Please help, because I’m near the end!

[LC8Sumi]

I think I'll abort the fluconazole treatment - which is preventing me currently from doing a wc & do a couple wc's & reintroduce GAC. Maybe if the tanks walks this out I'll do another treatment.

 

[aquaregia]

Yeah, I’ve tried that but I believe it’s just a scam

A scam is a fraudulent or deceptive act. I think you meant sham--something that is not what it is purported to be!!

 

[LC8Sumi]

A scam is a fraudulent or deceptive act. I think you meant sham--something that is not what it is purported to be!!

Well if companies advertise it to cure dino, then.. Then people hop onto the bandwagon, and suddenly 3/4 of hobbyist think that an UV and raised nutrients is the ultimate dino fix. Whatever. I've tried it & didn't work for me.
People need to realise, that most of the times these magic cures are not working because the magic cure is doing the job. It's just pure luck and coincidence, and the tank balances itself out on its own, and in reality nobody knows what's exactly the cause and fix.

 

[boacvh]

I can't pull the rocks, because the whole scape is cemented together (~55lbs).
Fts:

I am a newbie so maybe I have no idea what I am talking about, but perhaps I would say its your own perception? That tank looks amazing to me. Hang in there don't quit.

 

[aquaregia]

Best wishes in getting your problems resolved

 

[LC8Sumi]

Best wishes in getting your problems resolved

Sorry for the attitude

 

[Colin_S]

Hi LC

i've been in the hobby for 2 years, so less than you, but i also had major algae issues so i feel your frustration. if you search my posts, only a few months ago i too was at the same point as you, i've never not had algae...untill now(ish)
i haven't read all the reply's so forgive me if this has already been said, i'm researchng daily, and throwing money at it constantly. I'll share what i've learned so far and money isn't always the answer. This has just started to work for me.
Without going into all the minor details you probably already know here's how i have hopefully finally beat GHA,Diatom and Cyno... for now. (ps. my po4 averages around 0.1, working on that, and nitrates 15-20)
Make sure the water in your ATO is good, test the water from your RODI set up, make sure the TDS is at 0 and PO4 in the region of 0-0.03. i know that sounds simple but that was a issue for me, untill i changed from a single mix resin to Cation, Anion and mix resin in my rodi set up i had issues. Even if you do have low levels you might have silicates in it that you're not aware of, and this will cause algae issues, you can get the water tested.
After i did this i still had diatoms, so i installed a UV. found out that the diatoms i have aren't affected by uv lol, oh well the UV will be a prevention to other algae.
So i was/am dealing with diatoms, i could never get chaeto to grow so i switched to a Algae Turf Scrubber, that was 3 weeks ago, its started to go algae on it nicely.
i added more CUC including a blue cheek goby and dosed with Vibrant reef. in the last few days the brown algae has started to go, i don't know if its the vibrant reef dosing, or ATS but hopefully in the next week or so i could be algae free for the first time ever, and my new preventions could keep it that way.
i do have a po4/carbon reactor running as well, but i try not to dose or run reactors. i believe if your dosing a problem your not fixing it, get to the root of the cause. Carbon is good for corals, i believe it nutrilise any toxins given off by the corals. For me i believe a lot of issue comes from water qulity, get that sorted, then get a constant light schedual going and let it settle down.
i too changed all my lights last year. so what your going through is really similar to myself, i also lost a couple of corals.
hope this helps

 

[tripdad]

Simply strapping a uv on a tank will not kill dino's. You MUST blow/stir the dino's into the water column so they can physically pass thru the uv light. If they stay in the tank they will not be affected no matter how big the uv. And yes, not all dino's will respond to uv.

 

[Colin_S]

Agree with everything u said, And the blue cheek goby is doing a fantastic job at doing just that

 

[ZoWhat]

 

[LC8Sumi]

Thank You very much for all of your input!

I've decided to shut off the ta... Nah, just kidding. I've turned off all but 2x39w blue+ bulbs in my fixture for now & stopped dosing vibrant. Also reintroduced GAC in my phosban reactor & stopped with GFO. Did a 30% WC. And I'm planning on doing 10% WC's daily for a couple weeks.

