Please help me balance my chemistry, I’m losing my mind

[laezur]

Hi guys, this is not my first thread about this but I’m on the edge of throwing myself in a ditch and covering myself up so I don’t have to deal with this any longer lol, it’s driving me nuts.

Two months ago, I was struggling with incredibly high nitrates 80ppm+. I got a little relaxed and didn’t do too much maintenance. I came back about a month ago and started testing every day, trying to get back to where I wanted to be. I was dosing NoPox and found out my nitrates had plummeted to undetectable, but my phosphates were at 0.25 and I’m in the middle of a huge algae outbreak of all kinds of different algaes. You name it, it’s in the tank. Probably cyano, probably dino’s too.

Anyway I stopped dosing NoPox and I started skimming dryer to get my nitrates up a little bit to use up the phosphates. I’ve tested now it’s the beginning of this week and my phosphates are still around 0.25 but my nitrates have shot up to 40ppm… algae is still a problem, if not more now.

I just can’t with this, I can’t seem to keep everything stable.

I have no money at the moment, I lost my job and I’m the middle of looking for a new one so I can’t particularly afford to be ordering all types of solutions until nearer the end of the month, if money is even needed to throw at tnhis provlem.

Any help is appreciated

 

[HuduVudu]

@laezur stop testing, and start water changing.

If you do that you will actually have a tank that will make you happy and give you something relaxing and reassuring while you look for your next job.

Just know algae is a part of the ocean. It takes a tank a long time to start consuming so many nutrients that the algaes start to abate. This is normal don't stress out on it. Once again water change and let the tank grow the slow way that it will. It is like growing a bonsai it takes A LOT of time.

 

[laezur]

@laezur stop testing, and start water changing.

If you do that you will actually have a tank that will make you happy and give you something relaxing and reassuring while you look for your next job.

Just know algae is a part of the ocean. It takes a tank a long time to start consuming so many nutrients that the algaes start to abate. This is normal don't stress out on it. Once again water change and let the tank grow the slow way that it will. It is like growing a bonsai it takes A LOT of time.

I know, it just seems I went through my ugly phase months ago, and now it’s hit me again even harder lol.

I’d love to be doing water changes but can’t even afford the salt mix at the moment, I’ve been topping up with RODI from my RODI unit and just trying to stay on top of cleaning everything that I can with what I have. Hopefully I can get some salt mix in at some point so I can actually start water changes again…

 

[HuduVudu]

I know, it just seems I went through my ugly phase months ago, and now it’s hit me again even harder lol.

I’d love to be doing water changes but can’t even afford the salt mix at the moment, I’ve been topping up with RODI from my RODI unit and just trying to stay on top of cleaning everything that I can with what I have. Hopefully I can get some salt mix in at some point so I can actually start water changes again…

Based on your tag, it seems that you are surrounded by the water you so desperately need.

You didn't hear it from me but you can go to the of the water of salts and draw from it what you need to make a water change.

If you look up Houston Texas you might notice a similar situation. Just be careful because holding plastic jugs in heavy surf will get you wet and might knock you down. Maybe bring a friend and a picnic basket and make a day of it.

Also too note one mans ugly is another mans beauty. Perhaps a change of perspective will be helpful as you work on the next phase of your life.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Vinegar dosing is cheap and will bring the nitrate down, but that won’t necessarily help with algae. Algae eating creatures can be the best plan, but those are not cheap.

 

[laezur]

Based on your tag, it seems that you are surrounded by the water you so desperately need.

You didn't hear it from me but you can go to the of the water of salts and draw from it what you need to make a water change.

If you look up Houston Texas you might notice a similar situation. Just be careful because holding plastic jugs in heavy surf will get you wet and might knock you down. Maybe bring a friend and a picnic basket and make a day of it.

Also too note one mans ugly is another mans beauty. Perhaps a change of perspective will be helpful as you work on the next phase of your life.

Hahah yes I am from the UK and I’m surrounded by sea water, but I live in the middle of England so any ocean water is a few hours on the train I wish it was that simple.

