Acro Growth Seq ...(post tank disaster)

[scyphozoa]

(Just in case anyone out there is interested)
Here is what my tank looked like before I accidently overdosed with two-part Ca/alk in 12/05. (....Yes it "snowed" for my x-mas this year)

Afterwards I lost all my monti but surprisingly the purple/blue acro in the above pic survived. Here is the growth sequence so far.....

1/24/06

2/12/06

3/09/06

Previously I had my dosing pump located above the level of my sump (where my 2-part was dripped in). At the time of the disaster the entire amount of alk in my reseverve siphoned/dripped itself in within hours due to loose tubing (....perhaps caused by a curious cat). Now I keep a very tiny reserve which I refill daily. Lesson learned...never get too comfortable with your automated equipment.

 

[Im SpSing]

im sorry to hear bout your loss. Thats some nice growth for only 3 months

 

[damienkee]

wow!
im sorry to hear that! but that is a nice growth....
wish u best....

 

[atzak]

I have 2 questions
How much 2 part did you add?
What kind is that tang?

 

[jjjimmy]

Re: Acro Growth Seq ...(post tank disaster)

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6970859#post6970859 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by scyphozoa
(Just in case anyone out there is interested)
Here is what my tank looked like before I accidently overdosed with two-part Ca/alk in 12/05. (....Yes it "snowed" for my x-mas this year)

Sorry for your loss but that is just another reason for the use of a calcium reactor IMO.

 

[scyphozoa]

My main display tank is 150 gal and best I can figure I probably dripped in about 500 ml at the time of the disaster. Interestingly the ph did not rise that high (I calibrated my meter after the incident and it was pretty close). Once the large Montis started to go it set the disaster in motion. They put out large amounts of slime & you could detect a faint unusual smell outside the tank. I almost think that the settling out of Ca carbonate particles might have irritated the corals just as much as the ph change. Right now with the significantly lower coral load I dose about 100 ml of each part daily which keeps the Ca/Alk at the right levels. I have used a Ca reactor in the past but I abandoned it (ironically) because I never completely trusted the equipment & was always making adjustments. When the bioload of corals in the tank gets so high just one death or removal can cause diasterous results in Ca/Alk balance. IMO, although it may be asthetically pleasing the longevity of jam-packed tanks depends on a state of balance that needs constant vigillance. Other survivors of the disaster include all my LPS, pocilloporas, gorgonians, stylophora (although it has had some recession), and a few xenia are making a comeback now.

The tang in the pic is A. Nigricans (some books have mentioned that this is the more fragile sp. of the powder brown tangs however I've had this one since 1998-99). Usually the coloration on the body is completely brown/black unless he/she is displaying.

 

[scyphozoa]

Here's an updated pic from today on the growth sequence.

(Still using just 2-part to supplement Ca/Alk....but much less than before-- about 100 cc per 24 hrs for my 150 gal reef. I refill my dosing reservoir container daily to avoid accidental overdose.)

 

[scyphozoa]

Here's before and after pics of a maricultured Acro I added in 3/06

Grew into this as of today

Anyone take a guess at species?

 

[tuckz]

wow.....
just 4 months and it grew so much?