Higher Calcium Level for SPS Growth? (vs Health)

[Wally.B]

Another Display Tank SPS Frag Photo Health Check

I've never really had this kind of PE especially during Light's on time, so this could be an indicator that the Tank is Healthy.

 

[bif24701]

Just read your thread top to bottom sir. Very interesting stuff. You're super determined and don't give up and I applaude you! But if I may, it seems you keep cycling the same problems with tank nutrients. Part of it is tinkering for sure. Algae issues I'd definitely agree you found your sources, old bulbs, red and green LEDs and over feeding corals coupled with a poorly working skimmer. Here is what I'm seeing right now. Copper could be an issue so definitely run lots of extra carbon.The skimmer is probably now properly sized with the sump upgrade but I'd think you may still have room to add more fish. But that algae scrubber is too much for your current bioload in my opinion. If you had 15+ fish cruising around in there I'd say go for it. I know for sure once I get my 40 breeder up I'll have 7+ fish in that and it will be sps dominated. Its always a balancing act with import/export with any system. Only way I'd bring that srubber back online is if I saw another algae outbreak. 2 thoughts, scrap the mirror/ take the scrubber offline and keep your feeding and previous care regimen. So far the best I've seen any of your skimmers working is that mud it was pulling out of that nasty yellow water you tested it on. I love to tinker and I feel your pain when that itch happens but brother you dip your hands in the tank too much so to speak. My last tank was so rock solid I did skimmer cup cleans every 5 days, glass cleaning every 4 days, every other week full water testing and once a month water changes. It was basically set it and forget it.

I know how it is Wally, take a look at my build of you get a chance (SPS section). I love being involved with my tank, intimate, trying to improve, always fixing things, cleaning none stop. I also want to buy every bottle of stuff to improve something or faster growth. You are obviously intelligent and energetic especially for what you have the passion for. I spend hours everyday with my tank and reading/researching. You are your own worst enemy.

A coral tank needs surprisingly few thing in order to THRIVE. Strong appropriate light, flow, skimming, husbandry/equipment upkeep, ALK, Cal, Mag, and regular water changes. Beyond feeding your fish there is little that you need to have colorful, healthy, growing happy coral. I know you had some problems and your reactions are logical however you seem to take them to far sometimes lol. You make good choices but if you would just take a step back before acting you might see that the problem isn't so bad. If nutrients are too low, you would see that it's not a big problem. Just not ideal and that adding a feeding here and there might fix it.

Stability and patience are the real details that separate an tank that is living from one that is thriving.

I have had every problem you could think of in the last year. I have beat every single one. Crypto, AEFW, monti eating nudis, zero nutrients, high ALK, Low ALK, burnt corals, MOVING!, and more! You know what, I've lost more fish than corals. I've lost one fish during QT because it jumped out of a tiny crack. Lost a beautiful powder blue in QT because I added Selcon to some food, a layer covered the top of the water, I forgot to turn my air pump back on and he must have suffocated and got caught in my filter intake. Lost another fish in the move becaus jumped out of another crack in my screen because I didn't learn the first time. The only corals I have lost (so far) where tiny pieces gifted to me.

I can now say my fish and coral are great. I am battling aiptasia, and working on it. I could have nuked all my rock, covered everything in Aiptasia-X, or got a laser and fried them. I chose to step back and really evaluate the problem. First I reduced my feedings and stopped coral foods. Researched all possible fixes and chose to go natural. I bought some Aiptasia eating Nudis, and just got a Copper Band Butter fly fish. The other solutions could have altered my chemistry or left some of the aiptasia behind (they can regrow from a single cell supposedly) or just make matters worse some other way possibly.

I learned to QT everything, have all the right medications on hand and enough to treat it. Keep a QT/hospital tank ready at all times. Keep activated carbon/GFO/ ALK/Cal/Mag, lost of extra salt and enough to last weeks even months. Wide variety of the right foods for every fish's needs. I have a controller with alerts and battery backups. Check all my equipment regularly and clean my pumps. I have extra pumps and parts. I siphon detritus where I see it. Make and keep saltwater and RODI on hand and ready to go. Dips and frag plugs in case I come across some coral I want to buy.

