About to Quit

[Apollo7235]

Lots of us have identified the issue, the OP just doesn’t believe it. Yes, sterile tank, plus young tank, plus consistent fiddling and not letting a system properly mature.

Can’t force people to listen…

I think this may be your third post on this thread and all three have been negative, wrong, or both..

As has been said three times already, I have been listening, I have been taking advice. What’s the point of posting if I wasn’t planning on executing the troubleshooting that others suggest?

Please, if you would like to post in this thread, at least skim through the old posts and realize that I have done just about everything that has been suggested short of renting a par meter, and please, be kind!

 

[tehmadreefer]

I think this may be your third post on this thread and all three have been negative, wrong, or both..

As has been said three times already, I have been listening, I have been taking advice. What’s the point of posting if I wasn’t planning on executing the troubleshooting that others suggest?

Please, if you would like to post in this thread, at least skim through the old posts and realize that I have done just about everything that has been suggested short of renting a par meter, and please, be kind!

And that is why you are having to tear down and restart. Not being rude but blunt, I’d suggest doing a lot more research and taking small steps in the next tank to avoid a repeat.
Nothing I’ve said is wrong, been in this hobby since 20076/2007 non stop, so I do know a thing or 2. Sucks your having to tear it down, good luck next time!

 

[Apollo7235]

Update:

CupriSorb and Poly-Filters on order since Petco doesn’t carry them. Filters will be here tomorrow and the CupriSorb Sunday.

I think I will go ahead and get the filters in there on Saturday after I do my regular tank maintenance and biweekly water change.

The good news is, my Bullseye Pistol executed a 100% successful molt last night (to the point that I actually thought the shell was him dead on the gravel) and both pistols and the neon goby are eating ravenously.

I am also going to test my tank water for copper using my Hanna Checker this weekend just to see if anything shows up. If it does, at least I will be able to monitor the progress this coming week with the CupriSorb and Poly-Filters.

Thank you all so much for your help and for following along!!

I will keep you all updated

 

[terraincognita]

TLDR whole thread but my intial and immediate response was that something in your tank water is really off, like some kind of toxin. And I don't mean toxicity due to over abundance nutrients.

Didn't see ICP results but I guess from last 2 pages you have heavy metals in water?

Something may be leaching as well, so while running Cuprisorb could help, if you don't find what's leaching then you'll be in the same boat.

Curious about the source of your rock and sand.

Very possible your rock was used maybe in Store or someone else's QT with high copper, then never cleaned after?

So weird.

Interesting problem.

----------

When you look at the photo on the first page, after 3 Months yeah my immediate thought it.

"Wow this tank looks sterile as hell, There's gotta be something in this water killing literally everything off"

 

[Weasel1960]

Good luck with this approach to getting the metals identified by the lab tests out. Might still want to consider running a magnet through your sand as some folks have recently found large flakes in their sand, won’t catch all but you never know.

Hope your biopsy results are positive.

Keep the faith, you are getting there, we aren’t all negative Nellie’s

 

[Shirak]

Update:

CupriSorb and Poly-Filters on order since Petco doesn’t carry them. Filters will be here tomorrow and the CupriSorb Sunday.

I think I will go ahead and get the filters in there on Saturday after I do my regular tank maintenance and biweekly water change.

The good news is, my Bullseye Pistol executed a 100% successful molt last night (to the point that I actually thought the shell was him dead on the gravel) and both pistols and the neon goby are eating ravenously.

I am also going to test my tank water for copper using my Hanna Checker this weekend just to see if anything shows up. If it does, at least I will be able to monitor the progress this coming week with the CupriSorb and Poly-Filters.

Thank you all so much for your help and for following along!!

I will keep you all updated

Don't knock yourself out on the Hanna checker for the low levels of Cu. It's not really designed to measure accurately much below .1ppm. The accuracy range on it is +- .05ppm. So your .03ish ppm could read anywhere between 0 and .08ppm

 

[FishyFishFish]

And that is why you are having to tear down and restart. Not being rude but blunt, I’d suggest doing a lot more research and taking small steps in the next tank to avoid a repeat.
Nothing I’ve said is wrong, been in this hobby since 20076/2007 non stop, so I do know a thing or 2. Sucks your having to tear it down, good luck next time!

So why would a new tank have metal in it?

Being in the hobby a long time doesn't mean you are never wrong.

 

[tehmadreefer]

So why would a new tank have metal in it?

