I need a reset button!

[TKEON230]

I have a 40 gallon FOWLR tank that has slowly started to fall apart recently. Of my 4 fish, 3 died. I also started to get a load of algae and strange green plants that grow like weeds. I have a CPR BakPak skimmer and a small HOT filter that I put a sponge filter in. I used to use tap water, but have since purchased a RO/DI filter that I make water with.

Basically I need a way to fix my tank without scrapping it. I don't want to kill the existing fish or throw away all of that live rock. The tank has been established for over a year, but in the past 3-5 months it has gone down hill. Should I get a canister filter? A wet/dry filter? A different cleaning crew? Etc?

Can someone help me please?

Here is a picture of my tank:

 

[newfound77951]

Hmmm.....looks like you've got a ton of cyanobacteria (the red stuff) there. Do you have test kits? Can you tell us what your readings are for pH, nitrate, nitrite, specific gravity and anything else? If you don't have any test kits, take some water to a trusted LFS and have them test it, then buy some kits. The Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Saltwater master kit is a good start.

Also, what lighting/how long is it on, and what is your water change schedule? Looks like you've got a decent amount of LR in there. DO you have any powerheads for water movement?

My first suggestion would be to mix up a batch of water and do a large water change. I'm relatively new to SW so I'm not totally up on getting rid of cyano in SW tanks but someone else who is will chime in. My guess is that your nitrates have slowly climbed and finally got to a critical level.

Don't give up, we'll figure this out! Let's hope your sixline makes it, too...moving him to another tank (the LFS might be a good bet) until you get your tank under control might be a good option too but let's wait and hear from some other folks first.

 

[Hara]

The green plants appear to be grape caulerpa (not positive due to blurriness, but I think so). Yes, you have a heck of a cyano outbreak.

First things first...do a large water change and then plan on doing about 20% every 3 days or so for awhile. Take an airline tube to siphon out the cyano daily. Keep the lights off. Change out any filter media you might have. Rinse out the sponges in saltwater. There is a possibility that the caulerpa went sexual at some point in time and you didnt notice, this also would have lead to the demise of the fish. Please test all important water parameters and report back to us, but the above things need to be done as well.

 

[TKEON230]

Thanks for the help so far. Here is what my Aquarium Pharmaceuticals kit says:
pH: 8.2
SG: 1.026
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0

From what I understand those numbers don't look too bad. I'm in the process of making a large batch of saltwater as we speak. I typical do about a 15% PWC every week or so. Like I said, though, for the first 8 months I was using tap water. I've since changed to RO/DI. For powerheads I have one "50 gallon" unit blowing across the top of the tank. Is there a better filter I should be using instead of the HOT type? Would a canister help?

 

[Hara]

a good cannister would help, I personally like aquaclear HOB filters. They are super easy maintenance and a good dependable filter. I would get the biggest one (rated for 60 gallons and up) and that would do you. It would also be less expensive then a cannister. You do not want to use a bunch of media and have it compete with the rock. I am super surprised you are not seeing any nitrates. The caulerpa really must be doing a number sucking up the nutrients. You might want to check for phosphates, that is another leading cause of cyano.

 

[TKEON230]

I actually was using the aquaclear 50 gallon HOB filter and it clogged up in the past couple days and burned out. That's why I thought that maybe a HOB filter wasn't cutting it.

How would I check for phosphates? Is there a seperate kit for that? Also, is there a way to get rid of the caulerpa easily?

Thanks again for the help!

 

[Hara]

Hmm, well, I would really clean out the aquaclear well, try it again, it is almost impossible to kill those things. Clean the impeller area out, and the impeller itself.

Yes, the phosphate test is a seperate test and requires a testkit.

As for the caulerpa, just yank it out by the handfull.

 

[melosu58]

First things first...do a large water change and then plan on doing about 20% every 3 days or so for awhile. Take an airline tube to siphon out the cyano daily. Keep the lights off. Change out any filter media you might have. Rinse out the sponges in saltwater.

That is mighty good advice given here. Dont worry Believe it or not there is a reset button and Lisa mentioned it above. It`s call PWC`s. Your RO/DI unit will go a long way in helping.

 

[dscount]

If you can spare the cash pickup a couple cheap power heads. You can always use the extra's while mixing water. Point them at numerous areas of your largest cyano outbreak.

Killing the lights will help. Not sure about food here, you should be cut WAY back on feeding if you are daily feeding.

Do you have any cleanup crew?

