Something's Gone Awry

It does sound crazy. I had a cleaaning lady once clean the tanks glass with something( to be honest, I dont know what it was) but assume that it was a glass cleaner. The very next day the water was greenish, couldnt see anything inside. As a result, I had to buy a UV filter to kill all the algae in the water. The water cleared up within 2 days. I have never used any type of cleaner to clean the glass. All I use is two pieces of paper towels, one wet with water and the other dry. Luna

 

I read the whole thread and I feel for you, man.

Personally, I don't really care for the Instant Ocean salt. I used it once because I got a good deal on it from Foster's and Smith, but I noticed a difference with the very first water change. I got a brown diatom bloom that covered everything, and while it was good for my copeopod population, it wasn't good for my corals at all. Everything stopped opening up and some stuff actually died. I vowed never to use that stuff ever again. I was using and now only use Tropic Marin. I know it's more expensive, but shoot, it's worth it because my tank doesn't like anything else

 

Another update. I've been siphoning sand and water out all weekend, and am almost finished removing all the sand from the tank's bottom.

It's a slow process. I have all the corals in the 55, and all the fish but the powder blue tang. I have to catch him in the morning while he's sleeping, as I'd like very much for him not to develop ich.

So far so good.

If I can get him out, I might just set up temporary camp in the 55 and let the 90 cycle before I put the corals back in.

 

So have you found a problem with the pumps or are you on to thinking something with the sand?

 

Sparky, with this comment a red flag went off in my female brain;D I use this alot, it's pretty powerful stuff, I always use gloves and it says to use in an open area. There are quite a few things, things you would not think it would harm, it also says to only leave it on only 2-3 minutes. Of course I leave it on 15-20 minutes myself, but would never even think to using it on my tank. Look it up on the internet, when I did it concerned me. Maybe your pumps are all external, but is it possible it could be leaking into your tank. Just a thought:-/

Sue

 

Sue, this reminds me of my sil, he cleaned his coffee pot with CLR and he could still taste it no matter how often he rinsed it---threw out the coffee pot! It seemed to stick to the pot.

 

I use Vinegar for my Pumps and my coffee pot.

 

Thanks for the comment, Suzie.

I actually got the idea of CLR from Tangster. I isolate my pump/protein skimmer, whatever needs the calcium off--in a bucket, run it for a few hours, and then drain, let it run another hour or so in a fresh 5 gal's of RO/DI water, and repeat in another fresh 5 gal's of RO/DI water. CLR doesn't leave any residue, and I'm confident when I'm done any traces of the product are completely gone.

I say I just got the idea, so it's known that the last time I did it, was the first time I did it; and it was well after the problem started. In other words, the CLR isn't the source of my woes.

For what it's worth, I plan to continue the CLR treatment, as it's far more effective and faster than vinegar, and removes more items than just vinegar does.

 

I asked my wife today if she happened to see the yellow coris wrasse, and she had not. I know that although it sleeps in the sand at night, during the day it's always out. Always.

I'm at the stage now where nearly everything is out of the 90. Only the tang, the wrasse, and the LR remain--and about a quart of sand.

My wife, who's tired of seeing the tank in limbo says, "You should move all the rock to one side, and all the sand to the other," and although I worked 10 hours today, I did it.

As I moved the last few pieces of LR over, I said to her, "If the wrasse isn't in the small burrows of sand in this corner, he's toast." Well he wasn't in the sand, and the only piece of living room real estate that I can't access, is the 3 inches of carpet behind the tank. As fate would have it, he was in the first two inches of space from the right side. Dry, but still fat, and full of pods. Dead as a doornail.

Oh well. I suppose things must get worse before they get better.

So, everything is now in the 55, except the LR and the powder blue tang. I think tomorrow I'll remove the last of the sand, clean all the glass, and rework the sump/refugium, and get the restart started.

 

Theres actually 4 different kinds of CLR. I wouldnt recommend any of them for aquaium equipment. Its meant to be used on metals, not plastic pumps and seals on pumps. Thats a good way to start leaking oil. Sorry Tangster, but thats just not safe.

MSDS Sheets Jelmar chemicals (CLR)

ALWAYS check MSDS sheets on anything that you use thats not intended originally for your tank.