HLLE Getting Worse! Help!

[smd189]

I posted a few weeks ago about my yellow tang and the HLLE I’m dealing with. I was using GAC heavy and probably not rinsing good enough but not anymore. I’ve checked for stray voltage and found none. My nitrates are 0-2. I feed flakes, mysis, pelets, and green/purple nori daily. The tang eats a ton and is quite thick.
Over the last month, I removed all GAC and vacummed the sand several times. I’ve increased nori and add selcon and zoecon daily. Regardless of my efforts, the HLLE seems to be getting worse. Nothing wrong with fins but face and lateral line are expanding. I don’t know what else to do. I don’t expect everything to go away, but didn’t think it would continue to get worse. Any suggestions? Thank you.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Sorry - I think I was discussing this with you before, but not sure I explained fully....in many cases HLLE isn't reversible and it often gets worse even if you stop carbon. I've had the best success moving the fish to a new tank, one that has never had HLLE issues (no carbon, etc.).

Jay

 

[smd189]

Ugh! I think I will take him tomorrow to the guy I got him from to see if he can improve there. Can I expect it to pop up with any new tang I would bring home? Thanks.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Some tangs are more prone to it than others. Naso tangs are fine, I’ve never seen it on orange shoulder tangs. Hepatus tangs are bad, so are ocean surgeonfish.
Jay

 

[smd189]

Some tangs are more prone to it than others. Naso tangs are fine, I’ve never seen it on orange shoulder tangs. Hepatus tangs are bad, so are ocean surgeonfish.
Jay

Thanks again. So do you feel even if I add a new yellow tang and don’t go back to using GAC, the new tang will still get HLLE due to dust left in the tank from a month ago? Does the dust ever reduce after multiple siphonings? Thanks.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I had one system here that kept causing HLLE, until we stripped it and washed everything....we found a tiny little layer of carbon fines in the corner of the sump.
Jay

 

[smd189]

I had the bag of carbon sitting in corner of refugium. Most of the refugium has Seachem Matrix. I assume some dust/fines could have settled down below the matrix. I guess I will have to remove the matrix and vacuum the fug out. The rest of the sump has been vacuumed well since removing the carbon. Thanks again.

 

[smd189]

One more question. I have a layer of sand and then a layer or Miracle Mud under the Matrix. If I am going to vacuum the fug, I would remove the Matrix by hand to put back in but then shopvac out the sand and mud permanently. Then return the Matrix. Do you see any negative to removing the sand and mud. Could these two layers contain enough bacteria to crash anything considering the Matrix and DT sand and rock? Thank you.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Sorry - I've never disassembled a miracle mud filter before, so I can't forecast what the results might be. I do know that other people in the past have considered those a sink for carbon fines. You need to watch out for releasing anaerobic pockets when you pull out the mud...

Jay