black mold

Question
QUESTION: I have had a high pH problem for about 2 weeks now +8.8. I have other tanks so i know that my test kit is good. All my nitrate levels are at the bottom (no ppm) gravity is good, ammonia is good.

All i have in the tank is 2 clowns a few crabs,some snails, powder brown tang, red coris wrasse, 2 damsels, green brittle star, and a condy latis anemone. 75 pounds of live rock I have had for quite some time.

It is a 125 gallon tank with a 55 gal sump. bio balls and protein skimmer, run around 1000 gal per hour through it. maybe a bit less.

I started dong a deep clean on my crushed coral/ shell/ sand substrate. and seem lots of black coming up from the bottom and a nasty smell. I deal with mold quite often so im pretty sure thats what it is.

Is there any way to get rid of the problem without taking everything out and deep cleaning?

ANSWER: hello Jon,

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you...

Did the pH start going up after you started doing the cleaning of teh substrate???

You can get some pH buffers to bring the pH down but i would suggest doing some other tests also...Try doing a Calcium test and a ALKALINITY test...

If possible or necessary, use a ALK buffer to raise the ALK to the correct level and it will also buffer the pH at 8.3, (or whatever it is designed for, read the label)


Typicaly it is not reccomended to use crushed coral for saltwater aquarium substrate, although most folks in europe ond other parts of the coutnry, (other then the US) use Crushed coral all the time

Typically we shy away from CC cause it traps detritus and bad nutrients, and it is difficult for the BIOLOGICAL FILTER to get in there and process it like the Biological organisms would do if it were LIVE SAND...

But, since at least half the world used Crushed coral with no or little problem I will have to defer the issue of CC for a later date.

BUT, regardless of whether you use CC or LS, I dont think you should 'stir it up' or clean it like you are doing...

Depending on how deep the sand bed is/was, there are areas that are considered 'anearobic', which pretty much means DO NOT DISTURB

These areas are typically not exposed to as much oxygen, (in the water), as when you stir it up and allow the oxygneated water to interact/rinse the junk back into the water column...

I would also think that the nitrates/ammonia would be elevated after a deep cleaning...and am surprised that they arent... that would be normal...


I would suggest donig a few good / large water changes and monitor the nitrate/ammonia for a bit..

I would also suggest you log on and join my new forum at www.thelittleocean.com

That forum is a little easier to discuss and carry on a little larger and more detailed discussion..

you will also be able to chat live with me and others who maybe online at the same time...

I look forward to seeing you there... and hearing mroe information regarding your pH issues...

good luck


bill

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for the reply, but you didn't really address my black mold problem. all my nitrates stayed low even after i stirred up the bottom. my pH is high due to the fact that mold is very basic in pH. I did do 25 to 30% water changes every other day for a week and a half. This did not change the pH at all. so as a suggestion i used lemon juice (in very small doses over a 2 day period) and that brought the pH down to 8.2 and stayed there for about 3 days when i seen is starting to go back up.

I think as long as the mold is an issue in the bottom of my tank my pH will always be high. any thoughts on how i could get rid of it with out dismantling the tank and pretty much starting from scratch.

Answer
I tried to address the mold issue, but i am thinking it is the other way around... that the mold is caused by the pH issues...

ACtually i dont think it is MOLD.. (although i respect your experience with MOLDS... I dont think MOLD can grow while totally submerged underwater, and would need air to grow in)...

I am thinking it is more of an algae.. A thick, dark/black mat of alage...

you should be able to peel it up in clumps/sheets.. Although some of it may break off


If you can, please try to remove the algae growth and syphon up whatever chunnks or debrris is left behind...Im not suggesting you do a perfect job and get ever last bit out.. but maybe get about 75% this time, and then another 50% next time and then another 50%  so you are constantly removing a little more each time.. Im not sure you will ever be able to get rid of it all..

some of the algae may be coming from the type of water you use to mix salt water or from what you use in your TOP OFF water...

is that water 'filtered' water?  RO/DI water???  tap water or 'conditioned'/de-clorinated tap water still has stuff in it that will contribute to algae growth...



I would also suggest, as indicated in my original reply, to use a pH BUFFER...

BUFFERS are designed to adjust pH and other elemnts to a set/engineered point...

if the product states 8.3pH buffer, then you cant screw that up.. if youi put the whole jar in, the pH will still only be 8.3

(although that would be a waste of product, and you should use it as per the directions)

If you tested for ALK, and determined it was low, then you could address two issues with the one product,   you would fix your pH and your ALK alinity...


ALSO, if you log on and join my new forum, there are a couple other folks/members there that actually have a little more experience then me in this subject, (at least I think they are )

so, posting on that forum will get you several more opinions and suggestions that might be more appropriate then my answer...


Good luck and please keep me posted...


Bill