I learned a lot since my first reef tank, most importantly I learned what I really need and what I don't. I don't need every additive on the market and what I do have has a very specific need that it must fill. I don't have anything I don't know if it works or not. Also learned that stability is the single most important thing, THE MOST IMPORTANT thing. A controller helps with that sure but it's mostly about NOT experimenting and NOT trying and NOT guessing. I don't try to fix things that aren't broke. I also use a "gang tackle" approach. Instead of trying to fix a problem with one thing and possibly over/under doing it I try to do many things at the same time without over doing any one thing. When my nutrients where really low I could have tried an AA supplement or potassium nitrate as a quick fix. I don't want to have to keep adding and buying bottles of stuff just to make my system work. I decided instead to feed a little extra, add more fish, and keep my tank a little more dirty. But I didn't got out and buy 10 fish, dump huge amounts of food, or neglect my tank cleaning. It took time and I had to wait for fish in QT but I didn't have a nutrient spike, cyano bloom, have to stop dosing because I ran out and couldn't get more bottles for several days because they where out. I have a few more aiptasia but had those before.

You will get there, focus on the right things and take it slow.


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[bif24701]

Another Display Tank SPS Frag Photo Health Check

I've never really had this kind of PE especially during Light's on time, so this could be an indicator that the Tank is Healthy.

That looks good


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[Wally.B]

I know how it is Wally, take a look at my build of you get a chance (SPS section).

Hey Bif,

Where is your tank thread, I want to have a peek. You can PM me if you want.

 

[Wally.B]

I know how it is Wally, take a look at my build of you get a chance (SPS section). I love being involved with my tank, intimate, trying to improve, always fixing things, cleaning none stop. I also want to buy every bottle of stuff to improve something or faster growth. You are obviously intelligent and energetic especially for what you have the passion for. I spend hours everyday with my tank and reading/researching. You are your own worst enemy.

A coral tank needs surprisingly few thing in order to THRIVE.......
.....
....
You will get there, focus on the right things and take it slow.


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Bif,

I hear you loud and clear.

Sorry about your fish losses. Losing a coral is just another dead plug to throw into a bin (plus $ loss pain).
Fish Losses, especially after raised for years, hurts much more. In my other tank I lost a Power Blue Tang after 12 years of raising and that was tough.

Everything you say makes sense (same for previous poster), and I think I've learned enough lessons over last two years on this SPS tank to get it.

Yes, those bottle of miracle potions are a waste of money. Most of them.
Yes, natural nutrients (fish poo works way better), so more fish is the secret recipe.
Yes, stability appears to be key.

I was on the right track before the copper contamination, and that is where I'm continuing from (with copper gone).

Here is what my SPS tank will be having going forward:

1) More Fish are in. Have 6 Hungry fish in 65 Gal Tank. Much better than before.

2) Tank is Rock Solid Stable for all water Parameters (All automation).

3) Salt water changes are weekly or every other week
---------> Using Tropic Maurin Salt (more pricey, but cheaper than all those bottles)
---------> I do add a bit of Aqua Forest Pro-Biotic one in a while

4) Dosing is only the following:
---------> ALK
---------> CALC
---------> Mag as Needed

5) Only ADDITATIVE bottle I trust are:
-------------------> (Polyp Labs: Polyp Booster). Will continue to use this once a week.
-------------------> (Zeovit: Coral Snow). Just for water clarity, once a week.
---------> All other old bottles are for fun in the Frag Tank (till they are used up).
---------> Some Additive foods will be used in my Other Mixed tank. (since Zoas, Acans, LPS, like target feeding)

6) I have a QT and Frag tank to bring in stuff safely into DT

7) My Lighting is more than enough for SPS (Need to find my upper limit, Slowly)

8) Circulation (in tank and return) is more than enough.
----------> Two Gyre Pumps, DC Waveline 10000 Variable Return via Sea Swirl.
----------> All on Apex so full variable control 24/7.

9) ** BEST IMPROVEMENT **
---------> ULTRA high nutrient Export [NEW SUMP] (Skimmer, BioWall, Algae Scrubber, Refuge)

10) ** ULTIMATE IMPROVEMENT **
---------> Leave tank alone (no changes), wait, watch, enjoy.

 

[Wally.B]

I I can now say my fish and coral are great. I am battling aiptasia, and working on it. I could have nuked all my rock, covered everything in Aiptasia-X, or got a laser and fried them. I chose to step back and really evaluate the problem. First I reduced my feedings and stopped coral foods. Researched all possible fixes and chose to go natural. I bought some Aiptasia eating Nudis, and just got a Copper Band Butter fly fish. The other solutions could have altered my chemistry or left some of the aiptasia behind (they can regrow from a single cell supposedly) or just make matters worse some other way possibly.

Over the years I have had Aiptasia. Try everything to get rid of the ugly stuff. Whatever I tried it would come back since it hides in places you can't get to the stuff.

It may seem strange but I miss the Aiptaisa for one reason...

