External Filter Vs Live Rock Help Please

[RSJAY89]

Hello all

to the basics right i have a 48x18x18 tank running with 18-20kg of live rock. It also has a skimmer and an external filter connected to a uv.

However of late i have had huge algea problems, i pout this due to lack of cleaning canister, and dodgy lighting for the last year as never replaced the #105###ty tibes i got with my t5 unit.

Spent £100 on bulbs and now have 2 hagen mariner glo and 2 hagen power glo 54w over my tank, enough for corals.

Ive had a lot of problems wiht corals, i put them in and about a month later they die my latest mushroom turned to yellow chalk and my zoa was healthy for 2 weeks then refused to open for 4 weeks and had horrible brown liquid coming from the stems.

Ive also lost cleaner shirmp, turbo snails, numerous fish etc.

I took all my live rock out and gave it a good clean in the water and got rid of most algea, however it has come back now.

So im wonderign as i no longer have tiome to clean my filter religously should i get rid of it (runnig carbon, purigen and filter floss) and the uv and just stick the bags in with the skimmer?

I also cant get it out of my cupbaord hence why i cant clean it that well.?

please answer asap as i need to have it done by today as well as cleanign all the rock again

regards

 

[seffieuk]

Hello all

to the basics right i have a 48x18x18 tank running with 18-20kg of live rock. It also has a skimmer and an external filter connected to a uv.

First off you need more live rock - about 28 kg in total, your heart and lungs are under powered!

However of late i have had huge algea problems, i pout this due to lack of cleaning canister,

Yep, this would do it

and dodgy lighting for the last year as never replaced the #105###ty tibes i got with my t5 unit.

Ah

Spent £100 on bulbs and now have 2 hagen mariner glo and 2 hagen power glo 54w over my tank, enough for corals.



Ive had a lot of problems wiht corals, i put them in and about a month later they die my latest mushroom turned to yellow chalk and my zoa was healthy for 2 weeks then refused to open for 4 weeks and had horrible brown liquid coming from the stems.

I'm not surprised, sounds like your tank has a lot of phosphate in it. Have you done any tests?

Ive also lost cleaner shirmp, turbo snails, numerous fish etc.

again, not surprised, nitrates are probably high

I took all my live rock out and gave it a good clean in the water and got rid of most algea, however it has come back now.

Yep, you haven't dealt with the phosphates etc

So im wonderign as i no longer have tiome to clean my filter religously should i get rid of it (runnig carbon, purigen and filter floss) and the uv and just stick the bags in with the skimmer?

Yep, get rid of the external or run it with live rock rubble and phosphate remover

I also cant get it out of my cupbaord hence why i cant clean it that well.?

Think I would ditch it then and run phosphate remover in the skimmer

please answer asap as i need to have it done by today as well as cleanign all the rock again

You need to be doing a 25% water change weekly for at least a month and then with a tank your size maybe drop down to every two weeks

regards

So, my plan would be:

(as long as you have no livestock - if you have livestock consider putting them in a holding tank for now)

Test the water you are either buying or making (before putting in the tank) for phosphates etc and post results here
Do a 50% water change
Buy more live rock, to bring the total to 28K
Get shot of the external filter
Put rowaphos in the skimmer after giving the skimmer a good clean
(leave the algae on the rocks for now - but be thinking of a good cuc)
test water 24 hours after and post results here - ammonia, nitrite and nitrate + phosphate + SG (for now)


Seffie x

 

[RSJAY89]

]

So, my plan would be:

(as long as you have no livestock - if you have livestock consider putting them in a holding tank for now)

Test the water you are either buying or making (before putting in the tank) for phosphates etc and post results here

am doing tests, last results were all fine phospates no trace, nitrates <1, ammonia nil nitrites nila nd the rest

will be posting new ones once ive done them

Do a 50% water change
done this already

Buy more live rock, to bring the total to 28K
am waiting for LFS to get more in their cured tank

Get shot of the external filter
just removed this
Put rowaphos in the skimmer after giving the skimmer a good clean
rowaphoas been in there since the start, as well purigen in the external

(leave the algae on the rocks for now - but be thinking of a good cuc)again wating for lfs to get more in

test water 24 hours after and post results here - ammonia, nitrite and nitrate + phosphate + SG (for now) will post after i clean up,lol


Seffie x
[/quote]

 

[seffieuk]

]

So, my plan would be:

(as long as you have no livestock - if you have livestock consider putting them in a holding tank for now)

Test the water you are either buying or making (before putting in the tank) for phosphates etc and post results here

am doing tests, last results were all fine phospates no trace, nitrates <1, ammonia nil nitrites nila nd the rest

You may have no trace as the algae is using it

will be posting new ones once ive done them



Do a 50% water change
done this already

fantastic - did you test the water before putting it in?

Buy more live rock, to bring the total to 28K
am waiting for LFS to get more in their cured tank

have a look around for a reefer breaking down a tank

Get shot of the external filter
just removed this

Sounds good

Put rowaphos in the skimmer after giving the skimmer a good clean

Excellent - new rowaphos?

rowaphoas been in there since the start, as well purigen in the external

(leave the algae on the rocks for now - but be thinking of a good cuc)again wating for lfs to get more in



test water 24 hours after and post results here - ammonia, nitrite and nitrate + phosphate + SG (for now) will post after i clean up,lol




Seffie x

[/quote]

 

[RSJAY89]

also just wondering if one these refuigum kits form ebay are any good and would help? cheers

 

[seffieuk]

GeT your Tank sored firsT

Seffie x