This doesn't look right

[Jennyw]

We started adding 0.4 mL of vinegar every other day. Is that causing this? Is it bad? I know it's supposed to promote bacterial growth to use up nitrates, but I wasn't expecting orange and purple slime

 

[Bob Weigant]

It will over take your corals. Syphon it out , do weekly water changes and lighten up on your feeding. Im not a fan of vinegar dosing. I know people do it but I do not

 

[Hemmdog]

Yea that looks bad. What was your nitrate before you started. And what is it now. It looks like you bottomed out your nutrients.

 

[Jennyw]

Yeah.... The problem is I own API test kits, so I have no idea. The lfs tested it 11 days ago, nitrates at 10. I've dosed only 3 times

 

[Jennyw]

I need to get a new test kit. I know

 

[Jennyw]

Is it cyanobacteria?

 

[Hemmdog]

Were you just trying to become a ULNS? Ultra low nutrient system, or why did you start carbon dosing?

 

[Jennyw]

Trying to get rid of the dang algae

 

[Hemmdog]

Is it cyanobacteria?

The red/purple is. And the mustard/green is.

 

[Jennyw]

This feels like out of the frying pan into the fire.

 

[Jennyw]

I have chemiclean...should I use it?

 

[Hemmdog]

Trying to get rid of the dang algae

Algae is usually more tied to phosphates, just try a bag of chemipure elite. It’s a GFO that’s easy for biocubes. Carbon dosing is more for reducing nitrates, which is only really somewhat important in sps dominant systems.

 

[Jennyw]

Okay. Got it. I think. What's my short term plan?

 

[Jennyw]

Okay. Got it. I think. What's my short term plan?

My phosphate level was .3 they said it was good.

 

[Hemmdog]

I have chemiclean...should I use it?

I wouldn’t because I bet you already have low nutrient. I would scrape your glass and siphon that out with a 50% water change. Stop vinegar, grab some chemipure elite or a GFO, make sure your only using RODI water, restock your clean up crew to clean your tank for you. You should be good to go. Do another 30% WC in a week.

 

[Hemmdog]

My phosphate level was .3 they said it was good.

That’s pretty high. Your looking for 0.05

 

[Jennyw]

That’s pretty high. Your looking for 0.05

Then maybe .03....they said it was okay. And it had a three in it

 

[Geebs19]

I would do as said above, scrape as much as you can and siphon our with a water change. I would also recommend getting some decent test kits so you know what you are dealing with.

 

[Stigigemla]

I dont know who is giving You advice but there is some spread there.
If I am correct You are a beginner. Than you should act as if You and the tank is new.
I recommend you You good testkits because You need to know what´s happening.
Then I recommend 0,05 to 0,1 in phosphourus and 5 to 10 in nitrate. That should hopefully garantee a sound green algae growth.
They will be stronger than the cyano and the dinos? To take care of those algae snails and hermits are good as well as many blennies. You need a clean up crew.
The cyano just loves carbon sources so stop that. Clean the windows and make watercanges sucking the rests out.
There is some videos about starting tanks some are good others not. I recommend You to check the the BRS videos.
Choose a methode and stick to it. Combining elements from different methods seldom works.
After the starting time is over and the tank begins to stabilize use the Kiss (keep it stupid simple) method for at least half a year.
Then You can choose how to take care of the tank.
(The corals I see in Your tank handels 0,3 in phosphate without problem)

 

[scott11106]

water change with RODI and good salt mix, syphon and repeat, it looks like a 16 or 24 gal ? i would stop all the extras and focus on water changes and that will remove the bad and add the good. feed minimum