Tank neon green

[Tcook]

Sounds like you also need to build your knowledge base. This will help save you a lot of frustration. Take a look at this video series from BRS along with the 52 weeks of reefing.

5 Minute Saltwater Aquarium Guide - Bulk Reef Supply

A series of 5 Minute videos designed to guide beginners through the setup of a saltwater aquarium. \n \n

www.bulkreefsupply.com

 

[Reef By Steele]

Copepods are a vital group of animal plankton. They’re the little buggers that Mandarin Dragonets feed on all day (as an example).

Your LFS will most likely carry 6oz bottles of them, though the most economical option is to by them from @Reef By Steele as their product is phenomenal.

Thanks for the shout out. We take great pride in our product and really love hearing positive from our customers as satisfaction is our number 1 priority.

 

[NanoNana]

Before you add copepods, green killing machine nano UV sterilizer. Chewy sells it and will have it to you in two days. It’s a plug and play unit with its own pump. Just suction cup to the inside of the tank and plug it in.
Once you clear your water, you can remove it and just periodically run it. After you are clear, you can add your pods to help prevent future blooms. The UV will take some days to clear you tank and running UV 24/7 will put a dent in your copepod population so if you want it cleared fast and go the UV route, add pods after you can shut the UV down.

 

[Reef By Steele]

Before you add copepods, green killing machine nano UV sterilizer. Chewy sells it and will have it to you in two days. It’s a plug and play unit with its own pump. Just suction cup to the inside of the tank and plug it in.
Once you clear your water, you can remove it and just periodically run it. After you are clear, you can add your pods to help prevent future blooms. The UV will take some days to clear you tank and running UV 24/7 will put a dent in your copepod population so if you want it cleared fast and go the UV route, add pods after you can shut the UV down.

If stocking benthic pods, Tisbe, Apocyclops and Tigriopus, the UV doesn’t really make a huge impact on the pods as they live on surfaces vs free swimming. Just shut it down when adding pods, and circulation for an hour.

 

[twentyleagues]

Before you add copepods, green killing machine nano UV sterilizer. Chewy sells it and will have it to you in two days. It’s a plug and play unit with its own pump. Just suction cup to the inside of the tank and plug it in.
Once you clear your water, you can remove it and just periodically run it. After you are clear, you can add your pods to help prevent future blooms. The UV will take some days to clear you tank and running UV 24/7 will put a dent in your copepod population so if you want it cleared fast and go the UV route, add pods after you can shut the UV down.

Most uv is not strong enough to damage higher lifeforms such a copepods. They would have to live in the uv unit forever with it running 24/7 to do anything and its to bright in there they will not want to stay.

 

[Reef By Steele]

We are on a well with septic system as well. Depending on where you live your water could have lots of minerals in it. If you have a Culligan service near you, I believe they will test your water for free so they can try to sell you equipment like water softener and RO unit. Your water could also have bacteria in it, I know when buying or selling a house with a well they test the water for bacteria. Google treating a well with bleach, it is an occasional thing not something you have to do all the time.

Short term you could buy water from Wal-Mart or Culligan in 5 gallon bottles and refill at the in store station. This would be an option. Or get a RODI and set it up at your kitchen sink and hook in a drinking water system as well, since the same minerals can be bad for you and your family. This would make the investment for more than just your tank.

If you don’t have any corals a black out where you shut off your lights and even drape a towel or such over the tank would kill off any algae bloom without hurting your fish.

 

[Northern Flicker]

Edit - someone beat me to it.

Good luck!

 

[slingfox]

Saltwater reef tank is not a cheap hobby or at least requires a decent amount of disposable income. If you have any concerns about the cost you should really consider switching to freshwater or finding another hobby that is less demanding. I researched the reef hobby for close to five years before I started. First two times i seriously thought about setting up a tank I decided against it due to cost and projected time commitment.

 

[Saucymmonroe]

Copepods are a vital group of animal plankton. They’re the little buggers that Mandarin Dragonets feed on all day (as an example).

Your LFS will most likely carry 6oz bottles of them, though the most economical option is to by them from @Reef By Steele as their product is phenomenal.

Thank you! Do they go away eventually or do they stay in the tank all the time?

