How to properly clean a neglected aquarium?

[Zeal]

I'll admit, my original tank has taken a turn for the worse. I try as much as possible to try and keep it clean but it won't stay clean.

Long story short, my skimmer was dumping skimmate into the sump and I didn't know. Ever since that, I have not been able to keep it clean.

So tomorrow I'm planning on scraping the sides of the aquariums (they're filled with Coraline algae and a type of film algae/cyano that comes off in like a sheet...)

ill maybe throw some of the sand away because it's very dirty.

Now for the rocks, there's like a cyano of algae that I can suck off... I was thinking of taking the rock out are brushing off all the algae, I live in a condo so I can't use a hose to pressure clean the rocks.

The fish will go in a bucket for the time being with a bubbler...

Anything else I should do? Not looking forward to this task but it has to get done... I would like to get rid of the skimmer also, it's supposed to be a softie tank...

Edit: its a Red Sea 170, I want to do a 90% waterchange.. maybe 100%?

 

[AydenLincoln]

How neglected are we talking? You should do a large water change think 50% or more, clean off the glass, carefully siphon the sand, replace the filter/clean or replace the sponges, replace carbon or other media that needs to be replaced, and clean any detritus from any chambers/or the sump.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I think you have the right idea's, and sounds like you know what to do. Also sounds like stalling and procrastinating Been there, done that, I know how you feel.
Pick a day, get your buckets ready, and get it done.
Good luck and take some before and after pictures.

 

[Zeal]

I think you have the right idea's, and sounds like you know what to do. Also sounds like stalling and procrastinating Been there, done that, I know how you feel.
Pick a day, get your buckets ready, and get it done.
Good luck and take some before and after pictures.

of course! Ive done my research.

My waterbox tho.. is in perfect condition. Just trying to manage 2 tanks is a bit too much. I would get rid of this cube but the fact it has all my original fish its hard to let them go

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I hear you. I got 3 tanks going, and one's got to go, it becomes too much.

 

[Zeal]

I hear you. I got 3 tanks going, and one's got to go, it becomes too much.

I would give them away but Its hard to trust other people that these fihs wont be thrown in a 5g tank in some kids room or something. Before the skimmer leaked the tank was beautiful.

 

[Zeal]

How neglected are we talking? You should do a large water change think 50% or more, clean off the glass, carefully siphon the sand, replace the filter/clean or replace the sponges, replace carbon or other media that needs to be replaced, and clean any detritus from any chambers/or the sump.

The rocks need to have all the algae removed, the side glass needs to be scraped and siphoned. I think it really does need more than a 50% waterchange, the nutrients are forsure all out of wack.

 

[brandon429]

Algae Identification

Any opinions on what type of algae this is growing on my rocks and sand bed?

www.reef2reef.com

Study that, run it exactly on your tank

That's six different neglected reefs fixed all the same way

 

[Enderg60]

If youre going to do a full cleaning I would recommend removing each rock, shaking it off in a bucket of water and then scrubbing it in another bucket to get the algae off, another rinse and back in the tank.

 

[fish farmer]

Rip clean. But if your rock has bound phosphates it may take some time for those to decrease.

 

[Zeal]

Algae Identification

Any opinions on what type of algae this is growing on my rocks and sand bed?

www.reef2reef.com

Study that, run it exactly on your tank

That's six different neglected reefs fixed all the same way

So my issue isn't the sand itself, its the rocks.

If youre going to do a full cleaning I would recommend removing each rock, shaking it off in a bucket of water and then scrubbing it in another bucket to get the algae off, another rinse and back in the tank.

That was my idea I bought 2 new buekcts to do this. Should I rinse it in RODI? Or old salt water?

Rip clean. But if your rock has bound phosphates it may take some time for those to decrease.

Its a thick film but it blows off even with the lowst flow.

 

[brandon429]

You can see in the read, the tanks had destroyed rocks before the job started, be sure and read so you don’t miss details, put back a half clean tank, and get cyano for two years

do the sand and rocks as we do

 

[Tuan’s Reef]

Can we get a FTS before the rip clean? How bad is it really?

 

[Zeal]

Can we get a FTS before the rip clean? How bad is it really?

Yes, will get one now

 

[Zeal]

You can see in the read, the tanks had destroyed rocks before the job started, be sure and read so you don’t miss details, put back a half clean tank, and get cyano for two years

do the sand and rocks as we do

My issue doing this in a condo with almost 40 pounds of sand.

 

[fish farmer]

Yes, will get one now

So were things going well before the skimmer issue? Did other factors come into play like fewer WC's, etc?

My tank was a hairy mess for years, but when I got back into the wc routine and added a chaeto fuge, I got the tank back on track, but that was several months to a year.

 

[Zeal]

So were things going well before the skimmer issue? Did other factors come into play like fewer WC's, etc?

My tank was a hairy mess for years, but when I got back into the wc routine and added a chaeto fuge, I got the tank back on track, but that was several months to a year.

Can we get a FTS before the rip clean? How bad is it really?

I did a weekly 5G waterchange that’s is all.

and change the sock and what not. I stopped scraping the side glass which was a bad idea…

 

[Tuan’s Reef]

That does look pretty bad. I'd rip clean it.
I had 2 tanks before i moved. 1 would always get the most attention while the other was neglected. I was so happy when i got rid of it. Maintaining 1 tank is hard enough. lol

Maybe rehome the livestock into your main tank and sell this off.

 

[Zeal]

That does look pretty bad. I'd rip clean it.
I had 2 tanks before i moved. 1 would always get the most attention while the other was neglected. I was so happy when i got rid of it. Maintaining 1 tank is hard enough. lol

Maybe rehome the livestock into your main tank and sell this off.

Sadly I cannot remove the fish in my large tank, I can keep 2 tanks but I did not notice that the skimmer was dumping skimmate into the sump.

This will be a only mushroom/nem tank so a 5g WC is more than enough.

Edit, I tried Fluconazole.. didnt help. NoPOX also didnt help

 

[Zeal]

Just a quickly glance at my waterbox to show I’m not a terrible reef keeper. This cube sadly slipped my grip



Edit: Last 2 pictures were taken after feeding 30min before lights off.