Tank is NOT Looking Good....

[The Langs]

So over the past week or two our tank has started going down hill. It's having an algae breakout. The crushed coral is all turning brown along with the purple live rock, glass and everything in the tank. It's ugly. Just done another water change but its not helping. Thinking I might ought to do away with the old school under gravel filter system and get something else and change from the crushed coral to some sand. My tank is only 29 galons. Any suggustions on if I should change this stuff out now or should I calm down and wait on things to straighten out?? I am off friday and plan to buy some more water to do another water change, poosble a greater percentage of change. Only been changing out about 5-6 gallons. Should I try 10-12??

[Doug]

Back in the day, brown algae (diatoms, actually) was part of the normal progression of tank maturity. Not sure if that's still the case. Back in the day, we were using crushed coral on UG filters, too, so... Not sure if larger partials is the answer; might actually be counterproductive.

[Gerwin]

ya know those meds I told you to come get for your fish.....I am gonna have a aspirin ready for you too
Make sure you let me know who you are when you come in as I cannot keep all the names and faces in place. But we gotta chill a bit and do some simple explaining of whats going on and the normal processes and get you confident, I can help you I am sure. Just typing all that is not my specialty.....so I will tell you and then you can type all I said if you want

[Chef Steve]

Are u checking ur phosphate levels? Could be time to change filter media. I had a little showup in my 29 and it seemed to help

[Dragont]

Hi I'm curious also.. How is ur tank doing now? It's been a few months since ur post. Wondering if u took care of that algae problem. I live in o.s. also so I'd be happy to help if I can.
Tim

[Gerwin]

things are better as far as I know, he was in a few days ago buying new fish. He had a assassin in his tank in the form of a basslet, doing much harm.

[The Langs]

Yes, just as Gerwin said, my tank is doing good with the exception of keeping new fish alive. I had about four new fish die in row before realizing that we had a bully in the tank. The bully was keeping the new fish in distress and keeping them from eating. Gerwin actually helped us diagnose this problem and ever since we removed the bully things have been great. New fish are staying alive. So far anyway

Dragont, I appreciate you offering to help, but hopefully I won't need it because if I do than that means I have problems and thats never good. Also I looked at the picks of your rimless tank you posted in the Big Boys division and I must say it's very nice

[Dragont]

thanks for the compliment and just thought i'd offer. right now my aquarium is very healthy with the exception of 2 of my acan colonies have a couple of heads dying off and sinking in here and there. haven't figured it out yet. if it persists looks like i'm gonna have to figure out how to frag acan lords.

also i'm gonna free up much needed real estate soon. as u can see my aquarium is alittle cluttered and overcrowded. got corals growing into each other. my chalises and favias trying to sting everything within reach. not good for a little bitty 50 gal. and i will be highly upset if they start stinging my nicer sps.

i also have a bully in my tank. that strawberry psuedochromis/magenta dottyback i got from gerwin. beautiful fish, only problem is since then i've had my yellow coris jump out after i made a net cover for the rimless. then blue reef chromis was found out of the water. and it keeps my dispar anthias trio in hiding all day till feeding time. gotta make a decision if i'm gonna get rid of it before i add any more fish. thinking about a radiant or mystery wrasse. and another yellow coris. maybe gerwin can get me a good price on those fish and help me figure out a way to catch this guy...

tim