Lots of issues (GHA, cyano, dinos)

[Perfecto_Fiesta]

Hi everyone, I apologize if this is the wrong forum for this but I wanted to reach out for some advice. I've had my biocube 32 for about a year. I was given it for free and I had zero experience prior to this so I'm very much learning as I go. I am having what feels like endless issues and it's very frustrating. I've been trying to read how to tackle these issues but I think I might be creating more problems. I don't want to compound my mistakes so I wanted to ask for advice.

Water chemistry with API reef kit:
CA 460
Carbonate 6
Phosphate 0
Nitrate 0-5 (difficult to tell)

Currently running filter floss, bio spheres, and recently added a UV sterilizer (read it would help with the dinos which it seems to be doing). I removed the charcoal for now.

I have always had issues with green hair algae and appear to be getting a cyano outbreak for about the 4th time, have used chemi clean before which seems to work for a few months, but it always comes back so obviously I have not figured out the root cause. I've had what I think is a dino outbreak for about the past month or two which I've been dosing with MB7, using the UV sterilizer, and manually removing as able. I bought some neophos and neonitro but have been too afraid to use it so far for fear of killing the tank.

The tank has never been pristine but I'd like to get it to a stable point where there are not constantly issues. Where do I begin? Do I need better testing equipment for at least nitrate and phosphate? Different filter setup? I'm trying to stop throwing what I feel like are half measures.

I've included a picture of how it currently looks, disregard the Coraline on the glass.

 

[blaxsun]

Salifert are good (cheap) testing kits. Invest in alkalinity, nitrate, phosphate, calcium and magnesium kits at some point. Carbon is fine to run any time and will help "polish" the water along with some other benefits. This should be rinsed prior to use, placed in a high-flow area and replaced after 30-60 days (max).

What are you currently running for filtration in your tank, what all are you dosing and how often do you perform water changes?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi everyone, I apologize if this is the wrong forum for this but I wanted to reach out for some advice. I've had my biocube 32 for about a year. I was given it for free and I had zero experience prior to this so I'm very much learning as I go. I am having what feels like endless issues and it's very frustrating. I've been trying to read how to tackle these issues but I think I might be creating more problems. I don't want to compound my mistakes so I wanted to ask for advice.

Water chemistry with API reef kit:
CA 460
Carbonate 6
Phosphate 0
Nitrate 0-5 (difficult to tell)

Currently running filter floss, bio spheres, and recently added a UV sterilizer (read it would help with the dinos which it seems to be doing). I removed the charcoal for now.

I have always had issues with green hair algae and appear to be getting a cyano outbreak for about the 4th time, have used chemi clean before which seems to work for a few months, but it always comes back so obviously I have not figured out the root cause. I've had what I think is a dino outbreak for about the past month or two which I've been dosing with MB7, using the UV sterilizer, and manually removing as able. I bought some neophos and neonitro but have been too afraid to use it so far for fear of killing the tank.

The tank has never been pristine but I'd like to get it to a stable point where there are not constantly issues. Where do I begin? Do I need better testing equipment for at least nitrate and phosphate? Different filter setup? I'm trying to stop throwing what I feel like are half measures.

I've included a picture of how it currently looks, disregard the Coraline on the glass.

Biocube is a great tank but limited in space for actual filters. You can place a filter box with Innovative Marine media kit and a skimmer such as IceCap K1-50 which will fit in the cavity easily.
Is this tank by chance at or near a window?
Are you suing RODI water or tap water from the faucet?
Additionally, pull what you can by hand, reduce the white intensity and add snails such as Asrea, turbo-cerith-nerire and nassarius (two of each) and about 6 carribean blue leg hermits which are tiny

 

[Propane]

Start investing in test kits for sure. Try and raise your phosphates up a bit as well.

 

[Perfecto_Fiesta]

Salifert are good (cheap) testing kits. Invest in alkalinity, nitrate, phosphate, calcium and magnesium kits at some point. Carbon is fine to run any time and will help "polish" the water along with some other benefits. This should be rinsed prior to use, placed in a high-flow area and replaced after 30-60 days (max).

What are you currently running for filtration in your tank, what all are you dosing and how often do you perform water changes?

Thank you, this is probably the type of stuff I should have asked when I got it a year ago. I have a filter tower chamber thing in the back, it has floss on top, charcoal (currently removed but will add back in) in the middle, and bio spheres in the bottom. I perform 5 gallon water changes every 2 to 4 weeks.

 

[Perfecto_Fiesta]

Biocube is a great tank but limited in space for actual filters. You can place a filter box with Innovative Marine media kit and a skimmer such as IceCap K1-50 which will fit in the cavity easily.
Is this tank by chance at or near a window?
Are you suing RODI water or tap water from the faucet?
Additionally, pull what you can by hand, reduce the white intensity and add snails such as Asrea, turbo-cerith-nerire and nassarius (two of each) and about 6 carribean blue leg hermits which are tiny

I don't currently have a skimmer but don't have any problem adding one if it will help. I have the filter box already, setup is in my last reply (floss, charcoal, bio spheres), do I need to add anything else to it?

The tank is in my dining room and yes gets indirect light most of the day, direct light for about 15 mins some of the year. I use pre mixed water from my LFS but thinking I might switch to their rodi and mix the salt myself. I don't have a RODI setup myself.

I have a couple snails (turbo, astreas, nasarius) about one of each because some have died. I'll add some hermits. Thank you very much for the info so far!

 

[vetteguy53081]

I don't currently have a skimmer but don't have any problem adding one if it will help. I have the filter box already, setup is in my last reply (floss, charcoal, bio spheres), do I need to add anything else to it?

The tank is in my dining room and yes gets indirect light most of the day, direct light for about 15 mins some of the year. I use pre mixed water from my LFS but thinking I might switch to their rodi and mix the salt myself. I don't have a RODI setup myself.

I have a couple snails (turbo, astreas, nasarius) about one of each because some have died. I'll add some hermits. Thank you very much for the info so far!

Skimmer will remove inorganics which along with light support algae. I asked about window as this time of the year is prime culprit. UV from window will penetrate shades-blinds-curtains. Get a sheet of black construction paper from walmart and place on side facing window and it will reduce algae growth drastically

 

[blaxsun]

Thank you, this is probably the type of stuff I should have asked when I got it a year ago. I have a filter tower chamber thing in the back, it has floss on top, charcoal (currently removed but will add back in) in the middle, and bio spheres in the bottom. I perform 5 gallon water changes every 2 to 4 weeks.

No worries. When I ran filter caddies I'd toss my filter floss every 3-5 days or as it got clogged up.