can you guys give me ideas on how to fix my tank?

[aidancoby13]

I keep the lights on for 6 hours a day and do weekly 30% water changes

 

[T-J]

Can you tell us more about your setup?
Tank parameters? Age of tank? Skimmer?
Off the bat it looks like you have cyano, and possibly dinos and/or algae. I also see that the surface of the water is dirty, may want to get a surface skimmer.

 

[aidancoby13]

Can you tell us more about your setup?
Tank parameters? Age of tank? Skimmer?
Off the bat it looks like you have cyano, and possibly dinos and/or algae. I also see that the surface of the water is dirty, may want to get a surface skimmer.

my tank is about 3 years old and I have the fluval ps2 skimmer. I don't have a test kit to check the parameters. when I took my water to get tested at a local fish store they said it was healthy and that was about a week and a half ago

 

[FishyFishFish]

I would invest in some test kits if you can afford it. You don't need to go mad, most of the Salifert ones are quite good and not too expensive.

I see you have a few snails and a couple of clowns. Is there anything else in there?

Do you have any closer shots of the rockwork?

What is the substrate? It looks like 2 different types of sand on top of each other. Ideally I would prefer the sand depth to be more uniform, but I'd be careful of stirring it all up now as you might release some nasties.

I hate to do this, as this subject drives me mad, but I think @brandon429 might have some suggestions for this one

 

[flagg37]

my tank is about 3 years old and I have the fluval ps2 skimmer. I don't have a test kit to check the parameters. when I took my water to get tested at a local fish store they said it was healthy and that was about a week and a half ago

I don’t know that I’d go back to them if that’s what they told you. It’s practically meaningless. Did he say what he even tested? You definitely need to be testing things like salinity, alk, nitrates, and phosphates yourself.

 

[Susan Edwards]

def. need test kits. even api which is cheap and easier to use for no3 and ca. Better than nothing. I use api for no3 and ca, hanna for alk and po4.

I think you def need more flow at the surface. Should be a nice ripple going on. How many powerheads? Maybe add 1 or 2 more pointed up to stir the surface and the another 1 or 2 pointed at the rocks or from front to back.

I'd also start slowly siphoning the sandbed. Slowly. Maybe do 1 section a week. After you get your sandbed done, you need to rake/stir/blast daily or at least every 2 or 3 days. Again you can rotate by sections. I'm using a rake in mine every 2-3 days.

I think without knowing your numbers, flow is your obvious big issue and your first priority of things to fix. Then testing yourself. Your lfs should have at least told you what the numbers are. In this hobby, you have to be in charge and know what is going on.

Hope you can get more flow going

 

[aidancoby13]

I would invest in some test kits if you can afford it. You don't need to go mad, most of the Salifert ones are quite good and not too expensive.

I see you have a few snails and a couple of clowns. Is there anything else in there?

Do you have any closer shots of the rockwork?

What is the substrate? It looks like 2 different types of sand on top of each other. Ideally I would prefer the sand depth to be more uniform, but I'd be careful of stirring it all up now as you might release some nasties.

I hate to do this, as this subject drives me mad, but I think @brandon429 might have some suggestions for this one

A yellow watchman goby and a peppermint shrimp. Its the same type of sand, it just dirty underneath.

 

[aidancoby13]

I don’t know that I’d go back to them if that’s what they told you. It’s practically meaningless. Did he say what he even tested? You definitely need to be testing things like salinity, alk, nitrates, and phosphates yourself.

No he just said that the water quality looks good. I will for sure be looking into getting my own kit.

 

[aidancoby13]

def. need test kits. even api which is cheap and easier to use for no3 and ca. Better than nothing. I use api for no3 and ca, hanna for alk and po4.

I think you def need more flow at the surface. Should be a nice ripple going on. How many powerheads? Maybe add 1 or 2 more pointed up to stir the surface and the another 1 or 2 pointed at the rocks or from front to back.

I'd also start slowly siphoning the sandbed. Slowly. Maybe do 1 section a week. After you get your sandbed done, you need to rake/stir/blast daily or at least every 2 or 3 days. Again you can rotate by sections. I'm using a rake in mine every 2-3 days.

I think without knowing your numbers, flow is your obvious big issue and your first priority of things to fix. Then testing yourself. Your lfs should have at least told you what the numbers are. In this hobby, you have to be in charge and know what is going on.

