Neglected Tank

[jacobcoral]

I have a 13.5 fuel starter kit that hasn’t had pretty much anything done to it since it’s been started about a year ago. It’s a healthy ecosystem with Zoe’s thriving and some mushrooms but anything else pretty much dies my Duncan hasn’t been open for about two months now, but they always seem to be doing just fine probably due to the dirty water. I have an insane amount of algae and noticed bubble algae as I was trying to scrub it.

Anyways, what I’m getting at is I need a recommendation on what to do to get the tank back to looking amazing again. Should I hard reset or how would I clean? I definitely have some parasites in the rocks as well. I tried to pick them out when I see them, but the rocks are covered in algae and I’m not sure how to completely clean them. If anyone has any recommendations I would extremely appreciate it. I have a lot of expensive zoas in here.

2 clowns that have been in here since the start and I want to make the tank clean and look good. I can test anything with Hana checkers I’m in the military and got busy so the tank started to have a bunch of issues.

 

[Quietman]

That's not so bad. Start with testing parameters and small 10% ish water change. Your tank is used to being neglected and taking it to pristine to0 quick can shock it. Start cleaning algae and sand bed. Again smaller sections instead of whole tanks. Do that a few weekends in a row and you should be back to great starting place for more corals or just growing out what you have.

Handle the parasites as you find them.

Hard resets can be pretty brutal and unless you have a tank crash I'm not in favor unless you want to totally change the look.

 

[jacobcoral]

That's not so bad. Start with testing parameters and small 10% ish water change. Your tank is used to being neglected and taking it to pristine to0 quick can shock it. Start cleaning algae and sand bed. Again smaller sections instead of whole tanks. Do that a few weekends in a row and you should be back to great starting place for more corals or just growing out what you have.

Handle the parasites as you find them.

Hard resets can be pretty brutal and unless you have a tank crash I'm not in favor unless you want to totally change the look.

Okay sounds good, how should I clean the rocks, there’s a lot of brown hair alage wedged between zoas

 

[Freenow54]

Try this filter as well I am a big fan

 

[jacobcoral]

Try this filter as well I am a big fan

Will that fit on the starter

 

[Quietman]

I have one it fits in my 55 gal fresh water - 13" front to back. It's great for installing while cleaning and an hour or two afterwards. Plus a little GAC (I don't run it all the time anymore). And just get your fingers in there best you can. I use my planted tweezers too. They have some teeth for good grip. Stainless so need to clean afterwards.

 

[Freenow54]

Will that fit on the starter

It is submersible about 13" high about 4" in diameter I would think with the micron filter it will clean your water overnight easy. Then you can start in on the algae, It may do more since I started with mine algae takes three weeks to film my glass

 

[jacobcoral]

It is submersible about 13" high about 4" in diameter I would think with the micron filter it will clean your water overnight easy. Then you can start in on the algae, It may do more since I started with mine algae takes three weeks to film my glass

Okay I’ll look into it

 

[Biokabe]

Simply put:

Time + Consistent Effort + Addressing Problems Promptly = Good tank.

Start with water changes. Your tank is only 13.5 gallons. Change out 2.5 gallons a week. If you get it set up right, that should only take 5-10 minutes.

Next, conquer the algae. What you need there is a good CUC to keep it in check, and steady work from yourself to get it pared down to something your CUC can handle. If it's just the green hairy stuff, you can simply rip it from the rock. If it looks like snot with bubbles coming off of it, you might actually have dinos rather than algae, which is a completely separate issue.

As far as CUC, I would suggest something along these lines:

1-2 emerald or pitho crabs
3-5 scarlet reef, blue-leg or blue-knuckle hermit crabs
5-10 Astrea or Trochus snails
2-3 nassarius snails (smaller types, don't get the jumbo ones)
1 Mexican turbo snail
3-4 cerith snails
10-20 dwarf cerith snails
1 strawberry conch

If you already have any CUC in there, just subtract whatever you already have from that list.

The idea being, you want the excess nutrients in your tank to be directed towards making your CUC grow rather than making algae grow.

 

[jacobcoral]

Simply put:

Time + Consistent Effort + Addressing Problems Promptly = Good tank.

Start with water changes. Your tank is only 13.5 gallons. Change out 2.5 gallons a week. If you get it set up right, that should only take 5-10 minutes.

Next, conquer the algae. What you need there is a good CUC to keep it in check, and steady work from yourself to get it pared down to something your CUC can handle. If it's just the green hairy stuff, you can simply rip it from the rock. If it looks like snot with bubbles coming off of it, you might actually have dinos rather than algae, which is a completely separate issue.

As far as CUC, I would suggest something along these lines:

1-2 emerald or pitho crabs
3-5 scarlet reef, blue-leg or blue-knuckle hermit crabs
5-10 Astrea or Trochus snails
2-3 nassarius snails (smaller types, don't get the jumbo ones)
1 Mexican turbo snail
3-4 cerith snails
10-20 dwarf cerith snails
1 strawberry conch

If you already have any CUC in there, just subtract whatever you already have from that list.

The idea being, you want the excess nutrients in your tank to be directed towards making your CUC grow rather than making algae grow.