So basicly the filtration is only my skimmer & GAC now and frequent water changes.

I think in the past 3 days the decline has stopped, and corals look more happy. There is still some dino and some cyano growing on the tips, but not as bad as it used to be. The cyano on the powerheads on the other hand is thriving.

I'm considering a 36W UV, but the only one available in my country is the Odyssea 36W unit, which I know nothing about. I can see how I could plumb it into my sump, but right now I don't have any idea about plumbing it in to display securely.

 

[magikfly]

If there’s one thing i’v learned in the decades it’s not to act on every issue. Usually putting something into the tank to cure/fix a problem causes others

+1. I learned this the hard way: sometimes you just got to take a step back because doing anything more will make things worse.

 

[artieg1]

I was in similar hell 18 months ago. For me, I discontinued GFO and Vibrant. I upgraded flow. Upgraded lights (does not appear to be your issue). And it took two rounds of flucanozole, but that took care of algae. I use ammonium oxide in a reactor instead of GFO. I have a UV. But I have stopped "dosing" anything other than 2-part alk/cal.

 

[theMeat]

Thank You very much for all of your input!

I've decided to shut off the ta... Nah, just kidding. I've turned off all but 2x39w blue+ bulbs in my fixture for now & stopped dosing vibrant. Also reintroduced GAC in my phosban reactor & stopped with GFO. Did a 30% WC. And I'm planning on doing 10% WC's daily for a couple weeks.

So basicly the filtration is only my skimmer & GAC now and frequent water changes.

I think in the past 3 days the decline has stopped, and corals look more happy. There is still some dino and some cyano growing on the tips, but not as bad as it used to be. The cyano on the powerheads on the other hand is thriving.

I'm considering a 36W UV, but the only one available in my country is the Odyssea 36W unit, which I know nothing about. I can see how I could plumb it into my sump, but right now I don't have any idea about plumbing it in to display securely.

Have odysea on a few tanks for 5-6 years with zero issues. Well built. Uses same bulb as most.
Agree with blowing off rocks and such every week or more until you turn the corner

 

[Ashish Patel]

Stop adding products, do 2X 30% waterchanges in 1 week, add 3 turbosnails, increase flow in the tank, add UV filter, add a cheato reacto if possible, keep you ALK Stable and wait. You will have success eventually just need to get back to the basics

This is my suggestion as to what worked for me in the past.

 

[LC8Sumi]

Have odysea on a few tanks for 5-6 years with zero issues. Well built. Uses same bulb as most.
Agree with blowing off rocks and such every week or more until you turn the corner

My issue is that it comes with something like a 21mm barbed fitting, and my pumps, that would be resonable to put into the display have 12, or 16mm max.

 

[theMeat]

My issue is that it comes with something like a 21mm barbed fitting, and my pumps, that would be resonable to put into the display have 12, or 16mm max.

A hair dryer will make hose soft and flexible enough to push it onto bigger fitting

 

[LC8Sumi]

I was wondering if I should add some bacteria product to my tank to get a more diverse fauna? Ideally I'd buy 10-20kg of liverock and reseed my tank with that, but liverock is banned in the EU. So thinking about Dr Tim's One and only or Microbacter7? If it is worth the hassle, I'll try & import a bottle.

 

[artieg1]

I was wondering if I should add some bacteria product to my tank to get a more diverse fauna? Ideally I'd buy 10-20kg of liverock and reseed my tank with that, but liverock is banned in the EU. So thinking about Dr Tim's One and only or Microbacter7? If it is worth the hassle, I'll try & import a bottle.

Personally, I would be seeking at this stage to remove supplements, not find another to add. I am fairly certain that a lack of bacterial biodiversity is not what is causing these issues.

 

[ScottB]

I can't pull the rocks, because the whole scape is cemented together (~55lbs).
Fts:

That is a fine looking reef. Don't you DARE give up on that!