Help with issues after stocking tank

[Darren94]

I have a reef tank that has been cycled and stocked but, as I am new to salt water, I have questions about some things I have noticed. My setup is as follows:

 

-Fluval Evo 13.5, stock light, stock hood

-Filtration has been upgraded to a in chamber basket with filter floss, carbon bag and media balls in the first chamber

-Second chamber has heater and additional media balls

-Stock return pump in third chamber

-18 pounds of dry rock, 15 lbs of live sand

-Hydor power head added for circulation

-2 clowns added early February

-Corals (added late February) neon green pipe organ, small GSP frag, ORA toadstool, Ricordia mushroom and a xenia that inst doing well

-Two hermits

 

Parameters are as follows:

-Ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate is 20 ppm

-Temp is 76 with light off, 78 with light on

-7 hour daily light on schedule

-1.025 salinity

-Using RO water

-Weekly water changes, 2-4 gallons with salinity, PH and temp matching

-Dose with a capful of microbacker 7 and biro spria at water changes

 

Back story. Initially, I was trying to cycle with phantom feeding and Mictobacter 7. After a month of no cycle, I switched to Dr Tims ammonia drops and bio-spira. Tank cycled in a week and would completely cycle out 2PPM ammonia / nitrite in 24 hrs. Large water change completed after cycle and began stocking. The fish and coral seem happy except for the xenia (which did great for the first week) and I know xenia can be difficult for some.  

 

My questions:

-I get an interesting light buildup of a stringy white substance on the glass, pump and rocks. Any ideas on that this could be?

-My PH is right at 8. I am continually trying to raise it to 8.2-8.4 by adding Kents superbuffer DkH that I inherited from a friend. However, PH is not going up. I test 24 hrs later and still right around 8. I assume this bottle is greater than 5 years old.

-Even with 20ppm nitrates, I don't see any algae (not that its a bad thing) but, I would think with that amount of nitrate present, algae would bloom. The rocks have been in the water since early January and they are still mostly white with some very minor brown spots.

 

Thanks!

 

 

[WV Reefer]

4 minutes ago, Darren94 said:

I have a reef tank that has been cycled and stocked but, as I am new to salt water, I have questions about some things I have noticed. My setup is as follows:

 

-Fluval Evo 13.5, stock light, stock hood

-Filtration has been upgraded to a in chamber basket with filter floss, carbon bag and media balls in the first chamber

-Second chamber has heater and additional media balls

-Stock return pump in third chamber

-18 pounds of dry rock, 15 lbs of live sand

-Hydor power head added for circulation

-2 clowns added early February

-Corals (added late February) neon green pipe organ, small GSP frag, ORA toadstool, Ricordia mushroom and a xenia that inst doing well

-Two hermits

 

Parameters are as follows:

-Ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate is 20 ppm

-Temp is 76 with light off, 78 with light on

-7 hour daily light on schedule

-1.025 salinity

-Using RO water

-Weekly water changes, 2-4 gallons with salinity, PH and temp matching

-Dose with a capful of microbacker 7 and biro spria at water changes

 

Back story. Initially, I was trying to cycle with phantom feeding and Mictobacter 7. After a month of no cycle, I switched to Dr Tims ammonia drops and bio-spira. Tank cycled in a week and would completely cycle out 2PPM ammonia / nitrite in 24 hrs. Large water change completed after cycle and began stocking. The fish and coral seem happy except for the xenia (which did great for the first week) and I know xenia can be difficult for some.  

 

My questions:

-I get an interesting light buildup of a stringy white substance on the glass, pump and rocks. Any ideas on that this could be?

-My PH is right at 8. I am continually trying to raise it to 8.2-8.4 by adding Kents superbuffer DkH that I inherited from a friend. However, PH is not going up. I test 24 hrs later and still right around 8. I assume this bottle is greater than 5 years old.

-Even with 20ppm nitrates, I don't see any algae (not that its a bad thing) but, I would think with that amount of nitrate present, algae would bloom. The rocks have been in the water since early January and they are still mostly white with some very minor brown spots.

 

Thanks!

 

 

 

Welcome to NR! 😊

 

First off, do not chase ph. Let it settle on it’s own. Trying to constantly adjust it will only cause issues. 

 

The film you describe could be a bacterial bloom or may just be the new tank uglies. 

 

Keep up with your water changes and you should be fine. A young tank is unstable. You need to give it time to find it’s balance. 

[Tamberav]

Dont use pH buffer. Leave pH alone...it's fine. It will change all day long and adding buffer will mess up your alkalinity and cause swings. 

 

 

[Darren94]

Thanks for the reply guys. Stopped using the buffer, completed a water change and the corals perked up!

[Lognor]

I'd suggest adding more critters to your cleanup crew.  A lot of sites offer packages based on your tank size.  A few different kinds of snails and maybe some more crabs will also help.

[Tamberav]

19 hours ago, Darren94 said:

Thanks for the reply guys. Stopped using the buffer, completed a water change and the corals perked up!

Yay good news...! 

 

The stringy white may bacterial due to the high doses of microbacter and biospira. I would ease off and lower the doses and see if that helps.

 

No algae may be to possibly low po4.