Don't know what to do at this point

[Kelloggs2800]

Hello everyone. So I am at a loss. I have no idea what is going on anymore. I woke up one morning to a major algae outbreak (yes happened within 24 hours). It looked brown sort of hairy but more like a carpet.

Tried multiple things and couldn't get rid of it. So I tooke everything out and scrubbed. Now for the crazy part.

While doing this I noticed that every single one of my snails were dead. Everything else in the tank was fine and still fine (even the corals). But now I have spent over $300 on new snails but when I put them in the tank they are dead with 2 hours to 24 hours.

No matter what I do anything new I put in the tank dies. All my tests and water parameters are fine but there is definitely something in the tank that is killing stuff and I cannot figure it out. I am ready to give up.

Any ideas? (Tank over 2 years old so it is not new).

 

[boacvh]

If the snails are dying I suspect the algae could be dino's. Can you share some pictures?

 

[Aquariumaddictuk]

An ICP test would be my first move to find out exactly what is going on in there RE potential contaminats/leaching etc

 

[Mark Goode]

When you scrub the rocks, how long before the growth returns? If it's within hours it's dinos.

 

[MBruun]

Super fast growth of hairy stuff could be bacteria eg. Lyngbya. They can easily be eliminated by the use of UV sterilizer in a week or two.
Pictures are worth more than 1000 words....

 

[ectoaesthetics]

Glad you immediately tested water! Can you post parameters and a photo of the algae? Also since it is so fast growing does it disappear when the lights go off and "regrow" when they come on in the AM? Is the algae covering everywhere or lower flow areas?

How long have snails been dying in your tank for? What kind of snails? What is water temp (related to snails deaths as different snails tolerate warmer or cooler tanks better)?

What is your water source and how is it treated before entering your tank?

Also how many snails have passed in what kind of timeframe? As the snails deaths alone may have triggered the last outbreak... or not... All depends on timing.

 

[Kelloggs2800]

Glad you immediately tested water! Can you post parameters and a photo of the algae? Also since it is so fast growing does it disappear when the lights go off and "regrow" when they come on in the AM? Is the algae covering everywhere or lower flow areas?

How long have snails been dying in your tank for? What kind of snails? What is water temp (related to snails deaths as different snails tolerate warmer or cooler tanks better)?

What is your water source and how is it treated before entering your tank?

Also how many snails have passed in what kind of timeframe? As the snails deaths alone may have triggered the last outbreak... or not... All depends on timing.

So I didn't take pics of the results. I will try to explain a little better though.

I have a feeling that this all started due to an anemone dying. I removed it right away but that was when I started to see some issues. I did ammonia, nitrate, nitrite tests just to make sure it didn't cause a crazy spike. All tests came back perfect. That was about a week before it all happen.

There is no algae showing in the tank except for a bit on the sand at the moment. I thought it was dyno as well and did a chemiclean dose to resolve. After 48 hours nothing changed but you also have to do a 20-30% water change anyway so at that time I took all the rocks out and scrubbed them and cleaned the sand as much as I could.

I went to my LFS and bought some nissarius, astreas, and turbo snail (after the fix). All died within 3 hours.


So I then waited 2 weeks (doing water changes each week at 20%). That brings me to yesterday.


I went back to my LFS. I bout more of the same snails plus a cleaner shrimp and I even got copepods (just to see if it helps). 3 of the snails almost looked like they died instantly as they didn't even move from the place they were put it in tank.


Woke up this morning and all but one nissarius and one atrea are dead and they also do not look good. The cleaner shrimp is also dead. I acclimated for an hour before putting them in.

My fish, emerald crab, and one random cawler snail (can remember how to spell that) are all doing fine but we're in the tank when this all started.


I also checked my salt (.25) and phosphates are at .01 (even wat the time of the algae outbreak).


I get my water from a store here that does the big water jugs. They have a special area for rodi water (pay a premium). I cannot do it myself as I live in a small condo and they do not allow me to mess with that stuff or I am liable if anything happens. I have checked the water before from this place and it is good.

 

[Kelloggs2800]

When you scrub the rocks, how long before the growth returns? If it's within hours it's dinos.

