Bap's RSM 250 Tank thread

bap819

Member
We had an eventful morning yesterday. My brother was yelling for help because our diamond back goby decided to attempt suicide. We've had him for about two weeks, and we usually leave the front part of the hood flipped open to let some of the heat from the lights escape. (Still waiting on the LEDs to arrive) Well, the poor guy decided to leap out, much to the delight of one our cats. The cat was just casually batting at him with her paw when we found him, but he was still breathing and flopping around! So he couldn't have been out of the water for very long. We quickly removed the cat from the scene and plopped Mr.Goby back in the tank shutting the hood down behind him. It's been over 24 hours and he seems to be recovering well. Fingers crossed because he does a hell of a job cleaning up the sand and keeping it looking good.
 

bap819

Member
So far so good with the new LEDs....sort of.

The reason I don't have any pics posted yet is because the tank looks a bit awful. Three weeks after putting in the new lights, we saw all sorts of algae break out in the tank. 85% of it is brown hair algae growing on the back wall! We haven't had any issues with hair algae in a while and aren't sure why it is happening. We did a 30% water change just before it happened and I put a bag of PhosGuard in for a few days because we had some cyano flaring up. I switched out the PhosGuard and put in a bag of Chemi Pure Elite like we normally have in as part of our media. That's when the hair algae went crazy. The only thing that is different then normal is that I don't have Purigen in the back right now. (It's on the shopping list)

Thinking that maybe once we get the Purigen in the tank again, I'll kill the lights for 32 hours or so. I might just have to post a new thread for suggestions on this issue as well as the bubble algae we are suffering from.
 

bap819

Member
Trying our best to get the tank back into good shape. It was indeed brown hair algae. The tank had been neglected for a little while though so its our own fault. Bought some mexican Turbos and Trochus snails to help with the clean ups since we have only a handful of blue legged hermits doing the job. Tank must have more issues then I thought tho. Two of the turbos died within 24 hours, and one of the trochus (did a 30 min drip acclimation with both types). I think the other trochus aren't doing so well either. We did a 20% water change yesterday and plan to do another in a week. Also finally got around to researching how to adjust the tunze skimmer to do a better job. That most likely had a lot to do with the excess waste in the water feeding all that algae.

The game plan is to try and keep up with weekly water changes till everything is under control then go back to 20% bi weekly ones. We also have a coarse filter in place for the polishing filter which will get switched out every two-three days after manual removal of the hair algae and bubble algae.

Once all the parameters are stable we will start dosing and stocking up with more beautiful corals. Stay tuned :)
 

bap819

Member
Some shots of the tank from my iPhone. As soon as everything is looking top notch again I will break out my DSLR.

FullSizeRender_zpskjlcglee.jpg

The giant mass slowly creeping up the front glass is our Clavularia. We have had it for about two years now and are constantly cutting it down to a third of this size and trading it. But we haven't done any coral purchasing lately and I think I will vote to have it taken out completely. Thats some valuable real estate for some other less invasive corals. But of course I share this tank with my mother and brother and we all have to agree on it.

IMG_5645_zpsc3w20ctr.jpg


IMG_5644_zpsiniw1szr.jpg


IMG_5643_zpsqx7nkjmv.jpg


Also debating removing the rock behind the Kenya tree since it currently only houses a dying trumpet and bubble algae all over the entire rock. But that rock also keeps the Kenya tree's rock from following forward and if I do remember it may support the two rocks on either side of it as well :(
 

bap819

Member
After rigorous water changes, the hair algae has subsided quite a bit. However, the bubble algae has gone crazy and becoming a big problem. We have done some reading on the new Vibrant Liquid Aquarium cleaner. People seem to have some really good results with it and bubble algae. In addition to that we need to get some new snails to replace the ones that seem to have died off so fast. Or perhaps just more hermits.
 

StevesLEDs

RS Sponsor
@bap819 Your aquarium is looking great!

Just to clarify, the Steves LEDs system you have was specifically designed to nearly eliminate all wavelengths of light that nuisance algae can photosynthesize, leaving something else in the water as the algae's food supply. That said, it sounds like you figured this out, as phosphates are usually the thing that sneaks up on aquariums which yield an algae bloom. Just clarifying this so you can be aware that your light settings are probably correct, and don't need adjusting.

The Vibrant Liquid Aquarium Cleaner has worked well for us as well. I think the contents contain a very specific strain of natural bacteria that do a good job of consuming unwanted chemicals, thus starving out nuisance algae. And it appears to be all natural, so no side effects either.

-Jeff
 

Pat24601

Well-Known Member
After rigorous water changes, the hair algae has subsided quite a bit. However, the bubble algae has gone crazy and becoming a big problem. We have done some reading on the new Vibrant Liquid Aquarium cleaner. People seem to have some really good results with it and bubble algae. In addition to that we need to get some new snails to replace the ones that seem to have died off so fast. Or perhaps just more hermits.

My experience on bubble algae is interesting. I tried lots and lots of things. Regular water changes, manual removal, seachem phosnet and other phosphate removers (seachem phosnet is my favorite), emerald crabs, etc.

Absolutely none of it seemed to work. I mean, I'd keep it kind of "under control" (mostly with manual removal and water changes I suspect), but it would always be around and keep coming back.

Then one day, for no apparent reason whatsoever, it went away on its own and I never saw it again. Actually, this even happened at a time when my maintenance had fallen off a bit because of work.

I'm not sure what the lesson there is. I don't think the lesson is sit back and do nothing, but maybe it is don't be discouraged if things seem not to work because it's not an easy thing to deal with, but it also doesn't mean your tank is forever doomed.
 
Top