Helllpppp!!!!
- Thread starter flipmodez5
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flipmodez5
Member
Well I get my RO water from walmart...its like 58 cents for a gallon...I know ppl who get there water from there so I think tha water is outta tha question...Why tha heck wont this water clear up already!?!?!?! :notsure:
squidd
Active Member
Originally posted by FlipModez5
Well its been longer than 2 weeks since i did a water change...actually...I have never done one to be quite honest except 3 weeks back...
Three weeks back you were using TAP Water...IN the tank and to do your WC...
Thats where the diatom bloom is coming from..the silicates in your tap water...
..other than that I just refill the water when it evaporates with RO/DI water...
Two or Three weeks of RO top off water is not enough to "clear up your "problem"
See, if you do a water change...its going to create more diatoms in the new water...
Thats where the diatom bloom is coming from..the silicates in your tap water...
I did a water change before about 10 gallons and when I added the new water it cleared up pretty good...actually the water was almost crystal clear...however in about 6 hours my water went worse than that pic I posted up...
Thats where the diatom bloom is coming from..the silicates in your tap water...
This is why you should get a "Phosphate ans Silicate Magnet" (Marc Weiss product) to run in your filter system...It will remove the silicates from your current water...and then if you continue to Top Off and do Water Changes with RO water (Walmart or other) you will not add silicates to cause another bloom...
so I just refill the water as it evaporates now...I heard fighting conchs are excellent brown algae eaters...I think I'm going to get 2 of them...
If you clean the silicates out of your current water and don't add any new ones...you won't NEED a Fighting Conch cause your water and sand will be clean...
Well its been longer than 2 weeks since i did a water change...actually...I have never done one to be quite honest except 3 weeks back...
Three weeks back you were using TAP Water...IN the tank and to do your WC...
Thats where the diatom bloom is coming from..the silicates in your tap water...
..other than that I just refill the water when it evaporates with RO/DI water...
Two or Three weeks of RO top off water is not enough to "clear up your "problem"
See, if you do a water change...its going to create more diatoms in the new water...
Thats where the diatom bloom is coming from..the silicates in your tap water...
I did a water change before about 10 gallons and when I added the new water it cleared up pretty good...actually the water was almost crystal clear...however in about 6 hours my water went worse than that pic I posted up...
Thats where the diatom bloom is coming from..the silicates in your tap water...
This is why you should get a "Phosphate ans Silicate Magnet" (Marc Weiss product) to run in your filter system...It will remove the silicates from your current water...and then if you continue to Top Off and do Water Changes with RO water (Walmart or other) you will not add silicates to cause another bloom...
so I just refill the water as it evaporates now...I heard fighting conchs are excellent brown algae eaters...I think I'm going to get 2 of them...
If you clean the silicates out of your current water and don't add any new ones...you won't NEED a Fighting Conch cause your water and sand will be clean...
squidd
Active Member
This is a copy of a post I made about a year ago...
It's Gone, It's All Gone...
The Ugly Brown Sludge Pit of Diatoms covering my tank and Everything in it is Finally gone!!
I've been fighting a Diatom buildup problem since forever...
At first "They" said "It's just new tank syndrome, it'll go away on it's own when things stabalize"...
So I waited...and waited...and waited...3,4,6 months and it just kept coming...
Then "They" said you need more lights , less lights, different lights...
I got lots of different lights and timers scheduals...no change...
Then they said "You have too many nitrates, Phosphates, you feed too much...
Not that..light bio load tested 0 on phosphates...>5 nitraes...
"You need a sump/fuge/macros to remove unwanted elements...
Got that...and a huge outbreak when I added 35gal of "new" salt water...(Clue )
Then they said it was my sand bed... and I was just about to change it out (again) "Must be the 'silica' sand leaching silicates"
So I tested my Tap water (well)...I thought it was "Good" because I live in the woods ,no farms, no nitrates or trites in the water and NO noticable "Algae" in my tanks Just Brown Crud.
Silicates 20 ppm...
I got a Phosphate/Silacate sponge and switched to Store bought RO for top off water.
