So I have been adding this information to my Tank Thread but very little input in a 10+ page thread so i apologize for the reptition but help is needed:
5/25/12
I am dealing with red slime, still constant algae and probably a mixture of diatoms and dinos too. It is not terrible but it has been constant enough to be a nuisance. I have increased the amount of water changes, siphoning out gunk, and trying to manually control it....in a week it starts all over. Before anyone says nutrients or bulbs or light cycle etc etc. Every thing is constant in what i have been doing when my tank was a piece of cake. Everything went down hill after i caused the crash last year. Anyway after some more research and reading i came across Microbe-Lift Special Blend. I really think my tank is just not biologically balanced. I also have a BRS reactor that i was too lazy to hook up when i bought it over a year ago. Also i noticed my Chaeto looking kind of worn down.
Honestly i miss the days when my biggest battle was aiptasias....crazy to even think that.
So here is what i am doing to see if this will fix biological balance in my tank:
1) Dosing Microbe-Lift Special Blend until bottle is done. Following the directions on the bottle and turning off my skimmer. Question: Better to dose with lights on or off...does it matter?
2) Replaced my chaeto with some fresh stuff. Also planning on getting a bottle of pods to help re-seed things.
3) Finally hookup my BRS reactor. I am planning on running GFO. Question - Anyone run both GFO and Carbon on top? Any issues with both in the same reactor or should i just keep the media bag with carbon in the tank?
4) Continue frequent water changes and siphoning out all the crap in there. (Flow should be fine as i am running an MP10 and my return pump is a Rio HF 6)
First dose and chaeto changed last night (5/24/12)...i probably should have taken a picture but i'll try to grab one later today. I am not expecting miracles to take place in 24 hours so it should still look the same.
Just hoping to right the ship...i miss buying corals.
Any thoughts or comments...please let me know!!
6/13/12
It has been 3 weeks of dosing and the fourth coming up this Friday. The reactor is running nicely and water changes every 2 weeks. The Good - The water clarity is spectacular. It stays clear for much longer and the glass is cleaner for longer. Everything looks very healthy and coral growth is still steady. The Bad - The Red slime is still coming back...not as strong but still steady. Algae is still growing as well. I mainly have very thick algae like turf algae mixed with all other types. Every water change i remove as much as i can but it all is still returning.
Yesterday i purchased some RODI from my LFS....mind you for many months now i have been buying from there. When i first purchased the water the TDS was 0. I decided to test it yesterday just on a hunch and i got a reading of 65. So i am going to start buying distilled again. Is it possible that this RODI water is causing the red slime and persistent algae....even with the GFO reactor, new bacteria, and everything else i have been doing to correct this?
Do you think if i change my water to distilled and continue my current regiment that i will see a drastic change?? Honestly i am at the point of buying all new aquacultured live rock. I truly feel that i messed up my live rock after the aquascape last year. Also i havent had hermits for years since they bugged my corals and killed my snails in the past but i am starting to get desperate.
Please Help!!
Recent Round of Parameters:
PH 8.3
Spec Gravity 1.026
Temp: 79-80
Ammonia Nitrates and Nitrites: 0
Mag = 1350
Cal = 400
Alk = 9
Phos - i dont have a good tester but my API shows it as low for what it's worth.
5/25/12
I am dealing with red slime, still constant algae and probably a mixture of diatoms and dinos too. It is not terrible but it has been constant enough to be a nuisance. I have increased the amount of water changes, siphoning out gunk, and trying to manually control it....in a week it starts all over. Before anyone says nutrients or bulbs or light cycle etc etc. Every thing is constant in what i have been doing when my tank was a piece of cake. Everything went down hill after i caused the crash last year. Anyway after some more research and reading i came across Microbe-Lift Special Blend. I really think my tank is just not biologically balanced. I also have a BRS reactor that i was too lazy to hook up when i bought it over a year ago. Also i noticed my Chaeto looking kind of worn down.
Honestly i miss the days when my biggest battle was aiptasias....crazy to even think that.
So here is what i am doing to see if this will fix biological balance in my tank:
1) Dosing Microbe-Lift Special Blend until bottle is done. Following the directions on the bottle and turning off my skimmer. Question: Better to dose with lights on or off...does it matter?
2) Replaced my chaeto with some fresh stuff. Also planning on getting a bottle of pods to help re-seed things.
3) Finally hookup my BRS reactor. I am planning on running GFO. Question - Anyone run both GFO and Carbon on top? Any issues with both in the same reactor or should i just keep the media bag with carbon in the tank?
4) Continue frequent water changes and siphoning out all the crap in there. (Flow should be fine as i am running an MP10 and my return pump is a Rio HF 6)
First dose and chaeto changed last night (5/24/12)...i probably should have taken a picture but i'll try to grab one later today. I am not expecting miracles to take place in 24 hours so it should still look the same.
Just hoping to right the ship...i miss buying corals.
Any thoughts or comments...please let me know!!
6/13/12
It has been 3 weeks of dosing and the fourth coming up this Friday. The reactor is running nicely and water changes every 2 weeks. The Good - The water clarity is spectacular. It stays clear for much longer and the glass is cleaner for longer. Everything looks very healthy and coral growth is still steady. The Bad - The Red slime is still coming back...not as strong but still steady. Algae is still growing as well. I mainly have very thick algae like turf algae mixed with all other types. Every water change i remove as much as i can but it all is still returning.
Yesterday i purchased some RODI from my LFS....mind you for many months now i have been buying from there. When i first purchased the water the TDS was 0. I decided to test it yesterday just on a hunch and i got a reading of 65. So i am going to start buying distilled again. Is it possible that this RODI water is causing the red slime and persistent algae....even with the GFO reactor, new bacteria, and everything else i have been doing to correct this?
Do you think if i change my water to distilled and continue my current regiment that i will see a drastic change?? Honestly i am at the point of buying all new aquacultured live rock. I truly feel that i messed up my live rock after the aquascape last year. Also i havent had hermits for years since they bugged my corals and killed my snails in the past but i am starting to get desperate.
Please Help!!
Recent Round of Parameters:
PH 8.3
Spec Gravity 1.026
Temp: 79-80
Ammonia Nitrates and Nitrites: 0
Mag = 1350
Cal = 400
Alk = 9
Phos - i dont have a good tester but my API shows it as low for what it's worth.