My NIGHTMARE!

[Tamberav]

I have BA too! I just manually remove the crap. Someday I will find every bubble.

[seabass]

Keep in mind that you can use distilled water from Walmart, or any grocery store.  You obviously can't do water changes when you don't have water.  Getting my own RO/DI unit was the best thing, as I always had plenty of water available for maintenance, top offs, emergencies, or whatever.  With water being an hour away, I can see having to put off maintenance until you can make a trip for more water.  I imagine you have a much more convenient source for distilled water.  It's worth the extra price just for the gas it would save you.

 

You'll just have to decide on the toadstool.  You could always keep a frag of it, and start over with it.

[Oldsalt01]

In their infinite wisdom, Coralife designed the 14g with a non-removable baffle at the bottom of the first chamber, so detritus builds up there. I blast it with the baster when I do maintenance, but there's really no way to clean it fully. BRILLIANT! I may fill the tank with a water/vinegar mix, run it through, after I scrub the tank and hope for the best. 

[Tamberav]

9 hours ago, Oldsalt01 said:

In their infinite wisdom, Coralife designed the 14g with a non-removable baffle at the bottom of the first chamber, so detritus builds up there. I blast it with the baster when I do maintenance, but there's really no way to clean it fully. BRILLIANT! I may fill the tank with a water/vinegar mix, run it through, after I scrub the tank and hope for the best. 

My IM10g is the same way in first two chambers, drives me bonkers. I don't know the reasoning behind it but my other AIO was custom made so the baffles go through the bottom and it stays much cleaner. Its about the one thing I would change on my IM.

[Oldsalt01]

NIGHTMARE update: Just got back from a week away, and all my Acans frags finally disappeared completely. I'm not surprised. They were on their way out before I left. In that time, the prevalence of the bubble algae has at least doubled! This stuff is everywhere; the bottom of the tank where there is no sand, the tank back panel, and all over the rock. I was going to spend the day cleaning the rock, but Irma has intervened. This stuff is so extensive I think I need to alter my plan a bit. So, instead I'm going to drop my lights from 7 hrs/day to 5 hrs/day (already done), put what dry rock I still have into my QT, which has never had any chemicals in it (I just QT. I don't treat unless I suspect disease), to start bio-loading it, and give it a couple of weeks to cycle. The BA is so extensive there is no way to spot treat it with Hydrogen Peroxide. I guess the best I can do is remove the rock, scrub it, rinse it well and hope for the best. I'd include a pic, but I'm a bit embarrassed it's gone this far.  

 

14g Biocube

Semi-stock filtration

Hydra 26 w/controller

weekly water changes w/RO/DI

3 fish

1 toadstool

some snails

4 hermits

1 Mithrax

a few small zoas hangers-on

feeding schedule: every other day with 1/3 cube of Hakari Bio-pure Mysis with Spirulina.

Nitrates: .5 (API), Phosphate:0 (low-range Salifert kit)

I'm suspecting the reason my phosphate is 0 is that the BA and GHA is up-taking it before it can be measured.

[seabass]

17 minutes ago, Oldsalt01 said:

This stuff is so extensive I think I need to alter my plan a bit... put what dry rock I still have into my QT... and give it a couple of weeks to cycle.

So are you planning on replacing all of your rock?

 

If I were you, I'd consider it a valid option.

I'd be tempted to replace all the rock, dip your corals, and start over.  You could cure/cycle the rock in a separate container before you switch it out.  It's kind of a desperate move, but maybe a new start is what you need.

[Oldsalt01]

On 9/10/2017 at 0:37 PM, seabass said:

So are you planning on replacing all of your rock?

 

If I were you, I'd consider it a valid option.

I was hoping to avoid replacing ALL the rock, but now that I see how extensive the infestation is I guess I don't have a lot of choice. And I had such nice Coralline growth. I'm going to have to completely sterilize the tank too. I've even found this stuff growing in the lower filter grate on the back wall, which means it's probably growing in the lower chamber below the non-removable baffle (BRILLIANT design, Coralife!) in the 1st chamber. I have a small amount of sand in there and am planning on going back to a 1" sand bed and was going to use the old sand to kick-start the new bed, but now I'm concerned it's contaminated too. My biggest fear is crashing the tank and having an ammonia spike while all the new rock settles in. I'm hoping to avoid that by bio-loading moderate amounts of rock over time in my QT, which is chemical free and has some algae (no BA though) on the two rocks in there (to keep the bio-load stable). There still remains the question of what to do with the Blenny, the bonded Ocellaris, the small zoa frag, the Toadstool (which I'll have to frag off the large rock it's on), and the snails and hermits I have left. Malawi Chiclids are looking better all the time!

