What to Do ... Besides Sound the Fog-Horns?!

Maritimer · Jul 17, 2017

Nice compact unit, that!

I think I could like that a lot better than the other one, whose design hasn't changed since I was in Elementary School. Will that pull particles as fine as this phytoplankton? Can it clear a tank as big as this one? (220 gallons, + 20 or so in the sump)

~Bruce

reefwiser · Jul 17, 2017

Sure it could clean that mess up. I have been using it to keep my tank under control during a reset.

Ebbi Flow · Jul 19, 2017

Public Aquarium, don't make me laugh: As a Tour Guide to the Bird Exhibits... Or the Ticket Window. Try 15-20 years Son.
I had Saltwater Octopus at the Age of 9, First Pet!
Okay are you specialized in Closed Systems or Focused on The Ocean itself, what Aquarium?
Bacteria colonize the porous surfaces, I didn't say shock the live rock. Sometimes, I wonder.
Someone that Specializes in Maintence and Customer Service... Helping people time and time again... Not to say I completely think your full of it.
All you had to do was address there are other ways to solves when problems arise. And that you may not be familiar with doing service. It may be easier for you to avoid the focus, that you are a salesman and I'm a true Duce!

Ebbi Flow · Jul 19, 2017

I just hate it when people don't use threads as a discussion.

Sorry Acronemo... you can't offer advice and become a dictator...
We don't have our hands in his tank, But we all are explaining different alternatives.

Marine Biologist Typically study the Open Ocean.
Few MB's Study true Aquarium Science of Husbandry detailed as "Closed Systems!"
They are Not the Same Sure they both learn to identify and classify.
Maybe Besides working at the Aquarium scalping, you should go get your Degree in Service Sector. I'm sure you learn more about the Variables of Different Systems, How to Recognize others Maintence Regimes and How to Be the Service Man that they Only Need Every Few Months.
I've Learn Traditional American Family Owned Styles, True Asian Influenced Family Owned Styles, Corporate Owned Entity's Styles and Regulations and True Closed System Marine Biologist Handy Work!

I Been Examining Tide Pools of Montery Since I was 5 with my Full Blooded Japanese Grandmother...I am a Mixed American.

Ebbi Flow · Jul 19, 2017

My Former Bosses Were on Tanked Twice!

Ebbi Flow · Jul 19, 2017

Maritimer said:
Thank you both for contributing, AcroNem and Ebbi Flow - really!

Spanky-fresh nutrient numbers from tonight: Nitrates are ... undetectable. I've been feeding but little frozen food (the hermit crabs are getting LRS, hope they're happy!), and haven't changed socks unless the chamber threatens overflow. Something ought to be producing nitrates, but something's also clearly consuming them.

Phosphates are ... _really_ difficult to read. My Red Sea phosphate kit shades the water being tested through yellow-greens, and guess what? My water's _starting_out_ yellow-green! It looks as though the phosphate number is about 0.02, though.

The "Vibrant" product that I'm using is a bacteria culture, rather than a chemical. I'm not fond of dumping a bunch of chemistry into the tank either! Due for the third dose (first dose of week 2) tonight.

~Bruce, whose tank looks the same

Thanks, Just trying to Get to the Bottom of this!

Maritimer · Jul 19, 2017

Thank you for your input ...

While I've never experienced this in a marine tank, I did once experience something similar in a planted freshwater aquarium, with goldfish. In that situation, the "green water" brought healing to one of the fish, with a swim-bladder disorder, while making the tank opaque. The result of 75%+ water changes was that the stuff replicated more quickly in the renewed nutrients, and within a very few days, the tank was a green wall once again. If I recall correctly, I used black plastic trashbags over the entire tank for a week or so to finally knock it back - and when the algae were gone, the goldfish's swim-bladder problem returned, eventually killing it.

Here, I'm seeing no health side-benefits - the few corals I can still see don't look very happy. I've just about resigned myself to ordering some specialty filtration, but will dose one more time with Vibrant tomorrow before making that decision.

While I appreciate everyone's comments, it's beginning to feel as though some of the discussion in this thread is slipping into "Ad Hominem" territory, which is neither pleasant nor particularly constructive.

My thanks, again, for contributing your time and the knowledge brought from diverse backgrounds.

~Bruce, whose equipment took almost a week to generate enough water to fill this tank the first time

leahfiish · Jul 19, 2017

I just got around to reading this thread and I'm gonna +1 the UV sterilizer. This is one of the 2 situations that I recommend them in, although I've never seen a saltwater tank this green. Usually I see this in freshwater tanks that get too much sunlight, and I recommend completely blacking out the tank for 3 days and doing a 100% water change - every possible drop. But I don't think that would be a great idea for a reef tank, plus that's a huge ordeal for such a large tank. So UV would be my choice.

I'm definitely curious about how this happened though.

Maritimer · Jul 19, 2017

Believe me ... so am I!

I'm guessing that it's something that came in on something from Reef-a-Palooza or on the CUC, and just took off.

~Bruce

Maritimer · Jul 26, 2017

So, quick update on this. With the Vibrant having no visible effects by the end of last week, I went ahead and ordered the 24w "Green Killing Machine". Over the following few days, rather predictably, the algae seem to be fading ... and my skimmer's gone plum insane. I've been draining it every few days for the last few weeks; several _times_ a day for the last three days, and it's currently running so hard I've had to simply open it up and let it flow into the sump.

Don't believe me?

The UV arrived this afternoon, and is also installed in the sump, just below that skimmer. I plan to use it long enough to clear the water, and stow it against future need.

Once things have cleared up, I'll have to see about bringing the corals back to health ... I can see some of them again, and they _don't_ look pleased.

~Bruce

Maritimer · Jul 28, 2017

Quick shot from right now, this morning. I can see the rock looming out of the blue, and for the first time in almost a month, I can see the fluorescence of the corals.

I believe that I've lost at least one, but others appear to be anywhere from just holding on to just fine.

~Bruce

XNavyDiver · Jul 28, 2017

Maritimer said:
Quick shot from right now, this morning. I can see the rock looming out of the blue, and for the first time in almost a month, I can see the fluorescence of the corals.

I believe that I've lost at least one, but others appear to be anywhere from just holding on to just fine.

~Bruce

From one Oly to another, I'm pullin for ya! I hope you get this licked.

XNavyDiver · Jul 28, 2017

Ok, so... it looked like Oly, but may be Zoey's? Oops. Still pulling for ya.

Maritimer · Jul 28, 2017

Thanks, NavyDiver!

It is "_oey's" - my son accidentally knocked the "Z" into the water, and I haven't had the energy and time and opportunity all at the same moment, to glue it back into place. (It's all held together with reef-glue.) Easy to misread.

"Oly" - would that indicate that you served aboard the Olympia?

A shot from this evening, with my son:

It's leaps and bounds.

~Bruce

XNavyDiver · Jul 28, 2017

Maritimer said:
Thanks, NavyDiver!

It is "_oey's" - my son accidentally knocked the "Z" into the water, and I haven't had the energy and time and opportunity all at the same moment, to glue it back into place. (It's all held together with reef-glue.) Easy to misread.

"Oly" - would that indicate that you served aboard the Olympia?

A shot from this evening, with my son:

It's leaps and bounds.

~Bruce

Oly was a nickname given to me during my Navy days. Olsen becomes Oly in the military.