No growth return on the rocks at the moment only on the sand. It's not too bad at the moment though

 

[Kelloggs2800]

Super fast growth of hairy stuff could be bacteria eg. Lyngbya. They can easily be eliminated by the use of UV sterilizer in a week or two.
Pictures are worth more than 1000 words....

Definitely doesn't look anything like Lyngbya. I almost hoped it was so I knew it what to do to fix.

 

[Kelloggs2800]

If the snails are dying I suspect the algae could be dino's. Can you share some pictures?

I didn't take any pics at the time I was more concerned on fixing it. I know I should have. I thought I knew what it was so didn't think I would be having this now.

 

[Dburr1014]

Hello everyone. So I am at a loss. I have no idea what is going on anymore. I woke up one morning to a major algae outbreak (yes happened within 24 hours). It looked brown sort of hairy but more like a carpet.

Tried multiple things and couldn't get rid of it. So I tooke everything out and scrubbed. Now for the crazy part.

While doing this I noticed that every single one of my snails were dead. Everything else in the tank was fine and still fine (even the corals). But now I have spent over $300 on new snails but when I put them in the tank they are dead with 2 hours to 24 hours.

No matter what I do anything new I put in the tank dies. All my tests and water parameters are fine but there is definitely something in the tank that is killing stuff and I cannot figure it out. I am ready to give up.

Any ideas? (Tank over 2 years old so it is not new).

Dinos. Toxin killed the snails.

So I didn't take pics of the results. I will try to explain a little better though.

I have a feeling that this all started due to an anemone dying. I removed it right away but that was when I started to see some issues. I did ammonia, nitrate, nitrite tests just to make sure it didn't cause a crazy spike. All tests came back perfect. That was about a week before it all happen.

There is no algae showing in the tank except for a bit on the sand at the moment. I thought it was dyno as well and did a chemiclean dose to resolve. After 48 hours nothing changed but you also have to do a 20-30% water change anyway so at that time I took all the rocks out and scrubbed them and cleaned the sand as much as I could.

I went to my LFS and bought some nissarius, astreas, and turbo snail (after the fix). All died within 3 hours.


So I then waited 2 weeks (doing water changes each week at 20%). That brings me to yesterday.


I went back to my LFS. I bout more of the same snails plus a cleaner shrimp and I even got copepods (just to see if it helps). 3 of the snails almost looked like they died instantly as they didn't even move from the place they were put it in tank.


Woke up this morning and all but one nissarius and one atrea are dead and they also do not look good. The cleaner shrimp is also dead. I acclimated for an hour before putting them in.

My fish, emerald crab, and one random cawler snail (can remember how to spell that) are all doing fine but we're in the tank when this all started.


I also checked my salt (.25) and phosphates are at .01 (even wat the time of the algae outbreak).


I get my water from a store here that does the big water jugs. They have a special area for rodi water (pay a premium). I cannot do it myself as I live in a small condo and they do not allow me to mess with that stuff or I am liable if anything happens. I have checked the water before from this place and it is good.

Have you checked Phosphate?

I suspect it's zero. Probably started before the nem died.

Suck out what you can with a turkey baster. STOP doing water change, this actually fuels dinos. They are very good at out competing stuff at zero nutrients. They survive.

Do a 3 day blackout. Get no3/po4 up. Cheap, pure stuff can be found on Amazon. Loudwolf is a good brand.
Sodium nitrate and sodium phosphate.

 

[Kelloggs2800]

When you scrub the rocks, how long before the growth returns? If it's within hours it's di

Dinos. Toxin killed the snails.




Have you checked Phosphate?

I suspect it's zero. Probably started before the nem died.

Suck out what you can with a turkey baster. STOP doing water change, this actually fuels dinos. They are very good at out competing stuff at zero nutrients. They survive.

Do a 3 day blackout. Get no3/po4 up. Cheap, pure stuff can be found on Amazon. Loudwolf is a good brand.
Sodium nitrate and sodium phosphate.

Yeah phosphate is at .01. I use phosphate minus to keep it low

 

[Dburr1014]

Yeah phosphate is at .01. I use phosphate minus to keep it low

What?
You want it low?
This is what's causing dinos.

Get phosphate to 0.1
And nitrate 10ish