Hey everyone,
I have been testing everyday for nearly 5 weeks now using the Red Sea Foundation Kit.
I started dosing NOPOX two weeks ago, which is what drove me to test for everything everyday...almost. Nitrate was at 80ppm, surprisingly everything was still alive and well, but it explained why nothing thrived but the effing algae. There WAS also a Powder Blue Tang in there, and those guys are filthy! He has finally made it into his 375 gallon home (my 50gal was his nursery).
Regardless, NOPOX has brought down Nitrates successfully in two weeks, dosing the 50Gal reef 6ml daily for 18 days, now that Nitrates are undetectable dosing has been reduced to 3ml of NOPOX per day, keeping Nitrates undetectable. SOME patches of algae are disappearing from the rock, I have started to see this green film/moss algae grow on some parts of the rock, I can only assume it is the die off as it still happens at a bacterial/molecular level, so I will remain patient. I also believe this is an indicator my phosphates are disappearing? Would you start the GFO reactor back up or keep it off?
ALK has been weird tho. I have been double testing since I have 2 different test kits. I only have one syringe, which will explain the following:
2/10/2017 Blue Powder Tang "Pepe the Fish" has new home. NA 80. NOPOX DAY 1 dosing 6ml. GFO REACTOR OFF DAY 1!
2/11/2017 NA 60 HADN'T TESTED FOR EVERYTHING YET. WATER CHANGE.
2/12/2017 - NA 15-20 ; MG 1500 ; CA 395 ; DKH 6.7 EVERYTHING STRUGGLES, LOTS OF CLOSED POLYPS
2/13/2017 - NA 15-20 ; MG 1480 ; CA 395 ; DKH 7
2/15/2017 - NA 15-20 ; MG 1480 ; CA 395 ; DKH 7 EVERYTHING STARTS TO LOOK HEALTHIER, LESS CLOSED POLYPS
2/16/2017 - NA 20 ; MG 1460 ; CA 400 ; OUT
2/17/2017 - NA 10-15 ; OUT ; CA 410 ; OUT EVERYTHING LOOKS HEALTHY
2/19/2017 - NA 10 ; OUT ; CA 395 ; OUT
2/21/2017 - NA 5 ; OUT ; CA 410 ; OUT EVERYONE IS HAPPY
2/22/2017 - NA 5 ; OUT , CA 415 ; OUT WATER CHANGE
2/23/2017 - NA 0-1 ; MG 1530 ; CA 445 ; DKH 7.6 - REDUCE NOPOX 6ml=3ml NEW KITSS POLYP EXTENSION, BTAS COLORING UP, FISH SWIM MORE
2/24/2017 - NA 0 ; MG 1580 ; CA 450 ; DKH 7.7
2/28/2017 - NA 0 ; MG 1520 ; CA 450 ; 8.4 EVERYTHING IS HAPPY, MORE BTA COLORATION, FISH ARE HUNGRIER
3/01/2017 - NA 0 ; MG 1520 ; CA 430 ; 7.8 - 8.4 DOUBLE TESTED ALK, DOUBLE DIFFERENT RESULT. WATER CHANGE.
3/02/2017 - NA 0 ; MG 1520 ; CA 440 ; STOPPED TRUSTING ALK KIT
3/03/2017 - NA 0 ; MG 1540 ; CA 445 ; 7.4 DECIDED TO CHANGE TO DIFFERENT SYRINGE
3/04/2017 - NA 0 ; MG 1560 ; CA 430 ; 6.5 *** ALK?
3/05/2017 - NA 0 ; MG 1580 ; CA 445 ; GRRRRR ALK TEST ! AGAIN!!
3/06/2017 - NA 0 ; MG 1560 ; CA 445 ; 6.5 RESTESTED TWICED (so yeah, 4 different times, same result always, same syringe though)
3/8 - CA 450 Alk ... MG 1580 (WATER CHANGE = Alk - 11.5dkH)
3/10 - CA 440 Alk 7.1
3/12 - CA 450 Alk #1=7.0dkH #2=7.2dkH #3=7.1dkH (new syringes arrive, tested alk 3 times)
3/13 - CA 440 Alk 7.0
3/14 - CA 430 Alk 6.9 MG 1600
3/18
ALK (Red Sea) - #1= 7.4dkH ; #2= 7.3 dkH
ALK (Salifert) - 7.4dkH
CA - 450
pH 8.0
3/19
ALK RS - 7.2dkH
ALK S - 7.3dkH
CA - 445
MG 1580
pH 8.0
3/20
ALK RS - 7.1dkH
ALK S - 7.1dkH
CA - 450
pH - 8.0
3/28/17
Alk RS 7dkH
Alk Sali 7dkH
CA 450
I am trying to grow out my coral, they have been there long enough and I have been through two algae outbreaks, finally got my Nitrates under control, phosphates will have to be guessed for now until my Hanna Checker arrives this Friday 3/31st. algae is turning green, but disappearing mostly, I can finally start to see the surface of my rocks again, they are starting to look clean!
The algae is firmly on the rock (turkey-baster-proof), it is turf-like.
Will this algae disappear in time with the reduction of Po4?
Water runs at 79/80 degrees, if it gets too hot it rises to 81/82. All acceptable levels I believe?
Salinity is at 1.025
IF this where YOUR tank, what would you do? Help me get my coral happy and growing.
