What else i can test? feel something wrong but couldn't figure out

[balajeek15]

70g DT, 91g whole, running for 3 years.
Just 3 months before my tank looked beautiful and a centerpiece conversation for all the guest that sees.

I check all parameters every week, dosing brs kh and ca, once a week RedSea AB's

Don't know what happen, had cyno bacteria bloom, tried my best to control naturally, couldn't do it, then started hairy green alage, couldn't control either, lot of hours spend plucking by hand few times. sps covered by those hairy alage are gone. Now corals like aussie torch, flower annemone, mushrooms, some polyps, ricardio and more does not seem well, not much expansions or colors.

Today PO4 reading showed 0.13, Added BRS GFO, Changed 50% water just 2 weeks ago. Use Ro/DI water, output on the meter shows 1 or 2ppm

Cyno and hairy alage does not seem to stop.
I added some snails, two pincussion urchins, one sea hare to tackle those alage, but its very slow and not even sure if there are doing their job.

I am really fed up now, once a beautiful tank now looking all aquascape messed up, dull corals.

What else i can do? any advice.

Is it worth a restart, saving those corals.

 

[Just a Wrasse.]

Look up water testing in your area. A month ago I sent my water to Germany and they had over 400 different tests done on it!

 

[balajeek15]

Look up water testing in your area. A month ago I sent my water to Germany and they had over 400 different tests done on it!

Yes I was doing that once every 6 or 8 months, and nothing really they pointed a issue. Will have to do one more anyway.
I am debating is it worth trying to fix this or start fresh.

 

[Just a Wrasse.]

Yes I was doing that once every 6 or 8 months, and nothing really they pointed a issue. Will have to do one more anyway.
I am debating is it worth trying to fix this or start fresh.

For a 90g you have a very small clean up crew. And a few hermits, turbos and a few other, they will remove the algae problem but you just don't have enough of them

 

[balajeek15]

For a 90g you have a very small clean up crew. And a few hermits, turbos and a few other, they will remove the algae problem but you just don't have enough of them

Clean up is one thing, but i am trying to figure the core issue so i could handle them.
btw, when i use to have a lot of hermits and snails, but as of now when i count up i have 3 hermits, may be 5 snails,5 tongos, plus i did mention the recent addition of two urchins and one sea hare slug.
I don't want to put snails to die if there is something wrong that i need to tackle first.

 

[Just a Wrasse.]

Clean up is one thing, but i am trying to figure the core issue so i could handle them.
btw, when i use to have a lot of hermits and snails, but as of now when i count up i have 3 hermits, may be 5 snails,5 tongos, plus i did mention the recent addition of two urchins and one sea hare slug.
I don't want to put snails to die if there is something wrong that i need to tackle first.

How often do you change the filters on your Ro/Di?

 

[balajeek15]

How often do you change the filters on your Ro/Di?

based on the tds meter result or the color change of the DI resin, i change them, usually once a year
The recent change of membrane and DI resin is about 6 months ago.

 

[MaxTremors]

You should be getting 0 TDS on your RODI, so you likely need to change your filter cartridges/membrane. Also, you may want to do weekly water changes until your tank is back in order. What are your nitrates, and are the rest of your parameters stable. Also, what kind of lights are you using (and what kind of spectrum if your light is adjustable)?

 

[balajeek15]

You should be getting 0 TDS on your RODI, so you likely need to change your filter cartridges/membrane. Also, you may want to do weekly water changes until your tank is back in order. What are your nitrates, and are the rest of your parameters stable. Also, what kind of lights are you using (and what kind of spectrum if your light is adjustable)?

NO3=3, nyos
CA=350, RedSea
KH=9.7, Hanna
PO4=0.12, Hanna
Salinity = 34ppt Hanna/apex
Temp: 77-78, Hanna/apex

Lights, 3 Hydra 26 HD, spectrum use to be 60blue/30white, recently changed to bule'ish by 90blue/20white, 4 hr ramp from 8am to 8pm, so the peak is from 12 to 4pm.

Entire system is controlled by neptune apex systems.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

How clean are your rocks and gravel? If you pointed a powerhead at either would there be a lot of debris everywhere?

 

[balajeek15]

How clean are your rocks and gravel? If you pointed a powerhead at either would there be a lot of debris everywhere?

