Higher Calcium Level for SPS Growth? (vs Health)

[Wally.B]

Last issue of Coral Magazine (Hilarious, should have read this Earlier (Cowrie) )

Today I was at a new Coral store that they had this Coral Magazine that I've need seen. Guy was flipping through pages, and I saw something that caught my eye. I asked him to flip back and wow, check this out.

** Unless you have enough CORALs TO FEED IT ** (oops, eh?) (Mine's not a Tiger, but an Arabica, still, I've proven that they eat corals too!!)

I just subscribe to this magazine. Reasonable price. Great Content & Quality. Printed edition delivered to door, plus access to Digital Editions (past and present).

(If I have broken a copyright on these these posts, I will remove the photo on my Photobucket).

BTW. TIME TO FIND (Cowrie #2). he doesn't come out that much during daytime.

The Pocillopora is damaged for sure. But I think it will recover, since polys are shaved, but not all gone. (looks like it got a Mohawk cut )

 

[Wally.B]

I may have found reason for Lopsided Algae Growth (Puzzling).

I was changing my PhotoPeriod for an increase, and noticed a programming error.

Since I control different times for my Left and Right MH lights, they were suppose to be equal (with some overlap).

- My Left MH Light Photo Period was = 3 hours 30 minutes
- My Right MH Light Photo Period was = 4 hours 30 minutes
- (Both Overlapping for 2 hours 30 minutes)

So my more Heavier Hair Algae side was actually getting less MH Light time.

I will slowly correct this, but isn't this ODD that the More light side was getting Less Algae (could more light be burning it off?)?

If more light means less algae, then I am on the right path.

 

[Wally.B]

Interest Fact about Snail Behavior (Surface Waiting in your tank, learned from ocean tides.)

So I read that article about Grazers in the Coral Magazine.

Learned an interesting fact.

The PH.D author who is a snail expert talks about the evolved behavior of certain snails.
Specifically that in the natural ocean habitat, that sails go to the higher waters (surface), to wait for retreating tide.
They wait there for Algae nutrient to be brought to them. It's a learned behavior for food search.

He says that if you have wild snails behaving this way, you should be pushing them down to the deep waters of your tank, so that they continue eating Algae.
Otherwise they will just sit there and wait for nothing, eventually starving. (Basically losing an opportunity to continue working properly on your tank Algae.)

I always thought that this behavior was due to higher tank temperatures, and their way of cooling down. I actually lowered my tank temp just a bit to extend their lives. (Still a good idea with cool water snails, but not the main cause/solution).

Great article, it lists the Top 10 best and worst grazers, and combination of Hermits vs Snails for extended CUC life in your tank.

 

[Wally.B]

Adding GFO (PhosBan), (PO4=0.055, One Day After a 15% Water Change)

So I've been watching PO4, since Algae continues to grow slowly.

Since PO4 is rising, I've decided to add Fresh GFO. (Used to use RowaPhos, but am Trying PhosBan this time), in a Reactor (slow flow).

Key consideration is this is NOT PO4 Leaching from Rocks. These rocks were in the tank for 1 year and my PO4 was undetectable till I started extra Nutrients to bring Colors into Corals.

Once PO4 is down to (<= 0.02, but above 0.01 lowest reading on Hanna), I'll take GFO off, and run on a timer (once a week or so).

Corals are doing extremely well at this point (as I've reach Target PAR levels, and working up PhotoPeriod).

 

[swk]

I don't understand adding gfo with your po4 numbers, but hey...it's your tank!!!

 

[Wally.B]

I don't understand adding gfo with your po4 numbers, but hey...it's your tank!!!

Isn't 0.055 too high considering Algae is growing so it may be higher?

 

[swk]

Not in my tank. I don't start running gfo unless algae is present and po4 is over .15-.2

Get a foxface and/or beef up you clean up crew if you're still having algae problems. Also, there IS algae on wild reefs too

 

[swk]

I've been sub'd to this thread since you stared it, wally. In a nutshell, you were having Coral starvation issues cause you were running excessive nutrient reduction, right? You removed gfo and increased feeding and your corals started looking better, right? You started having algae, which is expected but why would you complete the circle and go back to methods that sent you here in the first place? Just my observation.

I've also observed that you've made more changes to your tank since you started this thread than I have in the 2 year life of my current 75 gal [emoji1] but I see you like to tinker.

Just throwing it out there Wally. Good luck whatever you decide!!!

 

[Scorpius]

GFO what's that? :lol:. I've moved to other forms of nutrient control.

