Any Tips,Tricks

[johnny4491]

It’s everywhere!!
My tank has been running for 4 months now

 

[Tbyram]

More often than not for me it was all about flow! If my flow wasn't high enough or there was dead areas I would have the same. Second deal was over feeding.

 

[johnny4491]

I feed everyday I think I’m going to stop doing that and my flow I can’t really control that :/

 

[lewisriverfisherman]

I just had this...I just kept blowing it off my rocks with a Turkey baster and then sucking them up with it and squirting it in some filter floss.

 

[johnny4491]

I just had this...I just kept blowing it off my rocks with a Turkey baster and then sucking them up with it and squirting it in some filter floss.

I just did a water change like 2 days ago and got rid of most of it and today I got home from work and saw this [emoji15]

 

[5altkreep]

I feed everyday I think I’m going to stop doing that and my flow I can’t really control that :/

That's not fair to the animals. They need to eat every day, and ideally more than once. Maybe cut back on the amount, or feed slower. But look for different ways to solve your issues instead of starving your animals.

 

[norfolkgarden]

It’s everywhere!!
My tank has been running for 4 months now

What size tank?
Parameter readings? Not "good". [emoji6]
Filter system?
RO/DI water for water changes?
Number of fish, type of fish.

New tanks normally go through a succession of ugly stages.
But that does look a bit excessive.

Do you have additional powerheads in your tank?
If not, what do you get your flow from?

It is fixable. [emoji4] Just need to find the right minor adjustments.

 

[johnny4491]

What size tank?
Parameter readings? Not "good". [emoji6]
Filter system?
RO/DI water for water changes?
Number of fish, type of fish.

New tanks normally go through a succession of ugly stages.
But that does look a bit excessive.

Do you have additional powerheads in your tank?
If not, what do you get your flow from?

It is fixable. [emoji4] Just need to find the right minor adjustments.

20 gal tank
Parameter not sure as of today just waking up lol I did check for ammonia yesterday and it was at 0 but not sure on the other ones
2 clownfish
Only thing I have is my skimmer and 2 powerheads
Yes I use rodi water that I get from my LFS

 

[norfolkgarden]

20 gal tank
Parameter not sure as of today just waking up lol I did check for ammonia yesterday and it was at 0 but not sure on the other ones
2 clownfish
Only thing I have is my skimmer and 2 powerheads
Yes I use rodi water that I get from my LFS

How *much* food and what kind are you feeding the 2 clowns.

It's better if they eat several times a day. Think the common wisdom is 3 times the size of the eyeball.

API test kit is around $30.
Most people will recommend Salifert. And might even (accurately) suggest API is a waste of money if you are keeping SPS.
We still need to get you past cyano heaven, before worrying about SPS.
Do what your budget allows for now.

Local LFS's will test basic parameters for free or a dollar. Not sure if that's an option where you live.

2 powerheads in a 20 should be plenty?
What size/model?

What do you have for a clean up crew?

Would suggest 2 or 3 red leg or blue leg hermit crabs to start. Some people say red legs are better with cyano.

Getting too many and they will starve within a month.

I have never used bottles of whatever-clean to reduce problem algae.
Can't give any advice on that.

Been fortunate to not need to.
Horrible crazy hair algae phase for over a month a few months after a tank redo and that was about it.
Manual removal of a lot of it and waiting it out with some minor adjustments is usually the best bet.

BIG fan of lots of live rock.
Pukani, Fiji, or (not really) some random aragacrete mix.
Holey rock dry rock (mined limestone) is about 3/4 of our tank rock, with Pukani and Fiji mixed in.
Had a huge cycle from the dry rock at first but it is a lot cheaper.
You can get a bag of dry fist sized chunks from petsmart for the 20 gallon tank.
Your LFS probably has a decent amount of live rock for sale.
Even if you start with a few pounds that will help.

 

[Susan Edwards]

That's not fair to the animals. They need to eat every day, and ideally more than once. Maybe cut back on the amount, or feed slower. But look for different ways to solve your issues instead of starving your animals.

Agree. Some fish even need smaller but more often feedings. Stressing your fish by not feeding will lead to other problems with the fish themselves. What kind of food? Dry? Pellet? Sometimes, those are worse. If frozen, do you rinse? Have you tried moving your powerheads so the flow is across the bad spots? Try a 3rd to hit areas that are slow flow. Also, do a round of chemiclean. I had cyano bad in one of my tanks and a round or two takes care of it and gives you time to figure out the cause. Also can try using a turkey baster to keep it blown off and getting skimmed out while dealing with cause and fix.

Also, get your water tested for no3 and po4 if you don't have those test kits. If those are bottomed out, that could be an issue. hermits might help in future but that is too much for them now. I think we need more info on your water parameters. Test kits are a must. I use the api and or the salifert nitrate, amm., nitrite, calcium and mag. Hanna for Po4 and alk. Buy one every couple weeks or month so you have or take water to the lfs every week to see where you are and what your trend is.

