Kong's Restored BB (90g)
- Thread starter King-Kong
- Start date
boxfishpooalot
Active member
everything is exactly identicle to the old setup? Im wondering then what was new that was added. Because chances are that those new things are the problem.
King-Kong
New member
Here are the last things I've done:
Added the BM250 (over 2 months old)
I took out the old faux sand bare bottom which was leaking silicates and replaced it with starboard. The old board also wasnt cut properly, so i had tons of trapped detritus behind / under it. That is no longer an issue with the new setup.
Took out about 15-20lbs of LR that wasnt needed.
Added the BM250 (over 2 months old)
I took out the old faux sand bare bottom which was leaking silicates and replaced it with starboard. The old board also wasnt cut properly, so i had tons of trapped detritus behind / under it. That is no longer an issue with the new setup.
Took out about 15-20lbs of LR that wasnt needed.
boxfishpooalot
Active member
hmmm
so you-
Reduced nutrients, reduced nutrients, reduced nutreints and all you got was this problems out of it? Thats really intersting. maybee they are starving?
Live rock is a nutrients maker, plastic boards are nutrients makers(if done poorly) and your new skimmer with less foam is a sure sighn that there is now less nutreitns.
I have a buddy with a thriving sps tank. Everything looks great. The diff beteween his and yours is he does have lots of rock and there is even sand piles on the ground. from the rock.
so you-
Reduced nutrients, reduced nutrients, reduced nutreints and all you got was this problems out of it? Thats really intersting. maybee they are starving?
Live rock is a nutrients maker, plastic boards are nutrients makers(if done poorly) and your new skimmer with less foam is a sure sighn that there is now less nutreitns.
I have a buddy with a thriving sps tank. Everything looks great. The diff beteween his and yours is he does have lots of rock and there is even sand piles on the ground. from the rock.
King-Kong
New member
Boxfish: I'll say that I doubt it's lack of nutrients.. I'm not dismissing it, but I dont think the corals would react in this manner if a lack of nutrients (nitrogen) was the reason.
Two main reasons are:
The corraline algae growth on the new bare bottom has been ridiculous. It's been in for less than 2 months, and it went from perfectly white, to this, in that time:
(Sorry for the crappy photo.. MHs arent on yet). If the tank were that free of nitrogen, could corraline do that while SPS zoo flew off?
Other reason is the current darkness in the tissue of the corals. Here is a purple humilis 15 months ago (rarely fed fish, only had like 5 or 6):
...and here it was not too long ago (I dont have a good picture of it, but it's directly below the Purple Tang in the middle of the picture): http://www.d3f.org/misc/fish/90g/a11-full-tank.jpg
You can see how much darker the tissue is now than before. So, I have had a bit of experience with lack of nutrients.. it tends to turn the corals pastel.
Now, maybe I've experienced some kind of ultra sterelity? Is it possible my tank went from having adequate nitrogen levels to being so low, the tissue just disspates from the skeleton? I dont know.. I havent heard of that happening before, but maybe?
I will say Ive been trying to double my fish load for almost 2 months now, but I have not had luck getting the specific fish I want, so it's taking longer than i expected, but I do want MORE poop in this tank
Two main reasons are:
The corraline algae growth on the new bare bottom has been ridiculous. It's been in for less than 2 months, and it went from perfectly white, to this, in that time:
(Sorry for the crappy photo.. MHs arent on yet). If the tank were that free of nitrogen, could corraline do that while SPS zoo flew off?
Other reason is the current darkness in the tissue of the corals. Here is a purple humilis 15 months ago (rarely fed fish, only had like 5 or 6):
...and here it was not too long ago (I dont have a good picture of it, but it's directly below the Purple Tang in the middle of the picture): http://www.d3f.org/misc/fish/90g/a11-full-tank.jpg
You can see how much darker the tissue is now than before. So, I have had a bit of experience with lack of nutrients.. it tends to turn the corals pastel.
Now, maybe I've experienced some kind of ultra sterelity? Is it possible my tank went from having adequate nitrogen levels to being so low, the tissue just disspates from the skeleton? I dont know.. I havent heard of that happening before, but maybe?
I will say Ive been trying to double my fish load for almost 2 months now, but I have not had luck getting the specific fish I want, so it's taking longer than i expected, but I do want MORE poop in this tank
FuzzyLogic
Member
Kong, 
hope things are getting better for you. Did you send those water samples out?
hope things are getting better for you. Did you send those water samples out?
King-Kong
New member
Fuzzy: not yet.. trying to see if the W/C's were going to help.
I am monitoring a couple of points on the corals, and I havent spotted any re-growth. I am still experiencing some very very minor recession (we're talking fractions of a mm on the tip of the ORA blue mille), so it has slowed down some.
Only thing the W/C's changed was PE. The corals got even fuzzier, but PE before was already respectable.. sigh.
I am monitoring a couple of points on the corals, and I havent spotted any re-growth. I am still experiencing some very very minor recession (we're talking fractions of a mm on the tip of the ORA blue mille), so it has slowed down some.
Only thing the W/C's changed was PE. The corals got even fuzzier, but PE before was already respectable.. sigh.
