NEED HELP please post i need help

ninjataco777 · 06-26-2007, 04:41 PM

i have a 20 gallon reef that has been set up for a couple years now. it never was doing to good. within the past 6 months i have not been taking good care of it it was too overwhelming. now, i decided to make it healthy again, but there are some problems. i have little grey things all over the rocks and when i blow them off they just come rite back on some are stuck to the glass to and there are loads of them under the rock and in the back of the tank. there is TONS of green hair algae on the live rock. last night, i cleaned out one of the powerheads, and the protien skimmer and got the hair algae off of the equipment. this morning i bought 10 very small reef hermit crabs to help eat the algae and i also replaced the filter media because iit hadnt been replaced in 5 or 6 months. there is no coroline algae, just green hair the nitrates are through the roof.

PLEASE tell me what i did wrong, what i need to do , and what i did write and how long it will take to get healthy again. PM or post wtvr i jus rly need help

kyle1284 · 06-26-2007, 04:47 PM

do you have a slump? if so what size? is anything living in the aquarium currently?

vdituri · 06-26-2007, 04:49 PM

Step 1. - Don't Panic

Do the grey things kind of resemble white fuzzy pineapples? If so then they are fine they are harmless. If not we will need a little more description.

You will need to get the nitrates down, so water changes are a must.
A good schedule is 10% a week. I used to do 5 gallons on my 30 tank and that was more like 17%. (just because I had a 5 gallon bucket)

For the hair algae, one tip is after you take out your old water for the water change, use it to scrub your rocks in and rinse of the hair algae. If you do it in the tank it seems to make it spread.

Also, if you do not already, you need to use filtered water. Preferrably Reverse Osmosis & De-ionized. I started with a De-ionizing cartridge filter first because it was cheaper. Then I purchased a Reverse Osmosis filter and hooked the two together. I've never had a cleaner tank in my life.

Post any more questions you have. Plenty of helpful people here.

deaclauderdale · 06-27-2007, 01:16 AM

I agree with vdituri. You also want to decrease your lighting schedule or eliminate it altogther if you don't have anything that requires it until you get the algae under control. Remeber that patients is the key, it took time to get it this way so it will take time to fix don't give up and your effort will be rewarded in the end.

P.S when you nitrates come down add a turbo or two and some ceriths to help wiht the clean up.

06-26-2007, 04:41 PM	#1 (permalink)
ninjataco777 Scopas Tang Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: south jersey Posts: 478 View Gallery Karma Komment	NEED HELP please post i need help i have a 20 gallon reef that has been set up for a couple years now. it never was doing to good. within the past 6 months i have not been taking good care of it it was too overwhelming. now, i decided to make it healthy again, but there are some problems. i have little grey things all over the rocks and when i blow them off they just come rite back on some are stuck to the glass to and there are loads of them under the rock and in the back of the tank. there is TONS of green hair algae on the live rock. last night, i cleaned out one of the powerheads, and the protien skimmer and got the hair algae off of the equipment. this morning i bought 10 very small reef hermit crabs to help eat the algae and i also replaced the filter media because iit hadnt been replaced in 5 or 6 months. there is no coroline algae, just green hair the nitrates are through the roof. PLEASE tell me what i did wrong, what i need to do , and what i did write and how long it will take to get healthy again. PM or post wtvr i jus rly need help

06-26-2007, 04:47 PM	#2 (permalink)
kyle1284 Elegance coral Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Huntsville, TX Posts: 1,061 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: NEED HELP please post i need help do you have a slump? if so what size? is anything living in the aquarium currently? __________________ KYLE 75 Gal 110 Lbs Live Rock 40 Lbs of live sand Equiptment:48 Inch 4x54 T-5 true blue and 10000k lights, 2 fuvual 305 Canister Filters Mis. Mushrooms, Fan Worms, hammer coral, frog spawn, candy cane, A TON OF TRUMPET CORAL!! orange plating monti, some kind of branching monti, pom pom xeina, all kinds of zoos BRIGHT GREEN star polyps, xeina, neon green toadstool, 3 damn damsles, a foxface and a blue tang. November 1...The begining! http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h2.../random045.jpg November 8,2008 http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h2...ristina034.jpg My 75 GALLON BAR TOP REEF TANK! http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...n-bar-top.html

06-26-2007, 04:49 PM	#3 (permalink)
vdituri Excellent Guesser :D Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Sacramento California Posts: 6,244 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: NEED HELP please post i need help Step 1. - Don't Panic Do the grey things kind of resemble white fuzzy pineapples? If so then they are fine they are harmless. If not we will need a little more description. You will need to get the nitrates down, so water changes are a must. A good schedule is 10% a week. I used to do 5 gallons on my 30 tank and that was more like 17%. (just because I had a 5 gallon bucket) For the hair algae, one tip is after you take out your old water for the water change, use it to scrub your rocks in and rinse of the hair algae. If you do it in the tank it seems to make it spread. Also, if you do not already, you need to use filtered water. Preferrably Reverse Osmosis & De-ionized. I started with a De-ionizing cartridge filter first because it was cheaper. Then I purchased a Reverse Osmosis filter and hooked the two together. I've never had a cleaner tank in my life. Post any more questions you have. Plenty of helpful people here. __________________ Victor ----- People come into our lives for a reason, a season or a lifetime. When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person. When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

06-27-2007, 01:16 AM	#4 (permalink)
deaclauderdale Reefing for Jesus Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Lancaster,California Posts: 2,499 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: NEED HELP please post i need help I agree with vdituri. You also want to decrease your lighting schedule or eliminate it altogther if you don't have anything that requires it until you get the algae under control. Remeber that patients is the key, it took time to get it this way so it will take time to fix don't give up and your effort will be rewarded in the end. P.S when you nitrates come down add a turbo or two and some ceriths to help wiht the clean up. __________________ 187 Gallon Peninsula Tank (2) 250 Watt HQI That's what I love about saltwater tanks. You get God's best!!

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