Tank looks worse after water changes

[hawk82]

Trying to get my tank back on track after some neglect from last year. But it seems like the more I clean it and the more water changes I do, it keeps looking worse and worse each day. I'm about to just give up and start everything all over.

 

[Not_Erick]

What are your parameters?

 

[Jekyl]

What are your parameters?

This. Without knowing where you're at, the water changes could be causing further issues.

 

[Katrina71]

Pics help to see what you're dealing with

 

[vetteguy53081]

Trying to get my tank back on track after some neglect from last year. But it seems like the more I clean it and the more water changes I do, it keeps looking worse and worse each day. I'm about to just give up and start everything all over.

Please provide clear pics under white lighting and there is such a thing as cleaning too often
Are you using rodi water or tap water from faucet?

 

[hawk82]

Rodi always, and the filters are clean in that also. The only parameters I know are temp 78, salinity 1.025 and ph 8.1 I'm pretty sure I'm messed up everything when I tried to get rid of hair algae with vibrant.

 

[Not_Erick]

Rodi always, and the filters are clean in that also. The only parameters I know are temp 78, salinity 1.025 and ph 8.1 I'm pretty sure I'm messed up everything when I tried to get rid of hair algae with vibrant.

You don’t have nitrate and phosphate and ammonia levels?

 

[Katrina71]

We all mess up. It's how we learn. No big deal.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Rodi always, and the filters are clean in that also. The only parameters I know are temp 78, salinity 1.025 and ph 8.1 I'm pretty sure I'm messed up everything when I tried to get rid of hair algae with vibrant.

Ahh, yes Vibrant. Assure these are in ranges:
Ammonia <.3
Nitrate 8-20
Disregard Nitrite (often freshwater specific)

 

[Jekyl]

Nitrate and phosphate are what drive unwanted growth. Without a reading and photos there's not much help to be given

 

[gbroadbridge]

Trying to get my tank back on track after some neglect from last year. But it seems like the more I clean it and the more water changes I do, it keeps looking worse and worse each day. I'm about to just give up and start everything all over.

FIrst, go buy some decent test kits. DO NOT get API kits

If you are running fish only, you need to know Nitrate and Phosphate.
Post some tank pictures.

 

[hawk82]

OK, Ill get a Nitrate and phos kit. My LFS was big on water changes though. So i was doing one like every other day, and the tank looks worse and worse each day...

 

[Jekyl]

OK, Ill get a Nitrate and phos kit. My LFS was big on water changes though. So i was doing one like every other day, and the tank looks worse and worse each day...

You may have bottomed nutrients and caused dinos

 

[hawk82]

It looks like a combo of cyano, dino, and diatoms.

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

It looks like a combo of cyano, dino, and diatoms.

Photos?

 

[hawk82]

i can never get the pics to show what it really looks like...

 

[hawk82]

but brown dusting on sand and glass, red layers on some of the rocks(will blow off with turkey baster) and some other brown spots with air bubbles in them on the back and power heads

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

but brown dusting on sand and glass, red layers on some of the rocks(will blow off with turkey baster) and some other brown spots with air bubbles in them on the back and power heads

Cyanno and dinos. Check your nutrients

 

[hawk82]

Cyanno and dinos. Check your nutrients

I think I bottomed them out... when I first starting having the issue my LFS answer was water changes fix everything, so I was doing 5 gallons every other day (tank is 40 breeder) and day after day the tank got worse and worse. Now what?

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

I think I bottomed them out... when I first starting having the issue my LFS answer was water changes fix everything, so I was doing 5 gallons every other day (tank is 40 breeder) and day after day the tank got worse and worse. Now what?

First off you need to be sure they're bottomed out. Second, stop water changes and gradually increase feedings. Turn off your protein skimmer and remove any phosphate removal media like GFO, also turn off or turn down things like turf algae scrubbers and refeugiums. If you cannot get your nitrates up then you can try dosing for that. High nutrient coral food like reef-roids can be added occasionally. Make sure to go slow and steady and not raise them too quickly as that could kill tank inhabitants if they shift too quickly. Also keep check on ammonia as that could be a byproduct of heavier feedings. Good luck.

Also @Randy Holmes-Farley can tell you more on how to safely raise nutrients