Week One...Noticable difference..
Week Two...Almost gone...
Week Three...Clean sand (wow it's white!!)
End of week pull sponge, continue with RO water...
This is the end of week Four...Still clear, Fish look Great...(Could be the extra light reflecting off the sand or the fact I'm Not looking through a Brown Stained glass) But I think they just look and act and feel better...
I'm sold TAP WATER SUCKS FOR SALTWATER TANKS PERIOD.
I've got some of the best, clean, safe, spring fed, Northwoods water and it's night and day difference using RO water for my tank
I'm off to buy an RO/DI for my tanks...(and maybe my coffee )
It's Gone, It's All Gone...
The Ugly Brown Sludge Pit of Diatoms covering my tank and Everything in it is Finally gone!!
I've been fighting a Diatom buildup problem since forever...
At first "They" said "It's just new tank syndrome, it'll go away on it's own when things stabalize"...
So I waited...and waited...and waited...3,4,6 months and it just kept coming...
Then "They" said you need more lights , less lights, different lights...
I got lots of different lights and timers scheduals...no change...
Then they said "You have too many nitrates, Phosphates, you feed too much...
Not that..light bio load tested 0 on phosphates...>5 nitraes...
"You need a sump/fuge/macros to remove unwanted elements...
Got that...and a huge outbreak when I added 35gal of "new" salt water...(Clue
)Then they said it was my sand bed... and I was just about to change it out (again) "Must be the 'silica' sand leaching silicates"
So I tested my Tap water (well)...I thought it was "Good" because I live in the woods ,no farms, no nitrates or trites in the water and NO noticable "Algae" in my tanks Just Brown Crud.
Silicates 20 ppm...
I got a Phosphate/Silacate sponge and switched to Store bought RO for top off water.
Week One...Noticable difference..
Week Two...Almost gone...
Week Three...Clean sand (wow it's white!!)
End of week pull sponge, continue with RO water...
This is the end of week Four...Still clear, Fish look Great...(Could be the extra light reflecting off the sand or the fact I'm Not looking through a Brown Stained glass) But I think they just look and act and feel better...
I'm sold TAP WATER SUCKS FOR SALTWATER TANKS PERIOD.
I've got some of the best, clean, safe, spring fed, Northwoods water and it's night and day difference using RO water for my tank
I'm off to buy an RO/DI for my tanks...(and maybe my coffee
)
flipmodez5
Member
Hey thanx squidd,
Thats the only thing I have yet to try...I basically have gone thru what u went thru...pet stores told me that first its part of the normal cycle...then there sayin that its cause i'm using the water conditioners...but I havent for about a couple weeks now...then they thought I'm overfeeding...and I'm not overfeeding my fish...The last thing left now is to get that phosphate/silicate sponge and try it out...Hopefully it will work!
Thats the only thing I have yet to try...I basically have gone thru what u went thru...pet stores told me that first its part of the normal cycle...then there sayin that its cause i'm using the water conditioners...but I havent for about a couple weeks now...then they thought I'm overfeeding...and I'm not overfeeding my fish...The last thing left now is to get that phosphate/silicate sponge and try it out...Hopefully it will work!
flipmodez5
Member
Hey all,
Itez well I just put that phosphate/silicate magnet (by Marc Weiss)in my filter yesterday....Man I really hope this does the job and clears up my tank...so far I really dont notice anythin...but it took Squidd about a week to notice a slight difference and by the second week it was gone...Hoping the same here!
Itez well I just put that phosphate/silicate magnet (by Marc Weiss)in my filter yesterday....Man I really hope this does the job and clears up my tank...so far I really dont notice anythin...but it took Squidd about a week to notice a slight difference and by the second week it was gone...Hoping the same here!
flipmodez5
Member
Yea...I'm gonna have to do that Seth if I dont see any difference with the phosphate and silicate magnet...but for right now...i'm going to see if things clear up without a water change...
squidd
Active Member
First let me make it clear that I did NOT recomend against Water changes...In fact a couple of 20%ers with RO water (NOT TAP) will help in removing excess Silicates,Phosphates and NitrAtes from your tank, speeding up the clear up process...
