My other thread got a little off topic so I have a 60 cube thats been running for 5 months. Was filled with cured rock as I bought the tank running and used new live sand. Anyways I started having some algae issues like I have in the past so decided to do a black out like before. Started it last friday and uncovered sunday, lot of the algae was gone. Lot of the corals and anemone looked mad but thats normal. Come monday most of the corals were back to normal except some zoas and my bubbletip. Did a 10 gallon water change. Tuesday they looked the same so I ran tests and had a reading of .25 ammonia which I thought was odd so I did a 15 gallon water change. Today anemone looked a littler better but found a couple of my turbo snails randomly laying on their backs and my wifes mandarin dead (was out swimming yesterday). All other fish are accounted for, ran an ammonia test again and it was between 0 and .25 (tested my other tank to verify my test kit and it was 0). Now Im noticing a lot of patches of brown algae appearing everywhere. Tank was definitely cycled and doing great before this. Nothing has been added to this tank in about 3-4 weeks. I'm at a loss and looking for ideas. Thinking of doing another 15 gallon water change tomorrow.
Something Going On With My Tank
- Thread starter Waffen06
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In my experience, ammonia tests are notorious for false positives. I doubt you have an ammonia problem. I am wondering if have dinos though. That might explain recent deaths, especially the snails. Is there a way you can put the brown algae under a microscope?
I would add granular activated carbon for sure. About 1/2 cup replaced weekly for now should work. I have never dosed hydrogen peroxide and I wouldn’t dose anything yet. I bought a $12 microscope from amazon and it was good enough to ID my dinos. But there are certainly better options out there. I would do a quick search and find a scope that will fit your needs. Otherwise you are flying blind.
Waffen06
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UPDATE: Today came home to a dead cleaner shrimp (my son was in tears). I need to figure out my problem. I added a bag of carbon last night. I ran every test I have today:
Temp 79.8
Salinity: 1.023
Ammonia: 0
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 10ppm
Ph: 7.8
Calcium: 375
Dkh: 7.7
Now my daughter just pointed out we have not seen our starry blenny in weeks, I dont know if him dieing caused this but it could of been weeks ago.
Bubbletip is almost back to looking normal. Zoas are 50/50, pulsing xenia looks absolutely terrible. Torch Id say is 75%, All other corals look normal (mushrooms, gsp, rock flowers, trumpets). There is a brown algae starting over all the rocks and sand.
Where should I go from here? I added carbon last night. I have 20 gallons mixed to do another water change. Any suggestions??
Temp 79.8
Salinity: 1.023
Ammonia: 0
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 10ppm
Ph: 7.8
Calcium: 375
Dkh: 7.7
Now my daughter just pointed out we have not seen our starry blenny in weeks, I dont know if him dieing caused this but it could of been weeks ago.
Bubbletip is almost back to looking normal. Zoas are 50/50, pulsing xenia looks absolutely terrible. Torch Id say is 75%, All other corals look normal (mushrooms, gsp, rock flowers, trumpets). There is a brown algae starting over all the rocks and sand.
Where should I go from here? I added carbon last night. I have 20 gallons mixed to do another water change. Any suggestions??
