Help me get my tank back on track

[snakeblitz33]

Yeah, I know I give a lot of advice, but sometimes I have to take it... I have no clue why things are happening the way they are. I used to be great at keeping reef tanks... maybe because I had the time and the money to do so - but now I'm having some real difficulties that I need some advice for.
I haven't had a fully blown successful reef tank in about two years. I've been in school and working full time and doing a lot of things in between and haven't really had a whole lot of time to devote to a tank. BUT, I want that to change. I have been loosing my passion for saltwater aquariums slowly over the last two years and I have within the last two weeks thought about giving it up on more than one occasion. So, I'm reaching out to you... to those on the board that can offer me some advice to get my tank back on track.
Here's the stats, just in case your not up to date on my build thread. I want everyone to know everything about the system so that they can make some judgement calls...
75g tank with glass holes overflow
20g long sump - one end baffled with mechanical filter, middle (will be) small refugium, end is the mag 9 return.
~60lbs live rock in the system
~20lbs base rock in the system
~40lbs course aragonite in the display tank
Livestock:
1 yellow tang
2 tomato clowns
1 bicolor blenny
1 diamond goby - going back to the store once the cyano is under control. dang thing stirs up the sandbed too much.
1 purple pseudochromis
21 hermit crabs
3 mexican turbos
2 nerites left
1 feather duster
Corals:
a few dying SPS frags
1 large basketball sized nepthia (recent)
1 zoanthid colony
1 small head of frogspawn
Equipment:
500w titanium heater
mag 9 return pump
octopus ca 125 calcium reactor w/ 5lb co2 bottle
Octopus Diablo XS160 protein skimmer rated for 160g aquarium - (manufacturer recommended 90-110g)
Apex Jr. Aquacontroller with Temp probe... (soon to buy PM1 module for the pH probe.)
4x54w T5HO DIY retrofit kit with unfinished canopy
2x koralia 4's
Parameters:
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate 5-10ppm
Phosphate - crappy kit, can't read.
pH - inaccurate at this point. my guess is that it is relatively stable. I will be buying a probe soon.
Temp: currently 79.2F It varies between 78F at night and 80.5 during the day. Measured by my Apex Jr.
Calcium: 400ppm
Alk: 6mEQ/L - I turned up the effluent on my calcium reactor so the alkalinity may come down some.
Magnesium: 1200mg/L
Problems...
1. Cyanobacteria is growing on the sandbed and now some on the rocks. Diamond goby is mopping it up but I'm taking him back to the store after he finishes cleaning the rest of it up by next week or so. He's making too much of a sand cloud in the tank to keep him. The cyano has started approximately 3 weeks ago and has progressively gotten worse over time. I have siphoned some out, I have done a few 5g water changes. Other then that I haven't really done anything else about it. But, I am ready to.
2. My Reef Octopus Diablo XS160 cone protein skimmer isn't pulling anything out of the water. We have already really talked about this subject elsewhere and the manufacturer suggested that I have too big of a skimmer on my tank and need to downsize. This is a possibility. I have had my SC65 skimmer going for the last few days and it is making some skimmate but not a whole lot - even though I am having some difficulties with cyano. It's just kinda bothering me that I know I have some nutrient accumulation but a protein skimmer isn't pulling anything out of my system - which is really, really weird to me.
3. My SPS frags that I have purchased - some of them are dying and some of them are actually coloring up. I don't really know what gives. I know that I probably have some phosphate in the system.
4. Coralline algae just doesn't want to seem to grow and take a foothold. I would really prefer my side glass, overflow, and rocks to be purple if they aren't covered with corals. It just seems like the coralline doesn't want to take a foothold no matter what I do.
5. limited time and funds - I love the hobby and love to look at my tank - but I have spent a lot of money on it so far and I want it to work!!! I am willing to put more time and if necessary more money into my system but I'm at the point where if I don't see some improvement in my tank in the next six months I almost feel like selling off all of my equipment and saving my money - buying a truck and saving up for some land in the country - cause God knows I could have already bought my piece of heaven on Earth if I didn't have this addiction to saltwater aquariums. Just sayin' I'm not satisfied. I know I can do better. I just am missing some kind of secret ingredient - oh yeah, it's called "success."

 

[snakeblitz33]

Oh, and I am not satisfied with the color of my lights. I like a more whiteish looking tank and I tried to get that look by buying equal parts blue to white - but UVL blue bulbs seem to way overpower the whites. I would really like to buy an LED unit but I'm afraid that it will be way too blue for my taste... that's basically what keeps me from buying one. Everyone and their mother loves blue lights over a tank except for me.... I have no idea why - but it's just me. I was looking at that photon 32 unit from reefbreeders, but I'm worried now that I won't be able to get the spectrum that I want out of it.

 

[indy2009]

Cyano is probably being caused because of high levels of Phosphate, This could also effecting your SPS, Your CA IMO is low...I would try and raise that 430-450..What is your skimmer pulling out? Just water? If so may just need minor adjustments....Most SPS do not do well with High Phosphate or Nitrates...Do more water changes to get rid of that, or purchase of Phos reactor...Are you using RO/DI water?

