Water change, too much?

[spontuzak]

Recently I've had, and hope to have beat a severe hair algae problem. Figured out the cause (pretty much). So now I've removed all my rocks and scrubbed them with a toothbrush and vinegar and vacuumed the sand the best that I could (to remove any algae debris). Scraped the all algae off the glass and power heads. Then I put the rock back in the tank. Looks pretty good except that I've noticed my tank is under a lot of stress. 45 gallon tank with at least 14 gallon water change. Is that too much? I live in south FL, so I am able to use pure sea water for my changes. And is it a good idea to leave my light off for a few days? I don't have any coral that is still living, only a few mushrooms.

 

[Flake]

I think part of your problem may be related to the sea water. How do you collect it?

 

[spontuzak]

I think part of your problem may be related to the sea water. How do you collect it?

10 miles off shore of FT Lauderdale. In the Gulf stream. The water is good. It is my first time using it. That could be the problem.

 

[bavass]

Recently I've had, and hope to have beat a severe hair algae problem. Figured out the cause (pretty much). So now I've removed all my rocks and scrubbed them with a toothbrush and vinegar and vacuumed the sand the best that I could (to remove any algae debris). Scraped the all algae off the glass and power heads. Then I put the rock back in the tank. Looks pretty good except that I've noticed my tank is under a lot of stress. 45 gallon tank with at least 14 gallon water change. Is that too much? I live in south FL, so I am able to use pure sea water for my changes. And is it a good idea to leave my light off for a few days? I don't have any coral that is still living, only a few mushrooms.

I can't imagine removing all the rock and scrubing with vinagear being good. I think what you have done is caused a cycle by killing all the bacteria and any organism in and on the rock. Have you checked your nitrites and ammonia?

 

[slitherbomb]

You live in south Florida? What fish store do you go to? Lol just wondering.

 

[CaptainAhab]

'The water is good.' .... says who? Did you have it tested by a lab for content? As the seasons change and the predominate sea currents change so does the water 'quality'. The deep sea currents will begin to bring nutrient rich water from the depths to the surface.

Crystal clear water is generally lacking in nutrients that sea fish need. They require the current changes and heavy storms that move the lower nutrient waters to the surface.

So even if the water has no pollution from the shore it will vary in it's quality and IMO during a good part of the year is inappropriate for a self contained system where you feed the inhabitants. For the sea, the nutrients feed smaller beings who grow and are eaten by larger.. and so on... so the nutrient-laden water is a necessity.

The sea is not a large aquarium and vice versa

 

[spontuzak]

Thanks. Makes sense. Note taken. Mistake made.

 

[spontuzak]

You live in south Florida? What fish store do you go to? Lol just wondering.

All fish emporium, and the coral farm

 

[Gregcoyote]

Don't use raw seawater. It has lots of stuff in it that won't fly in a closed system like an aquarium. I suspect it is the source of the hair algae.

 

[spontuzak]

Don't use raw seawater. It has lots of stuff in it that won't fly in a closed system like an aquarium. I suspect it is the source of the hair algae.

I made a mistake. I'm rather new to this, but I appreciate feed back. Thanks.

 

[Gregcoyote]

I never make mistakes... I think I have done every dumb thing in the book over the past 30 years of reef keeping.

 

[Maya]

You know.. I see where people get caught up on this one. It sounds like such a great idea! What could be better than natural sea water for your sea creatures. Unless you have really done the intense research... You don't think about all of the variables. I mean in our organic, natural is better society right now, this sounds like the perfect answer... Except it's not.

 

[spontuzak]

You know.. I see where people get caught up on this one. It sounds like such a great idea! What could be better than natural sea water for your sea creatures. Unless you have really done the intense research... You don't think about all of the variables. I mean in our organic, natural is better society right now, this sounds like the perfect answer... Except it's not.

Makes total sense. I thought I was doing a good thing, instead it went way sour. Thanks again.

 

[Maya]

Trust me... Nobody here thinks that you went miles out to sea, lugged heavy buckets of water out of the ocean and then carted them back to your house and changed the water in your fish tank cause it was the easier way to do it. I complain about carrying RO water up from my basement. You obviously were trying to do the absolute best for your fish. Hope you get your algae problem under control soon. Let us know how it turns out. Best of luck!

 

[Gregcoyote]

Some big commercial aquariums such as the one in Monterey California, pipe in natural seawater. But it goes thru a processing facility before it hits the tanks. The aquarium in Long Beach uses artificial seawater and most of the rest do too. Nothing is better than RO/DI water and a good salt mix.

You should get some "behind the scenes" tours of your local aquarium. There are interesting things to learn from them.

 

[spontuzak]

Trust me... Nobody here thinks that you went miles out to sea, lugged heavy buckets of water out of the ocean and then carted them back to your house and changed the water in your fish tank cause it was the easier way to do it. I complain about carrying RO water up from my basement. You obviously were trying to do the absolute best for your fish. Hope you get your algae problem under control soon. Let us know how it turns out. Best of luck!

Truly I did, because I'm a charter boat fishing captain, I filled my empty live well with ocean water. Then transported it to my house from the dock in four, 5 gallon size buckets. I could have gotten a lot more. Thank goodness I didn't. I thought that I would try something different. Bad idea.......I'm going to stick with RO from now on....

 

[spontuzak]

Some big commercial aquariums such as the one in Monterey California, pipe in natural seawater. But it goes thru a processing facility before it hits the tanks. The aquarium in Long Beach uses artificial seawater and most of the rest do too. Nothing is better than RO/DI water and a good salt mix.

You should get some "behind the scenes" tours of your local aquarium. There are interesting things to learn from them.

Thanks, I will. No more ocean water for me. Lesson learned....

 

[slitherbomb]

Well, ocean water varies. I used ocean water and nothing happened to me...

 

[Maya]

Spontuzak... Re-reading my post I realize that I wasn't clear. I completely believe that you went out and collected your water "the right way". I was pointing out that it is an extremely difficult way to obtain water. You weren't doing so cause it was the easy way to do it. I am impressed with your willingness to do what you think is best for your fish even if it didn't turn out well. That is a lot of work for water. I HATE lugging those buckets. To do so and then transport them for miles...and then have to carry them home... Eeek! That would be enough to make me rethink the hobby.