AquaTricia 40 gal FOWLR

[Sniperhank]

Yeah, green water can be a problem all its own. Black out has been the most effective here in the forums, but there have also been those that use carbon or a uv sterilizer to go along with it. Unknown how effective they are as all were used during a black out.

 

[AquaTricia]

I'm using carbon as well. I hadn't fed the puffer and shrimp in several days, so I gave them a little Mysis before I blacked out. Thought I'd leave it dark until Friday, 5 days of dark. If the green is gone, I'm preparing to do at least a 50% water change then.

 

[54seaweed]

wow when did it turn green , I never had any issues that makes the water green , so I'm lost on this part , hope lights out helps don't know how a uv sterilizer would work as I never used 1, the part that confused me was you just did a water change the next thing I see it went green ,

 

[AquaTricia]

The milky color in the water turned green by the next morning. Never used a uv sterilizer before either. The water is very green, so I went lights out this afternoon. I think that's the best bet. Hurts to look over there and not see a pretty tank.

 

[alyxandria]

I had a really bad green algae bloom in my freshwater cichlid tank and a UV sterilizer killed all the algae spores in the water column as they went through the filter and past the UV light. I'm not sure if this applies to saltwater as I have never had this issue in my reef rank but I can say it did help me in my freshwater situation. Best of luck, I know how frustrating that can be.

 

[AquaTricia]

Thanks for the post. I think, in this respect, it probably would be the same. I may wind up getting one if the lights out doesn't work. I've heard good things and bad about that unit. I would certainly consider it after I researched.

 

[54seaweed]

my fresh water tank just turned green in the last week , but I know it was my fault as I neglect the fresh water as my daughter claims she maintains it ,
I put the 3 fish in 3 buckets I did a 99% water change leaving just a gallon of the old water , me being impatient not waiting for my daughter to take charge think I over did it as now the fish are acting stupid the 2 huge gold fish are both in a corner facing straight up nothing fazes the pleco though

 

[AquaTricia]

Nothing ever fazes a Pleco. Haven't checked the FOWLR in a week. Changing the carbon filters every day and they stink. Skimmer pulling green gunk out. Fed a little to the tank tonight as I haven't fed whatever is left in 6 days. Guess I'll tank the blanket off Monday and check it. Unsure whether to do a big water change if it's still green.

 

[AquaTricia]

After finding the water green on 7/11, I did a water change. On 7/13 I went lights out and covered with a blanket. Other than a debacle with the blanket getting too close to the outflows of skimmer and filter, the tank has been dark and blanketed since then. I've been changing the media in the filter everyday and put a carbon pad in the basket for the outflow of the skimmer. Today I took the blanket off in a darkened room. Still green. Better, but still green. Blenny is nowhere to be found. Took measurements today. Not so hot.
Ammonia .25 ppm API
Nitrite 7 ppb Hanna
Nitrate 5 ppm Salifert
Phosphate 0.7 Hanna
pH 8.05
Temp 77.7
Salinity 1.023

Per the readings, I believe I need a water change. I have 20 gallons of saltwater prepared from r/o d/I water, and if necessary, I have 5 gallons of distilled water from the supermarket. (Reminder that the tank is 40 gallons with around 40 lbs of rock). By my calculations, that would be a major water change. I would also vacuum the sand. I see my cleaner shrimp and puffer. I have only lightly fed during this time.
Any comments or suggestions? Please?


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[54seaweed]

since theirs nitrite showing along with ammonia nitrates and phosphates
I believe a 50% wc is needed you don't want any nitrites, this should be the biggest concern as this is the biggest stress on the fish and inverts , this wc should help reduce all of those readings , and also help reduce the green even more getting rid of more of the phosphates and nitrates that's fueling it ,
from what I see from your readings it's like your going through a mini cycle
strange but true , after you get that big wc I think your going to see that big improvement your looking for , maybe follow with small changes next few days and keep lights out a few more days also , than I think that dreaded nightmare will be gone

 

[AquaTricia]

Thanks. I sure hope you're right. Water change after dinner and more saltwater is "brewing" for another change tomorrow or the next day. Really ready for this to be over. This was supposed to be my easy tank.