 

[Wally.B]

I've been sub'd to this thread since you stared it, wally. In a nutshell, you were having Coral starvation issues cause you were running excessive nutrient reduction, right? You removed gfo and increased feeding and your corals started looking better, right? You started having algae, which is expected but why would you complete the circle and go back to methods that sent you here in the first place? Just my observation.

I've also observed that you've made more changes to your tank since you started this thread than I have in the 2 year life of my current 75 gal [emoji1] but I see you like to tinker.

Just throwing it out there Wally. Good luck whatever you decide!!!

Yes, I like to tinker. However for the fist year I didn't do anything except water changes, since thought it was only thing neededll. And corals were starved, no color, slow growth. So I started this thread. And got advice.

Yes I did over feed, and fixes colors and health pretty quickly, but that led me into çyano and algae.

Massive clean up crew thrown in. Started to work.

Cyano solved. Alage getting close to not being out of control. I am actually accepting it. Cyano was not acceptable.

So my tinkering or adjustments did work, and I think pretty fast.

Now I am slowing down, and I believe close to a tipping point where things will be as should be.

In one defence. I learned a lot from my mistakes. Tinkering taught me right from wrong. You never learn from just getting things right the first time. Not sure it's even possible with SPS.

So my hope is my next journey will be perfecting SPS coloration.

Thanks for listening in. I hope my sharing of tinkering good and bad is helpful to others with similar challenges (mostly to avoid the mistakes I have made). I think people are reading this thread since read count jumps after each post.

Also, I consider this tanks still an SPS experimemtal frag tank, so best time to tinker and learn. When it matures changes will be more risky.

I will continue to tinker, and share my result since for me this hobby is doing, building, perfecting. Even the problems are fun challenges to me. It's possible a perfect, no maintenance tank would be the end of my lab , and boring.

Don't get me wrong. I also enjoy staring at a successful tank. Even then I'll look for improvement. That's just me.

Wally

 

[Wally.B]

Not in my tank. I don't start running gfo unless algae is present and po4 is over .15-.2

Get a foxface and/or beef up you clean up crew if you're still having algae problems. Also, there IS algae on wild reefs too

Ooops. My mistake. Wasn't thinking clearly today. :facepalm:

Somehow I was thinking I was over 0.2 ppm on PO4. (mixed up my decimal point of 0.055 > 0.02)
Thus the misunderstanding, and incorrect action.

(Thanks for noticing, and jumping on it).

Being at 0.055 is quite under 0.2, so I'm fine. NO GFO needed yet. I've taken if off. (Good tinkering re-adjustment )

Chemistry is Perfect (Tank is running properly, Naturally):

CALC: [ 425 ] ..

ALK: [ 8.5 ] ....

MAG: [ 1325 ] .

PO4: [ 0.055 ]

NO3: [ 5.0 ] ....

 

[Wally.B]

(Photo) Green Hair Algae Continues to Flourish (Time to Prune Again).

So Green Hair used to bother me. Not any more after Cyano outbreak.

Just going to continue to prune when it get's long. Easier to pull large clumps, than pick a small stuff.
Cowrie snail gone, so more work for me.

GFO still "OFF".

Is this kind of Algae Growth normal? (Coral's don't care, and resist the stuff). CUC still in good numbers (some snails have died, but few)

I AM GOING TO CHANGE MY FEEDING WAYS. I'll turn off all circulation so food get's eaten all up, rather then whirling around the tank and being trapped in nooks and crannies. (Might help, if CUC aren't getting the leftovers)

I'm still slowly increasing PhotoPeriod to my 6-8 hour target at new Lower Fixture Height. Right now at 4.5 hours.

 

[swk]

One of my club mates had one of the most breathtaking sps tanks I've seen. Huge mature colonies and amazing colors, etc. I've never seen more Gha in my life lol. It literally covered the back of the tank like 1-2" long. He eventually got it under control, but the point I'm making is that the corals didn't care one bit. Like I said, they were perfect specimens.

 

[Wally.B]

One of my club mates had one of the most breathtaking sps tanks I've seen. Huge mature colonies and amazing colors, etc. I've never seen more Gha in my life lol. It literally covered the back of the tank like 1-2" long. He eventually got it under control, but the point I'm making is that the corals didn't care one bit. Like I said, they were perfect specimens.

Thanks for the motivation, inspiration.

I'm accepting the green stuff, as long as Corals are fine (as you say).

No point disrupting anything chemistry wise. I'll be staying On Top of Pruning, and with possible small additions of target Clean up crew.

If these Corals keep growing and Encrust all the rock , Algae war will be won.