Being in the hobby a long time doesn't mean you are never wrong.

metals can be from anything…

salt, rock, equipment and house plumbing, rodi doesn’t remove everything.

Metal isn’t the issue here and metals in general are not a death sentence unless they are super high, of which they are not. Newbies hear metal and insta freak out. Even a rusty screw in a tank isn’t gonna crash anything, but the freak out is real and people must place blame on something and the end result is typically wrong.

A penny in a tank isnt gonna raise copper in a tank because modern pennies have very very very tiny amounts of actual copper.

lots of scary myths that are easily debunked. Want real advice look at archives on RC or do searches here and look for threads with actual data and not hearsay or “I heard” or “ a friend said”, etc.

In this case one can easy look at the tank and see what the problem is. Look at my newest build in the cube forums for real life results. A 5 month old tank with coralline algae that is supporting sps, while going thru the ugly stage and I don’t even test anything but salinity, using old dry rock.

 

[FishyFishFish]

Have you read the thread?

There are no metals in her RODI water.

I'm not saying the metals are the issue but, along with many people on this thread, you are making statements of fact without actually reading what is posted. You might have your opinions about what her problem is, and you might be right, but you can't state anything as fact as nobody knows for sure.

Another example from earlier in this thread was your suggestion that QT is wrong, which is just plain rubbish. It might be your opinion but you stated it as fact. Many people successfully QT and swear by it.

 

[Weasel1960]

metals can be from anything…

salt, rock, equipment and house plumbing, rodi doesn’t remove everything.

Metal isn’t the issue here and metals in general are not a death sentence unless they are super high, of which they are not. Newbies hear metal and insta freak out. Even a rusty screw in a tank isn’t gonna crash anything, but the freak out is real and people must place blame on something and the end result is typically wrong.

A penny in a tank isnt gonna raise copper in a tank because modern pennies have very very very tiny amounts of actual copper.

lots of scary myths that are easily debunked. Want real advice look at archives on RC or do searches here and look for threads with actual data and not hearsay or “I heard” or “ a friend said”, etc.

In this case one can easy look at the tank and see what the problem is. Look at my newest build in the cube forums for real life results. A 5 month old tank with coralline algae that is supporting sps, while going thru the ugly stage and I don’t even test anything but salinity, using old dry rock.

You’ve spoke your mind several times in a negative and somewhat demeaning manner. It’s time for you to move on. Although I am a bit curious as to why a self proclaimed expert doesn’t have a build thread.

 

[ELChingonsReef]

Bro I've been in this hobby 5 years and I still have stuff dying on a constant basis. I just list this 100 dollar acan frag beautiful deep red with yellow center.. im ticked today too .. I can't get my nitrates under 15 no matter what I do. Bio pellets less feeding macro alge. I've spent thousands of dollars on this hobby and it's been a battle every step of the way..but I don't give up..I truly love this hobby and I absolutely love watching corals grow when it does happen..rarely though..lol I struggle and get frustrated too..hang in there man..

 

[Apollo7235]

UPDATE:

As of today, I see a tremendous amount of algae growth as well as whatI am assuming is red slime/cyano.

Game plan has not changed:

Big water change tomorrow to try and get rid of the heavy metals in the tank, otherwise, I would only do my usual biweekly 20% water change.

Installing a polyfilter in my sump. Any suggestions on where and how I should do this are greatly appreciated!

Cuprisorb should be here Sunday, so once I have it, I will start running it.

I will be sending another ATI ICP test out in two weeks, which happens to be the same time I get the stitches removed from my hand. By the time I have the ICP results, I will be ready to get back to digging around in my tanks without fear of infection and being limited to my stupid hand (left hand is useless).

Once I have the results, I will either (hopefully) order 10-15 pounds of Garf Grunge+ or I will say screw it all and do a complete rip clean of the tank and reboot it with 100% live rock and live sand from the gulf.

Wish me luck!

By the way, is this just part of the 'ugly' phase or do I have a legitimate algae problem? Haha

Thank you all again for following along and for all of your support!

05/10/2021:

Today (06/25/2021):

 

[terraincognita]

UPDATE:

As of today, I see a tremendous amount of algae growth as well as whatI am assuming is red slime/cyano.

Game plan has not changed:

Big water change tomorrow to try and get rid of the heavy metals in the tank, otherwise, I would only do my usual biweekly 20% water change.

Installing a polyfilter in my sump. Any suggestions on where and how I should do this are greatly appreciated!

Cuprisorb should be here Sunday, so once I have it, I will start running it.

