Help With Newer Reef Tank

[IndyReef78]

Hi everyone! We are on our second tank (a 210 gallon mixed reef). We've been up and running really well for a few months now and have fully cycled and are testing most days. In the last week, we have seen quite a bit of redish brown algae, some of which seems stringy, on the sandbed and the rocks and along the back wall. we have an expanded clean-up crew on the way, a bunch of pods on the way (both arriving this week) and 3 small tangs that we added last night. Our parameters are as follows:

PH 8.2
Salinity 1.026 (did a water change 2 days ago)
Alkalinity 9.8 (per Hanna checker)
Calcium 350
Magnesium 990
Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 0
Phosphates .25

Everything was going quite well. The few soft corals (small leather, some firework polyps, a pulsing xenia and a small torch) we have were looking great, then they seemed to almost overnight get angry. We noticed the alkalinity was really low (5) so we slowly bumped that up using Randy's calculator and baking soda. We just started adding magnesium and the Seachem Reef Fusion 1 and 2 to help bump up the low numbers. We have a refugium with bioballs and cheato, a reef mat and protein skimmer running. Looking at the parameters and what we are doing, what else would you suggest to help everything along and especially to get rid of the algae/dino/cyano (whatever it is!)

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Its the 'uglies', its normal. Give it time, it will go away.

 

[Jekyl]

I think this is dinos, not just uglies. Does it get worse during the day and recede at night? Any bubbles forming? White light pics and even better would be microscope photos will help.

 

[Formulator]

Agreed it looks like dinos. Fortunately still in a manageable state without need for extreme measures. What are your nitrates and phosphates?

 

[IndyReef78]

I think this is dinos, not just uglies. Does it get worse during the day and recede at night? Aby bubbles forming? White light pics and even better would be microscope photos will help.

I don't think it really changes, day or night and I haven't noticed any bubbles. It's just gross!

 

[IndyReef78]

Agreed it looks like dinos. Fortunately still in a manageable state without need for extreme measures. What are your nitrates and phosphates?

Nitrates are 0 and Phosphates are .25 - I just added two new pics under white light.

 

[Jekyl]

@vetteguy53081 can we get an assist here please?

 

[Formulator]

Nitrates are 0 and Phosphates are .25 - I just added two new pics under white light.

Bingo. Dinos love low/zero nitrates. Get those up by increasing your feeding and adding fish if you haven’t fully stocked the tank yet.

 

[IndyReef78]

Bingo. Dinos love low/zero nitrates. Get those up by increasing your feeding and adding fish if you haven’t fully stocked the tank yet.

So we have (I think) 13 smaller fish. The largest was just added, and it is the naso tang and at most is 3-4 inches from tip to tail. I don't really want to stock more since I know many of the fish will grow much larger. I thought I was feeding fairly heavily (2 frozen cubes twice a day, plus clams on the half-shell every few days and nori every few days - which will now have to be every day since the tangs were just added).

 

[Formulator]

So we have (I think) 13 smaller fish. The largest was just added, and it is the naso tang and at most is 3-4 inches from tip to tail. I don't really want to stock more since I know many of the fish will grow much larger. I thought I was feeding fairly heavily (2 frozen cubes twice a day, plus clams on the half-shell every few days and nori every few days - which will now have to be every day since the tangs were just added).

Hmm. That does sound pretty heavy to me. Have or are you using any bottled bacteria products?

 

[crazyfishmom]

I agree that this is part of the uglies. Which salt mix are you using? I would say that both calcium and magnesium should be raised. Also be careful with alkalinity being that high with such a new tank.

How frequently are you doing water changes? How are you maintaining alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium?

 

[Formulator]

I agree that this is part of the uglies. Which salt mix are you using? I would say that both calcium and magnesium should be raised. Also be careful with alkalinity being that high with such a new tank.

How frequently are you doing water changes? How are you maintaining alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium?

I agree magnesium is very low and calcium could use a bump. Not sure I agree that dinos are just part of the uglies though. Diatoms, yes. Dinos, no. Need to take action against dinos or they can smother your tank. Diatoms will usually just run their course in any new tank.

