I need Help with my tank... Its Sick.

[oscar5453]

Hello,

 

I have a 55 gallon tank. The filter I have really sucks. The water is always a bit dusty and my live rock gets full of dust very fast. I have tried dusting the rocks off and also vaccuming the sand to get the dirty stuff out but it keep comming back. I think it is because my filter sucks. I have a double pad filter from aquaview up to 70 gallons i think.

 

Also my skimmer I have had on for months and it still doesn't pick up anything. Nothing ever accumulates in the recepticle unless I am cleaning the tank when the water is very dirty. Ever since i bought nothing accumulates. It just fizzes and bubbles right before it gets to the top where the recepticle is.

 

My questions are.

 

-Could there be something wrong with my skimmer?

 

-Also what filter can use to prevent the dirty ( dusty) water? WHat brand or model?

 

-Do i need a sump or some sort?

 

-In my tank i have about 3 handfuls of plants. ( they advised it keeps the water clean since they absorb nitrates. Is this o.k?

 

-Also I bought some new live rock 3 months ago and it has a little bit of coraline growing on it but mostly a bunch of dust green hair and some red bacteria that looks like slime. It seems the live rock I bought sucks! What can I do to reclaim the live rock? I had some from before that was expensive and that live rock is fine and beautiful with coraline but this new one really sucks.

 

Help!!!

 

And sorry for so many questions asked at once. Below are some pictures of my tank. I appreciate some advice and comments.

 

-Oscar

 

In the picture it doesnt look that bad because it is after I gave it a BIG cleaning, new filters and I let the dust settle. thnx.! ALSO this is when the live rock was brand new 3 months ago. Now its all nasty.

[Six]

"55 Gallon

with 5 damsels

-hermits and emerald crabs, Arrow crabs, Pepperming and Camel shrimps

-Some Polyps, Pink Tree looking thing.

-Sponges, Praying Mantis,

-Sea urchin

-Snails, crabs and a bbunch of other stuff that I don't Have an ID for yet.

260 Watt Hallide. & Skimmer."

 

 

^

I take it this is what is in your tank?

 

It's not sick, persay, just a product of misinformation.

 

I would recommend starting out picking up a book or two on keeping reef tanks. I think you were sold substandard equipment and or told poor advice, but we'll try to help get you back on the right track.

 

Do you know what kind of filter you have? Brand and size.

 

Any other cirrculation?

 

The dust is detritus, like marine dirt. if there is not enough water cirrculation, and not enough filtration you'll have it do as you say and settle on the rocks.

Regardless, you'll need to clean the mechanical part of your filter frequently after adding live rock. just a normal part of getting it suited for a display.

 

If youre getting "bad" algae, you'll want to grow the good stuff, coraline algae. You'll need to start adding a calcium and alkalinity supplement to the tank. This will help get rid of the bad algae. This is all explained in depth an most marine books. I would suggest Robert Fenner's Concientious Marine Aquarist. as a good read.

 

I would not add any more live animals to your water until you've got a good grasp of water chemisty and gotten the tank in better shape, meaning in cleaner shape.

 

Also, are you doing water changes? What type of foods and how much are you feeding? - Not doing water changes and overfeeding or using the wrong foods can really make a mess of a tank fast.

 

HTH,

GL

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