Urgent Whats wrong with my tank

Discussion in 'ASAP' started by ferretfish, Jan 8, 2012.

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  1. Jason McKenzie

    Jason McKenzie Super Moderator

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    I agree with most above. I think a refugium isn't the solution here. The amount of fish in a 55G you are going to have Nitrates and phosphates. You my never get a reading of them using a test kit as they are being consumed by the algae. I would increase the frequency of water changes to get the problem under control. Then perhaps add a GFO reactor when you have the time
     
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  3. ferretfish

    ferretfish Sea Dragon

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    i think what im going to do is
    shorten my lighting schedule
    feed my fish more carfully
    buy all things i need one at a time
    also is a ro/di unit necessary
     
    Last edited: Jan 8, 2012
  4. coylee_17

    coylee_17 Fire Goby

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    If you feed frozen do you rinse the food once thawed with tank water? I noticed a huge difference once I started. I don't know about all foods but whatever they are frozen in can contain a lot of phosphates.
     
  5. ferretfish

    ferretfish Sea Dragon

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    i feed my fish with frozen food but i defrost them with tap water.
     
  6. coylee_17

    coylee_17 Fire Goby

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    After they defrost, pour them through in a seive, then rinse them with a cup of tank water. As they defrost in the wate,r whatever phosphates are there just end up in the water, then you pour them into the tank. Also I wouldn't use tap water, this is also a source of nutrients for the algae. As mentioned RO/DI is much better.

    I know it sounds like these are all little things. And they are. But they all add up to a bad algae infestation as you have found out.
     
  7. cosmo

    cosmo Giant Squid

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    Wait, what kinda of water are you using? a rodi unit is 100% necessary unless you like battling a problem like this!;)
     
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  9. ferretfish

    ferretfish Sea Dragon

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    tap water from my fridge
     
  10. cosmo

    cosmo Giant Squid

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    dude there ya go! that's probably 99% of your problem! i'd get a RODI unit ASAP, then get some purigen/seachem stuff kicking real soon help kick the phosphate/nitrates out sooner! But ya can't use that water and not expect this to keep happening!
     
  11. cosmo

    cosmo Giant Squid

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    ask vinnyboombatz about the best combo of that! but i think its purigen and seachem something! But you're best bet is to get to a lfs and get a ton of RODI water, buy a RODI unit, and do some massive atwer changes over the next few weeks! no promises but should help! also a CUC! sorry but this hobby ain't cheap to do right!
     
  12. ferretfish

    ferretfish Sea Dragon

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    i had a really good clean up crew but on of my fish gota taste of hermit crabs and ate them all. also the batch of snails that i had were really stupid becuase like 3 of them got stuck in my live rock and the other 3 fell on there back in parts of the tank i couldnot reach.
    also i noticed diatitoms in my tank today