Hammerstone's Tank

[Newstead]

Have you tried Microbacter7? It should help build good bacteria to compete with the cyano. That plus one bag of Algone (barley, must boost good bacteria) took care of my cyano in a biocube 29 last summer.

[seabass]

Have you tried Microbacter7?

Funny you mention that (it might help with the cycno). But I was going to suggest MicrōBacterCLEAN.

[Newstead]

Funny you mention that (it might help with the cycno). But I was going to suggest MicrōBacterCLEAN.

I just ran across that in some reading. Have you tried it? Would be interested if it subs for and is better than MB7.

[Clown79]

Turkey baster never worked for my cyano either. It would suck it up but blew it away instead. I think the baster method works on thicker sheets of cyano.

 

Glad you found a method that works and thx for sharing it.

[Hammerstone]

Right, they aren't host anemones. I've had clownfish and RFAs in the same tank for over a decade and have never seen a clownfish in a RFA. However, I read a thread years ago where someone claimed their clownfish had "hosted" a RFA (no pictures were provided).

 

My guess is that the anemone would try to eat a fish. But I assume that a healthy clownfish would be able to escape.

the clowns look so very curious, like mesmerized looking at the Grand Canyon or something. They need to stay, away. Weirdos lol.

[seabass]

I just ran across that in some reading. Have you tried it? Would be interested if it subs for and is better than MB7.

I just started. It's probably too early to report anything substantial, but it seems to be loosening some organics on the rocks. Kat had posted about it in Pjanssen's bryopsis thread, and I decided to give it a try.

[BJV]

An update would be nice.

[Hammerstone]

I was waiting until I had something new to report. I didn't forget y'all or this thread. I ordered a snail and hermit package and the hermits ate all the snails. I still have cyano and algae all over my tank. I have to clean the glass everyday because of that algae. I have to clean my Zoas every morning with a toothbrush or they won't open. Iam doing another round of chemiclean and am going to do a water change and vacuum. The good thing about the hermits is that they move around so much that my sand bed is stirred. I'm just pretty depressed about it and am trying to at least keep up with it.

 

I haven't forgotten you, I won't forget you, I'm still trying to beat this. I still need the microbactor7 is that what it's called? And the Phosgard. Just was waiting until I had something to say ? I'm sorry.

[seabass]

As promised, here's how to clean or replace your sand bed without crashing your tank. Replacing it is easier, and arguably safer than cleaning it (but cleaning is an option).

 

First don't disturb the sand bed with livestock in your tank. Disrupting it will release trapped organics and nutrients into the water column. You must remove everything from your tank first. Any tank water you wish to reuse, must be saved prior to disturbing the substrate.

 

Now fill some buckets with tank water to hold your livestock. Use a separate bucket(s) for your live rock (so it doesn't crush anyone). Then move everything out of your tank. Again, trying to disturb the sand as little as possible. Once the sand is disturbed, you must discard the remaining water in your tank.

 

Now you have a tank with just sand and dirty water. It's time to clean. Remove the sand, then clean out the tank and equipment. A vinegar solution is a good cleaning product.

 

If you are using new sand, you can add it now, or wait until you have returned the rocks. If you plan on reusing the sand, skip this step until after you have your tank back up and running.

 

If there is any cyano on your rocks, clean it off before returning it to your clean tank. You can use a turkey baster to blow it off, or a soft bristle toothbrush. I would also consider a peroxide treatment before returning them to your tank. Again, I'll write a separate post for you on this topic.

 

Fill your tank about half full of saltwater. Or enough to cover the rocks once they are in the tank. You can use saved tank water, new saltwater, or a combination of the two.

 

Return your rocks to the tank. Then return your livestock. Use a turkey baster to gently blow off any cyano from your corals prior to returning them. If you wish, you can use a peroxide treatment for your corals as well (I'll discuss this later).

 

Top off the tank with saltwater. Note, you'll need a lot more new saltwater than you think you will.

 

So if you plan on reusing your sand, it's time to clean it. Use a five gallon bucket. Fill it no more than 1/4 full of sand. Add enough water to cover the sand, plus a few extra inches. I've been using RO/DI water, but you can use saltwater if that seems better to you. Now stir the sand with your hand until the water is nice and dirty, empty the dirty water, and repeat until the water is just slightly cloudy (but not dirty). It's this point where I dump in a bottle of peroxide, stir, empty, then rinse again (but using peroxide is an optional step). Generally I'll let it sit overnight, and rinse it again the next day before I return it to my tank. I know this sounds like a lot, 'cause it is. But it has to be clean, or you risk adding nutrients, organics, or even causing an ammonia spike.

I know you're hesitant to go down this path, but I think you'd be better off in the long run if you did.

[Clown79]

I think its time to replace the sand.

[seabass]

... the hermits ate all the snails

I assume you have extra (suitably sized) shells for the hermits in your tank. Could the snails have died first, and then the crabs ate them? While I've seen some aggression with hermits, I haven't ever witnessed that sort of carnage.

 

The good thing about the hermits is that they move around so much that my sand bed is stirred.