Second is, What kind of filter did you put the magnet in..?
How is the water circulating around the "media"...?It needs to be placed "loosely" in a bag and in an area of good flow for the resins to properly work...
The "fluidized bed" reactors (mentioned in other threads) are an excellent choice, but you can get very goood results with a canister filter if the media is given the room and flow to work...
Second is, What kind of filter did you put the magnet in..?
How is the water circulating around the "media"...?It needs to be placed "loosely" in a bag and in an area of good flow for the resins to properly work...
The "fluidized bed" reactors (mentioned in other threads) are an excellent choice, but you can get very goood results with a canister filter if the media is given the room and flow to work...
flipmodez5
Member
Hey watz up all,
Well its been a week with the silicate magnet in my filter and I dont see a difference...mayb its working but I really cant tell...anywyz...yea Squidd, the magnet is in my aquaclear 300 filter...I put it underneath the foam insert...mayb i should put it on top of the foam insert instead???...and did you do water changes when you added the magnet in???...cauze i didnt do any water changes yet...just topped it off with RO water when it evaporated....
Well its been a week with the silicate magnet in my filter and I dont see a difference...mayb its working but I really cant tell...anywyz...yea Squidd, the magnet is in my aquaclear 300 filter...I put it underneath the foam insert...mayb i should put it on top of the foam insert instead???...and did you do water changes when you added the magnet in???...cauze i didnt do any water changes yet...just topped it off with RO water when it evaporated....
squidd
Active Member
Should be OK under the foam as long as it's not compressed...media needs to be "loose" for maximum exposure.
Yes at the time I wrote that I was buying RO water from the store...both for top offs and I did do one or two WCs at that time...Later after I bought my RO unit I did (and continue to do) about 20% a month with new salt and RO...
I also "stirred up" the sand bed a bit (I do not have a DSB)so my filter could take the brown diatoms out...you will also need to change out/wash your filter pads/sponges to remove the silicates built up in them before they "reinfest" your tank...
You should see some improvement in water/sand clarity in a week or two
Have you had a chance to have your tank water tested for Silicates and or phosphates...?
Yes at the time I wrote that I was buying RO water from the store...both for top offs and I did do one or two WCs at that time...Later after I bought my RO unit I did (and continue to do) about 20% a month with new salt and RO...
I also "stirred up" the sand bed a bit (I do not have a DSB)so my filter could take the brown diatoms out...you will also need to change out/wash your filter pads/sponges to remove the silicates built up in them before they "reinfest" your tank...
You should see some improvement in water/sand clarity in a week or two
Have you had a chance to have your tank water tested for Silicates and or phosphates...?
flipmodez5
Member
Itez...sounds good...yea I havent cleaned out my foam inserts yet...I'll do that later today...I guess I'll just continue to use RO and top off my water...Will the penguin 350 really help??? or is the Aqua clear 300 good enuff for now...I think when I placed the magnet in the filter bag it was kind of packed up...I'll take it out and make it a little loose...oh yea...I havent had a chance to check my water for phosphate/silicates yet...but I'm sure thats the problem...I'm still showing green across the board, have 0 ammonia, nitrates and nitrites....pH is a little high for some reason...its currently at 8.9 or 8.8 and my calcium is up as well...I dont know why since I havent added anything to the tank in about a month...:happyfish
dherm
New Member
Let me ask my good friend in Florida who does extreme saltwater tanks and he has been a great help to me with my beautiful tank---I will get back with you later on today and will send him a picture of your tank. I have a penguin biowheel and it does a beauty and that what make your water stay clear.:happyfish
dherm
New Member
Hey it me again--I asked my friend and he reply with this--I am forwarding his email to me---hope this helps and believe me this guy knows what he talking about so here it is
He needs to do an immediate 30% water change, and continue doing so daily until the cloudy water goes away. He needs to save some of the water he pulls out and take it to his LFS and have the water tested there. It may be time for a new test kit. I seriously doubt that his water parameters are zero or near zero. If, by some weird chance, the LFS gets near zero readings, then I would have to say that something died and gave off that cloudy appearance. That can also happen when you add some macroalgaes and they go sexual. I'm very surprised that he didn't say his protein skimmers are filling up rapidly. Also, he needs to cut back on his intense lighting for a few days until he can get this under control. (Maybe 4 hours of white light per day for a few days and an hour or so of just blue light before and after the white light period.) I would also recommend that he change out some of his bulbs. Remind him that compact fluoroscents last 6 to 12 months with 5 hours of usage per day. 55 watt, or regular fluroescents only last up to 6 months with 4 to 6 hours of usage per day. I think the bulb changes will get rid of some of the brown slime algae. He may need to mix up a lot of extra salt water to give his live rock a clean saltwater rinse to remove the bad algae from them. He definitely needs to REMOVE that brown algae and not just "wipe" it off of the glass and rocks. He has too much to expect the system to handle removing it for him. He needs to physically "harvest" it and trash it.
