Reef Tank Questions

[road_runner]

Now, these pictures are the worse my tank ever looks! One is the day before and the next is the day after. Just one night and my tank is crazy dirty!

2nd picture look like a bacterial bloom but I cannot tell for sure.

Can you summarize all your system details pls.
System age
System filtration and equipments
System parameters especially no3 po4
Elements Dosing
Are you dosing anything else?
Picture if the equipments and filters would help alot.

Thanks

 

[road_runner]

We will also need to treat the algae by finding its source.
Once I get all your system details will see if something stands out and provide some advices if I can.

 

[Fish7]

2nd picture look like a bacterial bloom but I cannot tell for sure.

Can you summarize all your system details pls.
System age
System filtration and equipments
System parameters especially no3 po4
Elements Dosing
Are you dosing anything else?
Picture if the equipments and filters would help alot.

Thanks

I started my tank end of February beginning of March. Fully cycled for about 4 weeks. I put my very first corals and snail in on May 16th. They did great, my zoa had new polyps within a week, my montipora has attached itself to my rock and my snail is still doing well. I set up the biocube with what I was told by my LFS. My water parameters are within limits, except my calcium is high. I also had a spike in my ammonia so I did does an ammonia detox. Other than that, everything has been good! I do not dose my tank with anything. I try not to, I do not want to be a chemist and try to balance chemicals, I am trying to have a working tank and let the tank work its self out.

 

[Fish7]

2nd picture look like a bacterial bloom but I cannot tell for sure.

Can you summarize all your system details pls.
System age
System filtration and equipments
System parameters especially no3 po4
Elements Dosing
Are you dosing anything else?
Picture if the equipments and filters would help alot.

Thanks

These are my filters that I use.

 

[road_runner]

I started my tank end of February beginning of March. Fully cycled for about 4 weeks. I put my very first corals and snail in on May 16th. They did great, my zoa had new polyps within a week, my montipora has attached itself to my rock and my snail is still doing well. I set up the biocube with what I was told by my LFS. My water parameters are within limits, except my calcium is high. I also had a spike in my ammonia so I did does an ammonia detox. Other than that, everything has been good! I do not dose my tank with anything. I try not to, I do not want to be a chemist and try to balance chemicals, I am trying to have a working tank and let the tank work its self out.

What'd your cleaner crew like?
When you say parameters withen limits what are these limits?
If you cycled the system why did you need to dose ammonia detox?
Did you start live Rocks or dry?
How about the sand? New? Live or dry?
What's tour feeding and husbandry like?
Bow oftenndo youbdo water change?
What's the source of your water?

Quick word about me. I do not like darts in the dark. Unless I understand exactly the details I refrain myself from recommending things beyond very generic and none invasive treatment's.. so it's up to you.

 

[Fish7]

What'd your cleaner crew like?
When you say parameters withen limits what are these limits?
If you cycled the system why did you need to dose ammonia detox?
Did you start live Rocks or dry?
How about the sand? New? Live or dry?
What's tour feeding and husbandry like?
Bow oftenndo youbdo water change?
What's the source of your water?

Quick word about me. I do not like darts in the dark. Unless I understand exactly the details I refrain myself from recommending things so it's up to you.

Ph 8.0
Nh3/NH4 0
No3 0
No2 0
Po4 0
Ca2+ 500
Dkh 9
Specific gravity 1.026

I added ammonia detox once because I had an unexpected ammonia spike one day. Dosed once and has been good. I have a zebra snail, nassarius snail, turbo snail, urchin, starfish, and cleaner shrimp for a clean up crew. Live rock, live sand, I feed once a day unless adding new fish. When adding new fish I feed smaller amounts twice. Once when placing fish and again at normal time of day. I buy RODI water from my LFS and do a water change about once every week and a half. I appreciate any help you have to offer. I will do my research on all suggestions given to make a decision on how to help my tank look better and thrive!

 

[road_runner]

Ph 8.0
Nh3/NH4 0
No3 0
No2 0
Po4 0
Ca2+ 500
Dkh 9
Specific gravity 1.026

I added ammonia detox once because I had an unexpected ammonia spike one day. Dosed once and has been good. I have a zebra snail, nassarius snail, turbo snail, urchin, starfish, and cleaner shrimp for a clean up crew. Live rock, live sand, I feed once a day unless adding new fish. When adding new fish I feed smaller amounts twice. Once when placing fish and again at normal time of day. I buy RODI water from my LFS and do a water change about once every week and a half. I appreciate any help you have to offer. I will do my research on all suggestions given to make a decision on how to help my tank look better and thrive!