They will help some. However, they cannot clean a 2.5" bed of sand.

 

I'm just pretty depressed about it and am trying to at least keep up with it.

Sorry to hear that. However, I hate to say that I'm not surprised that you are still battling this.

 

I still need the microbactor7 is that what it's called?

Yep it's Microbacter7, from Brightwell Aquatics.

[bowkry]

you should try the microbacter7 i have ran it for years on my tanks. my novo 38 i started it with it did 3 weeks every day now i dose it every second day, also when i started it i started tailored aquatics phosphate destroyer and now dose it every other day. nitrates 0.1 and phos undetectable. I also run chemi pure blue for carbon and have a 2-3 in sand bed.

[ReefWeeds]

I agree with the others about replacing the sand bed. Sounds like a PITA, but will be well worth it. I think you have too much junk built up and you seem to be fighting a losing battle to some degree.

[brandon429]

Hammer

Your tank can be fixed in 48 hours as offered

 

A series of partial actions isn't working, but to be fixed by Tuesday sure would work. You need a tank rebuild it takes all of two hours. Running a system hands off means that substrate-anchored and blanketing growths are not removed as they would be by grazers in the wild. In the very least your tank should have whichever the largest areas of waste cleaned out if applicable. If you had to guess, where most of the waste fueling the invasion? Is it from a high fish and feeding bioload in the water, or do areas of the tank have built up detritus?

 

 

As we build tank rework threads, it's the full tank work that fills up the threads fixed/restored all just about 2 to 3 days out.

 

 

if you remove the growths correctly using a demo'd method, and you fix the sandbed problems, remove any detritus from live rock, done by Tuesday. Is also ok to proceed and wait for water actions to work, but don't discount the Tuesday option it sure looks nice after. The invaded condition is done on purpose by not cleaning the tank it's the simplest fix around...water dosers may or may not work and their main liability is the guess and wait vs 48 hours. It's nice to know algae is either opted in or opted out of the tank as quick or as long as we want to decide.

 

For starting proof details about your invasion requiring mb7, how would your sandbed do with a drop test? (Pick up handful of sand underwater and drop, big cloud yes or no)

 

This is nutrient hunting. To control cyano without grazers we need nutrient detailing so why not ID a nutrient source...this test tells us if most of your cyano fuel is from below.

[Hammerstone]

Thank you everybody, just to let you know about the hermits, I have a ton of shells that the hermits can change into, and they have run the cat walk like models changing into new clothes, repeatedly. They didn't have a reason other than wanting to eat the snails as they didn't use the shells and a lot of the snails were tiny.

 

Thank you all for gathering around me to help.

[BJV]

Hammerstone please post a few photos of your tank, I for one have not seen it.

Thanks,

Barry

[Hammerstone]

When I get a chance I will take some shots and ask someone if I can email them to them so they can post them for me. I use an iPod and the copy and paste doesn't seem to work because I have never been able to paste my stuff into a photo place.

 

I have in my 30 gallon two clowns, six hermits, and I found two snails.

[fishfreak0114]

Have you tried photobucket? You can upload from your camera roll to the site, and then copy and past the URL on NR. It's free too

[HarryPotter]

Hammerstone, I did this step by step for you and even highlighted where you need to click. I hope you try.

 

First download photobucket from the App Store.

 

Open the app.

 

It will ask to make an account. Do that.

 

Then click the + on the bottom left

 

You have the option to take a photo right then (easier) or upload from your camera roll.

 

If you want from your camera roll, click there and then click camera roll at the top

 

 

Choose the photos you want to upload

 

Upload to your bucket, then click upload on top right.

 

Please just try. It's not that hard, you just need to think about what you're trying to do.

 

If you really try and still cannot manage to do so, email me a few and I'll upload them here- you have my email.

[fishfreak0114]

I didn't know there's an app! I've been doing it through google on their website on my phone this whole time

[HarryPotter]

I didn't know there's an app! I've been doing it through google on their website on my phone this whole time

Oh it's so easy through the app! No login, just open, click upload, and choose all the photos you want

[fishfreak0114]

Oh it's so easy through the app! No login, just open, click upload, and choose all the photos you want

I'm definitely gonna use the app from now on

[Pjanssen]

Wow Harry! That was really nice, and smart of you to do this for Hammer.

[Hammerstone]

Wow Harry, thank you!! You've always been so cool to me and the rest who you help (autocorrect lol) NR!!!

 

I'm gonna try!!?

 

I just spent a good four hours getting cyano out of my tank. There's still algae as I can't get a good purchase on it to pull it out. I'm going to do a nice big water change. I'm coming to the realization that all these days and hours of work are just spinning my wheels and I will have to do it over and over and over if I don't buck up and handle the sand. It's sucked the fun out of it. I'm just scared of creating a cycle and losing my clown babies. Three years isn't really that long in the grand scheme of things, but I am really attached to these clowns. It must suck having nasty cyano in your house.

[seabass]

I'm just scared of creating a cycle and losing my clown babies.

I get that; but if you follow the steps closely, they'll be just fine.