Higher Calcium Level for SPS Growth? (vs Health)

[swk]

I think a varied cuc is the answer. Too many of one type of snail will leave certain types of algae combined. My snails consist of a mix of the following:

Nassarius
Nerite
Cyrinth (sp?)
Dwarf cyrinth
Astrea
Mexican turbo
Turbo
And my new favorite, banded trochus

All of them work on a certain part of the tank and prefer to eat certain things. a variety helps ensure a cleaner tank ime.

I also use a fighting conch, T. gratilla urchin, and only a couple hermits as I think they're more trouble than they're worth.

 

[Myka]

I'd be concerned about that growth. I'm on my phone so I can't see the oic big enough to tell for sure, but I think it looks like cyano. This is from you making adjustments and disrupting the "balance" (I don't like that word). I would be taking a turkey baster to the rocks and blowing them off once a day. Once your tank gets used to your new feeding schedule it should settle down.

 

[Wally.B]

-I do have the variety of CUC as mentioned above.

-Got a Conch but returned it. He instantly killed 3 snails in a matter of mintues.

-Cranked up the Gyre to 70%. Helping with Cyano settling.
-What is interesting is Cyano only appears at the end of the 6 hour MH light cycle. (In morning it's gone)

Here are some TOP down shots.
(SPS always look better from Top).
Which we could turn tank sideways for display.

 

[sahin]

This is excellent progress. Were the corals decently coloured up from the top previously!

 

[Wally.B]

This is excellent progress. Were the corals decently coloured up from the top previously!

I can't really compare objectively since I've never taken a top down picture before.

That is why I took these photos, to compare growth and colors in the future.

 

[Myka]

-Got a Conch but returned it. He instantly killed 3 snails in a matter of mintues.

-What is interesting is Cyano only appears at the end of the 6 hour MH light cycle. (In morning it's gone)

That's really weird the conch would do that - was it maybe a misidentified whelk?

That's typical of cyano to show up during the light cycle and disappear at night. If you're going to siphon it out, try to siphon it at the peak of growth.

Those top down shots look great!

 

[Wally.B]

SKIMMER OVER SKIM (PROBLEM BACK) New Tunze Pump replaced:

I'm totally baffled. This is driving me crazy. Must resolve before summer vacation!!

The new replacement TOP UP pump arrived, so I installed it.

- First test, caused a major skimmer overreaction (AGAIN).

- So I separate the TOP UP Containers and added a new clean bucket with RO.

This morning again the skimmer overreacted and as you see below, Skimmer cup full of clear water. Skimmer overflow bucket filling quickly.

- Yet when I add water from bucket it's fine.

- I will replace the RO LINE TUBE (with Food grade RO LINE). Could it be deterioration of the plastic tubing?
- Could it be the Sump Sock?

Stay tuned.

 

[Myka]

Try swapping the skimmers. Then you can rule out that it's the actual skimmer.

 

[Wally.B]

Try swapping the skimmers. Then you can rule out that it's the actual skimmer.

That's the first thing I did a while ago.

Skimmers are exactly the same (and they were swapped), so issue is this Tank, or this sump.

 

[Wally.B]

INCONSISTANT Over WET SKIM: (RO TDS TEST (INPUT/OUPUT) ) :

So before I wasted time changing the RO TOP UP Line I thought I would do a GOOD test.

I measured the TDS Level of the SOURCE BUCKET, VS the OUTPUT to see if the tube was leaching anything.

SOURCE TDS=003 = OUPUT TDS = 003 so IT's NOT THE TUBING!! (TDS test is very sensitive to even the smallest contaminants)

So my next investigation will be the SUMP SOCK.
Or the OUTPUT LINE setup (where it pours).

 

[Wally.B]

Time to Frag or Toss this Dying Coral:

All corals fine, except for this one.

If it's a disease or parasite, then best to get rid of bad parts, before it spreads.

Appears to be dying bottom up, so somewhat healthy tips, should make a few nice frags. (Will triple dip after fragging and put back).

