So I need a wave maker?

[Manda0597]

Hi all! Help please! The sand in the front of my tank looks... dirty. That’s the only way I can describe it at least. Do you think I don’t have enough circulation and need a wave maker to help circulate the water? 32.5 gallon FOWLR

 

[Jonify]

For a FOWLR, nope, you don't need a wave maker, and you really don't need to focus TOO much on flow (A pump that's giving you about 10X turnover of your tank should be just fine--in your case, a pump that will do around 300 GPH). How new is your tank and what do you have in it? Could you also share your latest water test results?

 

[Manda0597]

For a FOWLR, nope, you don't need a wave maker, and you really don't need to focus TOO much on flow (A pump that's giving you about 10X turnover of your tank should be just fine--in your case, a pump that will do around 300 GPH). How new is your tank and what do you have in it? Could you also share your latest water test results?

The tank was started up in February and the first livestock was added in March. I dont have exact specifications but the water seems to be good and nothing looks off. I cannot figure out what this is at the front of my tank but it is so unsightly. I am also starting to get hairlike greenish-brown algae on the rocks as well as orangeish/rust colored algae(?) growing rapidly on the glass. I'm having to clean the glass almost daily. I just had a clownfish die out of nowhere who two days before seemed healthy as can be. I really can't figure out what is wrong.

 

[danieyella]

I would make sure to do some parameter testing, especially having lost a clown. I'm not sure what's in your area, but Pinellas County has a plethora of shops that can help you out with that if you don't have the materials at home to do it.

 

[GaryE]

I got a Icecap Gyre 1k and pretty much regret it.

It doesn't just keep the crap from building up on the sand, It just straight blows the sand away and causes bare spots. I don't want that. If I wanted a bare bottom tank, I'd remove my sand. This is with the thing set on the lowest flow possible. 10%.

It also irritates my livestock. The nems won't come out from under the rocks they are hiding in and the fish get blown around. One of my feather dusters spit off his feathers.. The hermit crabs are constantly being blown off of the rocks and flipped over on the sand.

Not really liking this pump..

 

[GaryE]

The tank was started up in February and the first livestock was added in March. I dont have exact specifications but the water seems to be good and nothing looks off. I cannot figure out what this is at the front of my tank but it is so unsightly. I am also starting to get hairlike greenish-brown algae on the rocks as well as orangeish/rust colored algae(?) growing rapidly on the glass. I'm having to clean the glass almost daily. I just had a clownfish die out of nowhere who two days before seemed healthy as can be. I really can't figure out what is wrong.

It's new tank syndrome.. I have a bit of diatom on my sand also, that's what you seem to have. In time it'll go away. As for the glass algae, that's going to happen.. I clean mine daily. It takes time for them to mature enough so you aren't cleaning it every day. BTW, mine has been running about a month longer than yours. No deaths, but similar algae issues.

 

[Manda0597]

I would make sure to do some parameter testing, especially having lost a clown. I'm not sure what's in your area, but Pinellas County has a plethora of shops that can help you out with that if you don't have the materials at home to do it.

I just have a "Master test kit" from API which just shows the colors. What test kits do you recommend? And please recommend some fish stores! We are in Pasco so Pinellas is not too far for us. We have went to Marine Warehouse over by the airport kind of and have not had good luck from their fish. One fish gave my tank ICH and 2 clowns I got from them died. Not sure if it's the fish or the tank but it's coincidental the fish I got from them are the ones that died. Also, I believe the brown algae may be diatoms??

 

[Manda0597]

It's new tank syndrome.. I have a bit of diatom on my sand also, that's what you seem to have. In time it'll go away. As for the glass algae, that's going to happen.. I clean mine daily. It takes time for them to mature enough so you aren't cleaning it every day. BTW, mine has been running about a month longer than yours. No deaths, but similar algae issues.

I believe the deaths may be linked to where I bought the fish because 3 of 5 fish I bought from that store have died(2 from ICH taht seemed to be introduced when the fish were introduced). The ones I got from another store are surviving just fine in the same water conidtions. Thank you I was just stumped on why it's only on the sand in the front of my tank. It isnt along the back or around where my rocks are. How do I get rid of Diatoms or will they go away on their own?

 

[GaryE]

I believe the deaths may be linked to where I bought the fish because 3 of 5 fish I bought from that store have died(2 from ICH taht seemed to be introduced when the fish were introduced). The ones I got from another store are surviving just fine in the same water conidtions. Thank you I was just stumped on why it's only on the sand in the front of my tank. It isnt along the back or around where my rocks are. How do I get rid of Diatoms or will they go away on their own?

they should go away on their own as the tank matures. What do you have for filtration, are you running a skimmer?

 

[Manda0597]

they should go away on their own as the tank matures. What do you have for filtration, are you running a skimmer?

