Messed up again

[Redfish]

I bought another power head for the tank to get a bit more water movement in the tank. I mounted it so that it would blow water along the back wall of the tank and into the back sides of the caves. The problem, it blew some of the sand bed around and I think that might have caused the problem. My zoas and polyps closed up and two of my soft corals shrink up. I did a water change and will do another one Sunday and hope that helps.

[Gerwin]

no worries, a little sand pissed them off they will shed it off and open usually in a day or so, I would not panic.....a week of closed well then a move of the current or specimens and go from there. You should of course check tank parameters to make sure its not something else wrong and not just assume it was the current..

[Sandy]

My zoas close up for a day or so if I change them or anything else around. And my softies tend to close up if I do anything in the tank. Heck,,,, my dang tangs break out with ich everytime I stick my hand in the water.... So it's not just you, if that gives you any comfort. I'm pretty sure that if your water checks out good they will be fine. You just pissed them off for awhile.

[Redfish]

I have done two water changes this week. Not much has changed and the polyps aren't any better, meaning they havn't started opening back up yet, but they aren't any worse either. I am kinda worried about them, when they stay closed for to long, they, in the past, seem to start melting on me. I forgot to say in my first post on this matter, all of my turbo snails died, if thats is what they are called, the little crabs are all alive and the cone shaped snails, half of them died and the other half are still kicking.

[Gerwin]

you might run some fresh carbon in the system to make sure you do not have some trace toxins or elevated levels of elements not good for you inverts. Water changes are good but unless you are doing 100% it would be quicker to remove some things with good carbon

[Redfish]

I did that, I put two cups of carbon in the reactor about three days ago. See, you are teaching me something

[Sandy]

So how's the tank doing now??? Better I hope!

[Redfish]

Not doing any better. I have to take some water readings and see whats up.

[Sandy]

Have you checked the temp? Not that that is your problem, but it can happen. I called mine a coral boil!

[Redfish]

I think I may have found the problem, just not sure what to do about it. Two of my soft corals, a toad stool and a devils hand and also a large polyp rock have started to get a brown film on them. The only thing I have done to my tank in the last few months have been that I added a GFO & Carbon reactor and a refugium. I couldn't belive it was the reactor so I started looking at the refugium. I had added a HOB filter to the refugium tank, I am not using the filter that came with the HOB filter, I am just using it to provide a little more water movement to the refugium. I was looking at it tonight and it has the same brown colored film inside the HOB filter and also where the water drains out of the HOB filter into the refugium tank. I took the HOB filter off the refugium tonight. I am guessing that the light from the refugium and the water coming out of the HOB filter caused the brown algae to start growing and that it had started spreading into the main tank and causing the polyps not to open and to start killing my toad stool and the devils hand. Anyway, thats my guess and its the only thing I see wrong. The only thing I know to do is take the HOB out of the system, which I did and do another water change and see if the tank gets better, if not the refugium is going to be gone. Anyone have any thoughts?

[Gerwin]

I think I may have found the problem, just not sure what to do about it. Two of my soft corals, a toad stool and a devils hand and also a large polyp rock have started to get a brown film on them. The only thing I have done to my tank in the last few months have been that I added a GFO & Carbon reactor and a refugium. I couldn't belive it was the reactor so I started looking at the refugium. I had added a HOB filter to the refugium tank, I am not using the filter that came with the HOB filter, I am just using it to provide a little more water movement to the refugium. I was looking at it tonight and it has the same brown colored film inside the HOB filter and also where the water drains out of the HOB filter into the refugium tank. I took the HOB filter off the refugium tonight. I am guessing that the light from the refugium and the water coming out of the HOB filter caused the brown algae to start growing and that it had started spreading into the main tank and causing the polyps not to open and to start killing my toad stool and the devils hand. Anyway, thats my guess and its the only thing I see wrong. The only thing I know to do is take the HOB out of the system, which I did and do another water change and see if the tank gets better, if not the refugium is going to be gone. Anyone have any thoughts?

