merkurmaniac
Guest
So, my tank had been practically running itself for a long time. Good LED lights and a dosing pump helped out. Unfortunately, when away on a trip, my tripped GFI and no pump situation went unnoticed for a day. I lost all three fish and then my clam about a week or two later. My tank was already having some problems. I had some hair algea that had been growing rufshod all over my tank. I had a cyano outbreak that covered my macro in my fuge. My macro never recovered from this. I also tested my RODI and found it was no longer effective. Who knows how long I had been topping off with what was effectively tapwater ? I cut feeding to damn near zero since I had no fish. the only thing growing was algea, and not the macro kind...
So... I have now resolved to tear the whole system down and repair things that needed fixing and re-do the live rock, etc... I want to kill the algea, delete some pest palythoas that had been growing too close to my macromusa. I have a few things that have survived that I need to keep alive. I have a macromusa, some small SPS corals frags (now tiny) and some softies, like a very healthy devil's hand and a thick branched sinularia. I may find some other little guys, maybe shrroms when I pull it apart. Everything has a gross covering of algea on it.
I am planning on removing all the live rock. The ones that have nothing interesting living on them will go into a 5 gal bucket with a lid and full of saltwater. I'll put it on my back porch for about 6-8 weeks. Should I do anything else with the live rock to cure it, in case its now leaching nitrates or other stuff. ??
What about my sand ? Should I stir it all up in a 5 gal bucket and pump chlorinated tap water thru it ? I'd like to re-use it if possible, just from a sustainability standpoint. Should I take everything out and clean the tank with vinegar ?
TIA,
Richard
So... I have now resolved to tear the whole system down and repair things that needed fixing and re-do the live rock, etc... I want to kill the algea, delete some pest palythoas that had been growing too close to my macromusa. I have a few things that have survived that I need to keep alive. I have a macromusa, some small SPS corals frags (now tiny) and some softies, like a very healthy devil's hand and a thick branched sinularia. I may find some other little guys, maybe shrroms when I pull it apart. Everything has a gross covering of algea on it.
I am planning on removing all the live rock. The ones that have nothing interesting living on them will go into a 5 gal bucket with a lid and full of saltwater. I'll put it on my back porch for about 6-8 weeks. Should I do anything else with the live rock to cure it, in case its now leaching nitrates or other stuff. ??
What about my sand ? Should I stir it all up in a 5 gal bucket and pump chlorinated tap water thru it ? I'd like to re-use it if possible, just from a sustainability standpoint. Should I take everything out and clean the tank with vinegar ?
TIA,
Richard
