Melev's new 280g Starfire tank thread
- Thread starter JohnL
- Start date
- Status
melev
Well-known member
This is the most I've seen of the clam for the past 2 or 3 weeks.
Here's the area where the losses occurred. I was able to remove some dead coral foundation from that area, which is good. In the process, some of those mushrooms were taken out as well.
By comparison, here's a recent picture before the RTN event.
The Psammacora I've had for about 7 years is fading. It was vivid green, but it is lighter to the eye (this picture is misleading). About 25% of it died off, and I cut away some of that just because I couldn't look at it any longer.
You can see how a few heads of the Pink Hammer coral are closed up. I'd normally blame flow, but the heads just below that area seem perfectly happy.
In the angled tank, this Hammer lost or is losing a group of heads as well.
With all that you see above, plus the loss of the Pink Milli (arctic skeleton in the comparison shot) and the loss of the bubble coral, I'm thinking something is going on that needs to be addressed.
I pulled out two extra thermometers and put them in my tank in case the AC3 was reporting an inaccurate temperature. Perhaps it was getting too hot, I thought. However, they agreed with the controller, so I can rule out a temperature issue.
I'll calibrate my refractometer today, but with the zoanthids open, I doubt salinity is off.
Here's the area where the losses occurred. I was able to remove some dead coral foundation from that area, which is good. In the process, some of those mushrooms were taken out as well.
By comparison, here's a recent picture before the RTN event.
The Psammacora I've had for about 7 years is fading. It was vivid green, but it is lighter to the eye (this picture is misleading). About 25% of it died off, and I cut away some of that just because I couldn't look at it any longer.
You can see how a few heads of the Pink Hammer coral are closed up. I'd normally blame flow, but the heads just below that area seem perfectly happy.
In the angled tank, this Hammer lost or is losing a group of heads as well.
With all that you see above, plus the loss of the Pink Milli (arctic skeleton in the comparison shot) and the loss of the bubble coral, I'm thinking something is going on that needs to be addressed.
I pulled out two extra thermometers and put them in my tank in case the AC3 was reporting an inaccurate temperature. Perhaps it was getting too hot, I thought. However, they agreed with the controller, so I can rule out a temperature issue.
I'll calibrate my refractometer today, but with the zoanthids open, I doubt salinity is off.
Sisterlimonpot
Premium Member
Do you use any type of mechanical filtration?
Sisterlimonpot
Premium Member
Marc, I have to admit that I didn't notice what was missing at first until I really studied the 2 pictures. Once you pinpoint what the problem is/was, what are you going to put in the empty (if you want to call et empty
) spots???
) spots???
melev
Well-known member
Nothing. There are little bits floating around, but they aren't really an eyesore or anything. My system only has the skimmer to trap stuff, or it settles out in the sump which I can siphon out later (or use the Eheim Sludge Extractor).
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15616197#post15616197 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sisterlimonpot
Marc, I have to admit that I didn't notice what was missing at first until I really studied the 2 pictures. Once you pinpoint what the problem is/was, what are you going to put in the empty (if you want to call et empty
I don't know. I thought maybe I'd move the clam up there so it gets more light, although it has been happy on the substrate for years. I'm watching that area of my tank to see if anything else suffers before I put a happy coral there and end up losing it to whatever it is, assuming there is a 'whatever' causing problems.
melev
Well-known member
TDS is still 0 coming out of my system, and 1 in my containers & reservoir.
I had the same idea about the bulbs Nate. I checked them, but even if a bulb had cracked, I have a sheet of glass in my pendants that would block out UV radiation. They appear to be fine. And no, they haven't been changed. I took them down for a cleaning about six weeks ago, which is about how long it is between wipe downs. I clean the glass on both sides when the pendant is taken down... the glass develops a smokey film that I like to remove as it looks dirty to me.
I had the same idea about the bulbs Nate. I checked them, but even if a bulb had cracked, I have a sheet of glass in my pendants that would block out UV radiation. They appear to be fine. And no, they haven't been changed. I took them down for a cleaning about six weeks ago, which is about how long it is between wipe downs. I clean the glass on both sides when the pendant is taken down... the glass develops a smokey film that I like to remove as it looks dirty to me.
melev
Well-known member
I don't know. That's worth checking, so I'll try out that kit again tomorrow when I have some daylight to read it by. Dosing potassium would be easy, if that's the problem.
I did feed some bananas to my fish yesterday, which they were happy to gobble up. Not nearly enough to bring up the K level in the tank though.
I did feed some bananas to my fish yesterday, which they were happy to gobble up. Not nearly enough to bring up the K level in the tank though.
