Chemiclean and UV

[chewy tabacca]

Quick question, why do they say shut off the sterilizer while using chemiclean?

 

[mcarroll]

I guess because it's an antibiotic (or other compound...but seems like it's the former) that might be rendered inert by UV exposure?

Why are you using a sterilizer? And why are you considering chemiclean?

 

[chewy tabacca]

I guess because it's an antibiotic (or other compound...but seems like it's the former) that might be rendered inert by UV exposure?

Why are you using a sterilizer? And why are you considering chemiclean?

I have had cyano in my tank for about 4 months, tried everything. Water changes two times weekly helped but my phosphate amd nitrate were reading 0 and my sps got really mad. So I slowed the water changes, shut off my skimmer for 12 hours a day and now I had a massive cyano and a turf algae problem. I hit the tank (125 gallon) with a 80 gallon dose and all the cyano is gone, corals and fish all seem happy. Now I have crazy turf algae. My Nitrate is low I know that but I have no idea what my phosphates are at due to the algae. I tested with Red Sea and it reads 0 , my Hanna checker is reading 0 on test 1, 1 on test 2 and 0 on test 3. Which I have my suspicions with the algae in the tank if it is reading correctly.

So now I am at war with the rocks lol. I just started running phosban, and my T5’s are running only 6 hours a day and my radions are down to 50% regular schedule. War has been declared. So now 55 hours after the chemiclean, I just turned my skimmer back on as well as my uv sterilizer. The reason I ask is just wondering if it is going to hurt the sterilizer, adhere to the inner tube or something like that.

 

[chewy tabacca]

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The erythromycin in chemiclean is readily degraded by uv. Presumably that’s the reason.

 

[mcarroll]

So now I am at war with the rocks lol.

I can tell by your "lol" that you know how that sounds. Time to end the "war" before it even starts.

As the #1 member of your tank's CUC what have you been doing on the algae? (Water changes don't directly count unless they were related to something you were doing on the algae.)

How is the rest of your CUC doing on the algae? Do you have many or any snails or other herbivores?
(We don't care about detritavores or omnivores like nassarius snails and hermits as much.)

Stop doing anything "extra" you may be doing to limit PO4 and NO3 as that's not helping vs the algae, but it probably is hampering competitors like your corals as well as other critters.

In the short term, be prepared to dose some nutrients to balance things out and facilitate healthy growth.

Likewise, be prepared to escalate cleanup efforts....expanding your snail herbivore population would be high on the list of priorities, but keeping up with your efforts (pinching, siphoning and scrubbing, etc) should also continue.

 

[chewy tabacca]

I can tell by your "lol" that you know how that sounds. Time to end the "war" before it even starts.

As the #1 member of your tank's CUC what have you been doing on the algae? (Water changes don't directly count unless they were related to something you were doing on the algae.)

How is the rest of your CUC doing on the algae? Do you have many or any snails or other herbivores?
(We don't care about detritavores or omnivores like nassarius snails and hermits as much.)

Stop doing anything "extra" you may be doing to limit PO4 and NO3 as that's not helping vs the algae, but it probably is hampering competitors like your corals as well as other critters.

In the short term, be prepared to dose some nutrients to balance things out and facilitate healthy growth.

Likewise, be prepared to escalate cleanup efforts....expanding your snail herbivore population would be high on the list of priorities, but keeping up with your efforts (pinching, siphoning and scrubbing, etc) should also continue.

I have several crabs, (not a fan of, they don't do much) 2 turbo snails, 2 urchins, 2 zebrasomas, a blue, and a big blonde naso. The turbos do a great job, I am searching for 2 more, the urchins are incredible but never get very far, they scrape everything off. I was starving my tangs so they would have to pick the rocks but they now have a touch of ich so I am feeding nori soaked in Zoe and garlic to keep their immune system up, this is the second bout in 2 years. The good thing is my cleaner wrasse looks fatter. I have also dropped the lighting schedule, I have T5, led hybrid, so I am only running my T5's on a 5 hour schedule and leds are running the same (no changes) I pick what I can off but it is stuck hard to the rocks and some is to deep and in crevices.

It will come around

 

[mcarroll]

I have several crabs, (not a fan of, they don't do much)

Carrion-eating omnivores....useless.

2 turbo snails, 2 urchins

Here's the core of the problem IMO.....too few workers in the tank. This has you doing most of the algae work!!!

Urchins are almost decorative compared to what snails will do....as you noticed.

Urchins are good support. But maybe consider trading one of them for a 5- or 10-pack of Turbo snails and maybe add on a 20- or 40-pack of Ceriths too!