 

[reefmutt]

Wally, I really like your new attitude... if I didn't have a million snails, an algea eating blenny and 5 tangs in my tank, I would have gha all over. As it is, I have a bubble algea infestation and bryopsis that is just waiting for me to look the other way for one second.
Corals are happy.. N is 5ppm and p is .07- been stable there for quite some time..
If you don't like the gha, get more snails, but if n and p are in check, don't stress...
Concentrate on the JAYS!

 

[Wally.B]

Wally, I really like your new attitude... if I didn't have a million snails, an algea eating blenny and 5 tangs in my tank, I would have gha all over. As it is, I have a bubble algea infestation and bryopsis that is just waiting for me to look the other way for one second.
Corals are happy.. N is 5ppm and p is .07- been stable there for quite some time..
If you don't like the gha, get more snails, but if n and p are in check, don't stress...
Concentrate on the JAYS!

Thanks.

Yes, I will Carefully work on more CUC, and as you suggest, an Algae eating fish might be the touch I need (A pruning helper)
More fish is the good kind of nutrients (that was advice given at the beginning of this thread).

I do have a fish on order. Should arrive next week. A Black Cap Basslet, not a algae eater, but have read has a great personality, and is small.
This 65 Gallon tank isn't big enough for any Tangs that I have researched. Will look for other Algae eating fish, or critters.

And as far a your comment on Blue Jays. I'm just an on the bandwagon Canadian, so am watching with the rest of the Country.

I did manage to get a cool picture of my other Kitchen 90Gal Fish tank.

This Photo was taken From my deck, Into the Kitchen, through the Sliding door. Through the tank cave, and into the Family room where the TV is.
During the game The Jays Clinched a spot in the playoffs, last week.

Was a Sunny day, so got an interesting (unplanned) effect, of layered multiple reflections off various glass doors and picture frames.
If you look closely you can see most parts of the first floor of my house.

And...That's Jose Bautista batting.

 

[SpSChief85]

Nitrate to phosphate ratio is ideal when between 50:1 to 100:1 ie if nitrate is 2ppm you want phosphate at .02ppm I've read study on this that showed best coral growth rates when this equation was met, I forgot where but the guy has a coral farm and explained it quite well... he would also add nitrate and phosphate to his system and then it would be consumed over nite and he would repeat... I'm thinking it's an aussie, if anyone knows who I'm referring to go ahead and chime in so he can be ackowledged.

 

[SpSChief85]

Just tested water:

NO3=2.5
PO4=0.04
Rest stable and normal (CALC=425, ALK=8.5, MAG=1325, SAL=1.025)

I believe this is good. Possibly ideal?
This is pretty good ratio... ideal would be no3 2.5 po4 .025

(There is GFO in the system but very small, like 1/5 of a cup, since that is all I had). So I considered this nothing.

I'm no longer concerned about Green Algae that much. This morning, Camera's picked up both Cowries. (#2) cleaned right side of tank. Amazing.

 

[reefmutt]

Nitrate to phosphate ratio is ideal when between 50:1 to 100:1 ie if nitrate is 2ppm you want phosphate at .02ppm I've read study on this that showed best coral growth rates when this equation was met, I forgot where but the guy has a coral farm and explained it quite well... he would also add nitrate and phosphate to his system and then it would be consumed over nite and he would repeat... I'm thinking it's an aussie, if anyone knows who I'm referring to go ahead and chime in so he can be ackowledged.

Sounds like The Farm.. There are many who swear by Redfield's ratio and many who don't really feel that it totally applies to our reefs.. There are convincing people on both sides.... I like the general idea.. I believe it's 32 to 1 - n to p respectively.. 100/32/1. Carbon/n/p.. Off the top of my just woke up head.... Feel free to correct this if I've gotten it wrong..
Anyways, Wally, your numbers are looking pretty good..
Now, that shot is very cool..if that photo is of Bautista hitting his 3 run homer, it's GREAT! Very cool either way.
There a few very good little blennies that eat algae very nicely- jewelled blenny, ember blenny or red spotted blenny.
Having just woken up and having spent the evening at a women's university hockey game with my daughter, I don't yet know how the Jays did last night.. Wally?

 

[tmz]

The redfield ratio is 116C(organic carbon): 16 N(fixed ntrogen):1P(phosphorous). It is an en masse measure of plankton in the seas. Tanks will vary based on the species of organisms there and the environment in the tank including the nature of bacterial activitry and other processes in play. NSW nitrate runs around 0.2ppm in reef surface water IIRC.