help me please help me please

[wvanderborg]

So. I have a 25 gal that I would like to be reef. Within the last two weeks I had an enormous cyanobacteria and what I think is red slime algae break out. I thought the hair algae was bad but this is horrible my star polyp died my zooanthid looks terrible and my anenomes are staying closed up all the time. My water quality is pristine. Salinitys at 1.024. I ran two biowheels and just added a third today with chemipure elite as a media in it. I was running an actinic and a 10000k but switched the 10000k for a 6500k today. I have an extra hood that I could run 2 actinics in and then do the 6500 and 10000 in another. Would that be a good idea? Any suggestions please..

 

[carey]

I would get 4 bulbs over that anemone as soon as you can

For the red algae you can try chemiclean. I just used it not too long ago and it got rid of all the cyano within a day. Then you do a water change and youre done.

The lighting is the biggest thing though. Nems need ALOT of light. Are the bulbs you have t5 or the older t8's? You might be ok with 4 t8's but it's hard to say.

 

[wvanderborg]

I actually have two hoods i can run but I've only been running one. Its all t5 bulbs but I have one ho and one bp. I have these bulbs I can use. 1 10000kho 1 6700kbp 1 6500ho 1coralifebp 2 actinic ho. I was thinkin doin the 10000 and the 6500 in the ho hood and the actinics in the bp hood. What do u think? Would u suggest anything else? And thanks as always for ur expertise girl. U rock. Lol

 

[carey]

I would be aiming for 2 10ks in the whites spot and 2 actinics in the older fixture. For now I guess go with the 10k and 6500k ones since you have them. I would look at getting a newer fixture though, not too sure how well the nem will do. You can get a 4 bulb HO fixture for around $100 from fish need it;lights; food;Sponge i am using one right now over my 20g tank and love it. It would also give your nem a better shot at surviving in my opinion.

Nems will move around when they are searching for something, be it light, flow or food. if they are moving they need something they dont have in their current spot. Just keep that in mind.

 

[wvanderborg]

If I spend more money on lights I'm going led. My lfs has an awesome led setup for about 500 but it can simulate thunderstorms and it auto cycles thru day and night. And one more ? For u. I got a protien skimmer but I never hooked it up... do I need one for a 25gal?

 

[carey]

If your water parameters are fine I would keep doing what youre doing. Sounds like you got it down pat so it's not necessary to hook it up unless you want to. In most cases with a regularly stocked tank if it's under say 40-45g then I don't personally think it's needed.

 

[xxStLxx]

If you still have the cyano bacteria outbreak going on and dont want to get the chemiclean, see if your LFS will babysit your nem for 3 days and then kill your lights for those 3 days and blast your rock work off daily and it should all be dead by the 3rd day.

 

[wvanderborg]

I work at my LFS. I run all the tanks there and I don't trust my coworkers to leave my nems be. They would end up sellin them. The only other close store is a half hour drive and with it being this cold I don't want to risk transporting them. I'm just gonna wait till Friday and try this chemiclean then do a water change say Monday. Thanks for all the suggestions guys.

 

[wvanderborg]

Alright. Carey. I decided to get that four bulb hood u suggested earlier. I'm going to order it Friday when I get paid. But what four bulb combo would u reccomend? I'm more concerned about my zoos and polyps than the nems when it all comes down to it. Id rather keep them and get rid of the nems worst case senario.

 

[carey]

I ordered mine with 2 10k and 2 actinic. It's pretty white but thats the best combination i could find on there. I figure for me it's a short term light but if i do end up still using it months from now I can alwasy upgrade the bulbs.

 

[wvanderborg]

Well this is hopefully gonna be my permanent light source. So ill do 50/50 thanks girl. Ur always a big help

 

[wvanderborg]

That's what I'm gonna get too then. As always thanks a bunch girl