Tank isn't progressing correctly

[mcphock]

Hello all,

I've had some upheaval in my life and haven't had much time to devote to reef keeping. I let my old tank deteriorate to the point where algae was growing everywhere. The zoas and clam I had continued to grow well, but there was no salvaging the aquascape from the algae scourge.

In January I rebooted my tank. Tore everything down, threw out all the rock and sand in the tank, except for a few algae free pieces serving to seed the tank for biological filtration. All the dry rock and sand was brand new from marcos, and only a few fish, a giant derasa clam and a few small zoas colonies made the move. Basically a brand new tank!

There was little cycle to the new tank on account of the seed rock i kept from the sump. It's been up and running for 4 months, but what little corals I brought are starting to die. The only thing that's growing in the tank is this....algae? It's brown and stringy. Nothing else in the tank....green algae, coraline algae....is growing. Only this brown stuff. I've fought cyano many times in my years and I feel pretty confident this is not cyano. Different growth pattern and consistency.

Initially I thought it was diatoms from all the new sand and it would burn off like diatoms always do. But diatoms dont grow like this nor do they last this long. I suspect that whatever this **** is it is suppressing the growth of everything else in the tank.

I've been in the hobby for 8 years and I've never encountered this before. I sent my water to Triton and enclosed the results for maximum parameter accuracy. Even with some low macro elements, I'd expect at least green algae to be growing somewhere.... but nothing.

Any idea on what this is, and how to correct it?

Many thanks!
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[popsbjd]

I can't open the video bit could it be dinoflaggellates? Check out this article.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/blog/how-i-beat-dinoflagellates-and-the-lessons-i-learned">http://www.advancedaquarist.com/blog/how-i-beat-dinoflagellates-and-the-lessons-i-learned</a>

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

 

[bcavalli]

I think its more than a coincidence that you have really high levels of Vandium, lithium and tin. Cant I cant explain why you would have those three elements at such high levels with everything new.

 

[danh]

Where are you getting your water and what kind of salt are you using?

 

[xilez]

Exposed powerhead magnet somewhere in the tank?

 

[bcavalli]

xilez;1114820 wrote: Exposed powerhead magnet somewhere in the tank?

+1 That's a good possinility.

 

[mcphock]

The water was originally made with a BRS RODI system with fresh filters. I used Reef Crystals salt.

The only powerheads in the tank are two Ecotech MP40s. They're nearly 6 years old, though still working fine.

I didn't want to muddy the waters too much, but I've experienced high tin in previous iterations (per triton) of the tank with (seemingly) no ill effects.

The only thing I could think to do is replace the MP40s with new ones, and do aggressive water changes with a better salt. That seems mighty pricey though...?

 

[xilez]

I'm not sure those would affect much anyway..... initial thought was CA and MG both seems low.. what is Alk at?

 

[ricky5415]

Any metals or other things dropped in your tank/sump? One time I found an emptied can of pvc primer on the bottom of my sump. Guess how my corals did

 

[mcphock]

All the couplings and fittings in the tank and sump are plastic.

I do use the aluminum window frame/bird nest covering for the tank. That's exposed metal.... but it sits on the rim above the tank and is never in contact with the water. But I've also used these exact same screens on older versions of the tank without this weird algae.

I'm having trouble locking down what is different this time

 

[bcavalli]

The only reason why I brought up the high levels of metals is that I've seen a few tanks with unexplainable issues you cant pin down. In each case it was a magnet or something rusting in the tank that had caused the issues. Just food for thought.

 

[walterp1982]

Are you married to someone who hates the hobby? Joking... kinda

I'd go bare bottom and get out the tooth brush.

I too can't see your video. Did you look at the Dinoflagellates? I didn't notice an answer.

 

[jennm]

What's your specific gravity, pH temperature, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate?

Vacuum the sand bed?

All that analysis on heavy metals is nice but nutrient levels are important too.

Jenn

 

[mcphock]

I'll get those numbers today.

JennM;1115010 wrote: What's your specific gravity, pH temperature, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate?

Vacuum the sand bed?

All that analysis on heavy metals is nice but nutrient levels are important too.

Jenn

 

[schwaggs]

I agree, where are your Nitrate and pH levels.

I too recently restarted my tank and have been going through all sorts of problems I never experienced before in decades of saltwater tank keeping. So I feel your pain...

 

[snowmansnow]

&lt; . banking on alk

 

[jmaneyapanda]

Cant see the vid or attachments, but based off the description, my knee jerk response would be dinoflagellates. Which are known to have toxic affects. Id be running carbon and polyfilter