Have i back-peddled??

[stoned-reefer83]

So I decided in December of '23 that I wanted to finally set up a reef tank. I had a 10 gallon laying around that wasn't being used so I fired it up to get my "feet wet". January I began cycling and got tired of looking at an empty tank and made the mistake of putting a couple fish in it. 1 clown, coral beauty, and a dottyback, (I knew the coral beauty would have to be relocated to a bigger tank) Within a week the coral beauty and dottyback both died, my own mistake. Then about mid-march I had the bright idea to get a second clown and a bubble tip ....... About 2 weeks later I wake up in the night, happen to look over at my tank, the water was so cloudy I couldn't see through the glass! The bubble tip had gotten caught up in my power head and both clowns was dead on the sanded. Only thing that was left was 2 baby emerald crabs I had gotten to help with algea and 2 zoa frags. At that point I realized I was doing to many things, to fast. Fast forward about 6 weeks later after things have somewhat calmed down in my tank I decided to place 4 more zoa frags, a kenya tree and some GSP. Now I had a little GHA in my tank so I thought I would try to dose it Vibrant because the emerald crabs wouldn't touch it. After thinking that the frags I brought I bought, brought in some red cyano, I'm reading post here on R2R that Vibrant has in fact cause cyano! So yesterday (May 30th) I dosed the tank with chemi pure, wake up this morning and begin vacuuming my sandbed, scrubbing rock with peroxide, deep filter clean and planning a 50% water change after the 48 hour mark is up. Now then, my question is this.....Should I or should I not continue to use Vibrant? Or is that more of a preventative measure rather that a solution? And now that everything has been stripped, cleaned back to square 1, do i even use Vibrant anymore?? I feel like I'm failing, but I understand part of it has been my impatience. LESSON LEARNED!

 

[Dburr1014]

Stop using all chemicals. Let the mature on its own.

 

[Jekyl]

Hard read but seems like too many fish in a tank too small all while no quarantine method in place.

For the nem, they need a mature system and new reefers should refrain from attempting until tank is around 9 months old.

For the vibrant I wouldn't ever recommend the use of any of these products. Algae is a normal progression for dry rock. Best managed by CuC, manual removal and maintaining proper parameters.

Tanks need stability. Anything to counter that is a bad thing.

 

[TX_REEF]

why do you want to use vibrant at all?

When you start again, please go slow - it's an unecessary waste of marine life and $ to rush

We are here for you to offer advice on everything from equipment, to livestock and strategy! Just ask!

 

[stoned-reefer83]

I appreciate it everyone. I been considering doing small daily water changes throughout the week instead of one big one once a week, is that something to consider in the aid of preventing larger algea outbreaks?

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I think the major thing is the tank is just too small for what you want to do.

A 10 gallon is too small for most fish, 2 clowns should be in a 20 gallon, should only be 1 or 2 small nano fish in a 10 gallon, and no real room for an anemone to move. A powerhead in a 10 gallon takes a fair bit space. Its just not the right tank.

 

[javajaws]

You're making this harder than it already is. As everybody else said - stop putting all that stuff in there. And never use Vibrant. Also, a 10g is gonna make it harder on you than if you were using a larger tank. More volume = more stability.

 

[stoned-reefer83]

now that I have everything "reset" am I able to just let it ride, outside of regular water changes?

 

[stoned-reefer83]

why do you want to use vibrant at all?

When you start again, please go slow - it's an unecessary waste of marine life and $ to rush

We are here for you to offer advice on everything from equipment, to livestock and strategy! Just ask!

Now that I have everything reset, is it best to just leave it alone and let the tank do its thing?

 

[Lebowski_]

You gotta slow down dude. Your boredom should not mean fish and nems need to die. It aint their fault you don't have patience.

A coral beauty and a gramma in a 10g is ridiculous. You know they both get 4" right, and are both active swimmers?

Just chill out and stop adding chemicals. If you can get some live rock from an established reef, that would be good.

Look into captive bred gobies - they are more noob friendly, and most of them stay small.

You can add coral even while the tank is settling, but I would be very careful. Start with leathers, maybe xenia or GSP if you want to go that route.

This hobby punishes anyone not willing to do their research. For the cost of the CB, gramma, nem and clowns, you probably could have upgraded to a larger tank. Throw your cash at the right things.

 

[stoned-reefer83]

I think the major thing is the tank is just too small for what you want to do.

A 10 gallon is too small for most fish, 2 clowns should be in a 20 gallon, should only be 1 or 2 small nano fish in a 10 gallon, and no real room for an anemone to move. A powerhead in a 10 gallon takes a fair bit space. Its just not the right tank.

I do have a 75 gallon that I'm in the process of putting together. Buying things for it bit by bit, every time I find something for it that's on sale then I go for it! I thought maybe learning from a 10 gallon tank would be beneficial but I'm quickly learning that I was wrong

 

[stoned-reefer83]

I'll probably end up sending it all to the dumpster. After cleaning and getting rid of all the cyano...the tank was spotless Thursday night, now not a full 48 hours later, everything has green algea growing on it again.

 

[Spare time]

I'll probably end up sending it all to the dumpster. After cleaning and getting rid of all the cyano...the tank was spotless Thursday night, now not a full 48 hours later, everything has green algea growing on it again.

You need stuff to eat it. Lots of different snails. The tank is also less than a year old, so algae issues are probably going to happen.