Well look I’m not completely lost, I’ve recently trained my cleaner shrimp and clowns to wait their turn for food and eat directly from a turkey baster, and come to a certain spot to say “I’m ready” haha. The shrimp will wait, and then grab a few pieces from the turkey baster then go eat them and come back for more after the clowns. Algae and “image” issues aren’t going to stop me, I just wish they weren’t problems in the first place

 

[laezur]

Vinegar dosing is cheap and will bring the nitrate down, but that won’t necessarily help with algae. Algae eating creatures can be the best plan, but those are not cheap.

I have a big fat bottle of NoPox right here but as I said in the post, I’m trying not to use it as it seems to just bottom me out on nitrates and leave my phosphates where they are, not helpful considering I think phosphates are the main problem

 

[HuduVudu]

I just wish they weren’t problems in the first place

Well then how do you expect to have any feeling of satisfaction when you have nothing to solve.

 

[Karen00]

Do you have a reef club around? The members might be able to donate some salt to hold you over until you land your next job. You can offer to repay later. It's tough when you get past one of the problem milestones in this hobby (yes, I'm talking about you ugly phase) only to have it rear it's head again! Good luck with the tank and the job!

 

[laezur]

Do you have a reef club around? The members might be able to donate some salt to hold you over until you land your next job. You can offer to repay later. It's tough when you get past one of the problem milestones in this hobby (yes, I'm talking about you ugly phase) only to have it rear it's head again! Good luck with the tank and the job!

Thank you on both counts! It’s not something I’m aware of, but I can have a look. I’m sure Facebook will have some groups, I will see there. I hate to be a charity case but there are some amazing people in this hobby

 

[Karen00]

Thank you on both counts! It’s not something I’m aware of, but I can have a look. I’m sure Facebook will have some groups, I will see there. I hate to be a charity case but there are some amazing people in this hobby

I know a lot of clubs in the US that came to the help of reefers when the winter storm hit Texas a couple years ago. I think there was another one more recently as well. That's what the clubs do during the tough times. We're all in this together through the good times and bad (no matter what the tough times are). Then you get to pay it forward when you can.

 

[BanjoBandito]

It took you many months to get it like this, it’ll take many more to get you out of it. I would try and remove any rock and give it a scrub down to remove the heavy stuff and I would also try and get rock from someone with an established system to get good bacteria in. Small Water changes consistently (unless you have Dino’s) and some stability will help. In the words of my dad “STOP FIDDLIN WITH IT”. Stop trying to dose or additive your way out. That won’t work. Good luck. If you want a blank slate just rip clean that S.O.B. But your habits will probably lead you right back!

 

[BanjoBandito]

I know a lot of clubs in the US that came to the help of reefers when the winter storm hit Texas a couple years ago. I think there was another one more recently as well. That's what the clubs do during the tough times. We're all in this together through the good times and bad (no matter what the tough times are). Then you get to pay it forward when you can.

REEFERS ALWAYS PAY IT FORWARD. This hobby can crush you mentally and physically. I’m always trying to help out anyone that needs it. Made some good friends that way! Also, I’m sure there will be a day I need bailed out!!!! Just banking my positive actions! Anybody that says they don’t need help in reefing is a liar.

 

[Karen00]

REEFERS ALWAYS PAY IT FORWARD. This hobby can crush you mentally and physically. I’m always trying to help out anyone that needs it. Made some good friends that way! Also, I’m sure there will be a day I need bailed out!!!! Just banking my positive actions! Anybody that says they don’t need help in reefing is a liar.

Spot on!!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I have a big fat bottle of NoPox right here but as I said in the post, I’m trying not to use it as it seems to just bottom me out on nitrates and leave my phosphates where they are, not helpful considering I think phosphates are the main problem

If your goal is to lower phosphate as cheaply as possible, using ground up calcium carbonate can work.

 

[laezur]

If your goal is to lower phosphate as cheaply as possible, using ground up calcium carbonate can work.

Thanks to a fellow reefer I’ve managed to get some GFO and salt mix ordered so I can get things back on track! Love this community.