like the starve approach, and a toothbrush. There a lot of good life in your tank...
Let's get the Nitrate down in the 5-10ppm range and phosphate down to the .02-.05 range with 4, 25% water changes each day or two, maybe consider a 2-3 day lights out, reduce feeding if possible (every little bit counts) and see how far this gets you. Follow this by a weekly 10-15% weekly water change (RODI is a must) I can't see the whole tank but the pic is not that bad.....once water remains in check, all of the uglies will die off.....keep skimmer tuned....pick out much as possible...brush away and vacuum up, general husbandry.

If over time you have difficulty keeping N&P in check, you can consider carbon dosing for nitrate control and to a lesser extent phosphate reduction and you can further phosphate reduction through the use of GFO....but let's just try the maintain great water on point to NSW parameters, and beginning with RODI with less than 10 TDS.

If you start over, your going to go through this anyway, let's keep the cycle and your micros.

Just my $.02

[MyMocha]

You ought to take pictures and post as it transforms!!

[Alfrareef]

Without see the tank... Brush it, do a 50% WC, reduce light, get a good cleaning crew and a Salaria ramosa. If PO4 and NO3 are high, start GFO and carbon dosing.

[88rxna]

Sorry for the late reply.
I will get my parameters in order and post them. I may still have some reagents for my Hanna checker, if not I'll have to order some.

You guys don't wanna see a full tank shot
Its embarrassing.

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[Uncle99]

Take out as much as possible by hand/brush, then do a 25% water change, then wait a day or two, repeat three or four more times.
You want to remove as much organics as possible.
This should bring parameters in line.

Check and make sure your RODI is producing at least a TDS less than 10ppm, 0 or 1 is best.
As a baseline, nitrate 2-5 ppm and phosphate .02-.04
Perform weekly water changes and test for nitrate phosphate.
You can begin the lower the nitrate (increase denitrifying bacteria)(and phosphate somewhat) with NoPox.
You can begin to remove (lower) phosphate with either ROWAPHOS or an LC like Agent Green.
Just as with any product, follow manufactures instructions completely, and any changes need to be done real slow.

[reefgeezer]

It's hard to tell from one picture, but that stuff on the rock doesn't look like Dino's. Dino's are generally kinda stringy/snotty looking with trapped air bubbles. It starts to go away away when the lights are out and returns quickly when the lights are on. It's more than likely Cyano. That would be good.

Cyano can be beat. The key is to drastically lower dissolved organics and aggressively and constantly remove as much of the Cyano as possible. Cyano usually is easy to dislodge from the rocks. A power head, turkey baster, or a toothbrush is usually all that is needed. Once you have your system headed in the right direction, the Cyano will slowly stop returning.

To lower dissolved organics, do lots of water changes and suck out the Cyano while doing them, make sure your skimmer is operating well and skimming wet, use a lot of GAC and change it often, stop feeding pellets, flake food, Nori, and drastically reduce feeding of other stuff.

You may find that your nitrate & phosphate report very low, even zero. The nutrients are simply bound in the Cyano and the dissolved organics so they don't show up on your tests.

[88rxna]

My trates and po4 are very high.
Po4 is 1.75
And trates are 7.5

I am mixing 20 gallons right now. I changed 20 gallons last week too.

Thanks all for the help so far!

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[Anemone]

Originally Posted by 88rxna

My trates and po4 are very high.
Po4 is 1.75
And trates are 7.5

I am mixing 20 gallons right now. I changed 20 gallons last week too.

Thanks all for the help so far!

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Your nitrate isn't bad, but your phosphate is way high.

Kevin

[Alfrareef]

Originally Posted by 88rxna

My trates and po4 are very high.
Po4 is 1.75
And trates are 7.5

I am mixing 20 gallons right now. I changed 20 gallons last week too.

Thanks all for the help so far!

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With those values you might try to rub the rocks outside the tank using the water from the wc. That way the algae remains stay out of the tank. Also probably it’s a good idea to change the sand. You can vacuum the sand during wc and it’s a small investment that might help very much.

[88rxna]

Definitely could use new sand..
Should I get live sand? I replace a little at a time correct?
Like change out a 20 pound bag every 2 weeks or something?

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[88rxna]

Is the ROWAPHOS gonna be too aggressive? I have BTA'S but almost all of my sps are gone.
I have a media reactor but will have to see if I can find the pump

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[Alfrareef]

Originally Posted by 88rxna

Definitely could use new sand..
Should I get live sand? I replace a little at a time correct?
Like change out a 20 pound bag every 2 weeks or something?

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With a 6 years tank you should have enough bacteria everywhere but if you prefer change with several wc.
Do you have livestock in the tank?

[Alfrareef]

Originally Posted by 88rxna

Is the ROWAPHOS gonna be too aggressive? I have BTA'S but almost all of my sps are gone.
I have a media reactor but will have to see if I can find the pump

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You should go slow, but first do the WCs, rubbing and replace the sand. Only when values are way down you should go with products.

[88rxna]

Originally Posted by Alfrareef

With a 6 years tank you should have enough bacteria everywhere but if you prefer change with several wc.
Do you have livestock in the tank?

yes, i do

[Uncle99]

I don't use ROWAPHOS in a media reactor and they also suggest to run it in the bag which they supply, A simple power filter works great or toss the bag in your sump.....this media can "grind" in a reactor.......so if you have to go this way...real gentle tumble.

After doing the 5, 25% water changes, your phosphate should be way down, I would do the WC,s first or you will use up the media too too fast....

[88rxna]

Originally Posted by Uncle99

I don't use ROWAPHOS in a media reactor and they also suggest to run it in the bag which they supply, A simple power filter works great or toss the bag in your sump.....this media can "grind" in a reactor.......so if you have to go this way...real gentle tumble.

After doing the 5, 25% water changes, your phosphate should be way down, I would do the WC,s first or you will use up the media too too fast....

I didn't know it came with a bag, thanks for that info!
Tonight I did a nice cleaning and vacuumed out the sand (20 gallon water change) and sucked as much of the crud off as I could..
I'll order the ROWAPHOS soon after my 4 other water changes as suggested.

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[nereefpat]

With phosphate that high, you will burn through lots of expensive media if you try to lower it that way.

I would look into lanthanum chloride.

[Uncle99]

Originally Posted by nereefpat

With phosphate that high, you will burn through lots of expensive media if you try to lower it that way.

I would look into lanthanum chloride.

Thats good advice, if you do that, as usual, do it slow.
You can use the media once down to say .25 ish...
And keep that skimmer running, LC binds up in the water, be removed.

I have used Agent Green in the past with no ill effects.

[88rxna]

I'll have to read up on lanthanum chloride as I know nothing about it but I'll definitely research it..
Thanks for the tip!

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[Uncle99]

Originally Posted by 88rxna

I'll have to read up on lanthanum chloride as I know nothing about it but I'll definitely research it..
Thanks for the tip!

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Would make the descend in phosphate cheaper.

[reefgeezer]

Lanthanum Chloride works great outside the display tank. It is said to irritate some fish and I know it can make a haze on the glass if not carefully dosed. I tried it when I first set-up my tank. I knew I wanted to treat the dry rock but I didn't want to do it in a vat. So I did it in the tank. Bad move. I ended up taking the rock out & treating it in a vat and had to scrub the haze from the glass. It did not come off easily!