Higher Calcium Level for SPS Growth? (vs Health)

[Wally.B]

Let's hear the numbers, now that you're back..
Wc is good.. Getting the skimmer going well is also good.
Cyano sucks! But it ain't the end of the world..

Here are the numbers after a week away.... (before doing water change):

Salinity= [ 1.024 ] (will bring up to 1.025 after water change)

Calc= [ 425 ] (topped back up to 450, and increased dosing since current setting was falling behind) ** Corals growing **
Alk= [ 7.7 ] (topped back up to 8.5, and increased dosing since current setting was falling behind) ** Corals growing **
Mag= [ 1280 ] (Need to bring up to 1300 Will check again, after water change.)

NO3= [ 0.2 ] (Strong reading on test kit, unlike before which was barely readable in color scale)
PO4= [ 0.11 ppm] (Highest reading ever, was 0.04 before. ** Will test again to make sure reading is correct **)

 

[reefmutt]

Which p test do you use?

 

[Wally.B]

Cyano Siphon via Water Change:

I couldn't stand looking at the Cyano covered tank.

- So I did a 20% (15Gal) water change, and siphoned off the Cyano in the process.

- Also Dosed the tank with some ZeoVit Coral Snow (to help skimmer remove Cyano & Nutrients)

Tank looks much better!!! Wonder how quick Cyano will come back (hopefully not as strong).

Going away again for another week this Sunday, but will portion out less food for neighbour this time. [I think he was trying to be nice by feeding a lot]

 

[Wally.B]

Which p test do you use?

Hanna (ppb). I have both (ppm) and (ppb) kits.

(ppm) kit always gave me 0.00, so got the (ppb).

 

[reefmutt]

Wow!!! Tank looks so much better!!
I'm still thinking that your n is too low and it is letting your p climb unchecked....
Less food will be interesting to see what happens. I suspect it won't have the desired effect.. But I could be wrong.. Wouldn't be the first time!!
Good controlled experiment each time you leave...

 

[Myka]

I'm still thinking that your n is too low and it is letting your p climb unchecked....

Me too. Which NO3 kit are you using?

 

[Wally.B]

Me too. Which NO3 kit are you using?

Salfert. It's the only N kit I've ever used. (Still not expired, so using it up).

Any recommendations for better more granular N03 test kits?

 

[markalot]

Salfert. It's the only N kit I've ever used. (Still not expired, so using it up).

Any recommendations for better more granular N03 test kits?

Salifert is good IMO, look through the side (per instructions) for a pretty accurate high resolution test.

Out of curiosity, because I'm working to correct it on my tank, what is your light cycle?

 

[Wally.B]

(Back Again) With a Top Tank Photo for now...

So, I'm back after a while away from tank. (which appears to be a good thing NO TINKERING HANDS )

Slowly tank rocks are clearing up (from Cyano, Algae).

Glass is filthy and needs a good scraping since not properly cleaned for a month.

Here is what tank looks like from overhead. (PRETTY GOOD, since there has been some growth...)

.... and colors hanging in even though fish were NOT feed Frozen BrineShrip for 4 days (just minimal flake with autofeeder)
(since Neighbour who was feeding my fish locked himself out on 2nd day from SumpRoom and I had key.).

Will post some front view growth comparisons, after I find time to razor scrape the glass...etc

 

[reefmutt]

That looks pretty good!
Interested to see some closer up shots

 

[Wally.B]

Growth Comparison (June 11 to Aug 30th)

Appears that some corals are growing (circled below), and other not much at all.

Plan is to slowly ramp up MH light PhotoPeriod to 6 hrs from current 4hr 45min.
Possibly ALSO lower MH lights at some point.

Those are 3 new Frags hanging on back glass wall (Birds nets, Montipora, Pink Milli).
Rather than having them fall all around (Snail Bulldoze) before placement (like in the past), I'm using single MAGClips.
This also help me move them around for ideal lighting and circulation, before gluing them down.

 

[Wally.B]

Salifert is good IMO, look through the side (per instructions) for a pretty accurate high resolution test.

Out of curiosity, because I'm working to correct it on my tank, what is your light cycle?

Here you go. Lighting Cycle with all the details.

http://i1377.photobucket.com/albums/ah74/wbrejnia/2015-08-30_TankLighting_zps9x7jwvbf.jpg[~original/IMG]

I wish I had a real PAR meter to know how much light I'm feeding this tank. (Hear that Neptune Apex is coming out with one soon)

 

[Wally.B]

Oops. Posted by mistake. See previous post above.