Yes, i could see debris flying around at full speed of my WAV but it does not get water cloudy. I also want to mention, in the sump its just opposite if i take a piece of rock from refugium, the water gets cloudy.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

The benefits of more pristine conditions in a confined space like our tanks go beyond good testing numbers. Like fish living longer and nuisance algaes not gaining a foothold, coral health and overall appearance. A clean sump is a happier tank as well. Syphoning out your fuge, gravel/sand vac dt, turkey baste your aquascape. GHA don’t like disruptions like the previous suggestions but also a large cuc, constant manually pulling out, changing socks every 3 days (BRS Investigates) gfo, phos gaurd, phos pads etc. water changes. They really are effective. Simple “cause and effect”

 

[balajeek15]

The benefits of more pristine conditions in a confined space like our tanks go beyond good testing numbers. Like fish living longer and nuisance algaes not gaining a foothold, coral health and overall appearance. A clean sump is a happier tank as well. Syphoning out your fuge, gravel/sand vac dt, turkey baste your aquascape. GHA don’t like disruptions like the previous suggestions but also a large cuc, constant manually pulling out, changing socks every 3 days (BRS Investigates) gfo, phos gaurd, phos pads etc. water changes. They really are effective. Simple “cause and effect”

Well i guess i have to alot a day then to get it clean

 

[Pkunk35]

Just trying to add some thoughts to the convo,

something fueling that algae, I would start with cleaning the sump as said and seeing the results, could be a nutrient sink for you. If you have a sand bed siphon it, mine gets so nasty.

maybe look at your feeding habit too. Your nitrate looks low/phosphate looks high so my first thought is nutrient is imbalanced to the needs of the tank. Maybe more of an accumulation since the tank is mature?

in these cases I like to manually remove as much algae/crud as possible, slightly adjust habits, see results for a week or until action is needed again, then repeat if necessary

gl! Don’t tear it down yet!

 

[Glenner’sreef]

A good indicator of your succeeding is the hair algae itself will begin to change in appearance. It won’t look as vibrant. Sometimes looking like dreadlocks. And it will be easier to pull out as the weeks go by as well. It could easily take 2 months to 90 days. But you’ll see things change. But do all of the above. Cuc and gfo should be working on this day and night while you’re sleeping or at work. Then you do the other things and together…. Victory!

 

[balajeek15]

Sounds like a plan:
I moved the 4 fishes to smaller tank temporarily.
this weekend i will start pulling out algae by hand as much i can on the rocks, clean sand bed, and finally clean the sump completely.
Never had filter sock, looks like i need to setup one.
will keep you posted. thank you.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

Sounds like a plan:
I moved the 4 fishes to smaller tank temporarily.
this weekend i will start pulling out algae by hand as much i can on the rocks, clean sand bed, and finally clean the sump completely.
Never had filter sock, looks like i need to setup one.
will keep you posted. thank you.

Please keep me posted. Also totally your call on the filter socks. I thought maybe you had them? As long as you keep your sump clean, you’re good. Green hair algae hates pristine! Good luck!

 

[balajeek15]

Something tells me something wrong with water parameter or some other else unknown. I had aussie gold torch and its dead yesterday, flower annemone still in retracted state. In general corals does not seem the way it should be.

I am wondering may be i should try some major re-do
or wondering if i could a small QT setup and save the corals i have for now until my DT is ready, what do you think?

 

[Fish Think Pink]

Something tells me something wrong with water parameter or some other else unknown. I had aussie gold torch and its dead yesterday, flower annemone still in retracted state. In general corals does not seem the way it should be.

I am wondering may be i should try some major re-do
or wondering if i could a small QT setup and save the corals i have for now until my DT is ready, what do you think?

What is your magnesium? Maybe I'm overlooking but don't see it in post #9

Recently was told GHA hates high magnesium, but corals like high(er) range. Wondering if your magnesium started dropping, impacting both corals and GHA

 

[balajeek15]

What is your magnesium? Maybe I'm overlooking but don't see it in post #9

Recently was told GHA hates high magnesium, but corals like high(er) range. Wondering if your magnesium started dropping, impacting both corals and GHA

Mg, i don't test them every week like others. The last check using RedSea is on around 2 months ago which was 1200.

I will try do one tonight when i get home.