Help Me Save My SPS Reef

[emoore]

Understandable assumption, but, look at the cabinetry and equipment list. Not exactly the usual set up of someone who neglects their tank. I have invested over 3K in equipment upgrades in the last 6 months trying to get this back on line. Something is off and I can't get a handle on it. The only difference between this new tank and the pristine one I ran for 6 years prior is the addition of 75lbs of dry Figi rock. I did rince it, but, there must be something leaching from the rock.

I have some GFO on order. It takes a little over a week to get anything where I live. I will continue with the weekly manual removal and 45gal water changes.

If you only rinsed the dry rock then it is going to take a while until all the dead material decays. I soaked my dry rock for 2 months in a separate container, changing the water every week. And I still had some issues with it when I started my tank. Next time I use dry rock I am going to soak it for 6 or more months.

 

[plyle02]

swiseman,
FWIW, I have posted in Tswifty's thread, I have not updated my thread yet since making new adjustments, but here is the problem I have had, quite similair to yours. I have been using mb7 and vodka for a year now, originally with zeo-stones, then pulled and went to the mb7 vodka regiment about 6 months later. The problem I encountered is quite similair to yours and Tswifty's, low nutrients, nice coloration, and finally little hair algae, only to have a massive attack of bubble algae, to the point of becoming a nuissance. Someone above suggested to add PO4 reactor, well, that is what I did, while cutting my mb7 and vodka in 1/2, I am now using BW's PhosphatR as the media and also using their liquid PO4 Phosphat-E which removes PO4 reactively. I have been on this updated method for 3 days, no ill effects on corals or inverts, but bubble alage is dieing quickly. I would step up your dosing anyway with vodka or vsv and mb7. I dose currently, which is 1/2 of previous at 1.5ml per day of 96 proof vodka and 8 drops of mb7 per day, in my 70 gallon tank. I think you are on the under side, personally at 5ml of mb7 per week, I would do daily additions of less, let's say 2ml in your system. The problem I ran into with just vodka and mb7, neo system, etc is that in order for me to get low enough to kill algae, my corals had to suffer... The addition of p04 removers are really giving me a ton more confidence, my corals are growing quickly and coloration is stunning. Bubble algae has by far been my biggest struggle to overcome. I know SunnyX uses po4 reactor running the system occasionally on is DT, but also on his new salt water for w/c's. I know it is not recommended in running the vodka/mb7 system, but something had to give. I would also suggest getting your values as close to NSW as possible when running the system. I am currently at 7.8dkh, 390 calcium, and 1250 mag. I know other salts are hard to come by, I use TM Pro salts, the values are quite consistent with the values I maintain. Your tank is stunning, well though out, and unfortunate to be struggling with this nuissance algae. BTW, I also think you might want to step up the flow a bit, just a thought as mentioned above. Good luck, hope you put an end to this saga...

 

[swiseman]

It has been some time since I updated this thread. I am pleased to report that my tank is once again pristine. Not a thread of algae in the tank and all of the SPS have returned to their full color. . I think my success in turning this around was going back to basics and paying strict attention to water parameters. I also began dosing VSV via the Profilux doser that I had but never used. It was clear within a month of starting this. I also reintroduced a refugium to the system. I am not getting any growth in the macro anymore. I did the first month I had it, but, I suspect that the VSV has taken care of it. I will watch it for one more month and if it continues to shrink I will remove it entirely from the sump and go back to GFO as a maintenance.

 

[jhawkor]

It has been some time since I updated this thread. I am pleased to report that my tank is once again pristine. Not a thread of algae in the tank and all of the SPS have returned to their full color. . I think my success in turning this around was going back to basics and paying strict attention to water parameters. I also began dosing VSV via the Profilux doser that I had but never used. It was clear within a month of starting this. I also reintroduced a refugium to the system. I am not getting any growth in the macro anymore. I did the first month I had it, but, I suspect that the VSV has taken care of it. I will watch it for one more month and if it continues to shrink I will remove it entirely from the sump and go back to GFO as a maintenance.

Good job. :thumbsup:

 

[ChuckG]

Congrats on the recovery.. As I was reading thru the thread I noticed this when you were referencing calibrating a refractometer..

Double checked it today with both Distilled and RO/DI water and it was dead on.

You're supposed to get more accurate results if you calibrate instead against an actual saltwater reference and not RO/DI. PinPoint distributes a 53Ms sample (1.0026). You might check for one of Randy's articles or posts in the chemistry forum for more info.

 

[agsansoo]

Great news ! Now we need some updated photos.

 

[Andrew17030]

Instant ocean is high in alk. I use 50/50 instant ocean and oceanic they compliment eachother well. One is high in alk and the other high in ca. Just a thought. This would make more sense if you refractometer was off. It looks like the tank is cycling. This may have happend when you moved the sand around to change tanks.