. LiveAquaria finally got them in stock. 
Der_Iron_Chef
New member
This is shocking to me. I actually gasped when I saw the photos of the tissue recession! High drama.
I haven't read every response on this thread, but I'm wondering if maybe...there has been some sponge dying off? Was the LR removed from the water during the changeover? I don't know, just an idea. I know it can take some time before the sponge actually begins to die away.
But then again, your skimmer probably would have taken care of it. Nevermind.
Good luck.
I haven't read every response on this thread, but I'm wondering if maybe...there has been some sponge dying off? Was the LR removed from the water during the changeover? I don't know, just an idea. I know it can take some time before the sponge actually begins to die away.
But then again, your skimmer probably would have taken care of it. Nevermind.
Good luck.
King-Kong
New member
The rocks were placed in bins with the same water from the tank during the starboard changeover. I then did a 30 gallon w/c after it.
I was actually getting awesome growth right after the starboard switch. The bottoms of my colonies exploded in polyp growth due to the extra light bouncing off the white starboard.
Then this recession showedup.
Do sponges released anything especially toxic?
I was actually getting awesome growth right after the starboard switch. The bottoms of my colonies exploded in polyp growth due to the extra light bouncing off the white starboard.
Then this recession showedup.
Do sponges released anything especially toxic?
What I find interesting is that there can be perfectly healthy tissue with good PE simple ending in exposed skeleton. To me that suggests something that doesn't affect the animal overall, but is point specific. Have we ruled out too much flow for sure, without the argument of "well other people have this much...." ?
King-Kong
New member
No, SDGuy... it just seems weird; why appear now?
Here's how I see it;
Before: 3 vortechs, all at 100%.. thriving SPS and LPS
After: 3 vortechs, all at about 80% average.. about 1/3 less rock than before so increased flow in the rear of the rock structure (where there arent any corals). Corals receeding where flow is strongest.
Thats how much flow has changed/not changed.
I mean, I can go drastic, and reduce all my vortechs to like 40-50% and see what happens then.. what do I have to lose
Here's how I see it;
Before: 3 vortechs, all at 100%.. thriving SPS and LPS
After: 3 vortechs, all at about 80% average.. about 1/3 less rock than before so increased flow in the rear of the rock structure (where there arent any corals). Corals receeding where flow is strongest.
Thats how much flow has changed/not changed.
I mean, I can go drastic, and reduce all my vortechs to like 40-50% and see what happens then.. what do I have to lose
Have you tried moving pieces onto a frag rack right above the vortech or somewhere similar that would have little flow? Fuge with a light over it? Separate system? Have the water changes helped at all that you can tell?
lol, that's funny about the bartlett. My lone female is getting pretty big. Honestly, I think it's just a matter of time before she goes male too...which is fine, the males are gorgeous, and don't physically hurt each other, so I'm not going to complain
lol, that's funny about the bartlett. My lone female is getting pretty big. Honestly, I think it's just a matter of time before she goes male too...which is fine, the males are gorgeous, and don't physically hurt each other, so I'm not going to complain
King-Kong
New member
elzool: I used a fine mesh net and swirled it around like a mad man removing everything I could.. then I just brought in a bunch of powerheads and literally blew the bottom glass as clean as possible with as much flow until I laid the new board down. The strong flow from the powerheads kept it clear.
I can easily see underneath my boards, and it worked, cause there's nothing there.
I can easily see underneath my boards, and it worked, cause there's nothing there.
King-Kong
New member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10706764#post10706764 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SDguy
Have you tried moving pieces onto a frag rack right above the vortech or somewhere similar that would have little flow? Fuge with a light over it? Separate system? Have the water changes helped at all that you can tell?
lol, that's funny about the bartlett. My lone female is getting pretty big. Honestly, I think it's just a matter of time before she goes male too...which is fine, the males are gorgeous, and don't physically hurt each other, so I'm not going to complain
I keep meaning to move a couple of frags into my girlfriends 30g DSB tank that we have in our dining room.
That tank is worlds apart from mine (t5s, DSB, no fuge/skimmer, low flow). It grows montis, lps, and softies just fine, so let's see how it likes my green stag.
That tank does use the same RO water and salt, however.
King-Kong
New member
Just wanted to post that my fish configuration has changed;
I sold my 3 Bartletts, and clown pair.
Today, I received 7 Dispar Anthias from LiveAquaria.
The Bartletts and Clowns were very mean. If they stayed, there's very little chance I'd be able to try Threadfins again.
The Dispars are very beautiful and trying to feel comfortable now in their new home.
Let's hope I can get them eating quickly.
...no change on the coral situation. 25g W/C prepared for tomorrow.
I sold my 3 Bartletts, and clown pair.
Today, I received 7 Dispar Anthias from LiveAquaria.
The Bartletts and Clowns were very mean. If they stayed, there's very little chance I'd be able to try Threadfins again.
The Dispars are very beautiful and trying to feel comfortable now in their new home.
Let's hope I can get them eating quickly.
...no change on the coral situation. 25g W/C prepared for tomorrow.