Why? Because I got a CopperBand Butterfly, and he polished the tank clean of them. It was nice having one, since they are nice looking fish, with good personalities. Took a while, but he got every bit.

You may think I'm crazy, but I actually bought small rocks with Aiptasia from LFS to feed him. When I put into tank the rock would be polished in a few days.

Then when he ran out (about a year+) he eventually died of starvation. Aiptaisia never came back.

 

[bif24701]

Over the years I have had Aiptasia. Try everything to get rid of the ugly stuff. Whatever I tried it would come back since it hides in places you can't get to the stuff.



It may seem strange but I miss the Aiptaisa for one reason...



Why? Because I got a CopperBand Butterfly, and he polished the tank clean of them. It was nice having one, since they are nice looking fish, with good personalities. Took a while, but he got every bit.



You may think I'm crazy, but I actually bought small rocks with Aiptasia from LFS to feed him. When I put into tank the rock would be polished in a few days.



Then when he ran out (about a year+) he eventually died of starvation. Aiptaisia never came back.

I hate losing fish especially a CBB. Mine is eating mysis and brine shrimp in QT well. I have a big tank lots of rock and big refugium, hopefully he will take out the aiptasia and should have a replenish-able supply of pods to pick off my rocks.


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[Wally.B]

I hate losing fish especially a CBB. Mine is eating mysis and brine shrimp in QT well. I have a big tank lots of rock and big refugium, hopefully he will take out the aiptasia and should have a replenish-able supply of pods to pick off my rocks.

If you CBB is eating frozen, then you will do fine. I had two CBB. The first died since he wouldn't eat anything other than Aiptasia or live food off rocks. The 2nd one survived much longer since he ate Aiptasia and anything meaty. He died of a tank wipe out disease after a NON-QT fish intro. So if you have a eater, you will be fine. Very nice fish. Enjoy.

 

[Wally.B]

My Total Bio-Load Photo (Fish and Critters)

Getting a Photo with all fish out at front is IMPOSSIBLE. I tried like 30 times.

Here is the best I could do showing new Fairy Wrasse and Tomini Tang.

The Spotbreast Angel and Yellow Tang are always out. Same with the Cleaner Shrimp.

The Purple Flame Golby is a rare sight.

Mandarin Goby comes and goes.

There are a few mixed Hermit Crabs, and Snails. And one Large Cowrie Snail in the Algae Scrubber.

I feel this should be enough for Nutrients for SPS since they will all continue to grow in this 65Gal Tank that won't.

 

[Wally.B]

PH & Temp Stability Check (Another Good Sign things are Stable and Ready for some SPS Frags)

I haven't been watching PH closely since I added that Outside Fresh Air Line to Skimmer Air Intake.

It took a little while to rise from 7.5 and get stable. Way better now!!

Temperature Stable Too. (No idea what the Up and Down Swings are), but Temp Phobe is near Surface so bit over sensitive Water Top ups, and Lighting.

 

[Wally.B]

The SPS Dream Frag Wish List (Collection Completed). Really Nice Mix

So I've been collecting my dream frag collection over last while and today I completed my wish list. Thanks to GTAreef and his amazing Coral collection, my wish list got completed today.

Still working on the final proper names for each Frag and I'll post better individuals labeled photos, but here is what's on display.

- Autumn Blaze
- Pink Matrix
- Blue Tort
- Red Planet
- Red Dragon
- Birds Nest
- Bird of Paradise
- Couple of Digitata
- Green Slimer
- Sarmentosa
- Milli
- Green/Yellow Montipora
- Few others I am looking for names

I'll get better pictures, with coloration, and they all get acclimatized.

Going to watch these for a while on the Frag Rack at the back, and then it will be time for placement onto the rockscape.

 

[Scorpius]

Did you quarantine.? Just went through red bugs/aefw myself. Bayer is my new best friend. :lol:

 

[Wally.B]

Did you quarantine.? Just went through red bugs/aefw myself. Bayer is my new best friend. :lol:

Thanks for the advice and looking out for me, and my new Coral Family.

No I didn't QT the Corals. Hope that isn't my next lesson/mistake

I tore down my Frag tank for now, still learning proper setup since last time I burned all my new frags with Too Strong Lighting (due to shallow depth). No way I wanted to burn these beauties.


But I did do multiple baths and dips in ReVive, Melafix, with rinses in between.

I closely inspected the corals, bases and plugs (With Magnifying Glass). The only thing I found was a bristle worm starfish. Threw it into refuge, since they are good.

Plus all the corals are cultivated corals from two sources that have Established pest free tanks.

