What am I doing wrong?

[AmaleeC]

Do you test the LFS RODI for phosphates? Sometimes this can be a source too.

I’ve never thought to do that, but I’ll have to look into it...

I know this is totally taboo, but can I use distilled instead of RODI? It seems there’s a lot of varied opinions on it. But after adding the distilled they looked better. So that’s just a thought.

Here’s a photo of my corals on January 4th, just before my cyano outbreak. Any ideas on why they look so sad now? I used chemiclean to get rid of the cyano and followed the instructions to a T. I can’t think of why theres such a dramatic contrast from then to now

 

[AmaleeC]

I’ve never thought to do that, but I’ll have to look into it...

I know this is totally taboo, but can I use distilled instead of RODI? It seems there’s a lot of varied opinions on it. But after adding the distilled they looked better. So that’s just a thought.

Here’s a photo of my corals on January 4th, just before my cyano outbreak. Any ideas on why they look so sad now? I used chemiclean to get rid of the cyano and followed the instructions to a T. I can’t think of why theres such a dramatic contrast from then to now

Thinking back on things, I moved my wave maker a little bit ago - this could also be the culprit.

I’ll move it back and give you all an update in two or three days

 

[Tyler Miceli]

Hello everyone. I started my reef tank in October of 2019 and everything has been running ok. But I’m having trouble with a few things:
1.) My lawnmower blenny has gotten SUPER skinny. How should I go about training him to eat other foods?
2.) My pH is too low (7.4) and my phosphate is too high (3.0) any help is appreciated. I’m running some GFO in my filtration and Kalkwasser in my ATO with no luck. I tested with an ATI kit.
3.) I had a massive cyano outbreak. Only thing that worked was chemiclean and it took care of it right away. Now I’ve got small bits of hair algae growing in random spots - should I use 12% hydrogen peroxide? Or work on my water parameters?

Stock:
- Lots of soft corals (toadstool leather, zoas, and mushrooms)
- One frogspawn
- One maroon clownfish, a Richmond’s wrasse, a neon blue cleaner goby, and a lawnmower blenny
- Chateo and red dragons breath macro algae

Filtration: LOTS of carbon, Chemipure blue, Seachem Matrix, Ammochips, Sponges and Fluval Clearmax Phosphate Remover

IMO having a lot of carbon, chemipure blue, and a phosphate remover is a little excessive. Surprised phos is still high with all of that. I use filter floss ontop of my chemipure elite bag, seachem matrix and purigen in my second chamber. I've always tried to keep it simple and consistent. I normally will remove the chemipure elite for a couple weeks at a time too. All my corals are content and grow at a decent rate, not crazy but enough. Dose reef roids and acropower two consecutive nights before my water changes, and dose h202 every other night at lights out. I also run a coral life air stone in my first chamber of my biocube for extra oxygen, it normally goes to the coral life protein skimmer. Just do some trial and error and record yourra phos and nitrate levels, as well as alk, calc daily intake from livestock. Happy reefing!

 

[mitch91175]

Cheap inexpensive solution to decrease your PO4 is to use Lanthanum Chloride. Used properly it will help you resolve your PO4 currently, but you have to identify the source. New rock could be leeching so you have that battle. If feeding coral foods a lot you add more PO4. Anything you feed will add PO4 at varying degrees.

If you are getting your water from the LFS, I'd recommend getting your own RODI unit. Will be one of the best investments you will make. Besides, a lot of LFS do not maintain their own units. You're better off with tap water than some of them out there.

With your algae issues, do not worry much about them they will subside with good husbandry. Try not to do too many things at once. You will have no idea of what worked best.

For feeding your fish, you have to understand what they are eating and introduce alternatives mixed in with what they eat. For instance, most Anthias like brine shrimp. Well that cost can add up. In a tank with Tangs and feeding them nori, the Anthias start to eat nori and no longer require daily feeding of brine shrimp or frozen food (helping decrease PO4 introduction into system).

