265 gallon setup

untamed · #1 11-01-2007, 07:01 PM

I've been so envious of your setup because it started up just ahead of mine, yet you seemed to have none of the problems I went through and be way further along...

I seem to have passed the cyano stage by siphoning it away as much as possible, and doing some sand vaccuuming. It was pretty bad for quite a while. I knew it wasn't my bulbs because they were still relatively new.

The extended siphoning was made possible by rigging up a sort of "continuous flow vaccuum" that pulled from the main tank, dropped it through a cloth filter and returned the water to the sump. That way, I could vaccuum for extended periods of time without drawing out hundreds of gallons of water.

I looked hard at replacing my skimmer with something bigger. In fact, I would have done it had it not gone away when it did.

I also began running some Phosban media right around that time. I could never accurately measure any phosphate, but I figured it wouldn't hurt.

My guess is that you'll get through it and the tank is still relatively young.

Delphinus · #2 11-01-2007, 07:36 PM

Indeed, in a way, it's a fairly common rite of passage for tanks under a year or just at the one year mark (seems to me anyhow). It's beatable - perservere and you will get there.

It's a great looking tank.

skylord · #3 11-01-2007, 08:12 PM

Now I dont want to hear this givin up stuff....my build is based primarily on what you two have done. The tank is built, now I'm waiting on all the goodies to arrive. I may have water in it by xmas.

Scott

niloc16 · #4 11-01-2007, 11:09 PM

thanks for the support and compliments guys. i'm really really hoping it is the lighting. the bulbs are almost 10 months old. i syphon sandbed every week with the water changes and have always done so. i syphon all the cyano away now off the rocks during the water change but by the next week it back with a frickin vengeance

niloc16 · #5 11-24-2007, 09:46 PM

well lucky frickin me today. i'm lettin you know in advance this is a major bloody vent. i'm happy to announce today that i pulled out half an instant ocean salt bucket of dead frickin corals. i've been fighting this stupid algae and put the tank in a black out state as a last resort to kill it. well i guess with everything so stressed already and just my luck a whole bunch got wiped out. and some of my favorite too. the biggest colony was about 8" or so across a wild acro plana. it was a killer tricolor piece. i'm not even going to bother to list everything because it will just **** me off more. sorry about the vent but who else will listen

untamed · #6 11-25-2007, 12:37 AM

Oh man...that's terrible.

Ya Dude · #7 11-25-2007, 12:55 AM

did this cyano brake-out occur after your last coral addition.
I had a serious cyano problem after adding 3 colonies from HR last shipment.
I haven't even seen any in 2 years and I attribute it to that.It seemed to be a stronger strain. Probably a hitch hiker IMO

Delphinus · #8 11-26-2007, 06:02 AM

I'm really very sorry to hear this.

I feel a tinge of guilt because I said I thought the corals could withstand a 2 day blackout.

I really don't know what to say. I'm sorry.

I know about the dead coral thing. I can at least share a little of your pain there (different reasons - and still ongoing

I've given up on the tank in question - it's beyond fixing).

I really hope you get on top of this soon. I know the frustration of dinos, I had it twice, and nearly quit the hobby 100% both times. It's very demoralizing. I hope it resolves soon.