Hey there,
I wanted to ask advice and suggestions from all those experienced and smart reef keepers. My tank has been having some difficulties for the past 2 months and is starting to frustrate me.
so here's my tank:
10g, HOB filter, small heater, nano koralia PH, 70W MH
11lbs LR (presently covered in hair algae and some cyano which is now going down)
1 yellow tail blue damsel - have had it for 1 year
1 (new) tiny algae blenny
5 small hermits
5 turbo snails
2 nassarius snails (about 1.5" diameter),
1 large hitchiker crab named fred that may need to go
now, only some softies - mushrooms, zoos, xenia, palys (presently all closed or not fully extended)
upon tests - 0 nitrates/nitrites, 0 phosphates, ammonia: 0.1, salinity 1.025, not sure about ph.
I get RO water from the grocery store and use oceanpure salt
Okay, so I've hinted at some problems already - lots of hair algae, about 3 weeks ago my tank was covered in cyano, my Monticap completely died 2 days ago, I had a yellow clown goby for 10 months that just died as well. My zoos and palys aren't doing well, my mushrooms and ricordea aren't liking life too much either.
I went away for about a week over Xmas and had a buddy feed my fish when most of the problems started and things have just deteriorated from there. I've been religious with water changes at least once a week, but mostly twice a week, at about 40%. I haven't used additives until this point and just tried the red slime remover which seemed to help the cyano (but possibly not dealing with the root cause), just started adding bacteria treatments, and now phytoplex. I really don't want to get into the chemical thing at all since I believe that may just bandaid what's going on, and water changes to the extent that I'm doing them should be sufficient. I think the lamp is starting to change a bit (its 14k, 70W and about 10 months old), so have just ordered a replacement.
I'm sort of at the point where I feel like I need to start over, do something drastic, trade everything in or anything just to get things running proper. I had thought I had done my research on the blenny before I got him, but am now just realizing that while he might be alright for a couple months while he's so small, he will outgrow my tank quite quickly. argh. bad decisions?
I am now thinking about a rio protein skimmer, or trading in fish, but have no clue at this point.
so, any help would be appreciated by anyone that would have any suggestions.
Thanks!