This tank right now is Coral Free, so the Frags is all I have, so it's kind of safer getting all corals for the future All at once.

Not perfect but as good as I can get.

 

[Scorpius]

At least you looked for pests and dipped.

 

[bif24701]

Thanks for the advice and looking out for me, and my new Coral Family.



No I didn't QT the Corals. Hope that isn't my next lesson/mistake



I tore down my Frag tank for now, still learning proper setup since last time I burned all my new frags with Too Strong Lighting (due to shallow depth). No way I wanted to burn these beauties.





But I did do multiple baths and dips in ReVive, Melafix, with rinses in between.



I closely inspected the corals, bases and plugs (With Magnifying Glass). The only thing I found was a bristle worm starfish. Threw it into refuge, since they are good.



Plus all the corals are cultivated corals from two sources that have Established pest free tanks.



This tank right now is Coral Free, so the Frags is all I have, so it's kind of safer getting all corals for the future All at once.



Not perfect but as good as I can get.

Bayer and Coral RX are the only two dips that have been truly proven and I trust. Good luck, but it's never too late to dip and redip. Keep your eyes on them.


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[Wally.B]

Didn't know this, but Bayer is Garden Insect Killer ($cheaper$). I looked up some articles and it appears to be good stuff for Corals too, If used properly!! (There are specific steps for Corals, including ensuring proper temp, and not dipping Porus Rock.) .

Coral Rx is a true Marine product dip. Bit more, but I rather go that way. May get a bottle, but at this point, I've reach all the corals I want to add for a long while.

Thanks for the tip.

BTW. All SPS frags, hanging in there. Haven't noticed anything wrong. Worry a bit about having them too LOW, but better than Burning them like last time.

 

[Scorpius]

Didn't know this, but Bayer is Garden Insect Killer ($cheaper$). I looked up some articles and it appears to be good stuff for Corals too, If used properly!! (There are specific steps for Corals, including ensuring proper temp, and not dipping Porus Rock.) .

Coral Rx is a true Marine product dip. Bit more, but I rather go that way. May get a bottle, but at this point, I've reach all the corals I want to add for a long while.

Thanks for the tip.

BTW. All SPS frags, hanging in there. Haven't noticed anything wrong. Worry a bit about having them too LOW, but better than Burning them like last time.

With Bayer all you do is dip rinse in clean saltwater and return to qt or main display. It's as easy as that.

It's so much gentler on coral as compared to Coral Rx.

 

[bif24701]

Didn't know this, but Bayer is Garden Insect Killer ($cheaper$). I looked up some articles and it appears to be good stuff for Corals too, If used properly!! (There are specific steps for Corals, including ensuring proper temp, and not dipping Porus Rock.) .



Coral Rx is a true Marine product dip. Bit more, but I rather go that way. May get a bottle, but at this point, I've reach all the corals I want to add for a long while.



Thanks for the tip.



BTW. All SPS frags, hanging in there. Haven't noticed anything wrong. Worry a bit about having them too LOW, but better than Burning them like last time.

They should be mounted low, at least for the first week. Then start moving them to higher light.

Bayer Advanced is the one you want to use. I use 4oz tank water to 10ml Bayer, it's a strong dip but has cured me of both AEFW and monti. Eating nudis.

I'm not sure what your goals where for using those products in your dip, they are not standard dips for preventing SPS pest.

Ideally you want to remove the coral from its plug and dip then mount on a new plug. Pest can be hidden in the plugs.

Watch the corals closely for any pest, and I mean CLOSELY. AEFW look identical to acro flesh, as the way the flow they take on its color and can be extremely difficult to detect. Look for circular bite marks, signs of stress (No PE), and color fading.

If your unsure just dip them, right not its easy because they are still on plugs.


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[Wally.B]

TRITON LAB Results Back (NO Copper a Month Ago)

So the result just came back from Triton Lab. Sample was done approx. a month ago.

Pretty well everything is GREEN and good except for Low Iodine. Iron is a bit high and PO4 too low.

No Copper was detected (No heavy Metals), so I can safely remove the Copper Media.

It might be worth buying a Iodine test kit. But from reading-up there are various issues for properly supplementing Iodine (complex/organic Iodine).
(I'm doing Tropic Maurin Salt, water changes so hoping the levels are good.) ** MY philosophy is using higher quality salt is better $money$ spent than test kits/supplements*

From visuals of SPS Frags, I'm pretty confident things are good. Better than ever before.
Frags look better and better each day, and I'm slowly moving them up to stronger lighting.

 

[Wally.B]

The Rest of the Triton-LAB test results