Saving the reef (14g biocube)

[frag]

What's up Atlanta Reef Club?

It's been a while, that I've posted. I've taken on the smallest tank recovery. I buddy of mine showed me this tank. Brown / green algae dead snails and crabs / water movement at maybe 2 gallons per hour. The owner was sold on many fix it additives and was just done with it.

So I offered to help - and next thing I know I'm breaking it down and taking it home.

I have some pic's, and honestly we were in survival mode. We got the tank home and put the rock in my QT tank and scrubbed it in Lugol's and let it bathe. In the meantime, I had some ready made water and sifted / polished the sand. And ohh how I love the smell of dying sand. I filtered out 90 percent of the free particulate matter brought the salinity to 35ppt @ 72. As tank was settling, I removed the bioballs, in the last chamber 3 (?) sponge filter and what looked like carbon was all at the bottom of the 2nd chamber. I was pulling the same little blk balls from the sand. Anyway - I pulled the return pump and it was completely clogged - flushed it (Quick rebuild) and sucked up the nitrate bed underneath it, added a filter of renew (in chamber 2 under the drip tray but above the bottom tray, added a filter on the return nozzle and turned on the pump.

Then added the rock and let it run over night. I just took a quick peek and it's looking pretty clear. I haven't tested the water as I expect a new cycle. I'll test this afternoon to give it at least 12 solid hours of running.

This is a neat tank - my hope is that it turns into a nice little reef

More to come .....

 

[frag]

Here are some pics from the move
<fieldset class="gc-fieldset">
<legend> Attached files </legend>

>

class="gc-images" title="20140105_165320.jpg[/IMG] style="max-width:300px" /></a>

>

class="gc-images" title="20140105_170649.jpg[/IMG] style="max-width:300px" /></a>

>

class="gc-images" title="20140105_170659.jpg[/IMG] style="max-width:300px" /></a>

>

class="gc-images" title="20140105_170724.jpg[/IMG] style="max-width:300px" /></a> </fieldset>

 

[spankdog]

Is there anything in the tank that is alive besides the algae?

 

[dball711]

Wow you have some work to do! Not sure I would put a filter bag on the return, just let the filter pad in chamber one do the job there. If not running a filter pad in chamber one then just put some floss on top of the drip tray. Then stir things up in the display to force the settled particulate into the water stream and it will get caught. Looks like several water changes are needed also. Once you're done this will be a great tank. I had a BC 14 on my kitchen counter top for about 5 years, one of my favorite tanks, I hate doing dished but having a small reef tank to watch always made the task better. Best of luck!

 

[frag]

dball711;924446 wrote: Wow you have some work to do! Not sure I would put a filter bag on the return, just let the filter pad in chamber one do the job there. If not running a filter pad in chamber one then just put some floss on top of the drip tray. Then stir things up in the display to force the settled particulate into the water stream and it will get caught. Looks like several water changes are needed also. Once you're done this will be a great tank. I had a BC 14 on my kitchen counter top for about 5 years, one of my favorite tanks, I hate doing dished but having a small reef tank to watch always made the task better. Best of luck!

The filter on the return is for the carbon balls I couldn't suck out and the pieces of just stuff passing through the return pump. I took a whisper bag and filled it half way with seachem - renew and zip tied it and dropped it into the 2nd chamber.

Let me see if I can get a pic of the filter on the return..

 

[dball711]

I see, that would make sense...too bad you cant removethe pump and get a tub in there to siphon water and carbon out.

 

[frag]

I'll take it out thos afternoon ...

Edit: here is what it is doing for now ..

Edit: I tried to and got "Most" of it ..

Edit:

Edit: Can't seem to get more images loaded .. says I'm at 5mb and 10 is the max..

 

[dball711]

Try to upload only one at a time, there have been isssues when uploading a couple of images at the same time.

 

[frag]

OK..

I tried and got this message

20140106_105720.jpg:
Exceeds your quota by 5.18 MB. Click here to view your attachments

maybe there is still an issue going on - the images are 2mb or less.

Edit: On a side note - the tank cleared up nicely - I need to blow off the rock and stir up the back chambers again...

 

[frag]

https://www.dropbox.com/lightbox/home/14g_BC_Reef" alt="" />

Edit: [IMG]https://dl-web.dropbox.com/get/14g_BC_Reef/20140106_105720.jpg?w=AABwamIlejqrRx2NVR_y7kKBo-5ti1F92v7ylszXu6BRmQ" alt="" />

Edit: lol .. it's a little large .. but I got it to post :P

 

[frag]

I removed the filter bag from the return and let the matter fly around. Question: In chamber 1 there looks to be a snap in floor that at the same height of the lower intake. Does this just pop out. I have a small heater in there now .. but would love to get under that plate / floor and see what lingers..

I know there are going to be more water changes in the future. I feel that I need to let the levels spike and then start coming around. I have renew in the 2nd chamber and may take it out after most of the particulate matter is removed.

I guess I'm challenging myself to "not" take this tank to square one. I want to have it turn it's self around with just some help. Not start a new tank..

 

[dball711]

Now your testing my memory&#8230;its ben a while since I removed that false floor on mine. I think it pops out but needed a strong effort to make it happen. Do a search on it and you should get a few hits to point you in the right direction. Can&#8217;t remember it popped out or if I had to bust and cut it out.

 

[frag]

Thanks dball711 - I'll do some searches..

Edit: I'm Robert .. Rob .. btw ..

 

[dball711]

Nice to meet you and welcome aboard Rob!

 

[frag]

dball711;924510 wrote: Nice to meet you and welcome aboard Rob!

Thank you and nice to meet you likewise!

 

[frag]

https://dl-web.dropbox.com/get/14g_BC_Reef/20140106_105623.jpg?w=AAB21t7-kfiP8cKNO-_P71KXzQIwuUekmS1G_gLYovlhDg">Test link return filter</a>

Edit: ok I'll link pics this way for now :)

Edit: [IMG]https://www.dropbox.com/s/0mlw5u4javekdkp/20140106_105720.jpg> test 2 </a>

Edit: ^^ works

 

[frag]

Day 2 new pics

> Front1 </a>

> Back rt wall </a>

> Back lft wall </a>

The return are opening up - I'm watching the algae closely..

 

[frag]

Day 3

> Back wall algae </a>

Monitoring the Red hair Algae fade away and letting the tank cycle. Last night I cleaned and replaced the filter bag from the 2nd chamber and removed the bottom shelf. I was able to get a larger bag to cover more surface area when breaking down from the drip tray.

Seems like it's turning in the right direction. I'll test the water on day 5.

 

[frag]

Day 4

> Pic 1 </a>

> Pic 2 </a>

The Algae is melting away .. I'm thinking I may take it out this evening and change the filter pad.

The Rock is getting some color back..

More to come

 

[mattgee87]

Looking good , the algae is finally going away it looks like. What do you plan on having for livestock ?