Higher Calcium Level for SPS Growth? (vs Health)

[reefmutt]

Personally, I think going to 150s would be totally fine on that tank..
I still think you should look into a sea hare..
I have seen them destroy hair alge problems and I just watched one eradicate a brown leafy macro algea infestation I was having in my frag tank..
They can be very effective....

 

[Wally.B]

I just set my MH ballast to 175W. That is a nice middle ground.

It will allow me to get back to 250W more easily after alage problem is solved.

 

[Wally.B]

If curious. I solved my Zoa survival problem in my other tank.

I couldn't get any Zoa's to survive. They would shrivel up and die/dissapear within days, sometime overnight. Theory is Amphipods eating them. Predator fish solved it.

Yes, my other tank is Algae free, and Coraline loaded rocks. ALmost same setup (filtration). Difference Lighting and Fishload. (Mixed vs SPS)

The part that baffles me a bit, is other tank must be exposed/contaminated with GHA from this tank, since I use same hoses, some equipment, test kits for my Algae loaded SPS tank. (But not a spot of GHA).

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=24191491#post24191491

 

[Wally.B]

Cleaning Station - For Piece by Piece Rebuild/Restore (Advice/Comments/Suggestions)

Before I embark on this project looking for feedback on ideas, warnings, etc.

With 2 week off around the corner, I plan to tackle the GHA infested Tank.

Sure the best way is A-La-Natural, but I've waiting long enough.
It still will be natural since I've reduce lighting in Tank and it will continue to age, hoping the ATS kicks in, plus I'll be doing sections at a time.

The plan is to setup my old Glass Sump, and use my Old 150W MH fixture from my other Tank, to setup a cleaning station.

- FISH will remain in TANK and rocks will be brought over in stages.

- I'll be matching the Water in the Cleaning station to my Tank (Calc, Alk, Temp, Salinity)
- The Station will be 1/2 to 3/4 full of water for flexibility
- I can match main MH lighting since tank will be half full and lights can be Raised/Lowered
- The Lux Meter I have (not Par Meter), which will allow me to place coral as near same lighting
- I'll make up some Coral Stands out of Crate to place coral at needed hieghts
- The Crate bottom will allow me to place rocks upright (same as in tank)
- The Frag Tray (Cage is to protect some corals from the Cowrie)
-----> I'll be place the Super Hungry Cowrie Conch and Snails, few hermits for a clean up crew into this cleaning station.
- There will be good circulation using my various old pumps and powerheads.
- I'll manually clean off the heavy GHA before placing in station.
- I have a old Hang ON Skimmer ready, but I won't be having any fish so may not be needed.
- I'll add a air stone to keep water oxygenated.
- I'll be pruning off some coral plugs for eventual new placements
- Once rocks/corals are cleaned off by low nutrient water, they will go back.

I'm not OVERLY concerned about most of the Acro's since they never did well and never achieve any coloration. I do want the Pollipolra and my prized Bird of Paradise to survive.

So any suggestions? Comments? Idea's?

 

[reefmutt]

Wally, my initial response is that this is a massively invasive method and maybe not necessary- not to mention extremely time and energy consuming for you..
I'm not saying it won't work, it probably will be fairly effective but you're basically tearing down the tank..
It is clear that you have some seriously determined hair algea and I know you've tried a lot of things, but still..
Tell me again why you don't want to try a sea hare or adding 100 snails all at once?
The time and energy you are about to spend here has got to be worth a certain amount of money that could be spent on an army of clean up crew..
And you haven't really given the scrubber time to kick in..

 

[C.Eymann]

do you find better growth with higher or lower temps?

And im not for 1 minute saying that making your own parameters is bad but if you are having problems its not going to hurt if you use my calculator

Im pretty sure there is a correlation to higher temps and faster growth rate, calcification is a biological process, and majority of biological processes speed up as temperature rises.
Im not a biologist though, so I could be completely wrong.

 

[itz frank]

I've been dealing with my own algae issues. Mine is caulerpa in the display.