we will break it down step by step:
first we can say the reactors and gfo have nothing to do with the start of it, although changing the media maybe needed*
I doubt the power filter has anything to do with it either, you are seeing concentrations of algae because the import of nutrients , where ever water flow is being produced its sending those nutrients waters to a area, if lighting is present you will get algae.
So lets look at the nutrients...you obviously have excess to grow this algae,
*they are coming from the source water, ie your RO filters may need changing
*they are coming from food input both invert and vertebrate foods
so how do you remove?
*replace gfo and carbons / *increase water change with GOOD RO water (not saying your is bad but maybe you need to check)
*you cannot over skim, so maybe you increase or add to your skimming ( I know you just replaced one skimmer with another...maybe the lag time for the first to kick in left you behind the curve) but since you have 2, run them both!!!!
*look at your lighting, possible bulb changing needed and/or duration of use, both in refugium and main system for a bit.
also whether I agree or disagree with your use of a power filter on your refugium, I would not take it off now it would be better served as yet another means to use chemical filtration to help remove elements that may be at the root of your issue.

I have seen leather corals often get a brown film on them before shedding it off, I always assumed the old tissue was getting a little discolored from diatoms or such but never caused a problem. I can tell you as I have said before, leathers need current for this reason alone they must be able to get rid of the old "skin" and since they have no hands they rely on wave action. You zoos' you may take a soft tooth brush and lightly brush them off to relieve some of the stress until you get this under control. And last I have driven near your home 2 times this week. You should ask me to stop by when I am close for a hands on look. I mean buying from me and not the WWW has got to have a few perks!!
notice I said FEW..... not many or always

[Sandy]

And last I have driven near your home 2 times this week. You should ask me to stop by when I am close for a hands on look. I mean buying from me and not the WWW has got to have a few perks!!
notice I said FEW..... not many or always

DANGGGG!!! House calls?????? You just don't get no better than that!!!

[Redfish]

LOL The Tank isn't looking good right now, but at least Gerwin makes me feel better about the whole thing. I am coming into the store today and we will talk. I don't think the new skimmer is the problem. It had about a one day break in period and is now skimming like you wouldn't believe , this is a great skimmer. I even thought at one point it might be doing to good a job and taking to much out of the water. My Ro filters are about a year old and I thought that might be a problem until I saw the ones you had at the store, mine don't even come close to those, but I have a spare set so I can put them in. This problem started it seems like over nite that is why I am thinking its the refugium. Within three weeks or less after setting the refugium I am having these problems and unless you advice me not to, the refugium is coming down. Ohhh, you don't need an invite to stop by the house, stop by any time you are close by. I don't have any beer but I will buy you a glass of tea.

[Gerwin]

LOL The Tank isn't looking good right now, but at least Gerwin makes me feel better about the whole thing. I am coming into the store today and we will talk. I don't think the new skimmer is the problem. It had about a one day break in period and is now skimming like you wouldn't believe , this is a great skimmer. I even thought at one point it might be doing to good a job and taking to much out of the water. My Ro filters are about a year old and I thought that might be a problem until I saw the ones you had at the store, mine don't even come close to those, but I have a spare set so I can put them in. This problem started it seems like over night that is why I am thinking its the refugium. Within three weeks or less after setting the refugium I am having these problems and unless you advice me not to, the refugium is coming down. Ohhh, you don't need an invite to stop by the house, stop by any time you are close by. I don't have any beer but I will buy you a glass of tea.

I would say because a skimmer is producing more than ever before, is not a reason to assume its doing 100%, I think I could generate a good argument to suggest that possibly its not enough as its always cranking out skimmate, I mean if I had more protein in my tank then my skimmer could handle , would it not always produce skimmate? again I am providing another way for you to look at this, not saying I am right but more you are not looking at the whole picture or possibilities.... sometimes I am know as G-fucius.
and I micron filter the one you see in my RO would represent the only cartridge you can see and it merely shows the heavy solids in the incoming water, not the workings of the DI or RO membranes, so again my friend "do not judge a output by its micron"
And cause and effect is a decent way to assume possible issues are a result of, but I do not see the path to which this would be one. I could understand:
*no results at all in tank with refugium
*tank doing better because of refugium
but I do not see how it would make it worse given the info I have read in your posts
and sometimes you gotta just wait some things out, with a little guidance most issues sort themselves out.

and last but not least, I am pretty sure I was on the "I would not do it bus" when this idea came up, and even at that I defend the principles of its use and not being the culprit of your problem. Only proving yet again I am not self centered and egotistical or my why or the highway, but modest and mild mannered, macho yet kind, handsome and understanding.....ah the list to long to type