[seabass]

There are lots of threads about people moving, transferring, or rip cleaning their tanks.  It involves placing the livestock in 5 gallon buckets while you move, transfer, or clean your tank.  If prepared, you can do this all in a single day (with little chance of causing an ammonia spike).  If you wish, I can help you plan this out.

 

If you will be replacing your rock with dry rock, you must first build up the biofilter.  Follow this guide: http://www.drtimsaquatics.com/resources/fishless-cycling

[seabass]

2 hours ago, Oldsalt01 said:

... and the snails and hermits I have left.

Keep in mind that snail and hermit shells can often be covered in algae.  Take care not to reintroduce intrusive algae via your cleanup crew.

[hoot712]

I just moved a 28g biocube, used 6 5gal buckets, just took a little planning ahead of time, from drained to complete set up took 6 hrs, didn't lose anything.  Been 2 weeks everything is happy.

[Oldsalt01]

Nightmare update. Lost all my Acans. They were stressed anyway. My BA is OUTTA CONTROL. My LFS offered to swap out my contaminated rock with cycled base rock so i can avoid any cycle. The plan is to do that, add a sand bed again, after I've thoroughly cleaned the tank and start over. I recognize the possibility of hitchhikers but it's a risk I'm willing to take. My wife wants to go with Chiclids but I love my reef so I'm gonna hold off for now. My Red People Eater's are doing pretty well so I'm hoping the added sandbed will help with the nutrients ( I think they're low). I'll update as I go. Here's hoping.

[Tamberav]

Bubble algae makes spores, got to love it.

 

Idk, seems like it might just come back. I just manually remove it. That crap comes in on frags with no visible BA because of spores and normal coral dips don't kill it.

 

Your rock is pretty and mature, wish I could take it off your hands.

 

Base rock from LFS may still cycle once moved so be prepared just in case.

 

21 minutes ago, Oldsalt01 said:

Nightmare update. Lost all my Acans. They were stressed anyway. My BA is OUTTA CONTROL. My LFS offered to swap out my contaminated rock with cycled base rock so i can avoid any cycle. The plan is to do that, add a sand bed again, after I've thoroughly cleaned the tank and start over. I recognize the possibility of hitchhikers but it's a risk I'm willing to take. My wife wants to go with Chiclids but I love my reef so I'm gonna hold off for now. My Red People Eater's are doing pretty well so I'm hoping the added sandbed will help with the nutrients ( I think they're low). I'll update as I go. Here's hoping.

 

[seabass]

3 minutes ago, Tamberav said:

... because of spores and normal coral dips don't kill it.

A peroxide dip should kill the spores.  However, you don't necessarily want to dip rock with non-bacterial beneficial life.

[Oldsalt01]

12 minutes ago, seabass said:

A peroxide dip should kill the spores.  However, you don't necessarily want to dip rock with non-bacterial beneficial life.

The BA is taking over (it's EVERYWHERE) and I'm concerned a peroxide dip will wipe out the nitrifying bacteria in the rock. I would literally have to dip every piece AFTER manual removal and can't be sure I can get the bubbles in the crevices. It's pretty porous rock with a load of Coralline. What will the peroxide do to the Coralline?

[seabass]

18 minutes ago, Oldsalt01 said:

The BA is taking over (it's EVERYWHERE)...

Which is why I recommended replacing the rocks nearly a month ago.  The reason I brought up the peroxide dip was in response to @Tamberav's concern about spores.

 

18 minutes ago, Oldsalt01 said:

I'm concerned a peroxide dip will wipe out the nitrifying bacteria in the rock.

I'm not recommending you try to kill your BA with peroxide.  However, a peroxide dip won't kill off the nitrifying bacteria.  Again, I have and will continue to recommend that you replace your rocks.

 

18 minutes ago, Oldsalt01 said:

What will the peroxide do to the Coralline?

It depends on how thick the coralline is, the concentration of peroxide, the duration of the dip, and the time left to oxidize out of the water.  However, it could kill it.

