Your opinion on a bad luck tank

Acan Lord · 06/29/2010, 09:09 PM

Hello everyone the past two months I have had nothing but problems with my Bio cube 14. I have hair algea all off the rocks. I have removed it manually; it comes back. I have used urchins, crabs, and snails to try and help with the problem but it has barley gotten better. When ever I get corals they do not make it out of the week. The only thing that has survived are two rics. Brains, hammers, montis, and polyps all die with in a week. Polyps looks great for a day and then never open up. I know this sounds like a water problem but I have had it tested on two diffrent test for everything that is testable and it always reads perfect. I do a two gallon water change every week.

So I am asking if anyone has any idea what could be wrong. Maybe what I should do? Should I start over or what?
Thank you

MPevine11 · 06/29/2010, 09:29 PM

what kind of water do you use when you do water changes?
also i would do 25% water changes (like 3 1/2 gallons)

maybe run a UV stearlizer?

how long are your lights on? how long do you keep the moonlights on?

fatrip · 06/29/2010, 09:37 PM

Nothing else would kill corals that fast other than water quality.
Do you use RODI?
Have you checked the TDS of the RODI?
Where did your rock come from?
Could the rock have been in a tank that was treated with copper?
as far as the hair algae there are either phosphates or nitrates in the water?
Have you added any additives to the tank?
What are you using as mech and or chemical filtration?

Acan Lord · 06/29/2010, 09:37 PM

I use ro water from a fish store. And that made me think maybe they dont have good ro water so one day I stayed in there looking around and saw him do a water change on there sps tank with that water and I have seen that a few times so thats not it.

I do not have a uv and A 25% water change would be better but I dont think it would change that much.

My lights are on for 7hrs and it is a 70watt mh. And I do not have moonlights

Acan Lord · 06/29/2010, 09:42 PM

Would dryed out rocks still have copper? I got them from a fish store that is not the best but I sun dryed them for a few days.

No additives just use the water change salt to keep that in check and it is normally perfect with calcium and mag and everything.

Mechanical I just have a big pad of filter pad that I cut squars out of it. And chemical i have aquaclear carbon bags.

Jarred1 · 06/29/2010, 09:48 PM

yes the copper can stay in the rocks and leech out over time

Acan Lord · 06/29/2010, 09:55 PM

Is there a good way to test for copper?

MPevine11 · 06/29/2010, 10:13 PM

copper testkit (buy online or at you local pet store)

Acan Lord · 06/29/2010, 10:14 PM

Alright I'll give that a try other wise I think I might get a 10 gallon and get new rock and everything else.

scholar · 06/30/2010, 04:45 PM

how long has this tank been setup?

06/29/2010, 09:09 PM	#1
Acan Lord Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Mokena, IL Posts: 514	Your opinion on a bad luck tank Hello everyone the past two months I have had nothing but problems with my Bio cube 14. I have hair algea all off the rocks. I have removed it manually; it comes back. I have used urchins, crabs, and snails to try and help with the problem but it has barley gotten better. When ever I get corals they do not make it out of the week. The only thing that has survived are two rics. Brains, hammers, montis, and polyps all die with in a week. Polyps looks great for a day and then never open up. I know this sounds like a water problem but I have had it tested on two diffrent test for everything that is testable and it always reads perfect. I do a two gallon water change every week. So I am asking if anyone has any idea what could be wrong. Maybe what I should do? Should I start over or what? Thank you __________________ Biocube 14 Current Tank Info: 14 Gallon Biocube 70W metal halide, Stock return pump

06/29/2010, 09:37 PM	#3
fatrip Yup That Stuff Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: , ny Posts: 4,260	Nothing else would kill corals that fast other than water quality. Do you use RODI? Have you checked the TDS of the RODI? Where did your rock come from? Could the rock have been in a tank that was treated with copper? as far as the hair algae there are either phosphates or nitrates in the water? Have you added any additives to the tank? What are you using as mech and or chemical filtration? __________________ "We learn from history that we never learn anything from history." Hegel " because the broad masses of a nation are always more easily corrupted in the deeper strata of their emotional nature than consciously or voluntarily; and thus in the primitive simplicity of their minds they more readily fall victims to the big lie than the small lie, since they themselves often tell small lies in little matters but would be ashamed to resort to large-scale falsehoods." H.

06/29/2010, 09:37 PM	#4
Acan Lord Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Mokena, IL Posts: 514	I use ro water from a fish store. And that made me think maybe they dont have good ro water so one day I stayed in there looking around and saw him do a water change on there sps tank with that water and I have seen that a few times so thats not it. I do not have a uv and A 25% water change would be better but I dont think it would change that much. My lights are on for 7hrs and it is a 70watt mh. And I do not have moonlights __________________ Biocube 14 Current Tank Info: 14 Gallon Biocube 70W metal halide, Stock return pump

06/29/2010, 09:42 PM	#5
Acan Lord Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Mokena, IL Posts: 514	Would dryed out rocks still have copper? I got them from a fish store that is not the best but I sun dryed them for a few days. No additives just use the water change salt to keep that in check and it is normally perfect with calcium and mag and everything. Mechanical I just have a big pad of filter pad that I cut squars out of it. And chemical i have aquaclear carbon bags. __________________ Biocube 14 Current Tank Info: 14 Gallon Biocube 70W metal halide, Stock return pump

06/29/2010, 09:55 PM	#7
Acan Lord Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Mokena, IL Posts: 514	Is there a good way to test for copper? __________________ Biocube 14 Current Tank Info: 14 Gallon Biocube 70W metal halide, Stock return pump

06/29/2010, 09:29 PM	#2
MPevine11 Moved On Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Franklin NH Posts: 457	what kind of water do you use when you do water changes? also i would do 25% water changes (like 3 1/2 gallons) maybe run a UV stearlizer? how long are your lights on? how long do you keep the moonlights on?

06/29/2010, 09:48 PM	#6
Jarred1 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: West Palm Beach, FL Posts: 1,247	yes the copper can stay in the rocks and leech out over time

06/29/2010, 10:13 PM	#8
MPevine11 Moved On Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Franklin NH Posts: 457	copper testkit (buy online or at you local pet store)

06/29/2010, 10:14 PM	#9
Acan Lord Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Mokena, IL Posts: 514	Alright I'll give that a try other wise I think I might get a 10 gallon and get new rock and everything else. __________________ Biocube 14 Current Tank Info: 14 Gallon Biocube 70W metal halide, Stock return pump

06/30/2010, 04:45 PM	#10
scholar Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Thorold Posts: 74	how long has this tank been setup?

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