HELP
 

Hey everyone,
Today I came home to a dying tank. Over the period of a day and a half my tank went from healthy to nasty. My tank was super cloudy and the bio pellets had a weird white stringy substance in it. I did a water change and removed the bio pellets but it isn't much better. Any Ideas on how to save my coral and fish?

Big water change, right now!!

Aerate it right now too, if you have the ability to toss an airline onto a pump.

Cloudy and big stringy slime sounds like a big bacteria bloom. Big waterchange, and some carbon too wouldnt hurt either.

Okay I will put some carbon in, I just finished a 40% water change and it looks like it really helped. I will see how it does in the next hour of so. Should I clean the bio pellets and put them back on?

Did you just started the biopellets? because to avoid bacteria bloom one must start with the pellets slowly. Just put a small quantité, then a week later put some more etc...Go very slowly. To much pellets too fast will create a bacteria bloom.

Those bacterias quickly depleate the water from oxygen.

Yeah I was told to start with 50mL of bio pellets. I was running them since tuesday with just that 50mL. Is that mabey to much?

It should not have been too much but since you got that bacteria bloom I am guessing it was too much. It all depends on the size of the system and bioload etc..

Yeah, maybe once this gets under control I will start with 25mL. My fish seem to be fine now, im just hoping none of my new frags die.

So Its been 12 hours since I had this bacteria bloom. So far my corals are alive and my fish still eating, but it is still really cloudy. Should I be doing another water change?

What kind of skimmer do you have? Make sure it's clean and operating as best it can. Beads removed, right? Added carbon? I'd keep lights off for the day, just because...

Im using a sea-clone right now until I get my sump up and running. It has been doing a decent job so far. I took the bio pellets out and started using carbon again. I have also been running a air line since last night.

Try and get the sump set up yesterday and get rid of the seaclone, it's not really doing a good job :) If you've got a better skimmer sitting around, use it in tank if you can't get the sump going.

Okay I have a better skimmer that I may be able to get working in the tank. I have to drain my tank so I can out it on the new stand that the sump is in, so I don't think I can get the sump up and running quite yet, but I will put the new skimmer on it.

what size of tank is it?

Its a 33 gallon.

Ok that explain why 50ml was still enough to create a bacteria bloom. You should start with something like 10ml and build your way up. I think 50ml was too much to quick.

Yeah I think your right. When I start them up again in a few weeks I will only start with a table spoon at most.

Don't worry about running any pellets until you get the whole sump/skimmer issue dealt with. In order for the pellets to be successfully run in a tank you have to have a skimmer that is capable of removing the bacteria that the pellets produce. Also your pellet reactor output should be directed directly at your skimmer input for maximum benefit.

Okay, good to know. So when I do get my sump and new skimmer up and running, I should put the bio-pellet input/output right where the skimmer is?

The reactor input is facing towards the drainage from tank to sump, the output is either directly plumbed into the skimmer pump or extremely close to it. That way all the water exiting the reactor will be skimmed right away for all the excess bacteria produced by the pellets. over time, slowly(once every couple of months) inch the reactor output away from the skimmer till you have about 2 inches of play....that way your tank can slowly adapt to the extra bacteria thus reducing the chance of a crash happening again!

Non the less, I really hope everything pulls through for you!

Sounds like you have things under control. Feel free to give me a call tomorrow if you need a hand, as I have the day off (mostly anyways).

Thanks for your help everyone! My tank is clear, corals healthy and fish look fine! Time to get that sump up and running so this doesn't happen again!