 

[snakeblitz33]

Thank you for your response. Cyano has many causes. I know them all... However, it baffles me that my tank may have some high levels of nutrients but my skimmer(s) aren't pulling a darn thing out. I am looking into adding my phosphate reactor back to my system sometime this week. I have to figure out how to connect it to my tank via my return pump. I'm thinking that I could T it off of the 1/4" line that I have right now and upscale it to the size that I need for my phos reactor. I just don't want to run more pumps in my system than necessary to keep my temperature low and stable.
Calcium was at 320 - I raised it to 420 about a week ago and now it's at 400, but that is with my calcium reactor going. To be honest, I have no idea if it is really doing it's job or not. I can only imagine it is, because alkalinity has increased up to 6 mEQ/L. Calcium has got to also be dissolved then, at least that is my thinking. I increased the amount of effluent coming out of the reactor so that alkalinity could decrease some. But, I don't really know how quickly it actually will decrease. I'll just have to keep an eye on it. I'm going to try to raise calcium via my calcium reactor if I can. If not, I'll dose some calcium chloride to get it back up while I still tinker with my calcium reactor.
My diablo skimmer isn't pulling anything out at all. It hasn't pulled much of anything out in the last six months that I have had it. Kinda frustrating when you have a cyano bloom and your skimmer isn't working properly. I added the smaller skimmer to my system and it's chugging right along - but still isn't producing as much skimmate as I expected it to have.
I am using RO/DI water and my TDS reading is 1, which is not enough yet to replace my filters.

 

[indy2009]

Now that you have another skimmer working, that may help...If you do go with a phos reactor..start slow with the media, too much, to fast will cause a algae bloom...How old is your setup?

 

[snakeblitz33]

Aight, I don't want to shock the system either. It's already going through a lot of changes.
My tank has been set up for about six months now.
I was thinking about doing these steps... pretty much in order...
1. 20g water change
2. adjust my calcium reactor and balance my calcium and magnesium levels.
3. add my phosphate reactor back to the system as well as add some granular activated carbon. Wait a few days and see if it clears anything up.
4. Take that dang goby back to the LFS and give the tanks rocks a good turkey basting.
5. Buying some macroalgae, copepods and other clean up crew critters to help with detritus and filtering out waste.
6. investing in a different skimmer - one that might be appropriately sized for my system.
7. building that dang side cabinet
8. moving my excess equipment over to the side cabinet so that I can organize my electrical system better.
9. Install photon 32 LED unit.
10. continue with water changes and keep adding corals.
Does anyone else have any other suggestions?????

 

[indy2009]

That is a good plan...Your on the right track...

 

[novahobbies]

I think you're on the right track. The water changes will be a BIG help to start off. I also think you need to get that Alkalinity to 10 meq at some point. That was the very first think I noticed in your stats, and that might be part of your issue with the SPS. Phosphates can be controlled with a GFO reactor, and yes I do think you need to get some chaeto in your fuge to start tumbling.
Above all, keep chugging along!! You know how this hobby can be. It's completely relaxing, a great way to unwind.....except for all the unseen parts of the hobby that AREN'T. All the things that normal people don't think about. The water changes, the sump cleanings, the gunk out of a skimmer, those times when a hose comes unclamped and sprays water everywhere. The times when you can do everything RIGHT, but the tank still looks bad. These are the tough times, the things we have to slog through to get back to those "sit back and have a beer" relaxing moments.
I feel your pain. I also know you can do it....and you and I both know that in the end, it's worth it.

 

[snakeblitz33]

Yeah. Water changes.
Alkalinity of 6mEQ/L is high. Natural sea water is 2mEQ/L.
Macro. Carbon. Gfo. Water changes. Yup. Sounds right.

 

[novahobbies]

Yikes! I was thinking Kh.

 

[al&burke]

I am suprised you don't have an algae scrubber Seth. I think your tank is still young, I think you are over analyzing it, give it time it will come around. You work very hard at your tank it will pay off very soon. Your skimmer I don't understand, they are supposed to be the best. When I added my SWC it started pulling stuff right away, I am ordering another for my liontank set up soon. Hang in there brother.

 

[snakeblitz33]

Hey al. Thanks for stopping by. By the way, i sent you an email but it got sent back. Said delivery failed. Anyways, ill pm you later.
Yeah, ill stick it out.

 

[snakeblitz33]

I figured out part of thr problem. The internal bubble countrr on my calcium reactor was never meant to use bubble counter fluid. I looked at it tonight and all of the fluid i put in it has been released into my tank. No wonder my skimmer isnt working with all the oil in the system. Anyways, ill be doing several larger water changes to get things back on track over the course of the next week. Now that i know what part of the problem is/was i can take steps to correct it. Kinda sets my mind at ease knowin its not my husbandry skills or routines but a simple mistake on my part setting up a new piece of equipment.

 

[acrylic51]

I couldn't find this thread earlier Seth.......I think you have a good game plan.....I agree with Al......still young and it'll come into it's own.
I would agree to taking the Ca reactor off line....I would go back to manual dosing as you've suggested or mentioned. The reactors job isn't necessarily to raise the levels, but to maintain your set levels. I had question the process back when you set the reactor up. I think working on the 3 target areas are key....The Mg level needs to come up and that needs to stay within proportion to the other 2. Without it your going to swing back and forth. You had mentioned the "key"......The key is stability, and you'll find it.....

 

[kiefers]

I agree with Shawn. your system is in it's infancy, and I too really wasn't sure regarding the reactors. Your tank is small enough you shouldn't really need all that equipment. I too wanted to say something but it was your thing.
Keep it simple my friend and allow the tank to cook on it's own. Time is the key here.
I'm not trying to sound mean or disrespectful and I hate to say it but........ WWSS (What would Seth say?) if this was a noobs tank?

 

[snakeblitz33]

Yup. I agree. Too much, too soon. I guess i need to take my own advice sometimes. Lol