"Old Tank Syndrome" setting in?

[ervine]

Hi guys,

My tank I think is now 4 or 5 years old, haven't had much problems till about a year ago when hair algae took over, started using DI water and hair algae went away but somehow my zoos and shrooms all melted away (other corals ok)...

Strangely after the hair algae went away, cyno or diatoms came back with a vengence...

I tested my water so far looks ok:

kH - 10

pH - 8.4

No3 - 2.5mg/l

PO4 - undetectable

Ca - 390ppm

2.5ft x 1.5ft x 1.5ft

250W MH with 2ft athnic T5s

Macro 25-something needlewheel skimmer

2ft sump with refugium thriving with cheato

I'm at a lost as to what else to do...

There's one more thing, I seem to be getting a lot of white chunky dust settling down in the crevices which stir up when I move the rocks or the wave makers kick in. Detrius?

Currently thinking of getting a more powerful skimmer but I'm not sure if that's going to help...

I've also heard older tanks which have used kalk for long have a problem with phosphates, I've been using kalk since day one until just last week when I took the kalk stirrer out of commission.

So I was wondering if my tank is just getting old... and if so what can I do to breathe life into it again, hurts to see it slipping away like this..

Thanks!

Ervine

[mansiz]

You are using 250 Watt MH and your tank height is 1.5 ft, I don't think there is a way to actually prevent algae from growing. Actually I tested my tank water parameters, just like yours, all algae nutrients are 0, but I still got algaes. Then I find out that actually my light level is too high. But actually I don't mind having those algaes now, I find them quite useful as I can scretch them out and my tang will feed on them. Fat and vibrant colour.

[searching4dan]

i tot i am the only one having a 2.5ft tank

bro.. my tank is having alot of diatoms too..

[ervine]

You are using 250 Watt MH and your tank height is 1.5 ft, I don't think there is a way to actually prevent algae from growing. Actually I tested my tank water parameters, just like yours, all algae nutrients are 0, but I still got algaes. Then I find out that actually my light level is too high. But actually I don't mind having those algaes now, I find them quite useful as I can scretch them out and my tang will feed on them. Fat and vibrant colour.

sorry sorry my tank height is 2ft, not 1.5ft...

and the MH is quite far away from the tank, like 1ft+ above the tank...

OH!... it just struck me!!

I used to use 20k bulbs but swapped over to 14k recently... could that be the problem??

[mansiz]

Actually no matter what, there will sure be algae growing. Just like the sea, even 0 NO3 and 0 PO4, there are still millions of algaes. You have to remove them either manually or invite some cleaners to help you.

[ervine]

Actually no matter what, there will sure be algae growing. Just like the sea, even 0 NO3 and 0 PO4, there are still millions of algaes. You have to remove them either manually or invite some cleaners to help you.

yah I'm fine with SOME algae... but not when it covers everything and my corals start to slowly die off...

[tjchan]

get an algae blenny..... it works. Mine literally cleaned off all algae from my rocks, equipment, and back of tank glass, and even off my snails' shells...... amazing....

[dleecool]

get an algae blenny..... it works. Mine literally cleaned off all algae from my rocks, equipment, and back of tank glass, and even off my snails' shells...... amazing....

U can get a sea hare from Henry. It works well too.

[patrick123]

Bro,

You put zoo and mushroom under 250w, the light may be too strong, especially when you change from 20k to 14k.

If you doubt about your water, you can do progressive, but large portion of water change, eg. once a week of 30-40% water change for a few weeks.

For your tank size, it shouldn't cost a bomb to do that.

[ervine]

Bro,

You put zoo and mushroom under 250w, the light may be too strong, especially when you change from 20k to 14k.

If you doubt about your water, you can do progressive, but large portion of water change, eg. once a week of 30-40% water change for a few weeks.

For your tank size, it shouldn't cost a bomb to do that.

Yeah maybe i'll bring it back up to 20k.... I thought there isn't really such a thing as TOO much light...

So far GSPs, cup coral, hammer, tounge, all ok, just the shrooms and zoos...

[patrick123]

I know some of my zoos are not growing well under 250w light, but other LFS and SPS are growing like crazy. You may want to hide your zoos and mushroom inside the cave of your rock work. Also, adding iodide will help the situation.

Good luck.