Please HELP!

[PR_nano]

Tank is 10 months but have a bunch of issues. I need help determining what to tackle first or determine if a restart is required or best course of action.

1) Colonial Hydroids - These started as a small patch but now spread throughout the tank (rocks, sand, walls)

2) Amphidinium dinoflagellate - Worst kind to remove per multiple threads.

3) Bad RODI - I get water from LFS and since I started having issues (thought dino were diatoms) decided to get TDS meter. I use a different LFS with 0TDS now and have an ATI ICP on hand.

4) Bryopsis - This is mostly localized on a frag but there is some in one of the rocks.

5) Bubble algae - Spread throughout the tank. Not too concern as the above but still an issue that needs to be address

6) Aiptasia - Similar #5. I have about 20, at one point I got a few nudi and did a good job but some aiptasia remained. I use Kalk to kill the big ones but seems to release spores

7) Ph - I need to recalibrate my probe but in the last week alone ph fluctuate between 7.95 to 7.38. I use soda ash, open windows and refugium. Hope probe just needs recalibration.

At this point I'm seriously considering throwing everything in a 10 gallon for a month or two and get some TBS rock and start over the 20g. Later transfer livestock but concerned about reintroduction.

What you guys will do in this case or recommend. I'm open to suggestions and know there are multiple threads one these issues. I just don't know what to tackle first.

Tank 20Gallons AIO
(Test from a week ago)
Alk 8.9
Cal 450
Mag 1440
Nitrate 5
Phosphate .31

#reefsquad

 

[lapin]

I would start a new tank.
Now that you know what to look for it might be easier to keep it under control.
Yes the old livestock might bring over unwanted problems.
List what live stock you have and perhaps someone will help with that.

 

[Bfragale]

Have you tried vibrant or hydrogen peroxide dosing? May be worth looking into.

 

[PR_nano]

I would start a new tank.
List what live stock you have and perhaps someone will help with that.

Thanks, that's what I was thinking due to the amount of issues. Some of these would have been easily avoided but rookie mistake on my part. For ex issues 1&2 not properly curing rock and letting Nitrates bottom.

For live stock
Purple firefish, pink streaked wrasse, YWG and pistol shrimp.
Crabs: 2 scarlet, 1electric and 1pitho
Snail: 2 trouch, 3 nassarius, 8cerith(5dwarf, 3regular) 1conch and a few hitchhiker

Not sure if this would be too much for a 10 gallon for a month or two.

 

[PR_nano]

Have you tried vibrant or hydrogen peroxide dosing? May be worth looking into.

I have dose peroxide but not vibrant. I read good results against gha and bubble algae. However having so many issues a restart may be warrant. I would also like to try live rock and TBS is a short trip away.

 

[av8soulfly]

If starting over is not that big a deal for you, I would do that. Otherwise, I would get after it with weekly 25% water changes and pull infected pieces and treat them in a smaller container. I bought my own RODI unit and my water is at or around 0.00 TDS when ever I need it. I hated making trips to the water store. Amazon sell Liquidgen RODI unit for about $100 including the media.

 

[vetteguy53081]

using a turkey baster, blow the stuff loose and Siphon bedding well. After this , begin this regimen:
Either tonight or tomorrow night turn lights off for the next 5 days . Using a turkey baster blow the stuff loose and net or siphon up. Also at night, add 1ml of hydrogen peroxide per 10 gallons for the next 5 nights.
During the day, add 1ml of liquid bacteria per 10 gallons.
Continue to feed fish as normal BUT DO NOT FEED CORAL FOOD TO CORAL OR ADD NoPox to tank which will feed Dino.
Day 6, turn blue lights to normal schedule and whites at 10%, then add whites 5.% each day until normal schedule.
Good Bye dinos !!
Your parameters seem too good to be true and with that statement, Take a good water sample to a trusted LFS and have them test for you to verify parameters and to compare with your readings.

 

[PR_nano]

If starting over is not that big a deal for you, I would do that.

At this point I don't mind. I feel bad looking at the tank and for the inhabitants living in it.

I bought my own RODI unit and my water is at or around 0.00 TDS when ever I need it.

I have one but stopped using it when the faucet it was attached broke. Not sure if it was a pressure issue at the apartment but after that incident decided to pick water at the LFS. I don't enjoy hauling water either just visiting.

 

[PR_nano]

Either tonight or tomorrow night turn lights off for the next 5 days .

Thanks I did this for 3 days not to long ago and saw good results for a day or two. What I read was this type of Dino goes deep into the sandbed. I saw another thread about sand cleaning which I consider doing. On the Amphidinium thread one of the recommendation is to dose silicate for diatoms to out compete the dino.

Do you think 5 days would work better than the 3 days?

Take a good water sample to a trusted LFS and have them test for you to verify parameters and to compare with your readings

I can do this tomorrow and compare. I do have to dose nitrate to keep them from bottom out which is what I believe cause the Dino to explode.

 

[Pistondog]

I like vetteguys suggestion.
Dose some microbacter 7 or dr tims
Filefish for aptasia
Urchin or emerald crab and manual removal for bubble algae.
Do pods handle hydroids?

Try some of these, minimally, you will learn something for your new tank.

 

[PR_nano]

Do pods handle hydroids?

I read fenbendazole to get rid of them. Some ppl have just thrown rock out after infestation.
I do like the idea of urchin but the filefish might be too big for the 20g

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks I did this for 3 days not to long ago and saw good results for a day or two. What I read was this type of Dino goes deep into the sandbed. I saw another thread about sand cleaning which I consider doing. On the Amphidinium thread one of the recommendation is to dose silicate for diatoms to out compete the dino.

Do you think 5 days would work better than the 3 days?


I can do this tomorrow and compare. I do have to dose nitrate to keep them from bottom out which is what I believe cause the Dino to explode.

Yes and as mentioned, siphon daily to expose any hidden dino to the treatment.

 

[Pistondog]

I read fenbendazole to get rid of them. Some ppl have just thrown rock out after infestation.
I do like the idea of urchin but the filefish might be too big for the 20g

Sorry missed the 20g, you're correct.