Zombie tank, can it be saved

[Mr_Knightley]

Anyone able to explain phosphate levels to me in a simple way. Currently my tank is reading .01. I assume it has to be ok since I had all that hair algae I just removed. Should I try to raise phosphate to the typically suggested .03? Or leave it alone since things seem to be growing ok? I’m sure the corals would love a shot of reef roids since they haven’t been target fed in forever.

The numbers don't matter as much as the balance between NO3 and PO4. The long accepted ratio was 16/1, but has recently been refuted. The new ratio is closer to 100/1 N/P. Reef builders has a new article about this topic, it's a really good read.
So if I were in your position, I would try to manage my nitrate to keep it 100 times higher than your phosphate through feeding or dosing. 100 times in this case would be 10.

 

[Sticker shock]

The numbers don't matter as much as the balance between NO3 and PO4. The long accepted ratio was 16/1, but has recently been refuted. The new ratio is closer to 100/1 N/P. Reef builders has a new article about this topic, it's a really good read.
So if I were in your position, I would try to manage my nitrate to keep it 100 times higher than your phosphate through feeding or dosing. 100 times in this case would be 10.

I'm guessing my nitrate is higher than 10, however I don't have much of a bioload for a 75 gallon. Getting a new nitrate test in the next couple days so I can get a good read on that.

 

[Sticker shock]

the glass has been growing some powdery looking substance. It comes off super easy but grows back very quick. Possible diatoms? It’s not showing on the sand bed but that has been getting pretty stirred up. I only have a few snails for a clean up crew, but an astrea is either eating it or wiping it off as it move through it

 

[Sticker shock]

About two weeks in to my tank rehab and things definitely look better. I'm just not sure I can get these aiptasia under control without the help of Berghia. The only thing stopping me is the price of a crew and the likelihood of them escaping the attentions of my wrasse. I was thinking I could set up a simple 20 gallon with a hob for the wrasse while I let the Berghia do their thing. I figure this will only cost me about $50 to setup. Think the wrasse would be able to handle this for a couple months? Much smaller than he is used to, but I think it may be my best bet.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Keep up the good work! Can't wait to see the day the tank looks like a brand-new tank

 

[Reefing102]

About two weeks in to my tank rehab and things definitely look better. I'm just not sure I can get these aiptasia under control without the help of Berghia. The only thing stopping me is the price of a crew and the likelihood of them escaping the attentions of my wrasse. I was thinking I could set up a simple 20 gallon with a hob for the wrasse while I let the Berghia do their thing. I figure this will only cost me about $50 to setup. Think the wrasse would be able to handle this for a couple months? Much smaller than he is used to, but I think it may be my best bet.

I think he would be fine as a temporary home. I forget what kind of wrasse you said, but if it’s a sand dweller, I’d just be sure you have a sand bed for him to bury in.

 

[Sticker shock]

I think he would be fine as a temporary home. I forget what kind of wrasse you said, but if it’s a sand dweller, I’d just be sure you have a sand bed for him to bury in.

Yes, I'd be giving a nice sand bed. She eats everything even pellets, so I'm not worried about a lack of pods. But I might just find a spot for a tank and start getting it ready.

 

[Sticker shock]

Well, just a public service notice. Rock Flowers can catch and eat peppermint shrimp. That is all.

 

[Sticker shock]

Check out this coral just below the BTA (think it was/is a Superman monti). I thought it might be dead, but I can see some color just starting to come back into it on the edges. I’ll try to remember to update as it progresses

 

[Sticker shock]

I finally decided to give the berghias a try. watching my peppermint shrimp get eaten pretty much sealed the deal. There‘s just no way manual removal can get them all. The best option for me seems to be @Dinkins Aquatic Gardens . I placed an order today ( I screwed up and missed out on their end of summer sale). These berghia have their work cut out for them.

 

[Sticker shock]

I'm still using a canister filter, but got sick of the scum at the top of the water so I took off the intake strainer and the pipe that connected it, and added an overflow box. So now the hose is just sitting in that overflow and sucking up all scum. Huge improvement that pretty much only I notice. It was something that has been bothering me since I set up the tank.

Here's another dirty little secret...I've done everything with tap water so far as my RODI was not set up. Got that done today and surprisingly the TDS is at 1. Not bad for sitting for 2 years unused.

So things look good so far closing in on 3 weeks.
New round of tests:
pH - 8
NO3 - looks around 10 definitely less than 25 (hard to read salifert)
PO4 - .12
Mg - 1320
ALK - 8.0
Ca - 455

 

[pygo1]

Oh rough for sure. A sea hare would help the algae problem as would some turbo snails! For aptasia you could do those or look into a molly miller blenny, filefish, copperband butterfly (harder to keep) or a klieni butterfly! I actually have a molly miller by accident and a kleini butterfly, doing good eating the aptasia for sure!

I'm late to this post but.. how's the molly miller blenny doing? I just saw them in the LFS for the first time, never heard of them in all my years in the hobby. I want a blenny for the tank, and something that eats aiptasia would be a big win. But, I'm curious if they can be trained on pellets too

 

[littlefoxx]

I'm late to this post but.. how's the molly miller blenny doing? I just saw them in the LFS for the first time, never heard of them in all my years in the hobby. I want a blenny for the tank, and something that eats aiptasia would be a big win. But, I'm curious if they can be trained on pellets too

I actually have two that popped up in my tank lol and yeah they are good with aptasia! Mine seem to eat the frozen more, they are tiny and the basic pellet seems too big for their mouth! Theres one next to my midas blenny’s head is tiny too! Very cute and fun little dudes now that I know that I have them!

 

[pygo1]

I actually have two that popped up in my tank lol and yeah they are good with aptasia! Mine seem to eat the frozen more, they are tiny and the basic pellet seems too big for their mouth! Theres one next to my midas blenny’s head is tiny too! Very cute and fun little dudes now that I know that I have them!

lol awesome! I might just have to go back and grab one

 

[Sticker shock]

I actually have two that popped up in my tank lol and yeah they are good with aptasia! Mine seem to eat the frozen more, they are tiny and the basic pellet seems too big for their mouth! Theres one next to my midas blenny’s head is tiny too! Very cute and fun little dudes now that I know that I have them!

I wish I could have gone this route, but I've read they'll eat rock flowers just as readily as aiptasia.

 

[pygo1]

I wish I could have gone this route, but I've read they'll eat rock flowers just as readily as aiptasia.

Oooo dang I just picked up a rock flower nem… guess no blenny for me then

 

[Sticker shock]

Oooo dang I just picked up a rock flower nem… guess no blenny for me then

I have no first hand experience on that, so who knows. Could have been a rogue fish. I'm sure a lot of people keep rock flowers with peppermint shrimp and don't have issues, but in my tank it didn't work.

 

[littlefoxx]

I wish I could have gone this route, but I've read they'll eat rock flowers just as readily as aiptasia.

Oooo dang I just picked up a rock flower nem… guess no blenny for me then

Ive never hear that they do that! Ive got rock flowers in that tank with them and have never seen them mess with them at ll

 

[Sticker shock]

Ive never hear that they do that! Ive got rock flowers in that tank with them and have never seen them mess with them at ll

That's great. Personally I was scared away from them when I was researching them. Like I said I never had one in my tank so I don't have the first hand experience.

 

[littlefoxx]

That's great. Personally I was scared away from them when I was researching them. Like I said I never had one in my tank so I don't have the first hand experience.

Yeah I did some research after mine showed up but they seem to be great fish and well behaved! Cool hitch hiker for me lol