Why is my tank cloudy?
That depends on what type of a cloudy are you talking about.
- Brown scummy cloud is an indication that 1) the lobsters were not purged well enough, or 2) a lobster had died and is deteriorating in the tank or 3) Lobster(s) have broken limbs or cracked carcass and is bleeding into the water introducing excessive protein in to the tank (lobster blood is clear) or 4) the tank has been overloaded or 5) all of the above! What to do? If you are a customer of ours, Call our 24/7/365 support line and we’ll troubleshoot to help get the problem solved.
- White foggy cloud is an indication of a bacterial bloom. This is normal if one of the following has occurred 1) The tank is brand new and just started 2) you recently performed a water change 3)you added more lobsters than normal 4) the UV bulb needs to be changed 5) it’s time to change the activated carbon. If you are an LLS customer, Call our 24/7/365 support line at 201-398-0303 and we’ll troubleshoot to help you solve the problem.
My tank crashed! What should I do?
Call us at at 201-398-0303 before doing anything! Many times we can troubleshoot over the phone. We’ll help you decide if a service repair is warranted.
How often should I change the filter media?
The white filter pad is called a “pre filter” because it catches the most debris. This should be changed weekly. The activated carbon should be changed monthly, every two weeks for high volume stores (100 lbs or more weekly sales).
There is a lot of foam in my tank, what is it and what do I do?
That foam is an indication of an excess amount of protein that’s introduced into the water. Although protein is not toxic, it’s just a warning sign that you either have lobsters that are injured from either a cracked shell or missing limbs, and they’re bleeding into the water. Lobster blood is clear so you will not actually see it, but it will surface in the form of protein, which creates the soapy type foam. Or it could be that you have (or had) a dead lobster in the tank, that has been eaten (lobsters are carnivores) deteriorating and releasing those proteins into the water, which again will surface in the form of foam. Protein is not toxic, it’s just ugly. It can be eradicated in one of two ways. Continually skim the foam with a hard flat object (stryrofoam tray for example) until it is removed, or perform a partial to full water change. Call our 24/7/365 support line at 201-398-0303 to troubleshoot and determine if a service call to repair is warranted.
Why are there air bubbles blowing into my tank?
If you have an LLS tank, it simply means you need to add water because the pump is sucking air. If you don’t have an LLS tank, it could be another serious issue, possibly a hole in the plumbing, or it could be that the venturi valve or protein skimmer is overactive. Call us at 201-398-0303 to troubleshoot and diagnose if a service repair is warranted
There is algae in my tank, what do I do?
Clean it! When algae first surfaces it’s invisible. So part of your weekly maintenance should be to wipe down the interior of the glass inside the tank to remove that invisible algae. If it’s not removed it will eventually start to grow into green or brown or red algae. There’s different types of algae. The water parameters, and a few other variables, will determine what type of algae will grow. To eradicate it simply add the cleaning to your weekly maintenance. If you have an LLS tank it can easily be done by removing the overflow tubes and letting all the water drop into the base. If the algae has gotten out of control and can not be removed, call us at 201-398-0303 for deep cleaning treatment
How much salt do I use?
1lb to every 4 gallons of water. ONLY use Marine Salt! Do not use kosher, table, or sea salt. Here’s a blog post to learn more.
What is Purging?
Purging is a critical step in maintaining a healthy clean environment for your lobsters. DO NOT put lobsters in a tank without purging, even if they have just come from your supplier! They will be at risk of dying! Put the lobsters in a bucket or in a lug, take water out of the tank, fill the lug enough to cover their backs. Leave the lobsters for a minimum of 15 minutes, and maximum of 30 minutes, no longer, because they will die. Remove lobsters from the lug and inspect them strength (they want to hug you with arms wide open if you hold them upright) and inspect for broken or cracked limbs. YOU ARE THE FINAL INSPECTOR! MAKE SURE THEY ARE GOOD AND HARDY OTHERWISE THEY’LL DIE. Place them into the tank for sale. Read here
If you have an LLS tank use the self-contained purging tank.
We’re the only tank company in the industry that has this feature!
Why is my tank warmer then usual?
This can be because your condensing unit needs to be cleaned. The condensing unit is down below in the mechanical section, and has vertical aluminum fins that can get filled with dust. Simply take a hard bristle brush and run it vertically to clean the dust out of these fins. Not sure or uncomfortable doing it. Give us a call at 201-398-0303. If the fins look clean, give us a call. It may be a more serious issue that requires a technician.
Check in frequently for updated Triple T’s “Two Tip Tuesday”. These are short video clips I or someone from the team will make weekly to post on social media and website.