STN Issues! :(

[Triggerjay]

Ok, I have been having some slight STN issues on some of my SPS. Have looked for all the obvious culprits, red bugs, AEFW, etc.. none found. I captured all 100 or so evil crabs in the last couple days, and something dawned on me.... My 55g fuge in the basement, has sand from it from several, several different tanks. This is sand I have collected over the years when people tear down systems, etc... I have basically touched and fine tuned everything in the system, and never put my finger on my inability to keep some SPS... Its hit and miss.. about 50% of what I purchase makes it in my tank... so, I think the sandbed is the culprit... I have deicded to remove it, but I am unsure of the concenquences.. I can valve the offending tank off from the rest of the system, drain the tank, get the sand out, and fill it back up with NSW,... and leave it barebottom,.... or I can take it out over time, so the system can adjust,.... but I am afraid to disturb the sandbed and keep the fuge online, as I have no idea what kind of nasties I will send up to the DT.... Any opinions? Frankie? Anyone?

Jason

 

[mps9506]

If that sandbed was undisturbed for a long time I'd be worried about pulling out parts of it while it is still connected to the system. Sand beds can be serious nutrient sinks, no need to go disturbing it while it is connected to the display.

My advice would be disconnect it from the display, but leave it running if possible. IE powerheads or whatever you have laying around to keep it going.
Leave it for a few weeks to see how your main tank does not connected to your fuge and sandbed, if it goes sour quick from the loss of the nutrient export you can always put it back online. If the tank does fine, then go ahead and start yanking and turn it into a frag tank or something

If this has anything to do with your success with SPS, I have no idea
My first year of trying to keep acro frags was miserable. Thank god for frags or I would have never gotten so into the hobby.

 

[Octoman]

How deep is the sandbed?

 

[NCguy]

Honestly I would valve that tank off and clean it all out at one time. You do NOT want to release the kind of nasties that has built up in that sand into your system. There is a BIG difference between stirring the upper layer of sand in your DT to keep your sand clean and Stirring a DSB. My guess is that your sand is "full" basically because it came from other systems with bioloads and has probably lost it's ability to serve as a biological filter and consume any more organic matter.

 

[Woodstock]

Slow Tissue Necrosis stinks
Do you have any soft corals(finger leathers in particular) in the tank? If so, do you run carbon 24/7?
What are the daily values of the alkalinity, calcium, magnesium and temp?
How do you supplement?

 

[bluespotjawfish]

I had to disconnect my fuge a while back because of some mechanical issues. The main display did fine without it for a few weeks. I watched my nitrates and did a bit larger water changes but nothing much different than usual. I kept a pump on in the fuge, but before I hooked it back up I added some stuff that made it cycle a bit. So, I waited until after it cycled to hook it back up. The whole system is better now and it wasn't a big deal to have them separated.

You have a sand bed in the display too don't you?

 

[vdituri]

I agree with Mike's assessment.
Sounds like the best plan of action.

I would not clean AND leave it connected.

 

[Triggerjay]

How deep is the sandbed?

about 6" deep.

 

[Triggerjay]

Honestly I would valve that tank off and clean it all out at one time. You do NOT want to release the kind of nasties that has built up in that sand into your system. There is a BIG difference between stirring the upper layer of sand in your DT to keep your sand clean and Stirring a DSB. My guess is that your sand is "full" basically because it came from other systems with bioloads and has probably lost it's ability to serve as a biological filter and consume any more organic matter.

Agreed.. I feel the sandbed has lost its ability to serve as a biological filter.

 

[Triggerjay]

Slow Tissue Necrosis stinks
Do you have any soft corals(finger leathers in particular) in the tank? If so, do you run carbon 24/7?
What are the daily values of the alkalinity, calcium, magnesium and temp?
How do you supplement?

No soft corals are in the system anymore with the exception of zoanthids.. I removed them about 6 months ago..

Alk as of yesterday was 9.6 dKH, calcium 435ppm, mag 1325, temp 79.. I have a CA reactor, controlled via Miluakee PH controller, set at 6.5, and topoff with kalkwasser. I also dose lugols one drop every two days (300g system).

 

[Triggerjay]

I agree with Mike's assessment.
Sounds like the best plan of action.

I would not clean AND leave it connected.

Right, I totally wouldn't disturb it without disconnecting it from the rest of the system. I can siphon off down to near the sandbed, and dump the "clean" water in my sump. then scoop the sand out, rinse the tank, and put it back online. My sump is large enough to hold the volume of water I can save from it before I disturb it. I figure by keeping the water, (before the DSB is disturbed of course), it will lessen my chances of a mini cycle by dumping in 55g of new SW.. I will go ahead and disconnect the fuge when I get home, and keep it running for a couple weeks and see how the display faires..If it does well, out comes the sand, and I will just run chaeto in the fuge, and leave it BB... This way, any suspended particles in my system should settle there, and be easy to access to siphon off in the future. Whaddya think? Oh yeah,. and thanks for all the replies!!

Jason

 

[mps9506]

Sounds like a plan.

 

[Frankie]

Looks like i am late. (i went fishing today on my boat) You got the best advice so i won't add to the confusion I like Mikes idea btw.

 

[Triggerjay]

No prob Frankie! I have added a heater to the fuge, and dropped a couple powerheads in. I also had to shut off my CA reactor, because I dose it through the fuge. The fuge is now isolated from the rest of the system. Should I test anything special while seeing how this affects things? Thanks!

Jason

 

[mps9506]

ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. Obviously keep an eye on Ca and alk if your reactor is off line.

 

[Triggerjay]

Ok, will do. I figure if I see an increase in any of these, I will put the fuge back online, and then over time, wean the system off of the fuge by slowly decreasing flow to it,... until I get to the point the valve is totally closed. Hopefully though, things will go well, and I will be able to empty out the fuge in a couple weeks. It will be nice to be able to put it back online BB..

Jason

 

[Triggerjay]

Ok, so far so good. I have actually noticed some of the corals perk up a little... I see better PE, and overall, they just look better.. Today, I am going to run some chemi-clean in the system, and hopefully get rid of a slight amount of cyano I have starting to get a foothold in the DT. So, I am going to do this,... unplug the skimmer for two days,... and then clean out the fuge, and put it back online. I may actually clean out the fuge today, so I can get the NSW in it... Then all I have to do is wait a couple more days, and put the cleaned out fuge back online. So far, ammonia, and nitrites test 0. I did however notice my skimmer is working a little OT, pulling out more sludge than usual.... Expected I guess, as my chaeto is offline as well...

Jason

 

[bluespotjawfish]

Can you put your chaeto anywhere in your sump or even in the display for the time being?

I would make sure and have some two-part additive on hand to cover the tank needs until everything is back on line.

 

[Triggerjay]

Great idea.. I need to get it out of the fuge for the teardown anyways, and it has some cyano in it as well... so it would be a good place for it while I run the red slime remover.. This way, it will still be in the system, and it will get treated... Thanks!

Jason

 

[Triggerjay]

I also thought of moving the Ca reactor over to the sump, and put it back online for the time being. Not sure if I wil though.. I think the tank can go a couple more days without supplimentation without any ill effects. At least I hope anyways!

Jason