 

[KHunter0622]

The water cloudiness was probably your tank re cycling and balancing itself from the original changes you made. The Chemipure is basically fighting a natural tank. Some people want a spotless tank with crystal clear water and end up chasing numbers constantly, using all kinds of tech and mech and chems. Others want a bit more natural of a solution and don’t mind a more natural look letting the tank find a nice balance. In the future instead of adding chemipure just do a water change. No hurry on it either. 1-3 days is fine to start tackling the cloudiness. If it’s still cloudy after 2-3 days do another water change. If you are really jonesing to do something besides a water change just throw some polyfill in and let the tank balance. As your live rock, sand bed and matrix establish it’ll get easier and easier. Nature finds a way. Constant changes no mater how small makes the tank not know what to do. Good luck.

 

[AmaleeC]

So, for future reference, what do you suggest I keep in my filter? Just the matrix and bio balls?

I’m really trying NOT to chase numbers. I know pH swings throughout the day and phosphates will be a constant battle so I’m not worried too much about them. But I want stability as much as possible and to let the tank stabilize on its own. It may take time but in the long run, but it’ll save me time and money to let nature take its course. I hate the idea of additives and chemicals, but I’m open to them if need be. Like when I had added Chemi-Clean to rid of the cyano issue I had before and one of Dr. Tim’s products to battle some white sludge that I was dealing with.

P.S thank you @mitch91175 for suggesting lanthanum chloride and @Tyler Miceli for giving your opinion! I appreciate all of the help I can get.

 

[KHunter0622]

Yes just the Matrix and Bio balls. ‍ Google European Salt Water Tanks. They think we are crazy with all the stuff we do. Keep the Matrix and Bio Balls in a bunch of mesh bags and once every month or three pull them out and give them a good shake in some tank water during a water change.

If you are having some company come overthrow some poly fill or a filter sock in there to polish the water, and then take it out within about three days.

Chemi-Clean and the occasional remediation treatments are fine.

Clean up crew is huge for a more natural tank. Think 1 per gallonish. Trochus, Nassarius, Hermits, an Emerald Crab or two. Load them up and get more as they life cycle. Once you are nice and dirty grab a small clam or starfish.

Once you’ve stabilized take your test kit and throw it in the trash. . A 25% water change once a week with some decent salt such as Reef Crystals will keep everything where it needs to be.

Super low maintenance is possible. It just depends what you are looking for.

 

[mitch91175]

So, for future reference, what do you suggest I keep in my filter? Just the matrix and bio balls?

I’m really trying NOT to chase numbers. I know pH swings throughout the day and phosphates will be a constant battle so I’m not worried too much about them. But I want stability as much as possible and to let the tank stabilize on its own. It may take time but in the long run, but it’ll save me time and money to let nature take its course. I hate the idea of additives and chemicals, but I’m open to them if need be. Like when I had added Chemi-Clean to rid of the cyano issue I had before and one of Dr. Tim’s products to battle some white sludge that I was dealing with.

P.S thank you @mitch91175 for suggesting lanthanum chloride and @Tyler Miceli for giving your opinion! I appreciate all of the help I can get.

Hey even if you are trying to chase numbers at least you know you have an objective for you system for stability. Do not buy into the not chasing numbers that some may try to convince you that it is bad.

It's all about the numbers, just not precision. You want to remain within certain ranges for your parameters that you test. When you are out of range, you react appropriately, but not over-react.

I keep Chemi-clean on hand and use it whenever is needed. I do not even do the water changes after the time period has lapsed. Just let it get skimmed out with everything else. Not saying that your system can handle not doing a water change after, you just have to know your system.

 

[AmaleeC]

Just wanted to update everyone on this:
I went on vacation for a few days and while I was away, magic happened. My pH is now at a perfect 8.3, salinity is perfect 1.025, and the cloudiness? I came home, turning the lighting to the white daytime spectrum, and realized it’s a phytoplankton bloom. I bought a UV sterilizer to clear the water. Thank you all for your help!