Things I did that is showing improvements:
Running chaeto and mangroves 24/7
Dosing vinegar 5ml per day(first week) on a 75gal total water volume tank.
Running gfo

At this rate, the tank and chaeto consume equal nitrates during the day and the chaeto and mangroves suck up excess at night.

You're algae scrubber should be doing its job along with the chaeto but may take some time.

I, also, think your solution is excessive and CUC bombing your tank along with increased export should eventually stop the growth if not help to starve it out once your water nutrients clips 0.

 

[Wally.B]

I hear you all (Wait it out)...., but I can't stand watching this Algae mess.
Especially when off for two week on the Holidays.


PROBLEM:

I did mix up the Cleaning Tank Water and there is an issue.
The Reef Crystals Salt mixes with an Alk of 10.9. My tank is 8.5 so that could potentially be detrimental to the SPS corals (Alk Spike). Correct?
There is no way of bring down Alk, (like vinegar) without dropping PH.

So I'll just work on the rocks and leave all corals in the tank

I'lldo some manual cleanup. Whirl-A-Vac isn't quite ready. Any Algae I remove will help the ATS kick in.


I have been visiting local fish stores over last while and Snail supplies are either low, wrong kind of snails, or I noticed Aptasia in their snail tanks, so stayed away from buying any. The sea hares are huge!!
Plus 100 Snails is about $400. My Cleaning station water fill is $10 and some elbow grease (that I enjoy to get away from my Brain Challenging Job).


Its not a big effort. I have the cleaning station setup and there are only about 15 Med-Large pieces of rock in the tank.

 

[Wally.B]

One more thing. I know this is tinkering again.

But I ordered some Bio Media for my sump.
One thing about my other TANK's sump. It's the same Rubbermaid with Same skimmer.
But it's loaded with Spare Live Rock as a biofilter.

So I got some "Marinepure High Performance Biofilter Media ", since I rather use that, than get Live Rock loaded with crap.

I got these Ball shaped ones, that I'll put into a Egg Crate Cage.
http://www.cermedia.com/marinepure-products.php

This along with the ATS and Skimmer, should help my SPS tank with Nutrient Export.
Only risk is if there is a extensive Power Failure, the Biological death could crash a tank.
But I have UPS that could run my tank for a week. (Minimal equipment)

 

[reefmutt]

Like I said, Wally your plan isn't wrong, it just seems like more work than necessary, imo..

But hey! Go for it! And good luck. I know what it's like to have persistent algea issues..
I hope your efforts pay off!

 

[Wally.B]

The Algae Cleanup Process has started.

I'm not scrubbing rock 100% clean. Leaving some for snails and Cowrie, and trying not to disrupt the Periphyton too much. Read up about this stuff from the ATS folks who sold me the ATS unit. Keeping rocks in same Light Orientation where possible

I actually enjoy this kind of stuff. Therapeutic.
Enjoy even more when I'm done and stare at a nice clean tank.

This took 10 minutes. It was easy.

I could have finished the whole tank in about 2-3 hours. But I pace myself.

These Frags are dying in the Algae covered Parts, so doing some pruning.
This is overdue.

I'll see over next couple of days how things go in the cleaning station.

BTW. The Cowrie is in there now, on the loose.

PHASE 0 (The Start)

TOP PHOTO IS Showing ROCKS Already Missing.

 

[Wally.B]

I've been dealing with my own algae issues. Mine is caulerpa in the display.

Things I did that is showing improvements:
Running chaeto and mangroves 24/7
Dosing vinegar 5ml per day(first week) on a 75gal total water volume tank.
Running gfo

At this rate, the tank and chaeto consume equal nitrates during the day and the chaeto and mangroves suck up excess at night.

You're algae scrubber should be doing its job along with the chaeto but may take some time.

I, also, think your solution is excessive and CUC bombing your tank along with increased export should eventually stop the growth if not help to starve it out once your water nutrients clips 0.

- I have respond to your post. You touch a few interesting topics that I've played with.

- I agree with you Chaeto concept. I'm trying to grow some in my ATS. I'll open it tomorrow and see how much it's grown. Will post photo if any progress.