Sisterlimonpot
Premium Member
Alright fill me in, "K level" is that potassium? Magnesium? And what is it good for in a tank?
Last edited:
melev
Well-known member
Yes, the letter K on the Periodic Table is for Potassium. http://www.chemicalelements.com/elements/k.html
Mg is for Magnesium. http://www.chemicalelements.com/elements/mg.html
Zeovit dosers lean heavily on the K value for some reason, and it is my impression (not to knock them at all) that they feel it is the missing element we don't focus on enough. I don't know if they are right or wrong, as I've not made a conscious effort to learn more. I do have a K kit just because I was curious, and Brightwell as well as Warner Marine offer it as an additive. Without a kit, dosing it would be unwise.
Mg is for Magnesium. http://www.chemicalelements.com/elements/mg.html
Zeovit dosers lean heavily on the K value for some reason, and it is my impression (not to knock them at all) that they feel it is the missing element we don't focus on enough. I don't know if they are right or wrong, as I've not made a conscious effort to learn more. I do have a K kit just because I was curious, and Brightwell as well as Warner Marine offer it as an additive. Without a kit, dosing it would be unwise.
maroun.c
New member
Another post that disappears again!
Sorry to hear about your problems Marc. hoipe you pinpoint the problem soon.
As you mention you'r having problems in both tanks guess it's not a lighting issue and moving the clam wouldn't necessarily cause it to improve.
I would check iwth other carbon dosers that could have faced similar happeneings. Maybe an impurity in the vodka that has accumulated overtime?
one other thing is dosing vodka while having a DSB can require longer time to start dropping the Nitrates as system is now dealing with all detritus traped in the Sand bed and that leaches some nitrates in the water if it's not deep enough to get processed in the lower areas of the sandbed. what I'm considering (and that's just a guess as I have no experience yet with Vodka dosing) is that maybe now your DSB have reached a stage that all the detritus trapped in it has been processed and your vodka dose is higher than really needed. guess with a nitrate level of 0 which I believe you have? it's hard to tell if you'r overdosing. maybe cut down on your vodka dose a bit to see if your nitrates climb up or not? or maybe dose enought o keep a nitrates level higher than 0.
one other aspect to consider is that vodka dosing is still relatively new and that we don't know the effects or changs we should make after months or years of regular dosing. Again an impurity inthe vodka is also to consider.
Is it Ok to perform a couple of big water changes and change carbon and PO4 removers while dosing vodka? in that case I would be doing those for a start.
Sorry to hear about your problems Marc. hoipe you pinpoint the problem soon.
As you mention you'r having problems in both tanks guess it's not a lighting issue and moving the clam wouldn't necessarily cause it to improve.
I would check iwth other carbon dosers that could have faced similar happeneings. Maybe an impurity in the vodka that has accumulated overtime?
one other thing is dosing vodka while having a DSB can require longer time to start dropping the Nitrates as system is now dealing with all detritus traped in the Sand bed and that leaches some nitrates in the water if it's not deep enough to get processed in the lower areas of the sandbed. what I'm considering (and that's just a guess as I have no experience yet with Vodka dosing) is that maybe now your DSB have reached a stage that all the detritus trapped in it has been processed and your vodka dose is higher than really needed. guess with a nitrate level of 0 which I believe you have? it's hard to tell if you'r overdosing. maybe cut down on your vodka dose a bit to see if your nitrates climb up or not? or maybe dose enought o keep a nitrates level higher than 0.
one other aspect to consider is that vodka dosing is still relatively new and that we don't know the effects or changs we should make after months or years of regular dosing. Again an impurity inthe vodka is also to consider.
Is it Ok to perform a couple of big water changes and change carbon and PO4 removers while dosing vodka? in that case I would be doing those for a start.
Aww, i'm sorry your having a time of it lately. *hugs Melev's little corals*
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15586016#post15586016 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
due to Pete's recent tank leak/flood/disaster, I've acquired two new containers for insurance.
Each barrel is rated for 200g of water.
I have two 1000lt (about 250g) containers at the side of my house. They are filled with NSW. I have them wrapped in insulation to keep the light out and maintain temp.
cayenne
Premium Member
All I use is 100 and 200 micron filter socks rotating on top of wet skimming.
Thanks Marc, I have been considering an Eheim Extractor as well... As good as your camera is, it is amazing it doesn't pick anything up. I just bought a Canon EOS Rebel T1i and most of my pictures seem to pick them up.
Sisterlimonpot
Premium Member
:lol: Marc, are you going to let him in your secret to great pictures?
- Status
