Tank Cloudiness - Bristleworm die-off

[mr_noodles]

Hello,

I experienced my 2nd tank crisis last night and caught it at an early stage prior to death of livestock. About 3 months ago, I went home to a very cloudy tank with 1 dead firefish goby and a few others died shortly after. All the fish were "gasping" for air on top. I self-oxygenated the water by heavily agitating the surface and doing the scoop/refill method and had the fish acting normal, then did 10% water changes every hour for 6 hours. The cloudiness went away after a day.

Last night, I experienced something very similar, but had two new discoveries: Dead bristleworms I've never seen before and long, stringy white slime from all water outlets (power head, canister filter output). I've attached some pictures of the dread bristleworm "piles". My protein skimmer has been foaming like crazy - to the point that the bubbles will push the lid off and will bubble over after 5-10 minutes. I reduced the "bubble line" from my normal 1/2" from the top to 1" and am getting the same effects. I'm currently fighting off some green hair algae as well. Photos attached - the protein skimmer photo is just after 3 minutes with 1" under the opening.

 

[Deezill]

if everything is dead i would do a 50% water change and then run some carbon. In fact if everything is dead I would literally do a 75% water change and ensure any bad thing is diluted. Then run carbon

 

[don_chuwish]

Yeah scrape, scrub out as much of that algae as possible, then BIG water change including vacuuming the sand and rocks. Fresh carbon after that.

 

[mr_noodles]

Yeah scrape, scrub out as much of that algae as possible, then BIG water change including vacuuming the sand and rocks. Fresh carbon after that.

The carbon bag is coming up next. Should I leave it out in the sun or just get a new bag?

I've been doing the vodka/protein skimmer method for about 2 months now and have noticed about 20-30% reduction in green hair algae.

As for the sand, is it safe to just vacuum up that top layer to agitate it? I've had mixed opinions on the sand bed: 1. Only remove larger objects to not disturb the sand bed and kick up nitrates and 2.Syphon and allow sand bed to cycle in syphon and rest back down.

 

[mr_noodles]

if everything is dead i would do a 50% water change and then run some carbon. In fact if everything is dead I would literally do a 75% water change and ensure any bad thing is diluted. Then run carbon

Almost all of my livestock is still alive. I just discovered a dead lawnmower blenny (he always hides so I couldn't find him until I saw a group of hermits under the rock feasting on him). Other than that, everything else is fine.

 

[Deezill]

Almost all of my livestock is still alive. I just discovered a dead lawnmower blenny (he always hides so I couldn't find him until I saw a group of hermits under the rock feasting on him). Other than that, everything else is fine.

Still do a water change and run some carbon to remove any bad substances. A water change never hurts.

 

[don_chuwish]

The carbon bag is coming up next. Should I leave it out in the sun or just get a new bag?

I've been doing the vodka/protein skimmer method for about 2 months now and have noticed about 20-30% reduction in green hair algae.

As for the sand, is it safe to just vacuum up that top layer to agitate it? I've had mixed opinions on the sand bed: 1. Only remove larger objects to not disturb the sand bed and kick up nitrates and 2.Syphon and allow sand bed to cycle in syphon and rest back down.

I fully vacuum my entire sandbed at every water change. Get as much waste material out of it as possible.

 

[Deezill]

You are carbon dosing for nitrate? That's fine but to really get algae down lower your phosphate and reduce your lighting. If you are using T5 bulbs change the bulbs if they are old reduce lighting to like an 8hr schedule.

 

[mr_noodles]

You are carbon dosing for nitrate? That's fine but to really get algae down lower your phosphate and reduce your lighting. If you are using T5 bulbs change the bulbs if they are old reduce lighting to like an 8hr schedule.

the carbon bag i currently have is about 6 months old. i'm heading out soon to buy that along with more water.

 

[Deezill]

Carbon dosing is what you are doing with Vodka. You are doing that for Nitrate correct? This is different from running carbon to remove harmful chemicals

 

[mr_noodles]

Carbon dosing is what you are doing with Vodka. You are doing that for Nitrate correct? This is different from running carbon to remove harmful chemicals

sorry, yes - 5 drops daily. started with 1 drop daily for two weeks and added a drop up until 5.

unfortunately, my tank experienced a 100% die-off on the way back from the store. Thread below:

Fish Sinking, Swimming Sporatically, Heavily breathing

Exactly what the title says. Left for walmart for an hour and came back. Swimming upside down, darting into liverock and dang near dead. Water was cloudy yesterday with white long slimey stuff from canister. Did 40% water change and everything was fine last night and this morning. Go out to buy...

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