 

[Wally.B]

UPDATE:

- Will be posting 1 MONTH MONTH GROWTH Comparison pictures soon (Not much, but better than before)
- Skimmer Over WET skimming just like before (??? Puzzled ???)
- Tank is going thru a bit a LIGHT UGLY Stage (Algae). Now Feed corals (Every Other Day, instead of Daily)

And if you ever wonder what is running on the Other SUMP, here is a Thread I started.

THE OTHER TANK ★Ultimate DIY Lighting Canopy★ (T5,Kessil, T5 Dimmable, LED, LED) Combo: THE JOURNEY

 

[Wally.B]

SKIMMER Caught in the ACT (Over Reacting) !!

So I did a test with the SOCK REMOVED, and I managed to replicated the Skimmer OverFlow issue.

I Simply raise the SUMP level sensor a bit and allowed some TOP up to happen (A bit more than normal). JUST PLAIN RO WATER.

Here is what happened:

So when small top ups happen that explains the DAILY too WET SKIM behavior.

- It can't be the new clean bucket.
- It can't be the pure RO Water.

- It's either the hose, LEACH-BUILD-UP over time (but I use that tubing for water changes)
- Or the way the water is entering the tank (but I pour a bucket full more aggressively).
- IS IT THE RAISE in SUMP WATER LEVEL? (Some kind of backflow from my Mini Refugium)

For now I'm replacing the RO water hose. Let sump lower with evaporation. And test again.

 

[stickleback]

Have you tried raising the hight of the skimmer slightly in the sump? I'm not familiar with your type of skimmer, but it may make a difference:hmm5:

 

[Wally.B]

Have you tried raising the hight of the skimmer slightly in the sump? I'm not familiar with your type of skimmer, but it may make a difference:hmm5:

It's pretty well as high as it can go. (Plus something is not right with the strong reaction to a RO top up).

I just replaced the hose with a clear vinyl hose, and it appears to be good after first test.

We'll see over next while.

 

[Wally.B]

As I mentioned in a previous post the tank is having spots of Algae. Not all over the place but very worry some.

Was hoping the expanded Clean Up Crew would help. Especially the new Big Mexican Turbo Snail.

So I did a Phosphate and Nitrate test.

Nitrate still 0.00

However there has been a big spike in Phosphate=0.10 .
That's a really big jump (at least for me) from a year of 0.00, highest ever was 0.01 (Once).
(Plus P04 could actually be higher since Algae is eating it up to grow).

I did remove the RowaPhos reactor a couple weeks ago, to see if Phosphate went up. Good test. Bad idea.

Since Phosphate did go up, it could be the reason for Algae spike.

I just put back the RowaPhos reactor and see if that helps.

I'm also backing off on the Food Pellets. Fish are not as eager for the stuff as the Frozen BrineShrimp or Flake. So waste is floating/settling around.

 

[Wally.B]

SKIMMER WET OVER SKIM Update:

Nope, it was not the RO TOP UP hose. After hose replacement last night, this morning the skimmer filled up again with Clear Skim.

What could it be?

Last time I said I switched the skimmers, I actually only switched the skimmer pumps, since I thought what could be different between two exactly the same skimming canisters. Time to switch the whole skimmer and see what happens. (There isn't much left to play with in the SUMP, except the Return Catch Container, or the mini refugium).

 

[markalot]

I think it's simply to big a level swing in the sump. Skimmers are sensitive to sump level and as the level rises the foam head will also rise.

 

[Wally.B]

I think it's simply to big a level swing in the sump. Skimmers are sensitive to sump level and as the level rises the foam head will also rise.

I was thinking along your line of thought, even though the top up is not a large increase due to Tunze Optical Water sensor.

So I just DUMPED, not poured a Gallon (which is larger than a typical Top UP) of Same RO water, from a bucket into the sump. Waited 5 minutes.

No reaction from Skimmer!

 

[markalot]

I was thinking along your line of thought, even though the top up is not a large increase due to Tunze Optical Water sensor.

So I just DUMPED, not poured a Gallon (which is larger than a typical Top UP) of Same RO water, from a bucket into the sump. Waited 5 minutes.

No reaction from Skimmer!

Doesn't that answer the question then? If there is no reaction when water is dumped in then it's a part of your topoff system that is contaminated with something that causes the skimmer to react.