 

[Wally.B]

NEW Lighting Schedule (SIGNIFICANT CHANGE...Tinkering Extreme?):

Some of you may think I'm crazy for doing this but I've thought this through.

I'm making a significant, but gentle intensity lighting change to address my Cyano/Algae Problem. (Which is not going away after a patient month wait, with no Coral Feeding)
This came about when a fellow reefer came by and commented that my 2x 250W MH lights may be too much for my 3 ft tank. Thus one cause for my Algae/Cyano problems.

His suggestion was to try and run the tank on a single 250W Bulb (centered on tank), which I played with, but was concerned with Left & Right Coral coverage. (The coral Sides).

Then I got an idea since my MH lights are DUAL ballast, and switchable.

The OLD VS NEW Lighting Schedule is as below.

Basically in a nutshell here are the changes:

- I have switched the ballast on MH lights from 250W to 175W (30% intensity reduction)
- I could have raised lights, but the current height is ideal for full tank width coverage.
- I am running Right MH Bulb ONLY followed by, Right & Left MH lights, followed by Left MH Bulb ONLY (Additional Lighting Reduction)
- I have INCREASED MH light Photo Period to 5hrs 30min from 4hrs 45min (But overall PARS are less)
- Overall Main Light Photo Period is now 6 Hrs. (Increased exposure)
- I am now running T5 HO lights as fillers during LEFT or RIGHT only MH lights
- T5 fillers are OFF during (MH LEFT/RIGHT Light overlap) (Small Intensity Decrease)
- Dual Overlappeed MH bulb time is now only 1 hour from 4hrs 45min. (Significant Intensity Decrease)
- Low Power LED lights are not a significant lighting source, so not under consideration.

This may be a bit confusing, but basically I have increased the overal photo Period, but decreased intensity, and staggered the MH lights, with a much shorter Dual MH bulb overlap.

Plus now the tank looks better with extra (T5 Actinic, T5 Blue Plus) time.

I also get a East to West sun moving look, while T5's fill in the Coverage Gaps.

I'll be watching the corals closely over next week or so.


Any comments? Objections? Support? Votes of insanity?

 

[markalot]

What does the friends tank look like? Acros?

 

[Wally.B]

What does the friends tank look like? Acros?

He doesn't have a tank anymore. When he did, it wasn't much SPS.

However I still like this new schedule/approach for Cyano reduction. (For a few weeks ONLY)

Any (lighting + nutrition) reduction helps.

Some folks do no light days in weekly schedule. My new schedule is similar (but daily).

What I really notice is in Morning after Even of NO Lights and CUC are done. Tank has no Cyano. By evening, after main lighting, Cyano and gas bubbles are plenty. Like a Yo-Yo every day.

 

[swk]

I eventually just went with chemiclean and it worked great. I spent 6 months trying to eliminate it via natural processes and adjustment of maintenance routines to the point of detrimental effects on my tank. Honestly, the stuff is a bacteria right? So, even if only a few spores are around, if only one thing happens that gives them a leg up, off they go and you're back to square one.

I used chemiclean per package instructions 6 months ago and am still 100% cyano free. It's pretty amazing and there were ZERO undesirable side effects in my tank. Honestly, I think the only way it could come back at this point in time is via reintroduction of the bacteria via a frag plug or something.

 

[Wally.B]

I eventually just went with chemiclean and it worked great......

I was also leaning your way. But Treating with CyanoClean which is competitive bacteria.

ChemiClean is also a possibility, but hear it drives skimmers nuts, and my skimmer is already crazy enough.

 

[swk]

I was also leaning your way. But Treating with CyanoClean which is competitive bacteria. ChemiClean is also a possibility, but hear it drives skimmers nuts, and mine is already crazy enough.

I did this method and skimmer was all good in about 30 min after treatment.

I ran the drain tube to a 5 gal bucket. Filled the tank with extra salt water and unplugged my ato. Ran the skimmer very wet until it settled down and was back to square one. Once it skimmed out about 3 gal it was all set to go as before. Very simple and quick ime.

 

[reefmutt]

I like your plan.
2x 250w plus t5 is a lot of light on your tank.. More than you need, right now.. Imo..
I don't know- can you run your 250w bulbs on the 175w setting, or do you have 175w bulbs?
you might beat the cyano with the new lighting but if you use a cyano 'cleaner' watch the skimmer, my experience has always been days of crazy skimming.. I'm sure it is tank dependent, though.