Help with Brownish Sludge in my tank!

[purebliss]

Please help, I have a 46 gallon bowfront fish only tank.

I have the HOT Magnum with biowheel filter and am running activated carbon. The tank is approx 5 years old. I am using about 1 inch of crushed coral on the bottom of the tank.

My problem is that after a bout 1-2 weeks after cleaning the tank, filters and all, a horrible brownish sludge coats everything....the biowheel, and especially the "rite size" blue filter that goes over the carbon basket. I don't know what is going on. I do use a marine buffer to maintain a 8-8.2 PH. Could this be the cause. I am frustrated and about to give up.

I have included a picture of my tank after cleaning.

Thanks for any help!!!!

Jason

 

[Brenden]

Do you stir up the cc when you clean? Sounds like algae bloom from excess nutrients that are stirred up when you clean. BTW a 46gal tank is not nearly big enough for either of the fish you have in it.

 

[hackteck]

i was also gonna comment on you having a tang in a 46g, is that a majestic angel?

 

[purebliss]

Thanks, I hate to admit that I hesitate stirring up the CC because the water get sooooo dang cloudy. Would a protein skimmer or underground filter help?


I have had that tang forn 5 years now, He was a baby when I purchased him. The Angel has grown about an inch or 2 in the last couple months.

 

[tecwzrd]

i was also gonna comment on you having a tang in a 46g, is that a majestic angel?

Looks like it’s a Holacanthus passer (common name “King Angel”) which can get up to 15”

purebliss
Maybe for the sake of your fish you should give up. You are keeping two fish that belong in a 100+ gal tank, you don’t vacuum the cc, and I can only guess that the main reason you add a buffer is because you don’t keep up with water changes which would maintain your ph. I’m shocked you have managed to keep these two fish alive for 5 years. You picked them because they are “colorful” and not because they were the correct fish for your system.

What are your water parameters, mainly no3, po4, sg & temp? How long do you leave your lights on? If you use tap water it’s probably an algae bloom due to excessive po4.

For fixing this issue:
20% pwc every 3 days 6 times with ro\di or distilled water and vacuuming the cc should get you closer to where you need to be. Vacuum it into a 5 gal bucket when doing the pwc, not using the vacuum attachment with the hob. To clear up the cloudiness use the micron filter for a week. Then invest in a decent protein skimmer and avoid an ugf.

 

[hackteck]

i would also invest in a bigger tank i'm sure your fish arent very happy in there

 

[AquaReefer]

Yes your bio-load is very big right now. The fish you have get very dirty in small tanks. You should look into getting some LR and a Skimmer, also I dont see any clean up crew. Stay away from the Under Gravel Filter. You shouldnt even have to vacuum or even touch the sand bed. I only clean off my glass.