Zombie tank, can it be saved

[Sticker shock]

I have a plan for the aiptasia on the sand. Seems like they really prefer to be in rock, so I added some rubble on top of them, and then I throw the rubble into a bucket of fresh water…rinse repeat.

Im probably going to just attack all of the ones around my coral with a toothbrush. There are already so many risking a spread isn’t really a concern.

Once I get the the water in check, I’ll add a few peppermints to take care of things. Fingers crossed that they can keep up.

Things already look so much better and corals are looking pretty happy today. I’ll get another video up one I finish scraping the back glass.

 

[Sticker shock]

First tests
PH - 8.0
PO4 - 0.03
Alk - 7.7
Ca - 200
NO3 - unreliable expired test
Mg - 1350

 

[Superd513]

First tests
PH - 8.0
PO4 - 0.03
Alk - 7.7
Ca - 200
NO3 - unreliable expired test
Mg - 1350

Ca is the only thing low Not bad really. That must be a very well designed system to go that long with zero maintenance and still everything living.

 

[Sticker shock]

Ca is the only thing low Not bad really. That must be a very well designed system to go that long with zero maintenance and still everything living.

Not everything made it. Lost a couple SPS, a bunch of zoa colonies, and a bubble tip. I think it was mostly the algae and lack of water movement that really did the damage. Hair algae would break off from the glass and get caught on the sps and strangle it out. Zoas got smothered by red slime. No idea what happened to the bubble tip.

 

[brandon429]

Post #38 can end up killing your tank but then again that's what the masses told you to do. Potentially it's just a huge delayed dinos or cyano invasion, but fish death can happen from that. Hope it goes ok. You'll know not this week but in a month or two.

 

[brandon429]

Can you still post a new updated tank picture so we can chart changes against picture details, that helps others as they sift through the competing recommends of twenty different reefers.

 

[jimk60]

I did find the part I needed. Any opinions on CoralVue? All I needed was the impeller shaft. Prices for the full impeller were close to the cost of the entire pump.

I've bought that same shaft from coralVue several times. I buy them two at a time since they break real easy when you clean the pump.

 

[brandon429]

Removing rocks from the bottom area can spread cloudy detritus devastation all around

 

[brandon429]

The number one thing you should do to arrest this upcoming loss is pick a rip clean thread and copy it to a T

If you don't want to, I understand

 

[Sticker shock]

The losses were from the last couple years. So far everything is ok since I started messing around. It’s only been a day since I really got in there besides scraping the glass. I’ll get a video up or some pics tomorrow. I’ve messed with it enough for today.

 

[Sticker shock]

Also, I dont have a super deep sand bed. Of course there is enough to trap a lot of detritus. I did my best to siphon while moving everything, but there it quite a mess in there now

 

[thedon986]

Definitely give that sand bed a thorough cleaning before you move more rocks around. I would not rip clean because you have years of other bacteria built up you want to keep. Just take it slow with cleaning. Remember it got that way over years, trying to correct it in a day could actually be what crashes the tank.

 

[Sticker shock]

Definitely give that sand bed a thorough cleaning before you move more rocks around. I would not rip clean because you have years of other bacteria built up you want to keep. Just take it slow with cleaning. Remember it got that way over years, trying to correct it in a day could actually be what crashes the tank.

I’m trying to balance everything. I’m kind of in a situation where there is no perfect answer it seems. I think I’m going to pull one other large rock and try to get rid of all this slime algae. I’ll monitor the params to see how stable it is

 

[FishTruck]

It's really amazingly good for two years of just ATO and food. Really.

I like the just do a little bit each week idea.

For the aips, get some berghia. But... for your own sanity and a sense of accomplishment, make up some Kalk paste. Turn off your pumps and use a long target feeder (like a Kent Marine Sea Squirt or something similar) to kill all the visible aips. This will be faster and easier and less disruptive than using a toothbrush.

Do this every week or two and the berghia will get at the remnants.

 

[officialreefbros]

I'm still learning myself so can't offer much advice, but good luck!! You can bring it back!!

 

[Sticker shock]

I have no intention of adding anything now, but at what point would you consider it safe to add a new clean up crew. Thinking once the slime is in control as that can’t be good for anything. I’ve only seen maybe 1 nassarius snail

 

[Acroconut]

My approach over time has become...wade don't dive. I would add a Trochus snail or two, if they're ok add a couple peppermint shrimp, if they're ok add a couple tuxedo urchins. I use to breed Berghia years ago and they are very good at getting rid of Aiptasia, but they are also easily sucked into returns and affected by shifts in tank conditions. i definitely would add them if you aren't experiencing large swings in Perams and can prevent them from being sucked into your intakes. You can do it.....stay focused.

 

[Sticker shock]

@brandon429 any chance the rip clean could be done in sections? I know it’s a half measure and not the correct way, but I’m not sure I could commit to that full procedure. Or would this be a waste of time. Figure a piecemeal approach is better than nothing

 

[Sticker shock]

Here’s the tank about 20 minutes after lights on. There is still an ungodly amount of aiptasia, and so much stuff left in the sand. I feel like there really isn’t much choice besides removing and flushing out the sand bed.

I really have to resist putting everything back together. I actually liked my old ‘rock wall’ but I know that was causing me lots of problems. I can’t wait to get this back together as a reef.

I’m going to order some new t-5 bulbs. Those old bulbs are definitely due for a change. I was thinking 1 coral +, 1 purple + and 2 blue +. I’ll then use my LEDs to bump the white as I think I want to be much lower on the white light this go around.

 

[Sticker shock]

Looks like these guys are happy