Ask me how I know…

Dinos and aiptasia took my tank from this to the photo above over the course of just a few months:

 

[IndyReef78]

Hmm. That does sound pretty heavy to me. Have or are you using any bottled bacteria products?

I don't think we are currently adding bottled bacteria. We did start out with Dr. Tim's, but that was months ago.

 

[Formulator]

I don't think we are currently adding bottled bacteria. We did start out with Dr. Tim's, but that was months ago.

Ok that’s good. You need to get your nitrates up and sounds like you are already feeding plenty and have a decent bioload. A couple options are to dose nitrate directly with a product like brightwell neo nitro, or dose ammonia using ammonium chloride solution. Either will work, but the latter takes a little more DIY and potentially more dangerous if done incorrectly. There are lots of threads on the topic if you search the forums.

 

[IndyReef78]

I agree that this is part of the uglies. Which salt mix are you using? I would say that both calcium and magnesium should be raised. Also be careful with alkalinity being that high with such a new tank.

How frequently are you doing water changes? How are you maintaining alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium?

We are using the Red Sea blue bucket salt mix (not the reef mix, but I think we may need to switch). I wasn't even testing the calcium and magnesium yet because I didn't think any corals we currently have would be draining much, but clearly we do need to add both and we have started to work on that. Our alkalinity was super low a few days ago, so the combo of a water change and our supplementing with dissolved baking soda bumped it a little higher than I wanted. I'm aiming for 8 -8.5.

Water changes right now have been once a month. As for maintaining alk, calcium and magnesium, I think we may switch to a different salt brand or use the coral pro version after this bag. I will be testing all at least once every day or so. We just started adding Seachem Reef Fusion 1 and 2 to help supplement the calcium and alkalinity and we added Seachem magnesium today.

 

[IndyReef78]

Ok, I'm still doing some researching, but I did see that Hydrogen Peroxide (1ml per 10 gallons) can also treat dinos. We don't have access to the Neo Nitro unless we order it from Amazon as the closest store that carries it is an hour away. Anyone tried that? Good idea or bad?

 

[IndyReef78]

I agree magnesium is very low and calcium could use a bump. Not sure I agree that dinos are just part of the uglies though. Diatoms, yes. Dinos, no. Need to take action against dinos or they can smother your tank. Diatoms will usually just run their course in any new tank.

Ask me how I know…

Dinos and aiptasia took my tank from this to the photo above over the course of just a few months:

Oh my! That looks familiar though.

 

[crazyfishmom]

We are using the Red Sea blue bucket salt mix (not the reef mix, but I think we may need to switch). I wasn't even testing the calcium and magnesium yet because I didn't think any corals we currently have would be draining much, but clearly we do need to add both and we have started to work on that. Our alkalinity was super low a few days ago, so the combo of a water change and our supplementing with dissolved baking soda bumped it a little higher than I wanted. I'm aiming for 8 -8.5.

Water changes right now have been once a month. As for maintaining alk, calcium and magnesium, I think we may switch to a different salt brand or use the coral pro version after this bag. I will be testing all at least once every day or so. We just started adding Seachem Reef Fusion 1 and 2 to help supplement the calcium and alkalinity and we added Seachem magnesium today.

With large systems, doing large enough water changes to be able to maintain the necessary levels is difficult.

It is also very surprising how much can change in a short period of time particularly as a tank “settles”.

I have a 210 with 60 gallon sump and I’ve been using all for reef since I started the tank with great results. Maintaining stability is key with any of these settings. How large are the water changes that you’ve done?

 

[crazyfishmom]

Ok, I'm still doing some researching, but I did see that Hydrogen Peroxide (1ml per 10 gallons) can also treat dinos. We don't have access to the Neo Nitro unless we order it from Amazon as the closest store that carries it is an hour away. Anyone tried that? Good idea or bad?

I’ve used hydrogen peroxide in the battle against dinos and it helped but balancing out nutrients will be key.

I would definitely order the Neonitro as others have said.

 

[Formulator]

Oh my! That looks familiar though.

It was my own fault. Live and learn! Slowly but surely getting back to beauty though!