Bad water

[Europhyllia]

Didn't check my TDS in awhile but I did order new filters for the RODI after the trickle seemed to slow down a bit after I made all the water for the new tank.
I've noticed some cyano now in the new tank and checked the TDS -30 :(

Shouldn't have been so lazy and just checked earlier.

So I dumped the 30g of saltwater I had made and the 5g of top off water and I am making new water (TDS with new filters is 0)
So how to I get my tank water back up to par?
I replaced the GFO media hoping to catch any phosphates and silicates.
The biopellets are keeping the nitrates at 0 - in fact my macro is struggling to make it and I don't have any green algae.

But the cyano is ticking me off. I wish I wouldn't have slacked on the water testing.
Another contributing factor could be that missing fish...

So water change: how much water can I change out without affecting the biological filter (or can I assume that kind of bacteria is on rock and sand anyway)?

[ErikH]

You could change up to 50%. I doubt you would need to though. Do 20% changes every other day and see if it retreats.

[Europhyllia]

20% that's 40 gallons -I don't think I can make more anyway. lol

[ErikH]

I know it's alot but....

"The solution to pollution is dilution"

:)

[BIGBIRD123]

Karin, with the use of the bio-pellets, your macro will continue to struggle. That is why all the Europeans have gone to removing their refugiums and just having the pellet reactor and skimmers in their sumps. I agree with Erik, even 10% every other day will help...I am so glad I don't pay for water where I live...:)

[justahobby]

You biological filtration is in your rock and sand.. not the water ; ) I agree with Byrd, your struggling fuge will end up releasing nutrients and doing more harm than good.

[Europhyllia]

I don't have a fuge. I have a decorative macro algae in the display tank :)

[justahobby]

: P

[BIGBIRD123]

With the pellets removing so much of the stuff that the macro needs to thrive, I think you will have one or the other...good macro growth w/o the pellets or w/the pellets- no growth in the macro. Without the "dirty" water, it will be hard for the macro to get enough from the water to sustain any growth.

[Regric25]

Not trying to hi jack your thread Karin but with the pellets being used will it keep coralline algae from growing? Also, I agree frequest water changes will help with the issues you are having.

[allan]

If that portion with the high tds is in your system and cyano is creeping in, wouldn't the cyano starve itself out once the material it lives on is consumed?

[Europhyllia]

I can't wait that long Allan. It's too painful. I mean with my cute jawfish all I want to do is stare at the sandbed and yuck it's all messed up with cyano now!

[allan]

I feel you pain karin.