"Ugly tank syndrome"

[chevy4w]

Need your expertise help! This has been on my overflow for a long time. I'm not sure if it's a contributing factor in the "ugly tank syndrome" i've been experiencing lately. Seems like this week the rocks are turning a brownish/black in some spots. ???
I have been loosing coral one by one from stn. Something is wrong with the tank and I just can't seem to figure it out.
Parameters are all in range/water changes are consistent.
Is it an algae?
Thanks to anyone who offers help.

Bill

 

[steelheader.262]

What are you using for filtration and are you using RO/DI water ???

 

[steelheader.262]

Can we get a full tank shot to see how everything else is doing ???

 

[chevy4w]

Here are more pictures of the tank. I'm using the Aqueon Proflex 3 Berlin method.(2 sump socks, skimmer and return pump).

 

[steelheader.262]

Maybe try adding carbon.

 

[kbourque]

Have you tested for phosphates?

 

[Suicideissleep]

Add more flow to main tank and make ur middle chamber on that proflex a fuge for more nutrient export maybe run a gfo/carbon reactor

Ps tank dont look bad it looks pretty good

 

[chevy4w]

Thanks for the input. I run carbon/gfo 24/7 in a BRS dual reactor. Phosphate readings have been 0 for a long time. (not surprised as I feel that "stuff" on the overflow is some kind of algae)As for flow I could throw another circulation pump in there but I think I have fairly good flow now.
I have been thinking of putting a refugium in the middle section. I'm gonna give that a try.
Thanks Suicideissleep for the compliment...appreciate it.

 

[stiltman]

Hey Bill, glad to see you're still around. Tank is looking good.

 

[chevy4w]

Yup, still around! Not ready to quit just yet!
Thanks for the compliment, however I know my aquarium can(and will)look better. I also have to figure out why I can grow a coral for so long and then for reasons unknown to me they die from stn.
'Tis a very challenging hobby but I love it.

 

[brandon429]

Your algae is indicative only of no matching grazer counterpart imo

The formerly algae prone area will slowly be replaced by coralline which is allelopathic to algae at times, or corals as they grow in and take up that light, physical non nutrient changes can affect that algae too.

The fact its on the walls and sand area and not an issue on that busy reefy live rock speaks volumes. It takes up shop where business is low, space competition is low, janitoring is low, and bright vital space is open. Physical cause. What's keeping it off the rocks?

Its on the left back wall where the light focus is bright, and not on the rear right wall where its dim. Not under the corals on your live rock, where its dim. Patterns






I see the STN mentioned as potentially separate from the low lying algae issue, and we tend to look for high alk, bright lighting and low suspended feed (attempts to prevent algae by easy feeding) in STN and RTN cases first in my opinion. We get good tissue recession fixes by reversing the high alk bright light low suspended feed condition especially if recession is found in pattern spots in the tank (led focal points for ex)

 

[brandon429]

I have always wondered when diving why did I see green hair algae and some macro algae around the brain corals and sps in a totally balanced and not overtaking setting, yet tons of happy tangs nipping and cleaning? Doesn't that mean a reef tank that cannot grow low lying algae is abnormal?

 

[IronVulture]

Looks good to me maybe in need of an urchin and some more snails but definitely not an out of control algae outbreak imo

 

[ReefMadScientist]

I see very few snails and crabs. Get a good clean up crew.

 

[imustbenuts]

I am no expert. I was having trouble with cyano/diatoms. I'm not certain exactly which or both. I decided to start vacuuming the sand bed. I know several say don't touch the sand bed but I knew the nutrients in the water column were coming from somewhere. I'd always tried to introduce sps but had no luck keeping them. The only sps I could keep were monti cap. However, they even looked terrible but survived. I vacuumed all the sand. I don't recommend this. I would do only a 1/4 of the sand at a time. It released too much crud into the water and my Zoas started to disintegrate. Also, the monti's started to bleach. After the vacuum I did 30% water change and replaced the GFO and carbon. Did another 30% WC a couple days later and another a couple days after that. Waited a couple more days and vacuumed the sand again. Did a 20% WC right after and changed out the GFO and carbon again. I started noticing the monti caps were coloring up and getting thicker. Before the skeleton would grow but was very thin and the colors were washed out and dull. My green monti was more of a yellow. It's been less than a month since I vacuumed the sand for the first time and have done a couple more 15% WCs and the tank is looking much better. The glass is being cleaned of algae once a week instead of every couple of days. I don't see the cyano/diatoms like they were. Not all gone yet but do see positive progress. The monti's were looking so good I decided to put in an acro, mili, and stylo to see what happens. It's going on 2 weeks and no signs of RTN or STN yet. I know that's not very long but every time I tried before RTN or STN showed the next day and the frags were gone within a week. I will continue vacuuming the sand once a month and change out the GFO and carbon at the same time. I will continue with weekly 15% WC. My tank just looks healthier. Wanted to share what has seemed to help me. Hope I haven't jinxed myself. Good luck!

 

[chevy4w]

Thanks everyone for the input. A lot of food for thought! Awesome.

 

[Triggreef]

What is your output TDS of your ro?

There can be things in excess that test kits can't test for. I would start with a triton test. If nothing else it's piece of mind. I really feel like your throwing darts in the dark without that. My tank has never looked better since I began using triton products. The dosing is easier, and I barely test anymore because it seldom changes. It also opened my eyes to heavy metals, and how they build up over time. I have been using there detox product every 3 to 4 months in order to keep several metals out completely and if you spend some quality time to look through other people's test, you'll see they are common.

Just my .02 -- I should probably just copy/paste this post because I say it a lot.

 

[chevy4w]

Thanks Triggreef, I"ll look into the Triton products.

My TDS meter tells me I have 0 TDS when I"m making ro/di water. I hope it's not lying to me!!

First thing I did was I went out and got a good cuc. Was definitely needed. They are working hard.

Question: Are Sea Veggies(Julian Sprung)green seaweed a form of nutrients?

 

[Triggreef]

Not sure what your asking. If you add it to the tank, eaten or uneaten, it will decay and be a source of nutrients just like any other food source.

0 tds is good. I had a reading of 1 or 2 tds and my freshly mixed saltwater (yes I sent freshly made saltwater to triton) still contained a small (but registrable) amount of copper and zinc if I recall correctly.