 

[54seaweed]

I know you have had a hard streak , we all had something bad happen one time or another , I had a streak about 4 years ago loosing tons of coral , my phosphates rose so high they were off the charts , that was my first tank 37g funny thing was 6 months later it won TOTM in Feb 2012 right after I resolved all the issues , than I started another tank it was out of this world as it was a macro tank 40b than I got hit with a bad case of both red and green slim algae that took a while to correct , than it got nice again ,
than stupid me tore both those tanks down , so I started my 90g from both those tanks
sure enough once I got it nice disaster hit again , I some how inherited a horrible infestation of vermid snails lost all my corals on the sand bed it killed all my macros than it started to climb my rocks, I had to replace almost 90% of the sand with out disturbing the rock work now that was no walk in the park , once the sand bed was replaced i had to go to work on the rocks ,
I secured 3 wooden shish ka bob skewers together to scrape of all those nasty vermid snails off my rock work, that took about 2 months , than I came back with a small brass brush about the size of a tooth brush to get any remaining snails I missed , sucking all that crud out with a siphon hose , now I'm back to normal , see we all go through those hard times , I'll probably hit them again once I move my predator tank into my 40b , I think I have my goldfish and pleco sold actually bartered to a Chinese restaurant they have a 300g tank to put them in ,
and my family gets a free dinner in exchange ,

than I get my 40b back and I can start all over again lol

now on a good note looks like I'll be fragging next week my torches and hammers that I still say are octo-spawns sprouted nicely , so once your back on track you can look forward to a frag or 2 or maybe 3 , I ordered a nice colony of yellow grape coral , I wanted purple but it's always out of stock

I'll keep my fingers crossed your tank recovers fully in next week

 

[AquaTricia]

Thanks for the post. And for the encouragement. I had a lot of trouble with the 28g reef tank, but I have a tendency to forget all the problems to enjoy the good stuff. Right now, the reef is doing well, though I do need to get out and send you that Kenya Tree. I haven't forgotten, just busy.
Fell asleep at 6:30 pm, I guess from cleaning the reef tank, two fresh, and preparing the 40b to clean, which didn't happen. It's 1:30 and I just got up. My husband will be getting up in two hours to go back to work and I hardly saw him. Guess we'll clean the tank when he gets home. I still have two freshwater tanks to clean, but I'll get extra rest before he comes home.


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[54seaweed]

You got your hands full right now concentrate on what you need to everything else can wait , I tend to be that way too I always seem to worry about everything else , Not what I need too remember Rome wasn't built in a day , I'm not in no rush and I know you have things to do concentrate on that first .
yesterday I bought a toilet scrubber that will work perfectly to keep my glass clean , my scraper is just doing a number on the glass, I'll probably try it out today and see how it works ,

My daughter is going scuba diving today and the rest of the week she's in Fla , she is going to scope things out , see what she can find than so next time she goes out to Fla to visit she can get a permit to harvest certain things legally , I can't wait to see all the picts she takes ,
basically macro's I'm after I told her to stay off any reefs she comes across , I'm glad she is going out with her friend and her father who has 25 years experience diving, so I know she's safe and also don't touch things she shouldn't bother ,
I turned her into a saltwater junkie and I told her she needs to respect the waters,
to treat it as I treat my tank with love and respect , I wish my health was better I would love to experience the under water world first hand , between my breathing issues my heart and my other disability's that will never happen ,

 

[AquaTricia]

I know what you mean about getting down there to see the beautiful sites. That would be a dream for me but I am one Florida girl that can't swim and am claustrophobic. Warn your daughter of sharks. We have had several attacks already this year. I have taught my two granddaughters to respect all critters. They love my tanks. The 10 year old can swim, but the 12 year old is high functioning autistic and is terrified of water. She even has trouble in the shower. She plays in the baby pool when we vacation with them.
The Kenya Tree isn't looking very good right now. I will plump it up for you before I send it.

 

[54seaweed]

weren't most of those attacks on the Atlantic coast or are they hitting in the gulf also
I forgot all about that and stupid me watched shark week,
ok now you got me stressing lol, I can't believe there still showing that surfer who was attacked last week putting shark in head lock punching it before swimming toward shore

 

[AquaTricia]

Yep, they are. Read it again this morning. Do you have a way to contact her? Is she diving alone? I'm sorry I upset you. I just wanted you to be aware. Where is she diving?
Got my 37g freshwater broken down. I already have someone that wants it. Just have to clean it.

 

[54seaweed]

she's out with a experienced diver and I don't think he would put his daughter or mine into any danger ,
I sent her a text she probably wont reply till tonight

it took me forever to find a home for my fw fish but I found a Chinese restaurant to take them and the best part get a free night out for dinner
The only part of the hobby I hate tearing down and cleaning everything lol
glad you found someone to take all your stuff

 

[PB_Smith]

changing the filter media daily could be the cause of the rise in levels. You should leave it in place until it is more or less clogged. As it traps gunk, it will trap finer and finer particles as well as providing focused biological action as the water is being forced through.


if you haven't been feeding, the question then remains are the elevated levels due to dying algae or the missing blenny?

 

[AquaTricia]

The missing blenny may be the cause, but he may just be hiding in the rocks. When I change the media, about half the time it's packed with green stuff. Hoping the stuff is dying. I am doing a 50% or more water change tonight and put the blanket back for a couple of days. Hopefully...