[Ashleigh]

This is my first time to post here for a couple of years. I have a 100 gallon FOWLR, crushed coral substrate, bioballs filter. I was very successful with this until I got pregnant, broke my leg during pregnancy etc.. and the tank was severely neglected. There is nothing alive in the tank, that I can tell...if so it is an engineer goby that I've had for 5 years. The only maintenance done to this tank for over a year is to add saltwater when needed due to evaporation. The tank is a mess obviusly. I have red and green slimey algae on the glass, the rocks and the substrate.
Should I throw away the rock? (approx 70 pounds), should I empty the tank and start all over? Any suggestions will be appreciated.

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by Ashleigh

The only maintenance done to this tank for over a year is to add saltwater when needed due to evaporation. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Unless that's a typo, my first suggestion would be to test the salinity. Freshwater is added to replace evaporation, not saltwater. The salt doesn't evaporate.

[Reefland]

My next suggestion after Ninong's would be to perform some other water tests and then clean the glass to see what your really looking at. After that, a good water change while siphoning the slimey algae from the rocks.

Scott Z.

[Ashleigh]

Originally Posted by Ninong

Unless that's a typo, my first suggestion would be to test the salinity. Freshwater is added to replace evaporation, not saltwater. The salt doesn't evaporate.

Sorry, yes it was a typo.....fresh water was added for evaporation.. Thanks for catching it....any suggestions on how to clean up tank?

[Ninong]

There are two ways to approach this but, based on your description, I know what I would do. I would remove any surviving livestock to temporary quarters, throw away the live rock and the sand and thoroughly clean the tank before starting over with new sand and live rock. That's just the way I would probably go about it. You may prefer to keep your live rock and sand, clean the glass, do a series of massive water changes over the next three or four weeks and then decide whether to throw everything out or not. Either way I wouldn't add any new livestock until you're sure things are on the right track.


Good luck,

[Ashleigh]

Originally Posted by Ninong

There are two ways to approach this but, based on your description, I know what I would do. I would remove any surviving livestock to temporary quarters, throw away the live rock and the sand and thoroughly clean the tank before starting over with new sand and live rock. That's just the way I would probably go about it. You may prefer to keep your live rock and sand, clean the glass, do a series of massive water changes over the next three or four weeks and then decide whether to throw everything out or not. Either way I wouldn't add any new livestock until you're sure things are on the right track.


Good luck,

Thank you! If I threw away the rock and substrate would I need to recycle if I kept the bioballs?

[Ninong]

Yes, you will be recycling the tank if you install new live rock and sand. This would be a good time to throw away the bioballs for good. You don't need them if you have live rock and live sand. Just take them out and throw them in the garbage can. Life will be much simpler for you and you will never miss them.