Need Help, Huge Tank Crash

[redreefer]

Were to start.... To begin with, I am not sure what is related to what. Our tank has been running fine for 2 years. The only problem has been with occasional cyano algae.

Over the last few months we have been losing Mexican Turbo Snails. So many in fact, that we began to suspect that our Yellow Wrasse might be responsible.

We then lost our Rose anemone, Black Clown, and Orange Eyed Urchin, and Tuxedo Urchin.

Right before leaving on vacation we notice some green hair algae in the tank. While we were away, we lost power for a few hours, but the petsitter never noticed that the AC never came back on. We we got home the green hair algae had taken over the tank. Our Yellow Belly Damsel and one other Damsel did not look good either.

After a lot of research I purchase some Algaefix. I misread the directions and instead of dosing every 3 days, dosed every day for a week. This made a real mess. Green goo was floating at the top of the tank, killing our mushroom corals, killing the plants in the refugium, and making the fish very unhappy.

I immediately did a 16 gallon water change, and another 16 gallons a few days later. We removed all the rock, cleaned off the algae (in a salt water bath), and did another water change.

I took a water sample to the fish store and everything checked out fine. Time to rebuild. I put in 2 Mexican Turbo snails which died within an hour.

I did another 2 water changes, this time with bottled water (trying to remove some variables). I also changed out 50% of the miracle mud in the refugium, which was time to do anyway.

Water test was again fine. Added plants to the refugium and another 2 Turbos. The Turbos died in an hour or so.

The fish are dead, the peppermint shrimp is fine, the Xenia are fine, the sand sifting snails are good, and the plants in the refugium or ok. I am not sure what is happening, or what to do. All the water tests I do show everything is good.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks...

 

[Behrmon]

Running any carbon? Exactly what was tested and what were the results? Do you acclimate the inverts? CA,KH,MG,Phos,SG? Have you completly ruled out foreign toxins?

 

[JayM]

I agree, what are 'fine' water parameters....

 

[JohnK]

I would leave everything as is for a while and let the system recover before trying to add anything more. I would want to know the cause of the current losses, and have a plan to address that problem, before adding anything more.

After the aglaefix and deaths, I would think that running carbon and continued water changes would be in order for now. Don't add anything new, just let the system calm down and either find the causes, or at least dilute them into submission

 

[redreefer]

Both the fish store and I did tests for Ammonia, PH, KH, CA, Phos, Nitrites, and Nitrates. All were fine. I think it is also time to invest in a RO/DI unit. The water in my town is very unpredictable.

I was thinking about Carbon too. How would I put it in the system? Do I get the Bio Balls with it in them, and place in my Refugium?

How long should things settle for? I feel like I am using Turbos like they used Canarys in mines.


I forgot to mention that the green hair algae is back.

 

[frank180reef]

what do you mean about the bioballs?

if you have a return you could run carbon in a filter sock or run a hang on the back filter and put carbon in there

thanks Frank

 

[redreefer]

I was talking about these bioballs

http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=12742

Or is it better to just get carbon, put in a filter sock and put in the return section of my refugium. How much carbon do I use?

Thanks for all the help.

 

[frank180reef]

use carbon!!

use as much as you can effectively get water to flow though......

 

[spamreefnew]

bioballs are not the best for a reef system,,,if you are running a wet/dry/drip type filter as part of the ecosystem then that could be part of the problem. maybe your PH,AMM,and ALK are all fine but maybe your nitrates and phosphates are off the charts? then when all that algae died it released all of it's toxins into the water causing the tank to crash?

 

[JayM]

I think it is also time to invest in a RO/DI unit. The water in my town is very unpredictable.


I forgot to mention that the green hair algae is back.

Well, if you are using tap water for topoff, chloramine alone could be killing your inverts, who are more sensitive than fish to chemicals.

If the algae is 'back' and growing, then you have nutrients to feed them, so there ARE nitrates and phosphates in your tank.

If you are introducing water into your system that you do not know the quality of, this is a tail chase. You need 'good' water to start, or you may be adding back in the exact chemicals you are trying to remove, and all you are going to do with carbon is hope to keep the status quo.

 

[redreefer]

bioballs are not the best for a reef system,,,if you are running a wet/dry/drip type filter as part of the ecosystem then that could be part of the problem. maybe your PH,AMM,and ALK are all fine but maybe your nitrates and phosphates are off the charts? then when all that algae died it released all of it's toxins into the water causing the tank to crash?

How could bioballs cause a problem? They came with the Ecosystems refugium to use.

Even after the algae died off the first time, the water tested fine for nitrates and phosphates. I even tested my WC water, and levels were fine.

I wish there was a problem with something, that way I could try to fix it.

Is the Air,Water,Ice RO/DI still the recommended unit to use?

 

[MofoCorals]

BiobAll cause nitrade spike because the trap a lot of junk. It eventually builds up and can cause you tank to crash.

What are you paramiters in number?
Nitrate, nitrite, phosphate...

Also don't stress out. Take it slow.

 

[redreefer]

BiobAll cause nitrade spike because the trap a lot of junk. It eventually builds up and can cause you tank to crash.

What are you paramiters in number?
Nitrate, nitrite, phosphate...

Also don't stress out. Take it slow.

First, I want to thank everyone for their help.

It has been very stressful the last couple of months with the tank. Not to mention work being crazed, I haven't been able to spend any time on the tank.

I will run a water test tonight a post the results.

 

[redreefer]

I also cleaned the bioballs of the dead plants.

I have only been in the hobby for 3 years; still learning my way. The tank is both for me and my 10 year old daughter. After 2 years of running we finally got the fish she had always wanted, a Green Mandarin. She was bummed when it died.