Need Advice

[rwynn]

Ok eveyone I need some solid advice on how to proceed.

While my finances were low my tank was on a "please don't crash mode". Now that that is passed I need to get it back in gear and better than ever.

I have a massive amount of hair algae, diatoms(I think, its a brown dust on rocks and the glass). And my sand looks like crap(I added 40lbs of crushed coral when I was new and didn't realize what I was doing.

So I now have the following list of things to do this weekend, please help me eliminate anything unneeded and add something I left out.

1. Implement weekly 10g water changes(25%).
2. Add a protein skimmer.
3. Add a full CUC(I only have a few hermits and fighting conch right now).
4. Remove all rock and water and inhabitants and replace the detritus trap of a sandbed with new sugar sized dead sand.
5. Replace 50% of the cycled water and rock and then fill to top with fresh saltwater mix.
6. Add timers to regulate my photoperiod to 10hrs a day 2hrs actinic, 6hrs MH+actinic, 2hrs actinic.

Please let me know if any of this should be removed, or if I should add something else to this list. I do not have a sump or room for it, but I have converted an aqueon 55 HOB filter into a fuge packed with chaeto on a reverse photo period.

Thank you everyone for your assistance,
Robert

 

[yote]

Get a NEW hard bristled tooth brush and scrub as much of the algae as possible off the rock.

 

[Bifferwine]

I'd follow your plan. Removing the crushed coral and replacing it with sand will make a big difference, IMO. It should clear up with time if you work on it -- it doesn't look too bad!

 

[rwynn]

I did a 10g WC today, scrubbed all of the algae and corraline off the side glass and all of the algae I could reach on the back glass, it looks a lot better. I am in negotions for a AquaC Remora skimmer from a local reefer.

I am going to try and get it all in order without the sand change(its a deeeeeep tank). If I cannot get things looking better with proper maintenance of the parameters(getting a complete reef test kit tomorrow) and a more appropriate photoperiod(I got a timer today for the MH and limited MH to 4 hours each day) I will do the sand change now.

Thanks for the advice, it is as always spot on!

 

[rwynn]

Speaking of the skimmer, picking it up tomorrow, 85$ sound good?

 

[Bifferwine]

For a used Remora? Does it come with the pump? If so, YES.

 

[rwynn]

Yes, Maxi-jet 1200