- I did vinegar dose, ramping up my other Tank when I tore it down. Slow ramp up on dosing. Hard to say if it helped, but that tank is still algae free. (of course 3 months in total DARKNESS also helped)

- I ran a mangrove experiment. Consider them decorative, unless you have hundreds. They don't pull much nutrients. Here is my many month experiment thread. Mangrove Plant for Sump (Experiement) For Nutrient Export

- As far as Calerpera. That really brings back memories. My SPS tank wasn't a coral tank about 10 Years ago, it was an ATS. I had only 1 sump. And this EXACT 65 GAL tank was just a water reservoir, with live rock. And Some Calerpera that I let grow.

My Kitchen Tank was crystal Clear and Algae Free. (This Tank was a TRUE ATS. Guess it has memories from past, and wants to go back to it's Good Old Days )

 

[Wally.B]

UPDATE- Tank Clean up

So my 2 week vacation starts today, and I`ll have lots of time on my hands.

- Going to a more reliable Fish Store to get a good mix of Clean up crew SNAILS ONLY (for Cleaning tank). I noticed a lot of empty Snail shells in SPS tank so a bunch have expired, or got killed by hermits.
- Setting up Web Cam on Cleaning tank to watch the progress

- ALso will get a few new small (good healthy & colored) SPS frags to see how they do in the better condition Cleaning tank.

Stay tuned for more updates.....

 

[Wally.B]

Tank Cleanup (Algae Scrubber Update)

So I opened the ATS unit after a week of normal running, and a couple of days after I put in Chaeto.

I think 18 hours is burned the Chaeto. Or many not enough nutrients.

New piece of Chaeto in, with 12 hour ON light setting.

Notice the piece of Chaeto that floats in my Sump. Doing well.

 

[Wally.B]

IDEA: For Cleaning Tank (Join to DT in future)

Been thinking about this Cleaning Tank.

I could join it to my main tank for 55 Gal of extra Water, and also have a nice Frag tank.

With one of these. (Or a similar smaller unit)

I have the old Mag Pump that I could use, and plumbing wouldn't be too difficult with the distance from my sump.

 

[itz frank]

Seems like joining the two would defeat the purpose of a nutrient free tank to help starve the algae.

 

[Wally.B]

Seems like joining the two would defeat the purpose of a nutrient free tank to help starve the algae.

Understood. This is after I take care of clean up.

 

[Wally.B]

Let the "Algae HUNGERS GAMES" Begin.....

So I got back from a location bit further out. 3 Fish store in one location. Great Selection. Clean Tanks.

The picture below explains it all. Cleaning tank has cleared up nice, and Corals look really healthy. (No Alk Shock from 8.5 to 10.9(.

I'll be dripping each contestant carefully over next few hours.

The WebCam is Borrowed from Main Floor. HD Version. Night Vision.

We'll see who does the best Alage Cleaning.

- Pyramid Snail?
- Mexican Turbo?
- Ninja Astrea?
- Fighting Conch?
- Arabica Cowrie?
- Large Astrea?
- Sea Hare?

Plan to bring in some nice Algae covered pieces as needed.

Feel free to cast your votes?

 

[Wally.B]

The Algae Hunger Games have begun...

Contestants have been properly dripped over several hours.

And have entered the Game Chamber.

Let the Games Begin with Scenario #1 [The Appetizer Game ]

 

[Wally.B]

ALGAE HUNGER GAMES: First YOUtube Video Update (GAME 1: The Appetizer)

Here is roughly last 12 hours (15 minute spacing). Overnight, till morning lights on.
The Players have settled in. I noticed the Arabica Cowrie on the move.

Might be adding a small sandbox for the Conch.

More rocks on the way for tonight's game. The challenge level will increase, so will the food supply.

https://youtu.be/NpgO0YFf8zU

For those of you new to this thread. This is not about setting up a new tank.
This is about taking rocks out of Display Tank for cleaning, and putting back.

Details about Display tank are in this thread, to save time repeating answers on details (ie the long journey over last year or so)