 

[johnny4491]

How *much* food and what kind are you feeding the 2 clowns.

It's better if they eat several times a day. Think the common wisdom is 3 times the size of the eyeball.

API test kit is around $30.
Most people will recommend Salifert. And might even (accurately) suggest API is a waste of money if you are keeping SPS.
We still need to get you past cyano heaven, before worrying about SPS.
Do what your budget allows for now.

Local LFS's will test basic parameters for free or a dollar. Not sure if that's an option where you live.

2 powerheads in a 20 should be plenty?
What size/model?

What do you have for a clean up crew?

Would suggest 2 or 3 red leg or blue leg hermit crabs to start. Some people say red legs are better with cyano.

Getting too many and they will starve within a month.

I have never used bottles of whatever-clean to reduce problem algae.
Can't give any advice on that.

Been fortunate to not need to.
Horrible crazy hair algae phase for over a month a few months after a tank redo and that was about it.
Manual removal of a lot of it and waiting it out with some minor adjustments is usually the best bet.

BIG fan of lots of live rock.
Pukani, Fiji, or (not really) some random aragacrete mix.
Holey rock dry rock (mined limestone) is about 3/4 of our tank rock, with Pukani and Fiji mixed in.
Had a huge cycle from the dry rock at first but it is a lot cheaper.
You can get a bag of dry fist sized chunks from petsmart for the 20 gallon tank.
Your LFS probably has a decent amount of live rock for sale.
Even if you start with a few pounds that will help.

I feed the clowns every day and I switch there food from pallets one day to mysis shrimp the other day and for powerheads I have the hydro Korolia 425 and my cuc I have 4 little hermits and some sand snails and I do have a test kit but I been working a lot of hours I haven’t got the time to test

 

[Susan Edwards]

I also, in my researching of dosing vinegar and vodka saw that some people found vodka dosing gave them cyano and vinegar did not.

 

[Susan Edwards]

test kits are cheaper on amazon and with prime, shipping is free. Testing nitrates takes 6 minutes--1 or less to test, 5 to see results, though I know what they'll be after 3-4 minutes. Find time once a week. In this hobby you need to know the big 3 (ca/mg/alk) along with nitrate and po4. If you don't test, or have a lfs test, you'll never know what is going on or why you have issues. This hobby is a huge time and money sink but the more effort you put into it, the more you get out of it.

 

[cracker]

John, I'm going thru the same thing. I just added powerheads for the low flow corners. About to do a scrubbing & w/t. let us know what you do. I for one, am curious how it works out for you.

 

[johnny4491]

John, I'm going thru the same thing. I just added powerheads for the low flow corners. About to do a scrubbing & w/t. let us know what you do. I for one, am curious how it works out for you.

After all the reading I went and order some chemiclean and I’m going to be using that to see how it goes

 

[johnny4491]

test kits are cheaper on amazon and with prime, shipping is free. Testing nitrates takes 6 minutes--1 or less to test, 5 to see results, though I know what they'll be after 3-4 minutes. Find time once a week. In this hobby you need to know the big 3 (ca/mg/alk) along with nitrate and po4. If you don't test, or have a lfs test, you'll never know what is going on or why you have issues. This hobby is a huge time and money sink but the more effort you put into it, the more you get out of it.

Well when I tested for ammonia I also tested for nitrate and nitrite were at 0 but I did not test for ca/mg/alk

 

[Susan Edwards]

Okay, wasn't sure what you were testing. Don't need to test for the other 3 until you start adding a lot of corals. Water changes will prob. keep you good for now but you'll need to test at some point.
It helps on forum threads to give as much info as you can up front like what you have for a tank, and what you test for and the results. You'll find you'll be asked for that info anyway so just provide in your first post.
In addition to the chemiclean, stop your vodka dosing, see what your nitrates are for a while. If they are under 20, just leave them be for now as your tank is so new. My 60 gal ran 20-160 for the first 1.5 years and no ill effects. Trying now to get lower by dosing vinegar.

 

[johnny4491]

Okay, wasn't sure what you were testing. Don't need to test for the other 3 until you start adding a lot of corals. Water changes will prob. keep you good for now but you'll need to test at some point.
It helps on forum threads to give as much info as you can up front like what you have for a tank, and what you test for and the results. You'll find you'll be asked for that info anyway so just provide in your first post.
In addition to the chemiclean, stop your vodka dosing, see what your nitrates are for a while. If they are under 20, just leave them be for now as your tank is so new. My 60 gal ran 20-160 for the first 1.5 years and no ill effects. Trying now to get lower by dosing vinegar.

Ok that’s good to know I will provide that whenever I ask for help and I’m not dosing vodka

 

[cracker]

If I may, what is the consensus on where to keep No3,Po4 levels for ridding cyano? Iv'e heard differing OP's on this.

 

[johnny4491]

If I may, what is the consensus on where to keep No3,Po4 levels for ridding cyano? Iv'e heard differing OP's on this.

Good question?