Sniperhank's Red Sea S-series 500

[Dary421]

If it isn’t one thing it’s another :-/ just part of the marine aquarium saga.
Sounds like you’ve got everything under control tho.

 

[Sniperhank]

Got up early before work today. Since the ATS lights died, the nutrients went into the sandbed. So, I went and cleaned out the filter socks to make room to catch debris. While doing so, the skimmer wasn't functioning. Pulled the pump apart and there was a lot of hard chunks stuck in the impeller. Looked like the hard tubes from filter feeders that were living on the pump. Removed from the impeller and also the sides of the pump as is usually the case with that pump. With that back up and running and clean filter socks, I 'stirred' up the top of the sandbed to break up the cyano and algae growth. Took the pump off the side of the tank and blew the gunk up and into the water column. See how things are in a couple days. Still need to address the ATS, but at least the purple tang is looking fatter than before.

Also nuked the one last aiptasia in the tank. The one hidden in the back corner that is about the size of a quarter. See how it goes this time around. It's a really hard reach in general and this is my third attempt on this one aiptasia. Not comfortable removing the filefish until aiptasia free.

What needs to follow up is large water change. I have about 20ish gallons in the basement mixing, just needs salinity checked. Working nights this weekend so if I can find time on Thursday that'll be the only time I'd have time for it this week.

 

[Sniperhank]

Well, it sure has been a long time since I updated this. Life sure got in the way of things.

So, the ATS has been fixed and back up and running. Growing loads of green. I added a media reactor and currently running some de-nitrate media. The cyano remains in the system. I have some red slime remover for it, as it won't come back after the system is dosed due to its nutrient levels, but I turned an problem into an opportunity. My skimmer was down again and it has frustrated me to the point of ordering a new one. I have a Hydor E-SK 600 enroute to replace the Red Sea...whatever it is at this point.
So, using the cyano to my advantage I nuked any remaining aiptasia in the system. There is always one is how I look at it at this point...and it is usually a very large one in the back corner that I've hit with aiptasia x several times now at this point. It retracted before I could even look at it a second time, but nailed the other ones in the system.
Only fish left standing is the yellow eyed kole. Never any problems with him, always swimming around and fat. Sad that the purple was always a skinnier fish, just vanished one day. Assuming it is from the nutrient dump when the ATS died.
Either way, progressing towards water changes. Goal is in sight as the tank is already covered in coraline algae again. The color has returned to my walking dendro and its tentacles have also begun to return.

 

[Autumnsky]

So much work! Glad it's coming back.

Are considering any new stock for the near future?

 

[Sniperhank]

No, nothing yet. Just plugging away as it comes. And when plugging away involves a couple hundred on a new skimmer, you pace yourself.