I was starving my tangs so they would have to pick the rocks but they now have a touch of ich

Ouch – definitely don't starve those fish! If tangs showed "ich-sign" that easily it sounds like they may still be stressed and settling into the tank. Is the tank pretty new? How full of fish is it currently? In 2 years there must be some thing(s) going on keeping them on edge.... Too many other new fish? Not enough hiding places? Something else?

It may be wise to set them up with an auto-feeder so they can get fed while you are away from the house vs ONLY while you're at home....might even help with the stress levels in general. Eheim's is reliable and can do up to 8 feedings a day. Portion size is easy to set.

If you can use better food items, of course you should do it. Generally speaking...

Live > Whole frozen > Processed frozen > Dried​

All can be useful, but be careful not to focus on the low end of the spectrum....noori is nice dried food, but it's a dried food nonetheless. Just for example.

Can you run a whiteworm culture, or keep some blackworms around? How about some frozen whole clams that you can scrape/slice into the tank? Tons of ideas on the higher end of the spectrum...just have to figure out what will work for you.

I have also dropped the lighting schedule, I have T5, led hybrid, so I am only running my T5's on a 5 hour schedule and leds are running the same (no changes) I pick what I can off but it is stuck hard to the rocks and some is to deep and in crevices.

Probably a good idea... What were your peak PAR or lux levels before the switch? And after?

(If lighting changes have been happening, corals have probably also been at a competitive disadvantage to the algae.)

Keep up the good work on what you can reach and don't stress about what you can't. Consider some peroxide spot treatments (see my thread on it) for the harder to reach spots.

It will come around

Correct attitude....none of this is a reason to panic.

 

[chewy tabacca]

Carrion-eating omnivores....useless.



Here's the core of the problem IMO.....too few workers in the tank. This has you doing most of the algae work!!!

Urchins are almost decorative compared to what snails will do....as you noticed.

Urchins are good support. But maybe consider trading one of them for a 5- or 10-pack of Turbo snails and maybe add on a 20- or 40-pack of Ceriths too!



Ouch – definitely don't starve those fish! If tangs showed "ich-sign" that easily it sounds like they may still be stressed and settling into the tank. Is the tank pretty new? How full of fish is it currently? In 2 years there must be some thing(s) going on keeping them on edge.... Too many other new fish? Not enough hiding places? Something else?

It may be wise to set them up with an auto-feeder so they can get fed while you are away from the house vs ONLY while you're at home....might even help with the stress levels in general. Eheim's is reliable and can do up to 8 feedings a day. Portion size is easy to set.

If you can use better food items, of course you should do it. Generally speaking...

Live > Whole frozen > Processed frozen > Dried​

All can be useful, but be careful not to focus on the low end of the spectrum....noori is nice dried food, but it's a dried food nonetheless. Just for example.

Can you run a whiteworm culture, or keep some blackworms around? How about some frozen whole clams that you can scrape/slice into the tank? Tons of ideas on the higher end of the spectrum...just have to figure out what will work for you.



Probably a good idea... What were your peak PAR or lux levels before the switch? And after?

(If lighting changes have been happening, corals have probably also been at a competitive disadvantage to the algae.)

Keep up the good work on what you can reach and don't stress about what you can't. Consider some peroxide spot treatments (see my thread on it) for the harder to reach spots.



Correct attitude....none of this is a reason to panic.

It's funny you say that, I just bought 3 more huge turbo's, I think the ich has been beat. I have been soaking nori in garlic and Zoe to give them a tone of vitamins and boost their immune system. I don't see any signs on them as of now. My blue tang looked like it had chicken pox.

My nitrates are starting to rise finally. I have them at about 3ppm still want them up another 5ppm.

I don't have a par meter but if I were to guess I am running 450 - 500.

I've had most of the fish for a year plus. I feed them a variety of frozen foods and usually throw in some flake or pellets with it just for a higher hight fat ect. Content. Even with the frozen a lot of the times I will soak in Zoe and odd time garlic just to keep them in top shape and immune systems high.

 

[mcarroll]

It's funny you say that, I just bought 3 more huge turbo's

Nice! Sounds like things are heading in the right direction!

I don't have a par meter but if I were to guess I am running 450 - 500.

Eek. Don't guess. LOL

At minimum get a lux meter app for your smartphone (free) but a handheld lux meter only costs <$20, is much better.

 

[AD0520]

The erythromycin in chemiclean is readily degraded by uv. Presumably that’s the reason.

Will it harm fish, inverts, or corals to turn on the UV ? Read it could break down the compound and create a harmful environment in the process?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Will it harm fish, inverts, or corals to turn on the UV ? Read it could break down the compound and create a harmful environment in the process?

I do not think it likely that the breakdown products are more toxic than the original product.