[seabass]

What you want to do is kill one type of algae (BA) and save another type of algae (coralline).  This is not a realistic goal.

[burtbollinger]

what is your white to blue ratio on your lights?

 

Hydra 26 is a lot of light for a tank this size.

[Tamberav]

1 hour ago, seabass said:

A peroxide dip should kill the spores.  However, you don't necessarily want to dip rock with non-bacterial beneficial life.

 

Yes but I wouldn't dip certain corals in peroxide. 

 

Peroxide did not kill my coralline. I do enough till I see the bubbling then wait 5-10 min.
 

Yes you can replace the rocks, just saying it may show up again someday. Its not something I would personally do having dealt with BA before. Manual removal is more difficult and probably need to keep doing it for awhile so replacing the rocks would be easier.

[seabass]

4 minutes ago, Tamberav said:

Yes but I wouldn't dip certain corals in peroxide. 

Agreed.  Corals fall into that non-bacterial beneficial life category.  However, it's amazing how many corals can actually survive a quick dip in saltwater made with peroxide.

[Oldsalt01]

3 hours ago, seabass said:

Which is why I recommended replacing the rocks nearly a month ago.  The reason I brought up the peroxide dip was in response to @Tamberav's concern about spores.

 

I'm not recommending you try to kill your BA with peroxide.  However, a peroxide dip won't kill off the nitrifying bacteria.  Again, I have and will continue to recommend that you replace your rocks.

 

It depends on how thick the coralline is, the concentration of peroxide, the duration of the dip, and the time left to oxidize out of the water.  However, it could kill it.

No need to get testy. I get it. Replace the rocks.

[seabass]

I don't feel like I was being testy.  Sorry if it came across that way.  I was just trying to be clear what I was recommending, as it appeared like you felt I was recommending peroxide as a fix.  Aggressive and persistent manual removal is the typical solution for bubble algae (Valonia).  However, that can take awhile, and can become disheartening.  I've been there, good luck.

[Oldsalt01]

No worries. It's my fault the damn stuff established itself to begin with. If I'd pulled the original bubbles off and peroxided the spot to begin with, I might not have ended up where I am, but at the time I didn't recognize the threat for what it was. Rest assured I WILL thoroughly inspect the replacement rock, now that I know what to look for.

12 minutes ago, seabass said:

I don't feel like I was being testy.  Sorry if it came across that way.  I was just trying to be clear what I was recommending, as it appeared like you felt I was recommending peroxide as a fix.  Aggressive and persistent manual removal is the typical solution for bubble algae (Valonia).  However, that can take awhile, and can become disheartening.  I've been there, good luck.

 

[Oldsalt01]

5 hours ago, burtbollinger said:

what is your white to blue ratio on your lights?

 

Hydra 26 is a lot of light for a tank this size.

I'll get back to you on that. I've cut the "on"cycle time to 5 hours, but my Toadstool's not too happy about it. Hasn't extended its tentacles in several days, but it's still upright so I'm not too concerned. I think they tend to be a little moody anyway.

[burtbollinger]

1 hour ago, Oldsalt01 said:

I'll get back to you on that. I've cut the "on"cycle time to 5 hours, but my Toadstool's not too happy about it. Hasn't extended its tentacles in several days, but it's still upright so I'm not too concerned. I think they tend to be a little moody anyway.

IME, I'd never ever use a leather to determine the health of the tank, lighting, etc.

 

I'd really look into intensity....not just your length.  I'd have my daylight/midday period be about 5 hours....running the whites very low compared to the blues.  some blues can be on well before and after the whites lessen for the day.

[Oldsalt01]

2 hours ago, burtbollinger said:

IME, I'd never ever use a leather to determine the health of the tank, lighting, etc.

 

I'd really look into intensity....not just your length.  I'd have my daylight/midday period be about 5 hours....running the whites very low compared to the blues.  some blues can be on well before and after the whites lessen for the day.

No. I'm not gauging the tank health on "Dick", but at least it's open again. But here's the numbers:

W: 14%

V: 20%

R:0

G:0

DB: 33%

RB: 33%

UV: 60%

I've got the red and green at 0 as I've read those wavelengths encourage nuisance algae, and I already have enough of that, lol. Right now the hydra's 6" above water line. I have no idea what my parents or lux values are at the tank bottom.