My 120 is up but i need help ......

addictedtofrags

addictedtofrags

Member
Hello all thanks in advance for your advice and suggestions I can only hope I'm doinG some things correctly.

Details on my tank are as follows,

120 gallon tank All-glass Aquarium with stand and canopy
Pro Clear Aquatics sump rated up to 300 gallons
Coralife super skimmer 125 skimmer is using a rio 1100 original pump failed
Rio 3100 return pump
2x hydro koralia 1150gph
Lighting is 2x 150 watt Chinese made LED

Livestock
About 4 half bucket fulls of live sand was in a tank for about 3 years
Too many lbs of live rock also was from an established tank
6 fishes, black clownfish, sunburst antsiest, bullet goby (a.k.a. Godzilla) orange shoulder tang, purple dotty back, coral beauty.

Bunch of different zoos, 3 frogspawn, 1 large torch, 1 hammer, green polyps, hairy mushrooms, green star polyps, cinnomon polyps, 2 toadstools, random mushrooms, 1 Acan, 1 chalice, yumas, rainbow bubbletip anemone,

And probably a couple of more im forgetting.

So far the tank has been up for about 6 months
I have been doing the normal things as far as caring for it

My issues.

I don't feel like the growth has been there my Acan, chalice, yumas, and random zoos and polyps are growing fairly well others are not moving at all.

I recently loss a bubble coral and my torch lost one of its heads and Is not extending like it used to ( used to look like a grapefruit when opened, now nothing maybe a small lime .

What can I be doing wrong or what am I doing right that just needs to be changed.

I am open to any and all suggestions. Thank you all

I'll be posting some pictures tomorrow night as my camera is at the office. So these iPhone pics are just for now.













 
I think we would need to have a more thorough write up as far as:

Parameters: salinity, calcium, alk, mag, pH stability, temp, phosphate
Kits used to test them
Maintenance: water change schedule, salt mixed used, supplements added

I probably would have thrown out the live sand during the move...
Tank looks great!
 
Nice clean looking setup!

The answers to dbenyos questions will help further diagnose. Do you use rodi? If so when was your last unit maintenance? Lol Pre filters di etc... Tds reading and phosphate reading on the output?

Further, try running a chemi pure bag and some rowaphos. With things dying off chemi pure would remove most toxins from the water. A rowaphos bag will help strip phosphates and silicates from your system.

I agree with remove bio balls, you have plenty of liverock. Turn that sump into a chaeto fuge
 
dbenyo said:
I think we would need to have a more thorough write up as far as:

Parameters: salinity, calcium, alk, mag, pH stability, temp, phosphate
Kits used to test them
Maintenance: water change schedule, salt mixed used, supplements added

I probably would have thrown out the live sand during the move...
Tank looks great!
Click to expand...

I'm going to get everything testing at the LFS this weekend. Hopefully with that we'll see exactly where I am.

I'll get that info for you guys ASAP. Thanks again

I figured since it was established sand it would have helped.
 
Last edited:
Adam13 said:
Nice clean looking setup!

The answers to dbenyos questions will help further diagnose. Do you use rodi? If so when was your last unit maintenance? Lol Pre filters di etc... Tds reading and phosphate reading on the output?

Further, try running a chemi pure bag and some rowaphos. With things dying off chemi pure would remove most toxins from the water. A rowaphos bag will help strip phosphates and silicates from your system.

I agree with remove bio balls, you have plenty of liverock. Turn that sump into a chaeto fuge
Click to expand...

I think I am gonna remove the bio balls. I'm also gonna try and get the results to everything this week if work gives me any extra time (like that ever happens). Hopefully I'll have the results and you guys can help me out. I really want this tank to shine.

I'll keep you guys updated as soon as I can
 
Do you dose anything?

How often are your water changes?

I would say that it is mandatory to test your own alk cal mag and ph on a regular basis. Otherwise you are just guessing blind on dosing. Unless you do very regular massive water changes.

