5 day black out,....

[Mark75]

Yea, a little to long! [emoji13]

I have been battling cyano, diatoms, and bubble algae since I started dosing nitrates ( stump remover). I decided to black the tank out for 5 days and it seems that may have been a few days to long. I think I may lose all my SPS. They are very bleached and not showing much in the way of polyp extension. My zoas/ LPS seem fine. The cyano and diatoms are gone but the bubble algae enjoyed the blackness and thrived. Bubble algae can survive for years fueled solely by frowns of disappointed reefers.

I have decided to tear the tank down, just to many problems. I have bubble algae in plague proportions, digitate hydroids, and can't keep fish for another month due to Ich.

This tank has been nothing but trouble! I was more successful with my first tank 20 years ago and I used untreated tap water! I contribute my tanks failure to either using incurred Marco rock or bad seed rock, but I am not sure which.


I need some advice,...and a shoulder to cry on. [emoji16]

 

[Reeflogic]

DON'T GIVE UP!!! TRUST ME!! I threw in the towel 6 months ago after losing all my SPS, some fish and then a few LPS. For every negative issue you have, there is a positive, plus many more positives! Take on one at a time! If you only have the bubble algae left, are you able to pull the rocks and pick / scrub them off to get them in manageable proportions? If you feel the stump stuff was the root of the problems, then you have a good start. My tank has rebounded in just over 2 months and is thriving and now all I'm battling is some bryopsis, but the corals are thriving (just not many SPS anymore ) . I had never used a blackout period for fighting cyano, diatoms or any type of algae. I know you use blackout periods for dino's, but starving the algae is the best thing, zero nutrients! Emerald crabs will devour bubble algae! Buy 3-4 or more, depending on the amount of rock you have. You can always sell the extras once you have it whooped!! Hydroids, well depending on the type of hydroid, should run their course and just eventually disappear. If they are the colored ones, you might have to take more measures to rid them, but the small clear ones usually disappear after a few months. Hang in there buddy!!

 

[cee]

Mark,

Not quite sure what to say except we've all been there and come out better for having gone through it. It doesn't help you much now but I've found that when battling cyano with LED lighting is seems to work to just turn off the white lights. For some reason cyano doesn't appear to do well under a blue spectrum. The bubble algae is a pain but it can be removed manually with a bit of assistance from crabs (assuming you get the right ones) and possibly a rabbit fish (I've never had them eat them but some swear they do). Also, if you do decide to start again be sure and treat your rock with acid and lanthanum chloride to minimize the trapped phosphorous problem some report.

Dave

 

[Reefrookie220]

. Bubble algae can survive for years fueled solely by frowns of disappointed reefers.

I lol'd.

Hey man before a tear down try csome FEMALE emerald crabs. What's another 20 bucks compared to a restart fund?

 

[Mark75]

I have been concerned with emerald crabs eating my coral so I have avoided adding them. I guess at this point I have nothing to lose. I may try a dozen or so to see if they can keep up.

 

[Reefrookie220]

Make sure the store lets you sex them your self, its males that get grabby with corals and fish IME. Google how to do it, its pretty straight forward.

 

[Rob.D]

I have been concerned with emerald crabs eating my coral so I have avoided adding them. I guess at this point I have nothing to lose. I may try a dozen or so to see if they can keep up.

Rabbit fish.....rabbit fish.....rabbit fish...........and don't give in just yet dude.......you'll beat it, unless a restart is less expensive...less time consuming.

 

[Mark75]

I am not ready to throw in the towel,..just at a point where tearing down and starting over may be the best option. I not sure how far I should go.

Option 1: Complete restart. Remove rock/ sand, treat rock with acid, sterilize and clean sump, add new sand.

Option 2: Just remove bubble algae, take rock out and scrub, than treat rock with hydrogen peroxide.

Option 3: remove rock and remove bubble algae and put back in tank with out any chemicals. Then rely on emerald crabs or rabbit fish to control algae.

I have a lot of bubble algae! All rock is covered at least 75 % in mats of tiny bubbles.

I don't want to waste my time,..I want it all gone but I hate the idea of starting completely over.

 

[Reeflogic]

I know it sounds like a pain because it is a pain, but option 2 is the direction I'd go. Do a massive water change, in (2) larger containers. One of the containers add your peroxide, use it to dip and scrub the rocks one by one and then set them in the second container to rinse and sit for a bit while you finish cleaning the system. A variety of brushes should get inside crevices, etc. Then follow up with another large water change in a week, maybe reduce light period and / or white spectrum. I'd set the rocks back in the tank spread across the bottom, if possible, so you can easily grab the rocks back out and spot treat if necessary. Within a few weeks, you should be ready to rescape the rocks and be nuisance free! I did this with caulerpa brachypus, which was by far the worst nuisance nightmare I have ever experienced, because of how difficult it is to completely kill. I eventually won the battle! Glad to see you're not throwing in the towel!

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I vote option 2.
Want to see pics of my 30g? it only took me a day to clean.
Cyano in my case.
After the clean I did have to pull the phosphate out but it was surprisingly easy with chato macros and intense light.