I have been testing everyday for nearly 5 weeks now using the Red Sea Foundation Kit.
I started dosing NOPOX two weeks ago, which is what drove me to test for everything everyday...almost. Nitrate was at 80ppm, surprisingly everything was still alive and well, but it explained why nothing thrived but the effing algae. There WAS also a Powder Blue Tang in there, and those guys are filthy! He has finally made it into his 375 gallon home (my 50gal was his nursery).
Regardless, NOPOX has brought down Nitrates successfully in two weeks, dosing the 50Gal reef 6ml daily for 18 days, now that Nitrates are undetectable dosing has been reduced to 3ml of NOPOX per day, keeping Nitrates undetectable. SOME patches of algae are disappearing from the rock, I have started to see this green film/moss algae grow on some parts of the rock, I can only assume it is the die off as it still happens at a bacterial/molecular level, so I will remain patient. I also believe this is an indicator my phosphates are disappearing? Would you start the GFO reactor back up or keep it off?
ALK has been weird tho. I have been double testing since I have 2 different test kits. I only have one syringe, which will explain the following:
2/10/2017 Blue Powder Tang "Pepe the Fish" has new home. NA 80. NOPOX DAY 1 dosing 6ml. GFO REACTOR OFF DAY 1!
2/11/2017 NA 60 HADN'T TESTED FOR EVERYTHING YET. WATER CHANGE.
2/12/2017 - NA 15-20 ; MG 1500 ; CA 395 ; DKH 6.7 EVERYTHING STRUGGLES, LOTS OF CLOSED POLYPS
2/13/2017 - NA 15-20 ; MG 1480 ; CA 395 ; DKH 7
2/15/2017 - NA 15-20 ; MG 1480 ; CA 395 ; DKH 7 EVERYTHING STARTS TO LOOK HEALTHIER, LESS CLOSED POLYPS
2/16/2017 - NA 20 ; MG 1460 ; CA 400 ; OUT
2/17/2017 - NA 10-15 ; OUT ; CA 410 ; OUT EVERYTHING LOOKS HEALTHY
2/19/2017 - NA 10 ; OUT ; CA 395 ; OUT
2/21/2017 - NA 5 ; OUT ; CA 410 ; OUT EVERYONE IS HAPPY
2/22/2017 - NA 5 ; OUT , CA 415 ; OUT WATER CHANGE
2/23/2017 - NA 0-1 ; MG 1530 ; CA 445 ; DKH 7.6 - REDUCE NOPOX 6ml=3ml NEW KITSS POLYP EXTENSION, BTAS COLORING UP, FISH SWIM MORE
2/24/2017 - NA 0 ; MG 1580 ; CA 450 ; DKH 7.7
2/28/2017 - NA 0 ; MG 1520 ; CA 450 ; 8.4 EVERYTHING IS HAPPY, MORE BTA COLORATION, FISH ARE HUNGRIER
3/01/2017 - NA 0 ; MG 1520 ; CA 430 ; 7.8 - 8.4 DOUBLE TESTED ALK, DOUBLE DIFFERENT RESULT. WATER CHANGE.
3/02/2017 - NA 0 ; MG 1520 ; CA 440 ; STOPPED TRUSTING ALK KIT
3/03/2017 - NA 0 ; MG 1540 ; CA 445 ; 7.4 DECIDED TO CHANGE TO DIFFERENT SYRINGE
3/04/2017 - NA 0 ; MG 1560 ; CA 430 ; 6.5 *** ALK?
3/05/2017 - NA 0 ; MG 1580 ; CA 445 ; GRRRRR ALK TEST ! AGAIN!!
3/06/2017 - NA 0 ; MG 1560 ; CA 445 ; 6.5 RESTESTED TWICED (so yeah, 4 different times, same result always, same syringe though)
3/8 - CA 450 Alk ... MG 1580 (WATER CHANGE = Alk - 11.5dkH)
3/10 - CA 440 Alk 7.1
3/12 - CA 450 Alk #1=7.0dkH #2=7.2dkH #3=7.1dkH (new syringes arrive, tested alk 3 times)
3/13 - CA 440 Alk 7.0
3/14 - CA 430 Alk 6.9 MG 1600
3/18
ALK (Red Sea) - #1= 7.4dkH ; #2= 7.3 dkH
ALK (Salifert) - 7.4dkH
CA - 450
pH 8.0
3/19
ALK RS - 7.2dkH
ALK S - 7.3dkH
CA - 445
MG 1580
pH 8.0
3/20
ALK RS - 7.1dkH
ALK S - 7.1dkH
CA - 450
pH - 8.0
3/28/17
Alk RS 7dkH
Alk Sali 7dkH
CA 450
I am trying to grow out my coral, they have been there long enough and I have been through two algae outbreaks, finally got my Nitrates under control, phosphates will have to be guessed for now until my Hanna Checker arrives this Friday 3/31st. algae is turning green, but disappearing mostly, I can finally start to see the surface of my rocks again, they are starting to look clean!
The algae is firmly on the rock (turkey-baster-proof), it is turf-like.
Will this algae disappear in time with the reduction of Po4?
Water runs at 79/80 degrees, if it gets too hot it rises to 81/82. All acceptable levels I believe?
Salinity is at 1.025
IF this where YOUR tank, what would you do? Help me get my coral happy and growing.
