Everything closed after water change

[thisguy1]

Hey need some help. I have a 15 gallon innovative marine tank filled with a few corals and bubble tips. Now my tank is also filled with hair algae I’ve been battle for awhile. Thursday I removed a good amount of hair algae basically half still got a lot to remove. I had to do a 4-5 gallon water change to get all of the detached algae out I usually just do a 2 gallon water change weekly. But I also decided this would be a good time to start mixing my own water for the first time which I did, my temperature was the exact same, salinity was the same, and the salt completely dissolved it was mixing for 2ish hours. But after the water change everything has been closed up. I’m currently at work and can’t test but my wife is taking some water to my lfs to get tested and I’ll update later.
My phosphate and nitrates are usually 0 but I’m guessing it’s because of the hair algae consuming it, and I’ve been wanting to dose phosphates and nitrates but haven’t since I don’t want to feed the alage. Want to get the algae somewhat under control and small enough so my snails can keep it in check plus plan on getting a turbo snail. Here’s my water parameters before the change:
pH 8.4
Temp 79
Salinity 1.023
Nitrite: 0
Ammonia: 0
Nitrate: 0
Ca: 450
Phosphate: 0
Alkalinity: 8

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Closed up for how long? Minutes, hours, days?

 

[thisguy1]

Closed up for how long? Minutes, hours, days?

It’s going on day two. My bubble tips most moved but I moved my powerhead to blow up any remaining algae

 

[ClownSchool]

Doing large water changes cause the nutrient crashes you are currently showing with nitrates and phosphates zero’d out.
That will cause worse problems than GHA. It’ll cause coral death, cyano, Dino’s, to name a few.
You can always combat GHA by reducing your light schedule.
You need to boost feeding, or supplement with phosphate and nitrate dosing.
You’ll also get really dialed in trace element numbers on a tank that size by doing an 16 ounce, daily water change. It will reduce temperature swings, as well.

Good luck!!!

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Your salinity is low and the temperature is high. Algae likes warm water, I keep my tanks at 76.

Personally I agree with your resistance to dose nutrients, if algae is growing rampant then the water has nutrients, algae can't grow without excess nutrients.

If you can post a pic it will help, but I don't think the water change had anything to do with the corals closing, not if you matched the temp and salinity. I do 5 gallon changes on my 15 every week, and I don't even match the temperature, I've never had any problem.

 

[wasabi bean]

Could it also be that when you started mixing your own you used a different salt mix to the lfs, i believe different companies are all slightly different such as red sea having higher alkalinity so could that have changed your parameters quick significantly with a 33% water change like you did?

 

[thisguy1]

Doing large water changes cause the nutrient crashes you are currently showing with nitrates and phosphates zero’d out.
That will cause worse problems than GHA. It’ll cause coral death, cyano, Dino’s, to name a few.
You can always combat GHA by reducing your light schedule.
You need to boost feeding, or supplement with phosphate and nitrate dosing.
You’ll also get really dialed in trace element numbers on a tank that size by doing an 16 ounce, daily water change. It will reduce temperature swings, as well.

Good luck!!!

Your salinity is low and the temperature is high. Algae likes warm water, I keep my tanks at 76.

Personally I agree with your resistance to dose nutrients, if algae is growing rampant then the water has nutrients, algae can't grow without excess nutrients.

If you can post a pic it will help, but I don't think the water change had anything to do with the corals closing, not if you matched the temp and salinity. I do 5 gallon changes on my 15 every week, and I don't even match the temperature, I've never had any problem.

Could it also be that when you started mixing your own you used a different salt mix to the lfs, i believe different companies are all slightly different such as red sea having higher alkalinity so could that have changed your parameters quick significantly with a 33% water change like you did?

Sorry currently at work. My wife took a sample to my lfs they basically said my salt is low by 1.022 but I’ll add pics as well. I currently only do 2 gallon water changes weekly for that tank and feed my two fish daily, and feed the anemones twice a week. I’m using the same salt as my lfs I’m using the Red Sea salt blue bucket. I’m planning on getting more hair algae out Monday but now not sure and might wait, and might still wait upon dosing as well. The pics are my results from my lfs

 

[thisguy1]

Your salinity is low and the temperature is high. Algae likes warm water, I keep my tanks at 76.

Personally I agree with your resistance to dose nutrients, if algae is growing rampant then the water has nutrients, algae can't grow without excess nutrients.

If you can post a pic it will help, but I don't think the water change had anything to do with the corals closing, not if you matched the temp and salinity. I do 5 gallon changes on my 15 every week, and I don't even match the temperature, I've never had any problem.

Also I can post a pic when I get off work in the morning