Calistyle's 120G Peninsula Build

[calistyle]

It's been a while. I've been battling on the front lines and lurking when I have time.

My tank was overran by dinoflagellates and red cyano. I was doing WC's to battle dinos, but was really just fueling it. I was losing corals left and right.

So, I had no choice. Let Triton do it's job. I stopped doing water changes, started dosing triton. Months go by, with not much changing, but not getting worse. I could sihpon out dinos and cyano, but needed to do so through a sock back into sump, so I wasn't adding new water to fuel that crap.

I also started (6-8 weeks ago) dosing 1/4 the daily recommended amount of Continuum Aquatics Bacter Clean-M and added a TON of chaeto.

FINALLY cyano and dinos seem to have let go!

 

[dodgerblew]

You have enough jawbreakers there to restock your tank Jorden

 

[calistyle]

You have enough jawbreakers there to restock your tank Jorden

That's only one colony, lol

 

[gveng]

I still don't understand why you are having all these problems.

Your Solana looked amazing! Hopefully your tank starts bouncing back soon.

 

[calistyle]

I still don't understand why you are having all these problems.

Your Solana looked amazing! Hopefully your tank starts bouncing back soon.

I hear ya. This tank has been so much work. If the location wasn't so perfect, I'd ditch it and put up mred's old 60g I have in my garage.

and just as my actually aquarium looks good...

 

[gveng]

I hear ya. This tank has been so much work. If the location wasn't so perfect, I'd ditch it and put up mred's old 60g I have in my garage.

and just as my actually aquarium looks good...

Omg... is that termite damage?

 

[calistyle]

I dunno yet

 

[jabel]

Did you get your initial water test done?

Jeff

 

[calistyle]

Did you get your initial water test done?

Jeff

Sending that off tomorrow or Monday. I didnt want to send a sample while I was messing with everything so much.

I also cleaned out sump very well and will monitor stand closely for any pests.

 

[jabel]

Well, let me know how it goes. I've been wanting to submit mine as well.
Jeff

 

[frogiii]

Love the peninsula tank...i always wanted one.. sorry about so much problems you're having but, i'm sure it will come around nicer.

 

[flanole]

Sump

Sump

Love the tank. Where did you get your sump? I am rebuilding a 150g peninsula tank and need a new sump. Thanks

 

[calistyle]

Love the peninsula tank...i always wanted one.. sorry about so much problems you're having but, i'm sure it will come around nicer.

It's coming around. Ideally, I'd of kept BOTH tanks online and let the new one adjust slowly. I had rock curing, and all, but still had to move over a ton of coral and fish rather quickly.

Love the tank. Where did you get your sump? I am rebuilding a 150g peninsula tank and need a new sump. Thanks

Advance Acrylics. I have a red sump I'll be selling soon, but it'll be too small for you (was used in 60G solana setup).

 

[calistyle]

Did some before and after pictures of Jaw Breaker and jack o lantern over the past 2 years.

Jaw Breaker Aug / 2013:

Jaw Breaker Aug 2015

Jack- O- Lantern Aug 2013

Jack- O- Lantern Aug 2015

 

[ChefZilla]

Nice growth on the jawbreakers

 

[Fishtitious Per]

I hear ya. This tank has been so much work.

I think you have powder post beetles. Not good. It may spread to rest of house and other furniture. Have a professional exterminator check it out. Soon.

Sorry for your woes, this is supposed to be a fun hobby.

 

[calistyle]

I think you have powder post beetles. Not good. It may spread to rest of house and other furniture. Have a professional exterminator check it out. Soon.

Sorry for your woes, this is supposed to be a fun hobby.

The tank is turning a corner....so I'm finally able to enjoy it again. I'm going to add some SPS hopefully from this months frag swap and enjoy being a reefer again.

It's been over a year of bumps and bruises.

 

[calistyle]

On the bright side, I haven't see any holes like that, nor have I seen anymore pellets. I do have some spiders in there, but those pebbles were rock solid.

 

[calistyle]

Triton results are in:

http://imgur.com/a/ns82t

Really high Zinc (Zn)

High iron (Fe)
High Lithium (Li)
High Potassium (K)
High Magnesium (Mg)

Low iodine (I)

 

[jabel]

Cool, thanks for sharing. Did they give you advice for how to deal with the high and low readings?
I think most of our tanks are low on iodine. It can bind to organics and get removed by heavy skimming. I was having sps problems for years until I started dosing iodine every week. I have even added it to my top off water. I noticed a visible difference within a few days of adding it.

What's next for the water testing? Do you send another sample in a few months?

I need to prune a bunch of sps and will be around most of the weeend. Let me know if you want to throw some free stuff in your tank to see how it does before spending $.
Jeff