djmpj2
Aquarium Advice Freak
We had a brown algae problem a while back, but thought we had handled it. We bought tests for phosphates and silicates and found out the store bought salt water we were buying from the LFS was full of both. After many, many water changes, and a few phosphate pads in the filter, we finally got both levels back to undetectable. We also siphoned out a good part of our dirty sand, purchased a goby to keep the sand clean. The tank was looking good finally. And then it came back.. with a vengeance!! Sand is all brown, glass is all brown… .not hairy, just looks like brown dirt - diatoms. Today water is green as can be. All the livestock is living right through this undisturbed, but what the heck can it be? Checked Phosphates and Silicates and both are undetectable. All other test are good with Nitrates and Nitrites at zero, temp 78, salinity 1.024. Is it possible our filter is not functioning?
We do weekly 10% water changes with Wal-Mart Distilled and Instant Ocean. We mix for 24 hours with a PH and a heater in that mix. We feed fish once a day, sparingly. We run lights for approx 10-12 hours, with moonlights the rest of the time. The only thing different we have done lately is feed the 2 chocolate chip stars a small, very small piece of table shrimp when the come to the edge of the water.. not too often. Could this have done anything? If so, I would have thought we'd see an ammonia/nitrite spike, which has not happened.
We’re desperate.. what to do?
TIA
DJ
We do weekly 10% water changes with Wal-Mart Distilled and Instant Ocean. We mix for 24 hours with a PH and a heater in that mix. We feed fish once a day, sparingly. We run lights for approx 10-12 hours, with moonlights the rest of the time. The only thing different we have done lately is feed the 2 chocolate chip stars a small, very small piece of table shrimp when the come to the edge of the water.. not too often. Could this have done anything? If so, I would have thought we'd see an ammonia/nitrite spike, which has not happened.
We’re desperate.. what to do?
TIA
DJ