Lightsluvr's 340G Upgrade

[Lightsluvr]

Phosphate Update

Phosphate Update

As of 48 hours, the PO4 reading was .35.

A small drop from the previous 24 hours, but still trending in the right direction..

LL

 

[Lightsluvr]

Phosphate Battle, contd.

Phosphate Battle, contd.

Here was the first reading, after receiving the Hanna Low-range Phosphate Meter, an eye-opener!

Here was the reading after 48 hours using a TLF Model 550 Phosphate reactor loaded with BRS GFO:

And here is the reading this morning, after 8 days running GFO:

PO4 is still high, but trending in the right direction. Byropsis seems to be breaking up in clumps on the side and back walls of the tank. I am going to attack with massive manual removal tomorrow morning. I continue to maintain MG at 1600 using Tech M. I may dispose of all Chaeto in the sump and start with a new crop, in case the old Chaeto has PO4 trapped in it... (Maybe not...)

Any thoughts?

LL

 

[Lightsluvr]

Catching up on some photos...

Catching up on some photos...

While I had the camera out, I snapped a few pics of some fish and coral...

The blond naso... a few marks on his side where the Foxface Rabbitfish "bumps" him from time to time, like a dolphin... :strange: It's the only aggression against him that continued after the first day or two...

Here is the "bully"... about the same size as the blond naso - maybe thinks he is a chalenger?

Still the undisputed king of the tank...I'd name him Leroy Brown if he wasn't so passive...

The B/W ORA ocellaris pair in residence in the huge Toadstool Mushroom... they are definitely stay at home fish... never venture more than a few inches from their coral...

LL

 

[Lightsluvr]

Zoanthids, dendros and canes, oh my...

Zoanthids, dendros and canes, oh my...

A few snaps of some of the coral along the front of the tank...

LL

 

[Leonardo_]

Nice pictures and fish George! The Hanna is definitely some equipment on my wish list.

Maybe you can rish the chaeto in some tankwater when you do a waterchange to rise out any detritus/nutrients?

Leonardo

 

[Lightsluvr]

Maybe you can rish the chaeto in some tankwater when you do a waterchange to rise out any detritus/nutrients?

Leonardo

That's a good idea Leonardo. I hate to waste Chaeto... I will use a 20G Rubbermaid tub partially filled with tankwater to give the Chaeto a good rinse and a haircut. A project for the next water change day. :fish1:

LL

 

[Leonardo_]

You're welcome George, sounds like another fun project

Leonardo

 

[Lightsluvr]

You're welcome George, sounds like another fun project

Leonardo

They are all fun projects! :hammer:

Like changing over to (3 part) dosing from the CA reactor later this week.

LL

 

[Leonardo_]

Good choice, I like dosing much more then a reactor. Good luck and have fun

Leonardo

 

[maroun.c]

Nice build thread.
How about some new FTS.
I love how your tank pops from the wood covers, the Architecht designing my cabinetry around the new tank is pushing me to have the tank pop out 5-6 inches as he says it'll give a whole better perspective. In the 3 D models e gave me it is evident that the in wall look I was after was rather dull compared to a protruding tank... Would love to see wide angle shots showing the tank in the room and the view when looking from the left or right of the tank...

 

[Lightsluvr]

Nice build thread.
How about some new FTS.
I love how your tank pops from the wood covers, the Architecht designing my cabinetry around the new tank is pushing me to have the tank pop out 5-6 inches as he says it'll give a whole better perspective. In the 3 D models e gave me it is evident that the in wall look I was after was rather dull compared to a protruding tank... Would love to see wide angle shots showing the tank in the room and the view when looking from the left or right of the tank...

I'll get some of those posted later...what I desparately wanted to avoid is having the tank recessed into the wall...I've seen a few of those builds, and they look "stunted"...

LL

 

[wrudge]

Awesome looking tank! Great thread too.

 

[Lytehouse]

Nice pics George...

Colors are Awesome!!!!!

 

[pookstreet]

Nice photos. I like your fish selection

I may have missed it somewhere in the thread, but do you know why your PO4 is so high? Mine shot up a few months back to 0.35 when I vacuumed out a layer of sand and released the trapped debris. Besides running GFO, I also used Blue Life Phosphate Remover and I recently started using Brightwell Phosphate-E.

 

[IBASSFSH]

ARe you taking your calcium reactor offline? If so why? I have large Deltec I am getting ready to setup. I have always read they are easier to do than 2 part?

 

[Lightsluvr]

Nice photos. I like your fish selection

I may have missed it somewhere in the thread, but do you know why your PO4 is so high? Mine shot up a few months back to 0.35 when I vacuumed out a layer of sand and released the trapped debris. Besides running GFO, I also used Blue Life Phosphate Remover and I recently started using Brightwell Phosphate-E.

Thanks, Kenny.

I attribute high phosphates to heavy feeding in the tank. I am gradually cutting back on meaty foods, while still feeding 4 sheets of Nori each day.

How is the Brightwell Phosphate-E working out for you?

LL

 

[Lightsluvr]

ARe you taking your calcium reactor offline? If so why? I have large Deltec I am getting ready to setup. I have always read they are easier to do than 2 part?

I can't get the Reactor to tune in the way I prefer. ALK is too high.

I started with the "perfect" paramters I desired:

ALK - 9 dkH
CA - 450
MG - 1350

When set up according to instructions, here is what I constantly achieved with the reactor:

ALK - 12-15 dkH
CA - 390 (solid as a rock)
MG - 1200 (without dosing)

In order to get back to my desired parameters, I constantly had to dose CA and MG.

:idea: I said to myself, "Self... if you still have to dose CA and MG anyway, why not just go to a precision dosing system..."

Self answered, "OK".

I have three of the BRS dosing pumps... after some experimentation, I finally hope to be able to set it and forget it. Still trying to find a local source for Dowflake and Magflake. I have enough Magnesium Chloride, Turbo Calcium and Prestone "HEET" to get started, but still looking for the other products.

 

[Lightsluvr]

Awesome looking tank! Great thread too.

Thanks, wrudge. Come back often.

Nice pics George...

Colors are Awesome!!!!!

Thanks, Lynn. Photoshop is a wonderful thing... the strobe freezes action, but seems to wash out colors. I play with mother nature to make the photos appear that way the subject looks (to me) in the tank... good thing I'm not selling coral, eh? :lol:

Merry Christmas!

LL

 

[Dejavu]

George, Did you ever get your Ca reactor tuned in?

 

[IBASSFSH]

Why look for Dowflake when you are using Prestone driveway heat? That's what I currently use, and have used for several years.

If you find a local source would you pm me the supplier? I am pretty loyal to the driveway heat though.