"Is this Cyano?" Quickly Evolved to 32 G Biocube Crash (hitting reset)

[Shredder99]

It started with a colony of coral purchased from a LFS. I hadn't purchased from there in the past because I had seen pests and algae in some form in ALL of their tanks. "It's a great piece, I'll dip it. My tank is clean and the crabs will pick off any critters" I told myself. A week or so later I found a small patch of cyano which I aggressively scrubbed in vain during my next change. Soon after, I found bubble algae on the colony and other location in the tank. I reduced light time and brought in four large Emerald Crabs...and it all kept spreading. I then moved on to Vibrance...and it killed the cheato in the fuge...and it kept spreading. I moved on to NOPX... and killed all the crabs...and it kept spreading. I realized last weekend that I just couldn't look at it any more. In the course of seven weeks, almost five years of growing the reef was now green and red goo. I removed the rock and goo encrusted corals (which were all pretty much dead), changed all filter media, changed 50% of the water and skimmed off the top layer of sand. I put in some PVC joints so the fish would have cover. It's been a week and other then a little algae on the glass, nothing has returned.

So what would you all suggest as my next steps? Here's my current set-up: 32G Biocube LED, first chamber - protein skimmer and heater. Middle chamber - media rack with open middle section for cheato, red and blue spectrum LED facing open space, Chemipure, Puigen, filter sponge. Third chamber - Sicce 364 GPH pump, in-line UV light. 240 GPH circulation pump in display area along with 2 Chromis, 2 Fire Fish, a Six Line Wrasse, and a Clown Goby who are all totally confused. I have not checked parameters, but will tonight. Thanks!

 

[JustDewwit]

If you can shoot a few photos of the tank it will go along way. I know its hard to do but believe me ,I just went through something very similar and lost thousands. For some reason I didn't want to share what I deemed as a failure on R2R , but in reality the experience was worth more than any glamour shot coral in the forum.

 

[JustDewwit]

How's your phosphates looking? Being that the chaeto is gone I'm almost certain this has spiked the nuisance algae. Get the Po4 under control if it's an issue. If PO4 is an issue order some phosphate rx to get it in check quickly. Next don't add any new methods other than what you have been doing for the last 5 years. Drop the NoPx and move the crabs before they go rogue and eat something you like. I could recommend Chemiclean or fluconazole but that could really wreck havoc depending on conditions.

 

[Shredder99]

Sorry for the delay; busy weekend.

Thanks. My confession was inspired by Ryan Batcheller's (Bulk Reef Supply) recent video where he shared his experiences of tank crashes and the need to learn from your mistakes and move on. I saw it the same day I was thinking of tearing the tank down completely. Call it kismet.

So some additional background: The crabs were all killed after the NOPOX dosing; nothing in there currently. Last weekend I vacuumed the sump and removed everything I could from the remnants of the chaeto. I also ran a cycle of Chemiclean. Yesterday I did a straight up water change with nothing added. This morning, I collected parameters, here are the results:

Temp: 80
Salinity: 1.022
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 40
pH: 8.0
Calcium: 50
Alkalinity: 8.3
Phosphates: .25

I greatly appreciate your thoughts. As requested, here's a picture of the tank from this morning. I am calling it my "Minimalist/Modern Art" tank.

 

[Dom]

I feel the best way to deal with issues such as yours is to identify the source of the problem.

Some questions:

1. I know you have an area for cheato, but do you have chaeto?
2. How big are your water changes and how often do you do them?


Your Nitrates (NO3) are a bit elevated, but I've tested water from thriving tanks where NO3 was in the 160 range. You don't want your NO3 to get that high and I think an NO3 reading of 40 should get some attention before it gets out of hand.

Your Phosphates (PO4) at .25 is also contributing to the problem.

What I hate is when people run to bottled solutions before they have identified the cause and tried to correct.

Personally, I think a FAITHFUL 5 gallon water change on a weekly basis will go a long way in alleviating your problem.

Also, I do not see anything that I know to be Cyano in your posted picture.

Dom

 

[Shredder99]

I feel the best way to deal with issues such as yours is to identify the source of the problem.

Some questions:

1. I know you have an area for cheato, but do you have chaeto?
2. How big are your water changes and how often do you do them?


Your Nitrates (NO3) are a bit elevated, but I've tested water from thriving tanks where NO3 was in the 160 range. You don't want your NO3 to get that high and I think an NO3 reading of 40 should get some attention before it gets out of hand.

Your Phosphates (PO4) at .25 is also contributing to the problem.

What I hate is when people run to bottled solutions before they have identified the cause and tried to correct.

Personally, I think a FAITHFUL 5 gallon water change on a weekly basis will go a long way in alleviating your problem.

Also, I do not see anything that I know to be Cyano in your posted picture.

Dom

Thanks. No chaeto, as I am only a week into my reset, I am taking things slowly and will add it once things seem stable.

Like you, I faithfully do a weekly five gallon water change once a week. I have my own 5 stage RODI system. The TDS level was 0.0 when I mixed saltwater last weekend. I use Instant Ocean Reef Crystals.

Thoughts on addressing the Nitrates? Your thoughts on addressing the Phosphates? Maybe Phosnet?

 

[Dom]

Thoughts on addressing the Nitrates? Your thoughts on addressing the Phosphates? Maybe Phosnet?

I encourage you to try and stay away from retail solutions unless as a last resort.

Like you, I use a 5 stage RODI with IO Reef Crystals. I am glad to hear you use an RODI.

Water changes are large enough and frequent enough, so I think you're good there.

Keep up with what you're doing. Nutrient export should be your first step. Get the Chaeto back in the sump and be sure to have a light that will facilitate good growth. Then monitor for a few weeks and see how your numbers are impacted.

Your numbers aren't critical. Don't be in a rush to correct this. Nothing good happens fast in this hobby.

 

[Shredder99]

I encourage you to try and stay away from retail solutions unless as a last resort.

Like you, I use a 5 stage RODI with IO Reef Crystals. I am glad to hear you use an RODI.

Water changes are large enough and frequent enough, so I think you're good there.

Keep up with what you're doing. Nutrient export should be your first step. Get the Chaeto back in the sump and be sure to have a light that will facilitate good growth. Then monitor for a few weeks and see how your numbers are impacted.

Your numbers aren't critical. Don't be in a rush to correct this. Nothing good happens fast in this hobby.

Thanks!

I am going to buy some live rock from my usual TRUSTED pet store. Any reason I should wait? I am thinking it can only help with nutrient export, right?

 

[Dom]

Thanks!

I am going to buy some live rock from my usual TRUSTED pet store. Any reason I should wait? I am thinking it can only help with nutrient export, right?

Live rock does not facilitate nutrient export. Live rock is extremely porous, which creates lots of surface area on which your nitrifying bacteria colony can set up residency. This colony is responsible for the breakdown of ammonia.

The Chaeto is what provides nutrient export. The principal here is that you want to encourage its growth in the sump by using the nutrients in your water (NO3 and PO4). By doing this, you starve algae that would otherwise grow in the tank, which it won't because the Chaeto is taking it all in.

No matter how much you trust your LFS, they can't guarantee that there won't be any pests that hitchhike in on their rock. Just keep that in mind. But yes, you should have approximately 1 pound of live rock per gallon. I'd try and get that in as soon as you can.

Dom