MAJOR problems!!

[str8chiln20002]

Hello! Any thoughts are welcome! Please Help! I have:
150 gal saltwater fish tank
30 gal sump
10 gal refugium
160 lbs live rock
normal range level chemicals (pH, alkalinity, nitrates/ites, no amonia, calcium)
Berlin protein skimmer
Phosphate bags
Carbon bags
2 Coralina 4 powerheads
2 return pumps
livestock
sailfin tang
blue hippo tang
2 blue green reef chromis
1 flame hawkfish
1 comet/beta grouper
2 lawnmower blennies
1 yellow wrasse
1 clown fish
1 pigmy angel
coral
xania
2 brain
trumpet
short tentacle plate
green star polyp
sponge
pagoda rock
misc. polyps
Ordered new lights (T5 12x32 watt) last month. Replaced orbit system (6x96 watt). Had red slime before light change, but it went away during the several days of no light when waiting for new lights. After several days of new lights, green hair algae bloomed. Worst I have ever seen by the way! Anemone wasn't visible for about a week, then came out one day, then was gone. That was two weeks ago when I last saw it. I now think it has died. It is not on the rock or anywhere else in the tank. In the two weeks, I have been frantically testing my water since I have lost one plate, 2 frogspawn, a trumpet, a yellow tang, 5 chromis, and a foxface (none of those are listed above) The water tests all show that the water is in great condition. No explanation for the extreme algae bloom according the several fish stores. This morning, the water is very milky. I carried out a 35 g water change and will do another tomorrow. Help please! I am at a loss for what might be causing the degredation of my tank!!

 

[oceansidefish]

Question #1...How old is the tank. My first guess would be that the massive increase in lighting shocked you tank and your nem dies causing a chain reaction

 

[d-dzel]

Post your water parameters as that will make it a bit easier to help you out. How old is the tank Have you done anything different with the tanks since then? Changed filter media and such? What kind of water are you using for the water changes?

 

[nigerbang]

Originally Posted by str8chiln20002
http:///forum/post/3115344
Hello! Any thoughts are welcome! Please Help! I have:
150 gal saltwater fish tank
30 gal sump
10 gal refugium
160 lbs live rock
normal range level chemicals (pH, alkalinity, nitrates/ites, no amonia, calcium)
Berlin protein skimmer
Phosphate bags
Carbon bags
2 Coralina 4 powerheads
2 return pumps
livestock
sailfin tang
blue hippo tang
2 blue green reef chromis
1 flame hawkfish
1 comet/beta grouper
2 lawnmower blennies
1 yellow wrasse
1 clown fish
1 pigmy angel
coral
xania
2 brain
trumpet
short tentacle plate
green star polyp
sponge
pagoda rock
misc. polyps
Ordered new lights (T5 12x32 watt) last month. Replaced orbit system (6x96 watt). Had red slime before light change, but it went away during the several days of no light when waiting for new lights. After several days of new lights, green hair algae bloomed. Worst I have ever seen by the way! Anemone wasn't visible for about a week, then came out one day, then was gone. That was two weeks ago when I last saw it. I now think it has died. It is not on the rock or anywhere else in the tank. In the two weeks, I have been frantically testing my water since I have lost one plate, 2 frogspawn, a trumpet, a yellow tang, 5 chromis, and a foxface (none of those are listed above) The water tests all show that the water is in great condition. No explanation for the extreme algae bloom according the several fish stores. This morning, the water is very milky. I carried out a 35 g water change and will do another tomorrow. Help please! I am at a loss for what might be causing the degredation of my tank!!
Normal and great are not water params.. they are words.. Actual numbers are better..
Light shock wasted the nem prolly and nuked the tank.. fouled the water.. The milkyness is prolly a bacteria bloom, 2 return pumps doenst say anything about what it actually is.. Alot more info is needed..and ditch the berlin skimmer and get a better one..What kind of nem was it that possibly died?
and its
Ammonia
Koralia
Xenia

 

[str8chiln20002]

The tank is a little over a year old. Previously 2 years, but moved a year ago. RO/DI filtered water only for water change. Nothing different in regards to filtration or chemicals, just the new light set up. No chemical treatment either for algae. Should I continue water changes until the water clears up? Amonia, Nitrates, Phosphates read zero...

 

[nigerbang]

If you are having algae issue then Nitrate and Phosphate are not 0.. They might read 0 but its consuming it therfore giving a false reading... Unless you are using a super high end Phosphate kit you dont know where it really is..
Mine reads 0.01
A basic phosphate kit is worthless...What test kits are you using?

 

[str8chiln20002]

The tank is a little over a year old. Previously 2 years, but moved a year ago. RO/DI filtered water only for water change. Nothing different in regards to filtration or chemicals, just the new light set up. No chemical treatment either for algae. Should I continue water changes until the water clears up? Amonia, Nitrates, Phosphates read zero...

 

[str8chiln20002]

mine is a cheap kit so i take it to the store. just going off what the saltwater store told me

 

[nigerbang]

Originally Posted by str8chiln20002
http:///forum/post/3115386
mine is a cheap kit so i take it to the store. just going off what the saltwater store told me
They are more than likely using cheap test kits also..
Some of the best money spent in this hobby is a decent set of test kits..
Salifert and Elos makes good ones..

 

[str8chiln20002]

ok thank you what can i do till than about the algae and milky water. Also will the dead anemone that i cant find anymore keep killing my stuff>!

 

[nigerbang]

If it did die its gone.. It dissolved in the water messing everything up... Just keep on water changes and fresh carbon..

 

[oceansidefish]

Agreed...If you have a phosphate/carbon reactor I would run carbon through that for best results. I would continue with 25% ish water changes everyday until conditions seem must improved.

 

[d-dzel]

Also, ditch the store's water tests and get some good kits of your own. You're far better off spending the extra cash on a good kit than losing livestock and corals because of bad readings. Do you check your salt levels as well?