OOPS HELP!

[david]

I just found my cannister filter was off. I'm not sure how long it has been this way. When I opened it, it was rank. I rinsed everything very well with fresh water. Just started her up again-keep your fingers crossed! What should I be looking out for now? Nitrate changes? Or worse?

Well test everything and see whats up.
Then post the results and we can go from there.
Is the water cloudy?

[Craig Manoukian]

Yup, what are your tank parameters?

[david]

O.K. my friend has got my ammonia kit I'll get it tomorrow but nitrite is 0
and nitrate is 3
I have narrowed it down to 8 days the filter has been off (the last time I did maintenance to the filter!)
I have been doing water changes trying to get rid of an algae bloom <----prob the filter not being on. So I did an 11 gal change on the 1st and an 8 gal change on the 13th. I am going to do another one tomorrow! I picked up some cycle I'm going to throw that into my filter tomorrow also.
Amazingly everything looks good but I did lose a blenney he kept burying himself in the sand this was odd I had never seen him do this and the next day he was crab food?
Any suggestions on any thing else I could do to help?

[david]

Sorry naut no the water is clear I had no Idea that the filter wasn't running I have vowed to test this every day now when I check the S.G. and temp.
I was thinking of putting something in the output jet that would wave in the currant and not be to conspicuous like a steamer that only stuck out a little just so you could tell it was running but just a thought?
Thank you 4 your help!!

I would not use the cycle stuff.
Something that may help is a poly filter pad.
Your Nitrates are probably caused by your bio wheel and Fluval filter.
More LR will help your tank filtering.
How are the corals doing?

[david]

*So far they look great bubble coral looks better than most days? No cycle? Don't you think the biological in my filter is all dead? I thought the clcle would jump start it. No? What is the poly filter pad for? You mean blue bonded pad or some kind of chemical absorbtion pad? If the later, I would have to order it no lfs around here whould have this in stock.

Water sparkles clean and crystal clear with Pure Flo Filter Pads. These sanitized, polyester pads are interwoven with nylon fibers, making them durable, reusable and highly effective. They retain debris and large particles on both fresh and saltwater to prevent the clogging of biological filter media. Can be cut to fit any mechanical filter.

If I over dose anything they will soak it up fast.
Online you can find them for a third of the cost that the LFS sells them for.

[Craig Manoukian]

Good job Dave! Any test results?

[david]

Ammonia was 0.25 not too high but enough thats for sure I'm going to the lfs right now I'll get some ammonia detox? Should I use this or just wait it out?