Why is my Bubble not better??

pohtr

pohtr

Member
Here we go again. My poor bubble has been having a rough year. He?s been good then bad over and over (previous threads). I?ve done most of the things you all have suggested. He is very wilted and has been that way for about a week now. Prior to that he was only ?inflating? during mid day, and wilting like he was tired out by evening.
I have improved the lighting and it is now 4x65pc
I?ve acclimated him to his new lighting and he is now a little closer to the light.
He is not in direct flow.
I had been feeding him formula 2 pieces about 2xweek until recently since I don?t think he?s inflated enough to eat now.
I am dosing calc & and essential elements 2xweek.
I have changed to Tropic Marine salt mix.
My nitrates are also down to zero, finally.
We have also changed the filters in the typh III filtration.
I?ve gotten the calcium tester and have raised (gradually) the calc from 330mg/L to about 400 so far, using the kent liq calc.
The pH I think went too high, maybe 8.8 but I just can?t seem to do the color charts. I think it is around 8.2 right now and tends to vary from 8.0 to 8.4 during the day. To me, the color in the vial doesn?t look like ANY of the chart choices. Even when friends come over and I ask their opinion, it varies. Please tell me there is some other way to test pH!
Alk was 2meq/L and has been raised (by baking soda) to 2.25.
I don?t have a magnesium test kit because the lfs where I was going to get one said I didn?t need it. He said a 5% water change would reset the chem balance.
Current parameters:
90 gal
nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, all 0
temp 81.4
pH 8.0 - 8.8???????
Spec grav 1.024
calc 405
alk 2.25
the colt coral is fine but the striped mushroom is not happy. The fish & crabs all are fine.
PLEASE HELP and thank you in advance, I know this is kind of long.
 
lion_crazz

lion_crazz

Active Member
It looks like you have a ton of hair algae in the tank. The cause of the hair algae could be linked to the reason that the bubble is not doing well.
 
pohtr

pohtr

Member
Thank you Lion_crazz for answering,
I do have a ton of hair algae! I use rodi water so the phosphates should be o.k., shouldn't they? what else causes too much hair algae?T
 
pohtr

pohtr

Member
I feed about a half a cube of formula (one & two) once a day and sometimes they get a pinch or two of flakes. There are rarely any food pieces that go to the bottom. I worry that I underfeed.
all I have is a clarke clown, a flame angel, a blue-green chromis and a LM blenny. Plus the sick bubble, the colt, and a sick mushroom. and of course some crabs & snails.
 
lion_crazz

lion_crazz

Active Member
Have you ever tested the phosphates on the RO water? Do you have your own RO unit or do you buy RO water?
 
petieaztec

petieaztec

Member
i dont think its gonna help too much but maybe you can get an urchin to help with all that algea. when my stuff is doing bad i give them planton, but i dont know if it would be a good idea due to all your algea already.... maybe someone else could chime in.
 
pohtr

pohtr

Member
I have the TyphIII and I've never tested the phhosphates. However, while I was digging around in my "fish" box I found a test kit for it! I'll test in a minute.
How can you tell if it's an infection?
 
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