Scrub those rocks that you can remove (nothing living on them you might want to keep) and scrub in the water change bucket. Just to get the red cyano off them. Return to the main tank.

Did you get that Base Rock and Live Rock you mentioned in your "My Info". Did this cyano outbreak happen shortly after you got those rocks and put into the tank by any chance? Or more of a gradual thing?

PWC's baby! Keep them a coming. Then when you are done, do some more. :0)

 

[TKEON230]

I guess I really need to update that "my info" section. Yes, I started off the tank with both the base rock and live rock about 1 year ago. The breakout didn't happen until about 3 months ago and just keeps getting worse.

I actually plan on going to the LFS tomorrow to pick up a couple new powerheads to help the flow in my tank. My cleanup crew has dwindled a bit from where they started. I did have a bunch of cerith and nassarius snails with some red hermits. Most of the cerith snails have moved on and the same goes for the hermits. I may get more to help eat things up soon.

 

[dscount]

I've used "www.aquaticisland.com" a couple times now. They have great prices and new customers get a freebie pack as well. The margarita snails they ship are fairly large.

They appear to be sold out right now. Might drop them a line and get on the wait list.

Yeah Cyano is a pain. I know, I had it about a year ago in my old 55g and it was a PAIN.

LIGHTS... What type of lights do you have? Have you changed the bulbs recently? That is something everyone always forgets to check. Typically your higher end lights will go anywhere from 6 months to a year depending on your model. I'm pushing 1 year with my 260 watts now and starting to see some growth myself I'm not fond of seeing.

 

[TKEON230]

One problem I may have stumbled upon by reading other threads is that my tank may be too stagnant. In the 40 gallon tank that I have I calculated that I had about a 400 gph turnover rate. Today I added a second powerhead to bring the turnover rate up to 560 gph. Though, with the additional powerhead it seems as if my tank has turned into a whirlpool compared to what it was before. But compairing it with tanks I've seen at my LFS it is the norm. I guess the sixline will need to adjust.

As far as lighting is concerned I have a 36" Coralife Lunar Aqualights Compact Fluorescent Strip Light with 1 blue actinic bulb and 1 10000K bulb. I run them about 11 hours a day (8-7) and last replaced the bulbs about 9 months ago.

 

[roka64]

As far as lighting is concerned I have a 36" Coralife Lunar Aqualights Compact Fluorescent Strip Light with 1 blue actinic bulb and 1 10000K bulb. I run them about 11 hours a day (8-7) and last replaced the bulbs about 9 months ago.

This is also contributing to the bloom. Those light sound like they are about ripe for changing. I would also reduce your light cycle. I run mine 8 hours a day.

 

[dscount]

Roka which ones would you replace first? Blue Actinic or the While 10k

 

[Tomd]

It does not really matter I would replace them all. I agree with Roka, replace them.

 

[TKEON230]

I've replaced the bulbs in the lights (boy do they look brighter now) and I've done a couple water changes. I've also added some more snails to help eat everything up. The bottom looks a lot whiter and the rocks are starting to clear up. I've done a PO4 test of the tank itself and it came out 0. The next time I make new saltwater I'll test that as well.

 

[dscount]

Sounds like a good start to a lovely clean up job.

 

[roka64]

I've done a PO4 test of the tank itself and it came out 0. The next time I make new saltwater I'll test that as well.

Two things:
1. I have found phosphates tend to show up VERY low to 0, when cyano is present. I think it eats it so fast that it show low readings on my Seachem test.
2. I would test both your tap water and premixed SW for phosphates. If you are seeing them in your tap, there won't be much you can do. Maybe look into a RO/DI unit.

 

[pipermurphy]

Hey Roka it is 9:24PM Mtn time on Monday the 15th, your sig shows Wed 17@7:31 how is that? Tkeon said in the first post that they had a RO/DI, it seems that things are coming under control

 

[Ziggy953]

I didn't see in any of the post about siphoning out as much of the cyano when you do your water changes. I get a bit of it in 2 places in my tank both of which have low water flow, so when I do my water changes I make sure to siphon it off the rock in those 2 areas. I'll just add my voice in the PWCs best thing in the world. Make sure to check that tap water and even the water coming out of your RO/DI unit. If you only have one fish left in the tank I would only feed every other day and as little as you can get away with until you get things under control. Cutting the lights back will help a lot, 11 hours is a bit much. We all love to look at our tanks but night time is good for the tank too! Good luck!