Post impeller fail

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nturner1967

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Jan 16, 2017
Messages
41
Location
White Hall, MD
Afternoon all,
After a house sitter experience, my pump overheated and the impeller failed. My tank was not wrecked because I use a micro filter in the tank for just this kind of back up.
I did get an algae. Even though I did a thorough clean, the sand algae settles back.
Should I stop obsessing or change the sand out?
IMG_1296.jpg
 
The algae doesn't look too bad yet.... do you have a gravel vac?

Personally I'd do frequent vacs to pic up the algae, and let the tank come back to balance

If you swap substrate you risk triggering a mini-cycle, so that's always something to consider
 
I use the phython
It looked great and gone but settled back to this.
I'd never do a complete substrate replacement but was thinking it might help.
No one notices it but me, so I'm thinking I'm just being obsessive
 
We're always obsessive about our tanks lol

Was it there before the impeller fail or after? If it's recent, I'd be inclined to do frequent cleanup until it goes away

Good chance it was already there but settled when the impeller stopped moving the tank water
 
Never had algae settle
I don't want to change too much
I'll keep doing frequent cleans and see how much it improves
 
I have, after my last filter died

It was brown algae for me, and it settled all over my glass and decorations

A week or two of obsessive water changes helped though
 
I've had one thing or another since changing substrate, which is why I cautioned you

There are days I regret it....then I recall bright blue gravel lol!

Sand looks so much better lol....totally worth the mini cycle
 
Brown she is referring to sounds like diatoms. Normal and typically not serious. Yours may be cyno. You mentioned you were out of town someone watching it and came back to this. This could have been a feeding and or photo period issue.

We really need all the info on the tank to help you. Adding/changing substrate is not wise at this time. I would do a large wc and reduce photo period until you figure out exactly what algae is. Has cyno look to it.

Tell us your parameters, stock, tank info, dose schedule, and a fts if possible.
 
Do you have a timer ?Was someone responsibile while you were gone if you do not.
 
No timer
LED on during day
Off at night
Yes I had a house sitter that lived here
Omega one flakes in am/pm
Frozen blood worms lunch
 
Depending on what you mean by catfish and how many cichlids you may be over stocked.

Feeding and photo period may have been to heavy. Research cynobacteria.
 
Does not look bad. I would do large wc and cut back on amount or frequency of feedings. I assume you do weekly wc. If not I would for awhile. I would have no more than 8hr photo period.
 
Just read up
Now I understand photo period
Two articles suggest using a sterilizing light. One recommends not using one.
I do weekly changes
I'll reduce their feedings and see
She could have overfed them
My fish are interactive and love to come to the glass
I'm hoping she didn't confuse that for them being hungry
You've been really helpful thank you
 
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