Alright, been awhile since an update, where do I even begin.
So tank is slowly coming together, got some test coral to see what the tank could handle. The test coral was a mix of Zoas, orange tip torch, 2x bird nest sps, 2x hammers. Everything was going great but eventually the sps both died. The rest of the coral were doing great. I tested all my parameters and everything was in line with being good, undetectable phosphates (not low range), ammonia zero, nitrate low, ammonia and nitrite both zero. Alk 8.5, Calc 450, Mag 1450, Salinity 1.026, temp 78-79 every once and awhile jumps to 80.
I do have algae, which might be hiding a phosphate problem.
Ever since the sps died, I started dosing vodka daily (around 2.5 ml a day currently) and slowly increasing it until the extra algae dies off. Also dosing flatworm stop daily just because. I know its stupid, but have heard good t hings about it bringing out color in corals so figured I would try it.
Started adding Kalk to my ATO and stopped dosing two part for now. This seems to have helped with my lower Ph, originally around 7.75 now around 7.95) and has help me keep a more stable Alk and Calc.
Also got some additional fish. I have gotten another cleaner shrimp, 2x conches and 1x male Anthias, 4x female Anthias.
After all that, I got phosphates under control and decided to do a big haul of coral for round 2.
Corals below:
Mammoth Candy Cane (died)
Hollywood Stunner Chalice
JF Burning Banana
Tyree Aequituberculata
Rising Sun Chalice
CC Cloudberry Chalice
Rainbow Acan
JF Jack-O-Latern
TSA Merlot Merletti
Space Invader Chalice
So far things are looking pretty good, corals have extended polyps but we shall see.
FINALLY, I had a tang overhaul too. This happened yesterday. Tank went from just having a yellow tang, to Yellow Tang, Powder Brown Tang, Hippo Tang and a Sailfin Tang. Had a lights out last night and they are doing well.
Pictures to come of all the fish, corals in tank and how the tank looks today. Waiting to find some pieces to the tripod so I can breakout the DSLR and take some good macro shots of the tank.
Thanks for listening to my TedTalk, more updates to come.