Need Help Very Confused!!!!!!!!!

[roadrunner1659]

OK...stick with me! I have a 26 gal tank...with 3 fish and GSP...has been setup for 3 yrs. Last friday i did my weekly water change 4 gals. I ws gone for the weekend and my mom fed the tank. Monday i came home to a tank filled with brown something all over everything. And i didn't and still dont understand why...I trust my mom feeding my tank!

Anyway monday night i cleaned the entire tank and i did another water change about 6 gallons. I tested the tank on friday (yesterday) and this...

Tank temp - 80
salinity - 1.024
pH - 8.3
am - 0-0.50
trites/trates - 0

...my tank still has this brown stuff all alover everything and i was told that i might have high phosphates so tonight when i went to the LFS i had them test that...i dont know the number but he told me that its no were near high enough to cause an outbreak. So i'm still out in the dask as to why i have this brown stuff and what it is?????????????

Then the next confusing thing came...I also had the LFS test my water for calcium and alkalinity b/c i dont have those test kits yet. They both came back low..calcium was around 300 and alkalinty was around 1.4. The reason why i dont understand this is b/c i do a weekly water change of 4 gallons and since last firday i changed 10 gallons. I dont understand why this is so LOW?????????????????????????

I know this is big and i need everyones help! Ask me anything and if i have the anwser to chip away at this i will give it!

Thanks!

[Frankie]

Can you get a picture of it so we can identify the stuff?
Hang in there, you didn't say anything died so alls not lost yet

[roadrunner1659]

i will be able to get one up tomorrow!

[Frankie]

ok

[roadrunner1659]

ffrankie could you help me out with another confusing thing?

[Frankie]

sure. And just call me frankie, i don't stutter anymore.

[roadrunner1659]

ok! when i went to the LFS today i also had my calcium and my alkalinity tested...my result were very low and i dont understand why b/c i do a weekly water change of 4 gals a week and i only have 1 coral green star polyp.

the test showed that calcium was around 300 and the alkalinity was around 1.4...any idea?

i use reef crystals salt and i was told that that has more calcium and stuff in it...

Thanks

[Frankie]

The salt is not enough for calcium. Its in there but you need to add calcium to get the right levels. I think you dont need to worry about this right now. theres nothing in there thats useing it atm.
What i think you need to focus on is the water your changing water with.
You started this thread because of brown gunk in your tank. This tells me you might be useing tap water or the filter your cleaning your tap water with has plaid out.
Sorry its late and i need rest but i will be back tomorrow and will go further into this with you
Im sure others will jump into this with me tomorrow and you will figure this trouble out. but for the time being forget the calcium and focus on the cleaning up of this tank.

[roadrunner1659]

ok well then i'll pick this up with you tomorrow! thanks again!

[Frankie]

Btw if you click the chat link on the front page you can get great instant info from people there when there around. I'll be in there tomorrow night

[Woodstock]

Did you measure out the amount of food to feed for your mother? I am guessing she overfed the tank while you were gone.

Which test kit was used for the ammonia?? AP (aquarium pharmaceuticals) ammonia test kit always shows results 0.5 ppm - it is the only test kit of theirs that is completely inacurrate (do not use it). I use other AP kits with no problems.

Brown stuff? Is it like a carpet of slime that can be vacuumed/removed easily? If so, it sounds like cynoabacteria which thrives on phosphates and a red spectrum light (old PC bulbs shift to a red spectrum after approx 8 months). Get some phosban (po4 media) and perform several large (30%) water changes over the next week. Keep your lights off for a few days.

Low ca & alk? Are you testing your newly made salt water PRIOR to using it on your tank? Always test it for PH, temp, salinity, calcium, alkalinity ... and maybe magnesium if needed. That way you KNOW what you're putting in your tank. I suggested above to perform several water changes... test the newly made salt water when you do that and post here the results so we can figure out the best way to keep the levels up.

[roadrunner1659]

Ok here are three pictures i know that its hard to see some of the brown only b/c the lights were off all night and b/c i wiped the tank down on friday...but i think you'll still be able to get the idea!

[roadrunner1659]

Originally Posted by Woodstock

Did you measure out the amount of food to feed for your mother? I am guessing she overfed the tank while you were gone.

Which test kit was used for the ammonia?? AP (aquarium pharmaceuticals) ammonia test kit always shows results 0.5 ppm - it is the only test kit of theirs that is completely inacurrate (do not use it). I use other AP kits with no problems.

Brown stuff? Is it like a carpet of slime that can be vacuumed/removed easily? If so, it sounds like cynoabacteria which thrives on phosphates and a red spectrum light (old PC bulbs shift to a red spectrum after approx 8 months). Get some phosban (po4 media) and perform several large (30%) water changes over the next week. Keep your lights off for a few days.

Low ca & alk? Are you testing your newly made salt water PRIOR to using it on your tank? Always test it for PH, temp, salinity, calcium, alkalinity ... and maybe magnesium if needed. That way you KNOW what you're putting in your tank. I suggested above to perform several water changes... test the newly made salt water when you do that and post here the results so we can figure out the best way to keep the levels up.

yes i prepared the food for the weekend and the correct amount for my mom to feed...i trust her...yes i do use the AP test kit!

[KimPossible]

Diatoms
Are you using RO/DI?
When was the last time you changed your bulbs out?
What kind of cleaning crew do you have?

[Woodstock]

Humm... that algae looks more like diatoms to me. They are to be expected with newly set up marine aquariums. They feed mainly from silicates and usually go away within a few weeks (once their food source is depleted); unless you keep adding silicates.

Algae Control

Diatom Algae typically is brown in appearance and usually is seen within the first 4-16 weeks following the install of an aquarium. Diatom algae have three basic needs to thrive: silicate as a food source, a low pH in a saltwater environment, and light in the yellow, orange, and red spectrum. During the first few weeks after an aquarium is set-up diatom algae growth can be very aggressive. It may cover the glass in as little as 48 hours. Diatom algae growth is normal and the direct result from the tremendous amount silica found in the synthetic salt used to make saltwater. Most synthetic sea salt manufacturers use silica, a moisture removing product, in the manufacture of synthetic salts. As the concentration of silica falls, the algae runs out of food, and slowly goes away.

Rule of Thumb for Controlling Algae:
Increase the export of the nutrients that algae feed on and limit the import of these same nutrients…or stated differently, remove the food source and remove the problem.
Increasing the export of nutrients…

• Chemical Filtration Media are specially formulated chemicals which remove both phosphate and organic waste that algae feed on. While effective, chemical filtration media alone can not remove all dissolved phosphate and organic waste.
• Protein Skimmers are very effective in removing undesirable organic compounds that algae feed on. It is amazing how much brown to black liquid can come from a crystal clear aquarium.
• Routine water change is one the most affective way to remove both phosphate and nitrate from the aquarium. The new water does not contain nitrates or phosphates, thus Premier Aquatic Services performs a 30% water change monthly on all client aquariums.
• Limiting the import of nutrients…
• Overfeeding your fish is the number one reason for imbalanced water parameters and an overabundance of nutrients that algae feed on. Did you know that a fish’s stomach is about the same size as its eye? So, if there is still uneaten food floating or sitting on the bottom of your tank 60 seconds after you feed, your display has been overfed. What happens to the excess food? It is broken down into fertilizer and harmful waste by-products.
• Overstocked aquariums occur when there are more fish present than the aquarium’s bio-load can handle. A good industry “rule of thumb”: 1 inch of fish per gallon of water in a freshwater environment and 1 inch of fish per 5 gallons of water in the saltwater environment.