hello from orlando florida

greetings from Central Florida

ive been playing around with fish tanks not knowing what im doing for the past 8-10 years. i thought i was adept at this hobby until i started reading some of the posts here. i know nothing!

recently i downgraded my 55 gallon all fish tank back in march to a 29 gallon biocube that i am going to try to get some soft corals growing.

i decided to start fresh with my new tanks inhabitants other than the live rock i just replaced into the new tank. i went out and purchased some snails and hermits. they seemed to be happy enough for about 2 months.
so i purchased 2 tiny zoanthids which have now stopped growing after sprouting 3 new arms almost immediately, a peppermint shrimp and a bio color.
they all lived happy for another 2 months.
then one morning i woke up and couldnt find my shrimp.
just gone, i looked everywhere. i have no idea what happened to him.
i purchased a small perc clown and my bi-color wouldnt let him into any of the rock. they seem to be friends now that they have an understanding.

about a month ago i started getting mass amounts of green carpet everywhere.
i stopped using tap water and switched to bottled distilled water till i can purchase my RODI. the algae has stopped growing but its still everywhere. ive been trying to pick out as much as possible.
i purchased the biocube protein skimmer and a 425 power-head.

Bill

 

Welcome to 3 reef, Bill

are you using any GFO ( phosphate remover) in your filtration system?
that will help starve the algae and combined with water changes and manual removal
you should eventually beat it

Steve

 

Welcome! I am just down the road from you in Lakeland. I did not start my 90g with any reactors, and I can tell you, it would have saved me a lot of trouble.

 

Hi welcome to 3reef i just vacations there and went to keywest its a 4 hour drive for you but if u ever go up to keywest i suggest u get a snorkle mask and a snorkle and go to BAHIAHONDA STATE PARK [it has a nice beach] on to the left side of the beach is some exallent lr thats just coverd with coralline algae and sponges just under the water with beutifull tangs puffers wrasses gobys and many uther fishes around

 

Welcome to 3reef. I am on the other side of Orlando from you in Kissimmee.

How fast did you drive that it only took you 4 hours? ;D Or does that not include the two hours it takes to get from key largo to key west.

I have never heard of Bahia Honda state park so I looked it up. Its not actually in key west but on Bahia Honda key between Big Pine and Marathon? I will have to check that out next time I go to the keys it looks nice.

Fort Zachery on key west has some nice snorkeling too. I suggest water shoes though as the beach is rocky and got several cuts on my feet the first day. I saw a huge anemone there it was pretty exciting.

 

thanks Steve is there a particular type of phosphate remover i should use?

 

believe it or not i have lived here all my life and i have never made it all the way down to key west. i have done some snorkeling at John Penny Camp in Key Largo which was amazing.

 

Many people on here use the Bulk Reef Supply product (BRS) as its economical and according to many, effective

Im a Rowaphos fan myself ( I cant order from BRS so Im disadvantaged in that respect)

but a GFO based product rather than an Aluminum based version is the product you want to use if its a reef tank IMO

Steve

 

http://www.3reef.com/forums/general...best-place-reef-supplies-livestock-96223.html

Hey Bill

the chances of someone from Central Florida visiting you say hello thread relies to much on luck for my liking - so I have moved your post and started a new thread with it - see link above

Steve

 

Hello and Welcome to the 3reef fam. I live in Clearwater with is a little drive from you so if you need some help or assistance shoot me a PM and I will try to see what I can do to help. Oh and using distilled water you have to buff your tank as everything(as in essential elements) is pretty much taken out of that type of water.