[Tazman]

Greetings:

Please offer some advice. My tank [125gal.] has been up and running about 8 months, and doing pretty good, partly due to feedback from all of you. Thank you very much.

Recently, I started having an outbreak of red slime algae in my tank although phosphates didn't appear to be out of control. I performed a 15-20% water change and then added a marc weiss phosphate/nitrate absorption product and also addedsome Chemi-Pure. Both on the advice of a local Reef supply specialist in the area.

Good news is that the Red slime seems to be waning, but now my clam seems to be sort of disengaged from one side of the shell. Also, the clam is not opening very much either. It's like the mantlle became disconnected, but only on one side. Will the clam do better or what? I've had the clam about 2 1/2 - 3 months and it is pretty young still.

Any connection? What should I do? All other chemistry seems to be in order and nothing else out of balance.

Thanks for your help and suggestions!

Taz

[Nanook01]

Tazman, greetings to another St. Louisan!!

I am of the mind that additives are NOT needed in a reef tank. Sure cyano is a sign of too much DOC's, but adding chemicals to turn things around is very risky IMO. Simple water changes, calcium replenishment and good RO/DI for makeup go a long way towards keeping things tiptop.

I have a Maxima clam that is about 6 months old, he initially did the exact same thing as yours did with the mantle. The mantle seemed to slip away from the shell on the upper edges at nighttime especially. This has not caused the clam any problems that I am aware of, I don't know if it was stress or what He seems to be doing better now, but does show his shell from time to time.

Hang in there, keep your water parameters good, especially PH, calcium and alkalinity. What kind of lighting you running on your 125g??

Nanook

[scubadude]

I agree with Nanook taz....there is no such thing as a quick fix for cyano.....I Have used Red Slime remover and yes it worked....but about a week later it was back..... W/C's and grow macro for nutrient export. Slow down on your feedings maybe? and keep your skimmer clean! FWIW I would not touch any Marc Weiss products w/ a 10' pole! What type of skimmer you using and pump? can you upgrade your skimmer maybe?

[Tazman]

Greetings Again!

Thanks for the replies and the suggestions. Yeah, I do tend to do a knee jerk reaction when it comes to the tank. It's just because it's been relatively going pretty good and then I freak when it looks like trouble is brewing. I didn't know about the Weiss products.

My tank is 125 gal. w/approximately 170lbs live rock on a 4" sand bed. I use metal halide lighting only comprised of (2) 250w 10k bulbs.

I have a CPR overflow going to my sump. In my sump I have an A.E. Tech ETTS Super Skimmer. I have an Iwaki 1000 gal/hr. pump and (3) 270 gal/hr. MaxiJet powerheads inside the tank. That's about it as far as equipment goes.

Thanks for he help again. If you have any other suggestions, please forward those to me.

Nanook: If you know of any Reef groups in the St. Louis area or clubs please let me know. I'd like to have someone check my system to see if this up to par. I should have pics in the near future.

Thanks guys. I appreciate the help and suggestions!

Taz

[Nanook01]

There is a club that meets on the second Saturday of each month at Daniel Boone Library on Clarkson Rd from 10am to 1pm. They have small get-togethers at fellow reefers homes and discuss reef topics. I have only attended one meeting a year ago, I work most weekends and cannot attend.

I have met several serious reefers here in St. Louis that are not into the "club thing". We do some serious trading, exchange of ideas and beer drinking. I have been at it for a year and a couple of my friends have been into reefing for 10+ years. Feel free to email me and we can talk over the phone or get together. Always good to meet new reefers!!

Nanook

[mrok12]

Tazman,
Some cyano is gonna happen from time to time. I pluck it from the refugium (Leng system) often and have seen it in almost all systems like this. Most test kits commercially available for phospate only register the inorganic kind. This is almost useless since most phospate in the aquarium ecosystem will be organic. I tend to agree with the member who stated that chemicles are not a solution. People have used erythromycin and the like to kill cyano and it is effective but at the expenses of the micofauna in the ecosystem. So IMO chemicles are to be avoided. There is no withces brew that will take the place of proper husbandry. Something that has been proven to be effective is to use kalkwasser to precipitate phosphates out and into the substrate bound in unuseable forms. Contrary to critics kalk does have its benefits. Try regular kalk supplements after the light go out and keep up the water changes. Also, if you use tap water call the local water company and find out what the organic contents are, that is what are the exceptable parameters in your area.

MROK12