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[reeflounge_admin]

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[Andy van]

Hi everyone.I am new on this site,so this is a first.And probably not the last.
Anyway,I have only run 25 gallon marine tanks in the past,so I have a good idea about some ins and outs.BUT,I help run a resturant,and they have a 150 gallon marine tank that has always been a failiure.(run by random local fish stores???)I have taken it upon my self to turn this tank into some thing awesome."with your help"
My question is:
The tank has been standing for 5 months with original salt water in it,pumps,filter,etc, have not been running.The algae mega pck is still alive and kicking(hermits,snails.No shrimps.)
The sand,gravel has a reddish and a grenish,blue algae growing in it.
What is it?And if I clean the gravel well can I reuse it?As it is a big amount and would hate to rebuy it.I have purchased 20lbs aragonite reef sand,to add to it.
Please help.
Greatly appreciated.
Andy

[chessmanmark]

Welcome to Reeflounge! It's hard to answer your question with the info you gave. Can you be more specific about the substrate in your tank? Is it aragonite? I wouldn't add sand over this material until you can figure out what it is. You may have to take it out later. Does it look like sand? Is it crushed coral or gravel?
Secondly, the water hasn't been changed for 5 months. Once you get the substrate figured out, then you are going to need a major water change. You may want to buy a garbage can and start mixing some makeup water. 150 gallon tank. You will need to make a lot of water. IMO I would change 10 gallons ever two days for the next month. Buy a good test kit and test the parameters of your water. The water is the "lifeblood" of the entire system. Put a power head in the pail for at least 24 hours to mix and aerate your water.

[Andy van]

Thank you for your reply.
The substrate is aragonite reef sand mixed with crushed shale.
Thanks,I am already in the process of changing the water.I was going to syphon the substrate as well as possible and then mix my new aragonite in with it.Please let me know if I am far of the beaten path here.

[chessmanmark]

I'm not familiar with crushed shale so I can't comment on that. What do you intend to do with the tank? Fish Only, FO with live rock, or a reef? Either way I would get the filter up and running and run some carbon. It sounds like you have an algae problem so odds are you have elevated phosphate and nitrate in the tank. The water changes will help but I would also run the water through some rowaphos. Is there live rock in the tank? If you want a reef assess the rock you have, buy more rock if needed, and once the water quality clears up add the sand you bought.

[Andy van]

Thank you.
I intend to have fish and live rock.
The tank is almost a center piece in our resturant,so I'm hoping to create something attractive with it.
I quess "shale"is crush shells/coral.Sorry to be so vague.
I do appreciate the help.
I'll let you know as soon as I get every thing up and running again.
Thanks again.
Andy

[chessmanmark]

How much rock do you presently have? You want at least a lb. per gallon for your biological filtration. How much CC is there and how much sand? The CC will rise up and the sand will sink down in the substrate. Also the CC tends to collect garbage on the bottom and then you have problems with nitrates, however if you are only running a FO tank it shouldn't be a problem. Just make sure that you intend to run a FO. Many people, including myself, think this is what they want to do, then later on they decide to go reef. You will have more benefits and less problems with a sandbed in the long run.

[Andy van]

Thanks again.
You are right.The sand had settled to the bottom.As we speak,I am busy trying to get as much of the CC out and go with only sand as I intend to go reef.
Thanks
Andy