I will be sending another ATI ICP test out in two weeks, which happens to be the same time I get the stitches removed from my hand. By the time I have the ICP results, I will be ready to get back to digging around in my tanks without fear of infection and being limited to my stupid hand (left hand is useless).

Once I have the results, I will either (hopefully) order 10-15 pounds of Garf Grunge+ or I will say screw it all and do a complete rip clean of the tank and reboot it with 100% live rock and live sand from the gulf.

Wish me luck!

By the way, is this just part of the 'ugly' phase or do I have a legitimate algae problem? Haha

Thank you all again for following along and for all of your support!

05/10/2021:

Today (06/25/2021):

Looking great to me now for sure.

Drop your photo period since you don't have anything else living in there.

I wouldn't reboot it at this point. You don't NEED to start with Live Rock and Sand.

You CAN do that, but you do not NEED to do that for sure. Some would want to just to "start fresh" but I think that's more of a mental appeasement than physical tbh....

But yeah drop your photo period for now, and keep watching your normal params, ICP test for metals sure....

But seems like the WC's got out whatever it was.

 

[Cell]

I've never been so happy see algae. New pic looks like you are headed in the right direction.

 

[Apollo7235]

I've never been so happy see algae. New pic looks like you are headed in the right direction.

Me too! Thank you!!

I guess this is just part of the ugly stage then? It’s almost like the metals stalled my tank somehow..

 

[Danroo]

UPDATE:

As of today, I see a tremendous amount of algae growth as well as whatI am assuming is red slime/cyano.

Game plan has not changed:

Big water change tomorrow to try and get rid of the heavy metals in the tank, otherwise, I would only do my usual biweekly 20% water change.

Installing a polyfilter in my sump. Any suggestions on where and how I should do this are greatly appreciated!

Cuprisorb should be here Sunday, so once I have it, I will start running it.

I will be sending another ATI ICP test out in two weeks, which happens to be the same time I get the stitches removed from my hand. By the time I have the ICP results, I will be ready to get back to digging around in my tanks without fear of infection and being limited to my stupid hand (left hand is useless).

Once I have the results, I will either (hopefully) order 10-15 pounds of Garf Grunge+ or I will say screw it all and do a complete rip clean of the tank and reboot it with 100% live rock and live sand from the gulf.

Wish me luck!

By the way, is this just part of the 'ugly' phase or do I have a legitimate algae problem? Haha

Thank you all again for following along and for all of your support!

05/10/2021:

Today (06/25/2021):

Your efforts paid off congratulations.

 

[Apollo7235]

Your efforts paid off congratulations.

Thank you!!! Hopefully I can get the metals fixed so I can get some Mexican Turbos in there to get rid of all of that green algae! Hahaha

 

[IslandLifeReef]

Thank you!!! Hopefully I can get the metals fixed so I can get some Mexican Turbos in there to get rid of all of that green algae! Hahaha

As was stated above, you can reduce your lighting period since you don't have anything in the tank. You might even consider turning the lights off completely until you are ready for livestock. This is how WWC cycles and matures a tank. They keep the lights out until they are ready for fish and coral.

 

[Apollo7235]

So, guys.

Should I turn out the lights for the next couple of weeks while I’m trying to get rid of the metals? I have two pistols, a neon goby, and some nassarius snails, but I think they’ll be fine without the lights until I figure out whether or not I need to do a full reboot in 3 weeks or so.

 

[Critteraholic]

So, guys.

Should I turn out the lights for the next couple of weeks while I’m trying to get rid of the metals? I have two pistols, a neon goby, and some nassarius snails, but I think they’ll be fine without the lights until I figure out whether or not I need to do a full reboot in 3 weeks or

In my personal experience, photoperiods help with organism health. No regular photoperiods can cause stress and health issues. That being said, you also don't need a green bog to grow in your tank. Is there a window in the tank room that can remain uncovered? Or a lamp you could put on a timer? Just something to give them a steady visible light cycle even though the overhead lights are off. Just my $.02.

And I'm wishing you much good luck. It's been a frustrating journey. Glad to see you've stuck with it. I am new to saltwater but have done freshwater tanks since childhood. (I'm 61) And I've had my share of f$$k this moments as well. My last one came when my daughter was in college and my son in high school. It was close! But I have this spotted raphael catfish that refuses to die. Bless him, he's 16 years old now. And I'm glad he forced me to stick with it.

On another note for your consideration! Trochus snails! I adore them and they're lawn mowers. They're smaller than the turbos and hardly knock anything over.

Hang in there!