He needs to do an immediate 30% water change, and continue doing so daily until the cloudy water goes away. He needs to save some of the water he pulls out and take it to his LFS and have the water tested there. It may be time for a new test kit. I seriously doubt that his water parameters are zero or near zero. If, by some weird chance, the LFS gets near zero readings, then I would have to say that something died and gave off that cloudy appearance. That can also happen when you add some macroalgaes and they go sexual. I'm very surprised that he didn't say his protein skimmers are filling up rapidly. Also, he needs to cut back on his intense lighting for a few days until he can get this under control. (Maybe 4 hours of white light per day for a few days and an hour or so of just blue light before and after the white light period.) I would also recommend that he change out some of his bulbs. Remind him that compact fluoroscents last 6 to 12 months with 5 hours of usage per day. 55 watt, or regular fluroescents only last up to 6 months with 4 to 6 hours of usage per day. I think the bulb changes will get rid of some of the brown slime algae. He may need to mix up a lot of extra salt water to give his live rock a clean saltwater rinse to remove the bad algae from them. He definitely needs to REMOVE that brown algae and not just "wipe" it off of the glass and rocks. He has too much to expect the system to handle removing it for him. He needs to physically "harvest" it and trash it.
flipmodez5
Member
Hey everyone...
Well...After all that effort of doing water changes and adding the Phosphate/silicate magnet....The tank is still the same...it looks like the glass is tinted dark brown...
I did get my water checked today and i have 0 phosphates and silicates...I also brushed off all that hair algae off my rocks and NOTHIN!...still the same...I do have the cleaner wrasse thats still alive...hes doing great!...but i never get to see him unless he is swimming right up against the glass...I have no clue about my shrimp and snails...I cant even see a figure of them anymore....I DONT KNOW WHATS WRONG!!!! :notsure: I'm doing everything that i'm suppose to do...But my local LFS store now tells me that my filter is bad...I should get a Fluval Canister filter for my tank instead of the AquaClear 300 I currently have...other then that...there just as clueless as I am...Thanx for the suggestions to everyone tho I just wish I knew why there is such a brown alage bloom in my tank...If you guys havent seen what my tank looks like its posted up top as a link...just take that picture of my tank and visualize it 10 times darker to the point where you cant see any of the live rock!!!
Well...After all that effort of doing water changes and adding the Phosphate/silicate magnet....The tank is still the same...it looks like the glass is tinted dark brown...
I just wish I knew why there is such a brown alage bloom in my tank...If you guys havent seen what my tank looks like its posted up top as a link...just take that picture of my tank and visualize it 10 times darker to the point where you cant see any of the live rock!!!
gatortail
New Member
maybe i missed it, but didn't see that you had any corals / light demanding items. If that is the case, kill the lights for a few days; lower tank temp to 77ish; raise PH and alk.
What brand of test kits you using? Lots of peeps say water perfect - but ends up they use cheap kits - try salifert, one of the better brands.
HTH
Craig
What brand of test kits you using? Lots of peeps say water perfect - but ends up they use cheap kits - try salifert, one of the better brands.
HTH
Craig