 

[Saucymmonroe]

Before you do anything else, please get yourself a Reverse Osmosis water filter system... Preferably "RODI". You can get them on Amazon for as little as $150 to $500 for all the bells and whistles. This would be my starting point, and I wouldn't even attempt anything else until I had good water. That should be the starting point. If you cannot afford one, you might want to re-evaluate your hobby (unfortunately)... I am not trying to be harsh or bash you so please don't think that is my objective! This hobby can be expensive A-F... especially if you are fighting it all the time. Then you will naturally lose interest anyways... Tap water can be so bad, and well water can be even worse depending on your well depth and where you live. At minimum, you can get a large carbon filter to filter your house water to take some impurities out. I think without starting at zero TDS water, you will never be able to get your tank under control for a lengthy period of time. You will spend more money on testing kits and water chemicals to clear up your water, than it would cost to get yourself an RODI system. Does Petco offer RODI water for sale? I have friends that bring 5 gallon buckets to the local fish store and buy it from them. This will definitely help you.

I will check about the filter and RODI at Petco. I know they have that ocean water, but they and everyone else was out of it when I went to buy it this last time. Thank you so much! I appreciate all of you.

 

[william Lutman]

Back story: I have had the tank for 6 months roughly. Used tap water with salt initially. Got red cyano. Used chemi clean and switched to the pre boxed ocean water at about 4 months in. In June it was time for a water change. I had just enough boxed ocean water to change it. Forgot I didn’t have those white ammonia filter rocks in my Fluval 30. I was going to go to the store next day after the water change. Got a call from out of state(mom had to be resuscitated) it didn’t look good. Immediately packed up and drove out of state to get there as she was on a vent. She is thankfully ok. Doing rigorous physical therapy, but life changing for me and my family to say the least. So tank went probably about 2-1/2 weeks with no white rocky filter piece. Came back and it was green. I waited about another week because I had to get my family in the swing of things etc. The tank is a 14 gallon. I have no skimmer. I have a black air fan in the water (one of those magnetic ones). I have two clown fish, two hermit crabs, a fire goby, two turbo snails, an emerald crab (if it is alive), and 2 corals left. One coral wasn’t looking good and died in the water change. One looked bad and then also died after the water change. I did a 90% change Wednesday 7/17, or Thursday 7/18. Water looked clearer but put water in and siphoned more out a second time because when the sand was moved there was so much debris floating I thought it would help. I had to use tap water this time because I literally couldn’t get the ocean water anywhere as everyone was out, and I don’t have access to rodi water where I live. No changes seen due to tap yet, but after putting new water in and putting the white rock filter in it was still green. I changed the white rock filter again yesterday. Water is still neon green. Tank was in very good health before I left to go out of state. I feel like the tank is cool, but it has become a complete money sucker. I feel like although the water was fairly clear prior to my trip, it was always somewhat cloudy. Never where I would have felt happy with it. Now with this water change and the corals dying.. that’s $50 or more down the drain. I’m so sad. I can’t keep pouring money into the tank and have all the stuff die. I would love to get corals cheaper to replace the ones that died as I was getting the frags from Petco. But I’m not ready to put anything in the tank until I can figure out what is going on with the tank. I added the salt. It is at 35 in terms of salt. I also included a pic of one of the coral frags that died. The other one just disintegrated. Please help! Pics below.

A UV sterilizer will kill off in water algae blooms. Just watch for ammonia spike

 

[Saucymmonroe]

We are on a well with septic system as well. Depending on where you live your water could have lots of minerals in it. If you have a Culligan service near you, I believe they will test your water for free so they can try to sell you equipment like water softener and RO unit. Your water could also have bacteria in it, I know when buying or selling a house with a well they test the water for bacteria. Google treating a well with bleach, it is an occasional thing not something you have to do all the time.

Short term you could buy water from Wal-Mart or Culligan in 5 gallon bottles and refill at the in store station. This would be an option. Or get a RODI and set it up at your kitchen sink and hook in a drinking water system as well, since the same minerals can be bad for you and your family. This would make the investment for more than just your tank.

If you don’t have any corals a black out where you shut off your lights and even drape a towel or such over the tank would kill off any algae bloom without hurting your fish.

I do have two corals that are alive.. but water is so murky and green that one is only opening part way and the other isn’t opening. I guess I was unclear in my water.. so I pay the city for water.. so I must have city water, but I have a septic tank. No well. I live in GA about an hour south of Atlanta. So red clay is the primary dirt here. Lots of iron I presume. I will definitely read up more and check into the RODI system. Thank you!

