Dead snail/algae problem

ianaco70 · 12-26-2007, 01:29 PM

i have a 75 gallon fowlr tank with about 100 lbs of rock with a clarki clown, lionfish, and yellow tang. I found one of my snails was dead and tested my water thinking it was due to a high nitrate level. Ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 20. Is my nitrate level too high because I dont want my other snails to die. Would a water change take care of this problem??? Also My tank cycled about 3 weeks a go and I am experiencing a major brown algae problem. I did use tap water to fill up the tank but was wondering if I start doing water changes with ro water will that take care of the brown stuff.

thanks to those who respond

lunatik_69 · 12-26-2007, 02:21 PM

The brown algae is normal, but I would have waited at least another 3 weeks before putting any real livestock in it. As for the 20ppm nitrates, My no3 have been at 20ppm for the longest now and everythings doin just fine. Your 100lbs of LR should bring down the no3 in time, just be patient. What kind of filters are you running?

Otty · 12-26-2007, 02:29 PM

Tap water is a no no in saltwater. All of the minerals that are in that water will soak in your rock. I myself would drain the tank and start over but I don't like to get bit down the road with problems.
Plus you should watch adding numbers of fish until the tank has run for a while. You are getting in a hurry and that will cause a lot of problems later on. This is not a piece of funature you put in your house, it is a eco-system and that does not start up overnight!

david7700 · 12-26-2007, 02:30 PM

I would go ahead and slowly change the tapwater over to RO/DI water which will feed the brown algae much less. If you let nature run it's course however, the problem may end up fixing itself. 20ppm nitrate is not anything to worry about for fish, (I am not too sure if snails appreciate that much), but if you take out the dead snail and monitor everything--you may be fine. You could take it to a LFS and check for phosphates to see if that's in the tapwater and feeding the brown stuff. Nitrates are a problem that's alleviated through water changing, but I wouldn't do too much or too fast (you said you cycled 3 wks ago) because I let the algae grow and it eventually ran out of food in 2-3 wks time. Good luck with whatever you decide, 20ppm is good so don't do anythin rash!

ianaco70 · 12-26-2007, 02:34 PM

Thanks for the responses I currently have a 75 gallon marineland dual bio wheel hangon filter with four filter cartriges. Why would you have waited another 3 weeks before putting in fish?? The cycle took a month and a half( which I waited about two weeks for the nitrates to drop from 20 to 5). i Than put in the clown fish a week after it cycled and left it in there for another week to make sure it survived. Then this past week i added the lion fish and tang.They all seem fine.

lunatik_69 · 12-26-2007, 02:58 PM

Well, it depends on how you cycle the tank. Some cycles take more time than others. As stated by otty, you should never use tap water. As for the lion fish and the tang, I would have waited a little longer before introducing them. Again, thats just me. Good luck and what ever you need just let us know, Luna

Otty · 12-26-2007, 06:05 PM

For fish of that size you should add one fish every two week to allow for the bacteria to grow to accommodate for the added load. You are adding stress to the tank by rushing things.
Slow down my friend, this is not a race. You fish will thank you for it later on.

coral reefer · 12-26-2007, 08:25 PM

Believe it or not, Lionfish can be used to cycle a tank! However, in so doing this, they contribute large amounts of defication to your water column and thus can diminish the quality of your water rather quickly!
Efficient and effective skimming is crucial as is the addition of carbon, which needs to replaced frequently to deter the DOM, etc. from leaching back into your water.
Water changes are also essential in maintaining and dilluting the pollutants that will increase over time with the Tang and Lion.
Brown algae or any other form of cyanobacteria, or microalgae is often associated and evident in newly set-up(cycled) tanks. With this in mind, it is pertinent that you do not overfeed to help to keep the algae problem under wraps.
Going slow as mentioned above is your safest and best bet!
As for your snail...How many do you have? Your snail may have died due to starvation, especially in a newly established tank. Nitrates are not as harmful in higher levels as would be with nitrites and ammonia! The high nitrates are responsible in part to your algae bloom though as in addition to food and nutrients being provided to corals, and other various life forms, unwanted nuisance micro-algae is also produced.