Once you get your tanks levels balanced and figured out you can test less frequently.
 
Agree with all previous post but would like to
Add that you need more flow 2 x 1150 power heads is not
Enough for a 120
 
Adam13 said:
Do you dose anything?

How often are your water changes?

I would say that it is mandatory to test your own alk cal mag and ph on a regular basis. Otherwise you are just guessing blind on dosing. Unless you do very regular massive water changes.

Once you get your tanks levels balanced and figured out you can test less frequently.
Click to expand...

I recently started doing 20 gallon water changes every 2 weeks figured that would be a start in correcting it. Is that ok or should it be further apart or closer.

As for testing I haven't been testing. My testing kit cards somehow managed to disappear so I'm gonna get them today online and hopefully I'll be able to get you guys some numbers today
 
stevejrnc said:
Agree with all previous post but would like to
Add that you need more flow 2 x 1150 power heads is not
Enough for a 120
Click to expand...

Hey I apologize I made a mistake and the power heads are actually 1450-1650 the biggest ones. But either way I actually put my hands in the tank this morning and realized 1 of my power heads is working at about half power. I thought they where enough. Gonna try and invest in some MP's soon. Which would you recommend ?
 
Those pumps usually never run as much flow as they are marketed
For unless you remove them and clean them often
Lots of good deals out the for used mp 40's and tunze equipment
 
I agree with most mentioned above.

I suggest you try and save up for some test kits. I know some on here dont like but I use API for Alk, Ca,and Nitrate, and have for years ( their reef master kit with all mentioned is ~$20 online, maybe $30 at LFS). Mg i use Salifert and Pho4 a Hanna.

With your live stock and > 3000 GPH, IMHO thats enough flow, but do agree Korallias dont produce as much as they claim. I had 1 mp40 in my 120 and it was plenty for an SPS dominant tank, but I also had 1500 return pump. Dont know what the RIO does. Whith that flow, if LPS are not opening up, move it around till you find its sweet spot with regards to light AND flow.

Your water change schedule should be 30% per month (with 0 TDS water), however you want to divi that up, but of course frequent smaller changes will keep things more stable when you do the changes.

Question: Why is sump covered? That reduces gas exchange.
 
AquamanE said:
I agree with most mentioned above.

I suggest you try and save up for some test kits. I know some on here dont like but I use API for Alk, Ca,and Nitrate, and have for years ( their reef master kit with all mentioned is ~$20 online, maybe $30 at LFS). Mg i use Salifert and Pho4 a Hanna.

With your live stock and > 3000 GPH, IMHO thats enough flow, but do agree Korallias dont produce as much as they claim. I had 1 mp40 in my 120 and it was plenty for an SPS dominant tank, but I also had 1500 return pump. Dont know what the RIO does. Whith that flow, if LPS are not opening up, move it around till you find its sweet spot with regards to light AND flow.

Your water change schedule should be 30% per month (with 0 TDS water), however you want to divi that up, but of course frequent smaller changes will keep things more stable when you do the changes.

Question: Why is sump covered? That reduces gas exchange.
Click to expand...



I do have the kit just lost my cards somehow. I looked online And used pictures to compare ill post those pictures of the cards and results as soon as I get home.

As for the flow I'm thinking I should change the rio out for somthing better. What ? Don't know yet lol

As for the sump being covered I didn't know that it shouldn't be covered. Had no clue.

This is what I love about RC, all the info that's up for grabs.

I'll post the test tube pictures in a few. Thanks again
 
Ok made it home.












I tested these using the API reef master kit

My salinity was at 32 1.023 - 1.024

The rest of the test I can't do so this weekend I will get all the test done.

As for turning the wet/dry into a Refugium How would I do that I figured I would need different chambers and mine only has 1 sealed off the other to have an opening at the bottom.

Please let me know what other info you would need so ican start getting this tank where it needs to be. Thank you all for the help thus far.
 
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