 

[Rappa]

I do have two corals that are alive.. but water is so murky and green that one is only opening part way and the other isn’t opening. I guess I was unclear in my water.. so I pay the city for water.. so I must have city water, but I have a septic tank. No well. I live in GA about an hour south of Atlanta. So red clay is the primary dirt here. Lots of iron I presume. I will definitely read up more and check into the RODI system. Thank you!

Yes if we did a poll of all salt water tank owners on Reef2Reef, I would guess that 95%+ own their own RODI system, or get their water from someone who does. I personally do not know of anyone with a successful salt water tank that uses water from the sink. Not saying that their aren't any... but in my 20 years of having salt water tanks, I have never seen anyone "personally". Even though you can purchase pre-mixed salt water (and that is perfectly fine to use), you will still need access to pure fresh water for top-off on a daily or bi-weekly basis at minimum. If you don't top-off your evaporated water, your salt levels will be all over the place, and you will have other issues. Also, pre-mixed salt water tends to be more pricey than making your own... so the RODI should pay for itself in a short period of time if you stay in the hobby. An added benefit to having your own filtration system is that we personally use ours for drinking water and cooking water as well. You can add a couple of additional mineral and alkaline cartridges for the drinking water line that goes to your fridge for ice and water, and you will never need to buy bottled water again!!! I feel good knowing that my kids aren't drinking the unknowns coming out of the faucet. We also have an RO faucet at our sink that we use to fill pots and pans for cooking.

 

[Saltwater Depot]

suggest you do a 50% water change, the nutrients in that water is probably high

 

[Saucymmonroe]

UPDATE!! So weird, but after a couple days of leaving the light off for part of the day and changing the carbon filter, it seems the tank is now the clearest it has ever been. I am amazed. I was getting so discouraged but feeling a bit better now. Still lots of research to do, but I thank you for all of your help!!

 

[vcnt]

Nitrate no, but the algae on the walls has been there for a while. I usually get it, the snails can’t keep up! lol. But I am still not sure about the cloudy water. Nitrate Inhavent checked yet. Ammonia, was high before the water change at 25, when it was 0 prior. But I thought by doing the huge water change and really drudging up the sand that a lot would be removed when all the waste came out. I will have to check nitrates today. Thank you!

Ammonia was 25? or 2.5

 

[littlefoxx]

Back story: I have had the tank for 6 months roughly. Used tap water with salt initially. Got red cyano. Used chemi clean and switched to the pre boxed ocean water at about 4 months in. In June it was time for a water change. I had just enough boxed ocean water to change it. Forgot I didn’t have those white ammonia filter rocks in my Fluval 30. I was going to go to the store next day after the water change. Got a call from out of state(mom had to be resuscitated) it didn’t look good. Immediately packed up and drove out of state to get there as she was on a vent. She is thankfully ok. Doing rigorous physical therapy, but life changing for me and my family to say the least. So tank went probably about 2-1/2 weeks with no white rocky filter piece. Came back and it was green. I waited about another week because I had to get my family in the swing of things etc. The tank is a 14 gallon. I have no skimmer. I have a black air fan in the water (one of those magnetic ones). I have two clown fish, two hermit crabs, a fire goby, two turbo snails, an emerald crab (if it is alive), and 2 corals left. One coral wasn’t looking good and died in the water change. One looked bad and then also died after the water change. I did a 90% change Wednesday 7/17, or Thursday 7/18. Water looked clearer but put water in and siphoned more out a second time because when the sand was moved there was so much debris floating I thought it would help. I had to use tap water this time because I literally couldn’t get the ocean water anywhere as everyone was out, and I don’t have access to rodi water where I live. No changes seen due to tap yet, but after putting new water in and putting the white rock filter in it was still green. I changed the white rock filter again yesterday. Water is still neon green. Tank was in very good health before I left to go out of state. I feel like the tank is cool, but it has become a complete money sucker. I feel like although the water was fairly clear prior to my trip, it was always somewhat cloudy. Never where I would have felt happy with it. Now with this water change and the corals dying.. that’s $50 or more down the drain. I’m so sad. I can’t keep pouring money into the tank and have all the stuff die. I would love to get corals cheaper to replace the ones that died as I was getting the frags from Petco. But I’m not ready to put anything in the tank until I can figure out what is going on with the tank. I added the salt. It is at 35 in terms of salt. I also included a pic of one of the coral frags that died. The other one just disintegrated. Please help! Pics below.

Edit: just saw the update, glad its better!