I hate my tank!

i have crabs · #1 01-25-2009, 02:35 PM

sounds like your using tap water corect? if so stop, i used it for a long time and battled algae the whole time invest in a ro/di unit it will save you in the end
since your using tap water have you been adding prime to detoxify? if you dont i would think that could be the snail problem.

why the heck is your calcium so high? calcium will aid coraline growth but yours is way to high and the type of calcium you add will determine whether the coraline will use it quickly or not,liquid calcium additive is best. but you need to get yours down in the 400-500 range,what tesk kits are you using?

digital-audiophile · #2 01-25-2009, 03:28 PM

RO/DI is a big thing. After using filter water you will see an improvement. I was just making up a batch of water last night, test TDS after filter was 001, s/b 0 but I am ok with that, I tested the water out of the tap and it was 410. That is big.

One product I have used in the past that helped with cyano was KZ Coral Snow, you can get the small botle for ~$25 that can help in the short term. You can also use chemiclean or red slime remover but they really only treat the immediate issue but not the long term problem.

Do you have any pictures?

Tangman · #3 01-25-2009, 03:29 PM

as others have said, water change! water change! Invest in a RO/DI !, if you don't your problems will NOT stop! Water changes will bring your parameters down, remember the phrase "the solution to pollution is dilution "
as for the algae problems phosphate reducing media is always a good idea and for now, as already suggested, I would cut back on the lights(or turn them off) and make sure the tank has good flow (power heads)
Also start a weekly regiment of trying to suck up as much of the slime as possible ( when doing water changes)
GOOD LUCK and HANG IN THERE !

jslaney · #4 01-25-2009, 05:14 PM

Thanks everyone for the Support. I will try and answer the questions in order.

1)I will try to give my tank more love. Its unfortunate she is such a cruel mistress.

2)I am just using tapwater with no treatment for topups. As I understand it, if you let it sit for 24 hours all the chlorine evaporates off.

3)I think getting my water tested at the LFS is a great idea. I will bring them a sample for sure and let you know how his values differ to mine. I am specifically interested in Specific Gravity

4)Regarding DOCS (dissolved organic compounds?) I did not realize that could happen. I agree water changes should be applied. I have been planning a tank build post for a while. I will try and get it going

5)I acllimated the snails over 2 hrs slowly adding my water to the store water. I used a shot glass to slowly add bits of water every so often. The shot glass was well rinsed and is a tank dedicated shot glass.

6)I have no idea why my Calcium is so high. I will have to do some more reading about it.

7)As I previously said, I don’t use prime as I always let my water sit. I think I will add prime to the water from now on regardless.

8)The live rock was fully cured when I got it.

9)I will try to be more patient in the future

10)If the cyano gets really bad again I will leave the lights off. For now it seems to be holding off.

11)I will have to look into dinoflagulates. Interesting possibility.

12)I am trying to do a lagoon tank so I am not putting a lot of flow in my tank. Its circulating about 4 times its volume in an hour so I think its ok.

13)I thought my nitrates and phosphate levels were really low. I will look into that book.

14)My test kit is a brand new instant oceans reef kit.

Conclusions
-Do more water changes
-Get my water level parameters checked at the LFS
-Start treating my top up water
-Consider getting a phosphate remover and RO/DI unit.

Additional questions

1)How do you test of TDS (Total dissolved solids?). Does that not include dissolved calcium. Is that not a good thing.

2)I have read that increased Calcium can be a good thing for stony corals. Why is it bad for Coraline? I am not treating calcium so it must be coming from my sand and water top ups.

If anyone has any other ideas based on my responses, feel free to let me know.

e46er · #5 01-25-2009, 05:24 PM

to test for tds you need a TDS meter they are around 35 bux i think

you calcium is sky high and if your not dosing it i would get someone else with another test kit to check your results for accuracy.

marie · #6 01-25-2009, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jslaney

...
12)I am trying to do a lagoon tank so I am not putting a lot of flow in my tank. Its circulating about 4 times its volume in an hour so I think its ok....

Have you ever swam in the ocean? I think a tidepool has more flow then what you've got

Soft corals can take (and in some cases prefers) a lot of flow and even lps corals need enough flow to keep detritus and algae off them. I would shoot for at least 10 times preferably 20 times tank volume an hour

fdiddy · #7 01-25-2009, 05:48 PM

I used tap water for a long time, but the TDS outta my tap is 184 - not that bad actually. But my RO/DI is 0... alot better :P Considering a 5g jug to refill at sobeys is around 2 bucks that sounds worth it to me. Good Luck and keep at it. This hobby is VERY satisfying if you put you mind to it.

Matt · #8 01-25-2009, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jslaney

Thanks everyone for the Support. I will try and answer the questions in order.
2)I am just using tapwater with no treatment for topups. As I understand it, if you let it sit for 24 hours all the chlorine evaporates off.

Chlorine will leave the water, eventually, but how fast will depend on the volume, surface area, circulation, temperature and starting concentration. No 24-hour rule exists. Likewise, resting the water won't deal with other contaminates. In short, if you're using tapwater (and loads of folks do, with varying success), don't do it without Prime or another quality water conditioner -- or you're just asking for trouble.

Tangman · #9 01-25-2009, 07:03 PM

Sorry to be blunt, but if you are not doing water changes/ top offs with RO/Di water all you are doing is feeding the problem. Useing treated tap water or letting it stand is useless, that may have worked with a fresh water tank but it won't work with SW. You can get a TDS meter at a LFS, but better money spent would be on a RO/DI, as others have said, in the SW hobby a RO/DI unit is part of the basic supplies to have a SW tank, and again , sorry to be blunt, but with out one, you will never have any thing but a slimey lagoon

Quote:

Originally Posted by jslaney

.
Conclusions
-Do more water changes
-Get my water level parameters checked at the LFS
-Start treating my top up water
-Consider getting a phosphate remover and RO/DI unit.

Additional questions

1)How do you test of TDS (Total dissolved solids?). Does that not include dissolved calcium. Is that not a good thing.

2)I have read that increased Calcium can be a good thing for stony corals. Why is it bad for Coraline? I am not treating calcium so it must be coming from my sand and water top ups.

If anyone has any other ideas based on my responses, feel free to let me know.

jslaney · #10 01-25-2009, 11:28 PM

So thanks to Syeve's suggestion I went and got my water tested. All I have for specific Grav is a red sea hydrometer. It was reading 1.026 which is perfect as I understand it.

When the very kind fellow at Ocean City tested my water using a refractometer it read as 1.033. So I am guessing that is the biggest problem.

I will still look into getting RO/DI and have allready bought chlorine remover for my top ups.

Lastly thank you for everyones help and I think the lesson here is dont ever trust crappy hydrometers and before you start adding life go get your water double tested.

Jon.