My REDSEA max /first SW tank

[Mashpotatoes74402]

Yes I don't have a phosphate test ,calcium, or alkalinity

 

[Dav3]

Take water sample to your lfs.

 

[Mashpotatoes74402]

Ordered some cyano meds. Sy phoning is working to slow it down.
Nitrates have been a consistent ~5ppm so that the nutrient source. I've invested in a another few jugs so I have 15 gallons of sw or 10 sw and 5 fresh for WC or top off. Trying to get everything balanced. And safe for my fish and thier friends

 

[Mashpotatoes74402]

I'll take the sample this weekend and see if they can help I'm done with this class in a week. I'll try to keep in tank maintenance to a minimum in the mean time

 

[Mashpotatoes74402]

Water sample was ok. Had to be chlorine. fid my own test as well. Nothing out of control. The nitrate media I replaced is definately helping. Cyano has receded a lot.

 

[Mashpotatoes74402]

Did some rearranging. As well

 

[Mashpotatoes74402]

glass near the sand is dirty sorry.
Guy at my LFS gave me 5 of these starfish or "starfish like creatures"
They look like starfish. A couple have six arms though. And they are all less than 2cm diameter

 

[Dav3]

Asterina starfish. Common hitchhiker. They reproduce by breaking off limbs and leaving them behind to form new starfish..

 

[Mashpotatoes74402]

Will they develop into a pest?

 

[Mashpotatoes74402]

Second clown disappeared today.
Assuming the water flow pushed its body into the rocks going to attempt to find it ..... I've got to figure this out.
Water test result to follow

 

[Mashpotatoes74402]

This has to be an issue with me swimming everyday. And doing maintenance in the water. That would add a massive amount of chlorine I'd think. Just to be safe I added dechlorinator after removing the dead clown. I acceded tally broke a vial so I'll have to wait to test high ph.
SG is 1.026
Last water change was 5 gallons on Saturday

 

[Mashpotatoes74402]

Cyano trying to take over front of sandbed. Added meds according to directions. About 24 hours ago. Going to do 10 gallon WC or %29 WC

 

[Mashpotatoes74402]

Using a magnum 350 full of nitrate media ever sice the cyano first appeared it went away for a bit but started to come back even after I replaced media

 

[Dav3]

That chemical is only a temporary bandaid. You need to fix the underlying issues or it will just come back.

You aren't testing everything you need to test for. Phosphates is one of them. You can remove all the nitrates you want but if you aren't getting rid of phosphates as well then it won't matter because the algae and cyano will still grow.

Have you cut back on feeding? And cyano grows in areas of low flow. Try adding more flow to your tank.

 

[Mashpotatoes74402]

Yes I have a phosphate media as well.
That's my next step! Add more flow I found a koralia 420? For $25.
I think I know what cause the stress! I dunno how I didn't realize it. But when I added the new media. (Full canister of brand new ) it would have caused an ammonia spike right?!?!??

 

[Mashpotatoes74402]

I need a phosphate , calcium, and kh test. What will lead to increased phosphates?

 

[Sniperhank]

Adding media that removed things like phosphates wouldn't cause an ammonia spike. If it did, it wouldn't be used in our aquariums since ammonia is toxic. Adding too much at once can cause a major drop and stress corals, sometimes even kill more sensitive ones.
In terms of test kits, Red Sea are great. I wont look back after getting Hanna checkers.

 

[Sniperhank]

And increased phosphates comes from feeding too much and not removing enough if them during water changes. Nitrates and phosphates come from decaying food/poop in a 16:1 ratio. Using flake and pellet foods are also heavily packed with phosphates, which is a reason to use frozen foods...though the water they are frozen in is also high in phosphates so we strain them out.

 

[Mashpotatoes74402]

Ok. The large amount of de-nitrate I changed out was the only thing I could think of! Well I changed the media I'm going to be using for a while.

 

[Mashpotatoes74402]

Left for 5 days My sitter sent tho picture yesterday! . So the cyano isn't gone and the pump decided to create a ton of micro bubbles. I talked him through how to fix it. I've got to get this algea problem under control. Btw officially week 12