No I'm not. I have a Fluval 306 Canister filter. It's a small 32.5 gallon tank. Alos first tank. When we turn our 75 gal freshwater into saltwater eventually we will have a sump, skimmer, etc.

 

[GaryE]

What are your parameters, especially nitrate and phosphate?

 

[danieyella]

I just have a "Master test kit" from API which just shows the colors. What test kits do you recommend? And please recommend some fish stores! We are in Pasco so Pinellas is not too far for us. We have went to Marine Warehouse over by the airport kind of and have not had good luck from their fish. One fish gave my tank ICH and 2 clowns I got from them died. Not sure if it's the fish or the tank but it's coincidental the fish I got from them are the ones that died. Also, I believe the brown algae may be diatoms??

I'm not personally a huge fan of MWH myself due to reasons.... plus the drive on Hillsborough is just garbage.

I love the staff at Coral Corral in the Oldsmar area, also Fish and Other Ichthy Stuff is knowledgeable and sells healthy livestock. A little closer to you is Big Fish Aquatics in Trinity, another great set of people. I know there are quite a few shops in St Pete as well, but I don't tend to go quite that far because US 19 is also garbage.

As far as testing goes: I find the API tends to skew results if it's not mixed perfectly in the bottle, and once you mess that up once you've ruined the entire bottle. Salifert is a popular brand, I use a mixture of them, nyos, redsea, and hanna - but running with corals I'm a little more particular.

 

[Manda0597]

What are your parameters, especially nitrate and phosphate?

Nitrates are 5-10ppm
I don’t have a test for phosphates
Nitrites 0
Ammonia 0.25
Ph 7.9

 

[GaryE]

Invest in a Seachem Ammonia badge.

They're a bit more reliable than the API test kit.

But, if that .25 is correct, that's way too high. If everything is acting normal and healthy, it's probably not right.

Do your fish stay near the surface?? Do you use Prime?

 

[Manda0597]

Invest in a Seachem Ammonia badge.

They're a bit more reliable than the API test kit.

But, if that .25 is correct, that's way too high. If everything is acting normal and healthy, it's probably not right.

Do your fish stay near the surface?? Do you use Prime?

The clown and puffer are at the surface a lot but everything else seems pretty normal acting. And I have prime but haven’t used it since I use RO water. Wasn’t sure if I still needed it. Do I?

 

[GaryE]

I'd continue using it until you can confirm 0 ammonia. It will still show ammonia on your test kit, however, the Seachem badge will show only free ammonia, the deadly type. My kit was reading very high ammonia, yet everything was fine. The badge showed that the water was safe.

 

[Manda0597]

I'd continue using it until you can confirm 0 ammonia. It will still show ammonia on your test kit, however, the Seachem badge will show only free ammonia, the deadly type. My kit was reading very high ammonia, yet everything was fine. The badge showed that the water was safe.

Thank you for all your help! Of it wasn’t for this website I probably would have given up this hobby by now!

 

[GaryE]

Thank you for all your help! Of it wasn’t for this website I probably would have given up this hobby by now!

You're welcome.. Im sure most people want to throw in the towel from time to time. I know I do.

 

[BighohoReef]

Hi all! Help please! The sand in the front of my tank looks... dirty. That’s the only way I can describe it at least. Do you think I don’t have enough circulation and need a wave maker to help circulate the water? 32.5 gallon FOWLR

Couple of things:
Agree with the ammonia reduction. It is a waiting game, you just have to be patient
What type of tank are you planning? Mixed, SPS, LPS?

Clean up crew once you get your ammonia down.

YES get a pump in your tank! You don’t need a wave maker but at least get something that moves a little more water to help circulate and keep detritus from collecting and building up in your substrate. You don’t need to go expensive, in our 30g nano bow front we have a hydor that did just fine until I got an MP10QD for $50 (Best deal ever!). Now I run both MP10 close to the top hydor at the bottom in the back. It’ll be trial and error on where to place it in your tank depending on how you have your rock work and the types of coral you plan to keep.

The nano is now our QT tank... so it’s sadly empty. Here’s the equipment we have in the nano: In tank tetra filter (we inherited the tank with that in it) the clowns homed it so we kept it.
Hydor circulation pump (see pic)
MP10QD
Cobalt heater
Kessil A80 Blue
Tunze nano ATO

Keep us posted on where you end up!

 

[Auquanut]

Do you think I don’t have enough circulation and need a wave maker to help circulate the water?

From your photos, it looks like you don't have much surface agitation. One disadvantage of canister filters is that they don't do much to oxygenate the water. Also, with little surface agitation, you'll likely start to see a film buildup on the surface which can reduce oxygenation further. I would suggest investing in a power head that can be angled toward the surface to create surface agitation and improve oxygenation. The one @BighohoReef suggests should work well. Just my .02.