Hmmm.
Something do not add up. I can see healthu algae growth, yet you have zero po4 no3.
You have seen ammonia spike yet you have zero no3 po4..
Are you sure your results are accurate? What kits do you use?

 

[ZaneTer]

Ph 8.0
Nh3/NH4 0
No3 0
No2 0
Po4 0
Ca2+ 500
Dkh 9
Specific gravity 1.026

I added ammonia detox once because I had an unexpected ammonia spike one day. Dosed once and has been good. I have a zebra snail, nassarius snail, turbo snail, urchin, starfish, and cleaner shrimp for a clean up crew. Live rock, live sand, I feed once a day unless adding new fish. When adding new fish I feed smaller amounts twice. Once when placing fish and again at normal time of day. I buy RODI water from my LFS and do a water change about once every week and a half. I appreciate any help you have to offer. I will do my research on all suggestions given to make a decision on how to help my tank look better and thrive!

By any chance are you getting natural sunlight on the tank? I have found that blue light substantially slows the rate that algae grows but that is just my own experience.

 

[ZaneTer]

Hmmm.
Something do not add up. I can see healthu algae growth, yet you have zero po4 no3.
You have seen ammonia spike yet you have zero no3 po4..
Are you sure your results are accurate? What kits do you use?

I agree 100%

Check the expiry on your test kits.

 

[Fish7]

By any chance are you getting natural sunlight on the tank? I have found that blue light substantially slows the rate that algae grows but that is just my own experience.

My tank is on the opposite side of the room away from windows and there are curtains always up to block the sun light. I do keep my lights on for a large portion of the day. I have the "moon set" lights come on at 7 am then transfer to "sunrise" and "day light" and then back to "moon rise" and then everything goes off at 10:30pm.

 

[road_runner]

My tank is on the opposite side of the room away from windows and there are curtains always up to block the sun light. I do keep my lights on for a large portion of the day. I have the "moon set" lights come on at 7 am then transfer to "sunrise" and "day light" and then back to "moon rise" and then everything goes off at 10:30pm.

Which kits you using? How old?
Please address all the other questions I posted...all questions are relevant for us to understand your system..

 

[Fish7]

Which kits you using? How old?
Please address all the other questions I posted...all questions are relevant for us to understand your system..

I use the API saltwater and API reef test kits. I bought them in may when my tank had fully cycled. I periodically get a nitrate and nitrite spike but only for a day and they fix themselves. The ammonia spiked and stuck around for a day or two so I decided to dose the ammonia detox.

 

[road_runner]

I use the API saltwater and API reef test kits. I bought them in may when my tank had fully cycled. I periodically get a nitrate and nitrite spike but only for a day and they fix themselves. The ammonia spiked and stuck around for a day or two so I decided to dose the ammonia detox.

Nitrate spikes that are treated in one day is another suprisimg thing for me.

As I said I am still not familiar with you system and missing informstions. I feel unable to get the data am looking for from you... So I do not think am right person for this thread.
Will check every now and then and comment if I can add value.
Hope you end up figuring it our. Good luck my friend.

 

[road_runner]

Btw api kit are not accurate at low ranges.
I think you have higher po4 no3 levels than you think in the system, OR, your system still cycling.
Either way I suggest you cross correlate your test kits.

 

[Aeb1419]

Am curious how did you come up with this conclusion without knowing if the issue is bacterial bloom or very fine particles?
OP already said he do not have particles in the water...filter socks will work on certain size particles and up.. yes it will help but you hsbe such a strong conviction that this will solve all the problems which made me think..

Just wondering the source of this advice..

He said he wanted help with water clarity. This is what I do and it works. Correction, he said hes having a hard time taking a picture with no particles in the water, meaning he has particles in his water........

 

[Rich Klein]

Some of the worst mistakes that I've made were trying to make my new (< 1 year) tank look like the beauties that I saw online and at my LFS. I didn't listen to all of the posts about "going slow", "nothing happens quickly...", and likely you won't either. But hang in there, keep learning and don't give up.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Having a stable tank will lead to success. Stable is allowing tank to take its course rather than chasing numbers or trying to fix numbers and correct something that will be just fine the way it currently is.
We’re running a tank and not a chem lab. Take the time to enjoy your tank rather than stress over insignificant factors that don’t affect our livestock.