Reef dying

[nport19]

Here's a quick pic.

 

[cmcoker]

Ok so from what I have gathered here you guys are saying no need to test for phosphates correct? I just did a water change of my usal 5 gallons today and sucked out a lot of the red stuff. It's still really thick on my frag rack but for the most part it seems to be gone from the rocks and sand. Everything is look much happier now that I use RO water.

It's will take more than a 5 gallon change to make everything happier. [emoji3]
At this point, I don't see the need to spend money on a phosphate test. Use the money on other things, refractometer, salt mix, etc.

You should do more like > 15g water changes.

Take your frag rack out of the tank and scrub it down, your frags will do fine on the substrate for a little while for the rack to be cleaned. Also, take out your power head, disassemble, and scrub.

What ever can be removed from tank and scrubbed, do it. you can use your old water, at next water change, and scrub any rocks you can remove. A new cheap toothbrush would be fine to use. I would use some gloves, like new dishwasher rubber gloves.

Use your siphon hose to suck anything off rocks, clean your glass before the water change.

Every water change you do will dilute the bad stuff, but bigger changes do more.

5 gallon change leaves over 80% of unwanted stuff in water, this gets diluted with new water

But if you do a 15g change you remove 50% of unwanted stuff in water.

So bigger water changes are better. Make sense?

 

[nport19]

That make sense to me. Only reasion I can't really do huge water changes is the return pump that's in the back of tank. I'm afraid to turn it off because my tank may over flow. Also the RO maker is really slow at making water

 

[cmcoker]

That make sense to me. Only reasion I can't really do huge water changes is the return pump that's in the back of tank. I'm afraid to turn it off because my tank may over flow. Also the RO maker is really slow at making water

You have a biocube right?

 

[nport19]

Yes I do.

 

[cmcoker]

Yes I do.

Then you shouldn't have to worry about that, the water volume will equalize between the back of the tank and the display portion. If you have extra water volume from your canister, that can be accounted for as well. Just take out you first five gallons, turn everything off, take out the rest of the water volume. Start to Add the new water, then last five gallons turn everything back on.

I have a biocube 14, I have done many big water changes. I have no extra canister filter or anything but I can turn off the return any time. You can't put more water into it than it can hold, regardless of the pump being off or on.

 

[nport19]

Ok that's good to know. No should I turn my canister filter off as well when I'm doing the big water change.

 

[cmcoker]

Ok that's good to know. No should I turn my canister filter off as well when I'm doing the big water change.

I would so I'd doesn't start sucking air, would also be a could time for a thorough cleaning. I wouldn't clean it and the rocks the same day, just do you leave some part of your biological filter untouched. Maybe a week between, watch for ammonia. I would clean canister first

 

[nport19]

Ok. I cleaned all the stuff in the canister about a week ago so I think that's all good for now with cleaning but I do agree with unplugging it so no air gets sucked into it.

 

[Xtc_link]

How old are your current bulbs? Sorry if it's already been answered I tried to look for it.

 

[nport19]

I'm not sure

 

[Xtc_link]

If you had to guess? . 6+ months they start to die. You tank looks like mine last month when the t5s hit 10 months old

 

[nport19]

I would say 6 plus max.

 

[cmcoker]

I would say 6 plus max.

If you are looking at upgrading to leds I would do that, that's $50 bucks on bulbs you could use towards new light.
It will also help your heat problem from a previous post

 

[nport19]

I do have this old LED setup from my other tank that I'm going to give a try and see how it works out.

 

[nport19]

 

[nport19]

In hoping this light won't shock any of my corals

 

[ATB USA]

it may help You can always do 4 20% water changes in 4 days and see if that helps it may be something you can not test for

I agree, do multiple small water changes in the same week. Also you should look for pests. Flat worms, red bugs, etc...

 

[ReefMadScientist]

Here's a quick pic.

Your Paly's are reaching for the stars. Meaning not enough light.

 

[nport19]

Ok. So hopefully this LED light will do the trick with more light.