Hope you can get more flow going

I have only one power head in my tank. do you think that having 2 power head in the fluval 13.5 is ok?

 

[Sleeping Giant]

Needs a good, deep vacuuming, toothbrush scrubbing and test kits including a salinity meter.

 

[dvgyfresh]

Need test kits, hard to help without knowing parameters. Part of me thinks yr tank is too clean allowing ugly algae / Dino’s but idk 30% water change weekly is a lot! Maybe cut back to once every two weeks you have a low bioload

 

[Fredinva]

Needs a good, deep vacuuming, toothbrush scrubbing and test kits including a salinity meter.

Dont be too harsh against your LFS. When my lfs says my parameters are good, I know exactly what he means, and I trust him. I know the ammonia is 0, nitrite 0, nitrate less than 10, ph 8.0 to 8.3., etc.
I've got a hanna for salinity. Thus, back to him I go.

 

[Susan Edwards]

I have only one power head in my tank. do you think that having 2 power head in the fluval 13.5 is ok?

You could do 2-4 depending on how strong they are. you can do one at each end and 2 on back wall. You need 2 wavemakers just to keep the surface agitated. At least get 1 more in there pointed up to stir the surface on the opposite side. If it were me, I'd do 3. Amazon the jebao's w-25's I think are not that expensive and they are controllable

 

[GHOSTLY]

I keep the lights on for 6 hours a day and do weekly 30% water changes

Lower nutrients

 

[s14y3r]

Last time my tank look like this is when i use tap water for mixing salt. Maybe just maybe.

 

[MaxTremors]

Dont be too harsh against your LFS. When my lfs says my parameters are good, I know exactly what he means, and I trust him. I know the ammonia is 0, nitrite 0, nitrate less than 10, ph 8.0 to 8.3., etc.
I've got a hanna for salinity. Thus, back to him I go.

Most people with established aquariums don’t test for ammonia and nitrite, and for all of the other parameters (Alk, cal, mag, PO4, NO3) knowing the value doesn’t tell you a whole lot, the employee telling you that your parameters are ‘good’ is completely meaningless. It’s not like the lfs is logging and tracking your test results for you, they don’t know if your parameters are stable, which is far more important than the actual values. In my opinion, it is unethical to be keeping corals without having the ability to test your water yourself, you need to know where you parameters are and more importantly where they are over time (ie how stable they are). Without being able to test yourself, you are unable to troubleshoot, to ensure that anything you’re dosing is at the proper level, and unable to monitor any changes you make.

 

[aidancoby13]

Last time my tank look like this is when i use tap water for mixing salt. Maybe just maybe.

I buy premix for water changes and use rodi for top ups

 

[aidancoby13]

Most people with established aquariums don’t test for ammonia and nitrite, and for all of the other parameters (Alk, cal, mag, PO4, NO3) knowing the value doesn’t tell you a whole lot, the employee telling you that your parameters are ‘good’ is completely meaningless. It’s not like the lfs is logging and tracking your test results for you, they don’t know if your parameters are stable, which is far more important than the actual values. In my opinion, it is unethical to be keeping corals without having the ability to test your water yourself, you need to know where you parameters are and more importantly where they are over time (ie how stable they are). Without being able to test yourself, you are unable to troubleshoot, to ensure that anything you’re dosing is at the proper level, and unable to monitor any changes you make

how often are you supposed to test your water?

 

[outhouse]

I keep the lights on for 6 hours a day and do weekly 30% water changes

Good on water changes. As far as lighting, which lights and how much intensity? Looks really bright. I run 8 hours blue and 6 hours white. I have intensity turned way down and the coral loves it. As far as your cyano you cab use chemi clean, and just use a light dose twice and turn skimmer off for a weak. For algae, you can use vibrant, your tank well enough established, it will do you wonders. Use marine tank stuff, not the reef stuff.

 

[aidancoby13]

Good on water changes. As far as lighting, which lights and how much intensity? Looks really bright. I run 8 hours blue and 6 hours white. I have intensity turned way down and the coral loves it. As far as your cyano you cab use chemi clean, and just use a light dose twice and turn skimmer off for a weak. For algae, you can use vibrant, your tank well enough established, it will do you wonders. Use marine tank stuff, not the reef stuff.

i use the basic light that comes with the 13.5 fluval tank