 

[cale0721]

I know it sounds like a pain because it is a pain, but option 2 is the direction I'd go. Do a massive water change, in (2) larger containers. One of the containers add your peroxide, use it to dip and scrub the rocks one by one and then set them in the second container to rinse and sit for a bit while you finish cleaning the system. A variety of brushes should get inside crevices, etc. Then follow up with another large water change in a week, maybe reduce light period and / or white spectrum. I'd set the rocks back in the tank spread across the bottom, if possible, so you can easily grab the rocks back out and spot treat if necessary. Within a few weeks, you should be ready to rescape the rocks and be nuisance free! I did this with caulerpa brachypus, which was by far the worst nuisance nightmare I have ever experienced, because of how difficult it is to completely kill. I eventually won the battle! Glad to see you're not throwing in the towel!

Man caulerpa is no joke. That stuff is the devil.

 

[Rob.D]

I am not ready to throw in the towel,..just at a point where tearing down and starting over may be the best option. I not sure how far I should go.

Option 1: Complete restart. Remove rock/ sand, treat rock with acid, sterilize and clean sump, add new sand.

I don't want to waste my time,..I want it all gone but I hate the idea of starting completely over.

Option 1 is the only way you will archive the last remark....

 

[Reeflogic]

That stuff is the devil.

You got that right!!

Option 1 is the only way you will archive the last remark....

I guess I'm not following you on this one Rob.D, nuisance algae, aiptasia, flatworms, the list goes on and on, as far as common issues we deal with as reefers. I have rarely seen anyone go the extreme of acid washing rock and starting over after a breakout of one of the common pests. All of them can be eliminated, it may take time, it may take multiple times, but they can be beat. I guess it is the easy way out, but a pest can get back in the tank, even by the most careful hobbyist that dips & properly QT's EVERYTHING. So, after nuking the rock and starting over, 6 months down the road, a new pest is blowing up in the tank, he should just break it down again? To me, that seems like the waste of time.

I guess if you have a small enough system and not much life on the rocks, nuking it would surely be the fastest and easiest method. I haven't seen his tank, so you might know something I don't. But seriously, bubble algae is pretty easy to beat, compared to others. No disrespect! Just confused about your post. If he has 75% of his tank covered in bubble algae, he has a nutrient issue or possibly rocks leeching, if it's the rocks leeching, then you're right, I guess I didn't think about that possibility until I almost hit "post reply".

Whatever you end up doing, best of luck with it, these bumps in the road teach us more than any book would. I'm rootin' for ya!

 

[Rob.D]

You got that right!!



I guess I'm not following you on this one Rob.D, nuisance algae, aiptasia, flatworms, the list goes on and on, as far as common issues we deal with as reefers. I have rarely seen anyone go the extreme of acid washing rock and starting over after a breakout of one of the common pests. All of them can be eliminated, it may take time, it may take multiple times, but they can be beat. I guess it is the easy way out, but a pest can get back in the tank, even by the most careful hobbyist that dips & properly QT's EVERYTHING. So, after nuking the rock and starting over, 6 months down the road, a new pest is blowing up in the tank, he should just break it down again? To me, that seems like the waste of time.

I guess if you have a small enough system and not much life on the rocks, nuking it would surely be the fastest and easiest method. I haven't seen his tank, so you might know something I don't. But seriously, bubble algae is pretty easy to beat, compared to others. No disrespect! Just confused about your post. If he has 75% of his tank covered in bubble algae, he has a nutrient issue or possibly rocks leeching, if it's the rocks leeching, then you're right, I guess I didn't think about that possibility until I almost hit "post reply".

Whatever you end up doing, best of luck with it, these bumps in the road teach us more than any book would. I'm rootin' for ya!

Dude, no offense taken at all...I guess I should have elaborated a tad bit more.....Imo, some sort of nuisance algea will always be around and the only way for a quick fix is the drastic restart...i beat a nasty outbreak with nutrient removal, one spot foxface, and manual removal....but that takes time and patience. I'll try not to post vague short replies too often.

 

[Reeflogic]

Yeah, the battles we face can be quite frustrating and I see your point. Trust me, I'm fairly certain me being bald is a direct result of this hobby

 

[CastAway]

Shoot, I eat caulerpa brachypus on my salads, I've got so much!

 

[Reeflogic]

lol, pretty sure you don't have brachypus ANYWHERE in your system If you did, you wouldn't be worried about that little old bit of cyano!!

This stuff is truly the devil!! It's been destroying reefs off Florida for the last 16 or so years. HATE IT!! Pretty sure it would survive nuclear warfare, along with aiptasia.

http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Caulerpa_brachypus.htm

 

[Mark75]

I skipped an important step when setting up my tank with Marco rocks. I should have acid bathed and used some sort of phosphate remover, I think that is why Rob is suggesting this treatment.

Here is my tank;

 

[Reeflogic]

Beautiful cube Mark. I guess I should have asked more about your system before I chimed in. I have heard nightmare stories about Marco rock and wasn't aware you were using it. It dawned on me as I was wrapping up my earlier post that your rocks might be leeching and now it makes sense You might not have a choice other than nuking it, which sucks, but fortunately, it's not a 200g full of rocks! One thing is for sure, the tank is too sexy to not be up and running!

EDIT: I'm an idiot, I just read your original post again and yeah, you did mention it, I guess I just zoned in on the "stump" stuff. My bad!!

 

[Reeflogic]

Also, is that a ponope birdsnest I see??? WTB FRAG!