Guys, I need help......

I have a small section in my Sump for a fuge but right now it only has sand and a couple rocks from the DT. I tried putting some chaeto in there a couple months ago on an opposite light cycle but it completely disintegrated within two weeks. I don't know if that was related to my current problems or I just have a black thumb for plants. I want to try for some chaeto again but I can only source it online and right now I don't want to pay $30 shipping for a $10 item.
 
Sand is Carib sea's aragalive fiji pink. About 2- 2 1/2in other than when my powerhead piles a corner up or the whole back wall :mad:.
The sump has Carib sea aragonite, about 1- 1 1/2in.
 
I have a small section in my Sump for a fuge but right now it only has sand and a couple rocks from the DT. I tried putting some chaeto in there a couple months ago on an opposite light cycle but it completely disintegrated within two weeks. I don't know if that was related to my current problems or I just have a black thumb for plants. I want to try for some chaeto again but I can only source it online and right now I don't want to pay $30 shipping for a $10 item.
dang. Could be a flow issue in there too.
Do you know what your return rate is? IMO, too low a return flow isn't getting the funk out of the dt.
 
I don't know what my return rate is, I have a Rio 2500 as my return pump but I'll need to check the turnover rate on it.
That could very well be causing issues....
 
In my opinion, you should test the saltwater before you add it to your reef to make sure it has the parameters you want. Do weekly maintenance/ water changes including cleaning the sand. Don't add any new coral, rocks or fish to your reef. In a month it should clear up.
Cheers :)
 
As of yet I have not messed with any dosing. I make my water to the salinity that I need, 1.025. I can't go higher than that because obviously my salinity will be too high. I did check my refractometer today and it's calibrated properly so my salinity is accurate. Back in Dec when I first starting having problems and throughout Jan I was religious about doing water changes every week, cleaning the sand, rocks and glass. I manually removed as much as I can by scrubbing a toothbrush all over my rock and netting out the floating debris. I have a 40g tank with two small clowns and a 3in blenny, I have not added anything to the tank since Nov aside from a few corals that were gifted to me a couple weeks ago. I haven't even added any inverts because I'm afraid they are going to perish like all of my snails did when all this mess started. I am really getting frustrated because this has been going on for 3 months now and I just want my pretty tank back. I want to be able to get more inverts, coral and fish but I'm afraid to add anything until this clears up. Water changes are just not enough at this point, it only helps for two days and then my entire tank is covered again.
 
I hear ya. You have a nice reef tank. Just stick with it. Every tank is different. You'll get a feeling of how your tank works and it will probably be different from other people's tanks. Everyone here has good experiences to share with you. We all want to help.
 
Ugh, I'm sorry for ranting. I really appreciate all the advice, I'm just really frustrated at this point.
yea I hate it. You may want to look into a spring clean. Get the canister online and just stir one small section at a time for a week. clean the filter,WC repeat. Have good bottled bacteria on hand.
Mt tanks have got the bryopsis and ive deep cleaned twice in both tanks 2 times in 4 months like that.
 
Hi GH
I have had the same problem. I think I contracted it from my LFS.
I Use DinoXal from H2O Aquatics store - dosed for 6 days with lights out 3 - Dinos have gone [emoji3]
 
Well I did a wc yesterday and got the canister filter hooked up. Now today I am very perplexed. I checked parameters, Alk is up to 8.3 but it looks like there was a small spike in ammonia as it is 0.25 and there is a hint of nitrite as well. Also the two large tunicates that have been in there for a couple months are now shriveled up and black. I want to do another wc but I won't have any water ready for several more hours. Ugh, so confused!
 
Well I did a wc yesterday and got the canister filter hooked up. Now today I am very perplexed. I checked parameters, Alk is up to 8.3 but it looks like there was a small spike in ammonia as it is 0.25 and there is a hint of nitrite as well. Also the two large tunicates that have been in there for a couple months are now shriveled up and black. I want to do another wc but I won't have any water ready for several more hours. Ugh, so confused!
Drop some bottled bacteria in there and keep pressing on. Look for dead snails and such.
 
I'm wondering actually if the ammonia is from the bottle I had? Can bacteria die if it's opened and not used? At any rate I'm going to grab a fresh bottle today, hopefully that will help.
 
I'm wondering actually if the ammonia is from the bottle I had? Can bacteria die if it's opened and not used? At any rate I'm going to grab a fresh bottle today, hopefully that will help.
Yea I think it does though I couldn't tell you how long that is. Fresh is good.
 
Update: I kept the canister filter on there for a little over a week, stirring it like mentioned and water changes when I could. I also put a powerhead in the sump to add some aeration down there. Not a lick of change. However, I now have a thin green film starting on the glass and bits of cyano growing on my rock. I can't decide if I am excited that I have something other than dinos to look at or sad that I have another "big one". Ugghhh
 

IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

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