It’s definitely bubbles I thought it was called bubble alage, what should I do about the Dino’s then?

 

[JumboShrimp]

This tank (currently no algae), was a multi-algae-disaster 5 months ago. I was desperate, so I tried Continuum bacter clean-m. You have to use it as instructed, and it will take weeks-- but it eventually 'killed the crud' all over the rocks/sand. Now it's all corraline heaven. Lol.

 

[ShakeyGizzard]

Nutrient readings can be sketchy, because the algae are consuming the nutrients to survive. When you remove algae the readings will climb. You must check the nitrate and phosphate readings weekly as you go. also would help to maintain magnesium to help control bubble algae. basic maintenance will slowly get you where you need to be, as stated above big changes are not good.

 

[jacobcoral]

Nutrient readings can be sketchy, because the algae are consuming the nutrients to survive. When you remove algae the readings will climb. You must check the nitrate and phosphate readings weekly as you go. also would help to maintain magnesium to help control bubble algae. basic maintenance will slowly get you where you need to be, as stated above big changes are not good.

I’m going to completely replenish my cuc today, and slowly clean it. Is there anything else you recommend

 

[jacobcoral]

Simply put:

Time + Consistent Effort + Addressing Problems Promptly = Good tank.

Start with water changes. Your tank is only 13.5 gallons. Change out 2.5 gallons a week. If you get it set up right, that should only take 5-10 minutes.

Next, conquer the algae. What you need there is a good CUC to keep it in check, and steady work from yourself to get it pared down to something your CUC can handle. If it's just the green hairy stuff, you can simply rip it from the rock. If it looks like snot with bubbles coming off of it, you might actually have dinos rather than algae, which is a completely separate issue.

As far as CUC, I would suggest something along these lines:

1-2 emerald or pitho crabs
3-5 scarlet reef, blue-leg or blue-knuckle hermit crabs
5-10 Astrea or Trochus snails
2-3 nassarius snails (smaller types, don't get the jumbo ones)
1 Mexican turbo snail
3-4 cerith snails
10-20 dwarf cerith snails
1 strawberry conch

If you already have any CUC in there, just subtract whatever you already have from that list.

The idea being, you want the excess nutrients in your tank to be directed towards making your CUC grow rather than making algae grow.

Is that the cleanup crew you reccomend for a 13.5 gallon?

 

[ShakeyGizzard]

This tank (currently no algae), was a multi-algae-disaster 5 months ago. I was desperate, so I tried Continuum bacter clean-m. You have to use it as instructed, and it will take weeks-- but it eventually 'killed the crud' all over the rocks/sand. Now it's all corraline heaven. Lol.

never heard of what you used but microbactor 7 and microbactor clean are great to help prevent issues, don't think they are good at fixing issues

 

[Biokabe]

Is that the cleanup crew you reccomend for a 13.5 gallon?

Yes, that would be about what I would recommend. You don't need to introduce it all at once, but you want to end up around there. Also remember that with longer algae, you need to remove it manually. Most CUC won't eat algae once it gets much beyond 1cm long.

 

[ShakeyGizzard]

I’m going to completely replenish my cuc today, and slowly clean it. Is there anything else you recommend

I use microbacotr clean weekly, I don't use it to fix anything, but I use it to help prevent. You seem to have a strong biome, but it needs room to grow. getting the algae out of the way will help it.

 

[JumboShrimp]

@ShakeyGizzard, this product is "specifically designed to target and clean surfaces of live rock, coral decorations and tank walls, removing stains, loosening and softening debris for easy vacuuming and providing a cleaner, more pristine environment. It will outcompete unwanted substances and loosen the grip of ugly accumulations and coatings making their removal by scraping or vacuuming easy." (Etc., etc.)

 

[Freenow54]

Is that the cleanup crew you reccomend for a 13.5 gallon?

no insult but water changes seem to be the knee jerk reaction here. Think about it how much can you export doing water changes . Everything is in the substrate and on the rocks just like the good bacteria. you don't delete that doing water changes, I could tell you how to get rid of the Algae but took me 6 months every day that advise from a customer of mine from years ago. The problem is you have coral. I just scrubbed the rock clean every day never got algae again, I don't believe in chemical warfare either there are dozens of disasters on here about that . Just take your time and I believe in doing one thing at a time that way if you have a problem you know what caused it. I put in a clean up crew after 4 years. Glad I did, Just snails really cheap. Will even clean you Coral have a before and after pic if you would like to see them. Bumble Bee, Trochus, and Nassarius . The Trochus are the best. Never stop all over the rock

 

[jacobcoral]

@ShakeyGizzard, this product is "specifically designed to target and clean surfaces of live rock, coral decorations and tank walls, removing stains, loosening and softening debris for easy vacuuming and providing a cleaner, more pristine environment. It will outcompete unwanted substances and loosen the grip of ugly accumulations and coatings making their removal by scraping or vacuuming easy." (Etc., etc.)

Sweet I might order some and dose it once a week, get the clean up crew and start attacking it. Should I clean out my protein skimmer and change the filtration too?