My 500G Osama Reef-2

[tanksfishtank]

Looks like maybe a fish was after his blood. Lol

 

[Osama]

Must be my Sohal Tang He is a good size and would go after anything that would approach him

 

[Osama]

Coral Pictures Will post few or several each few days

Coral Pictures Will post few or several each few days

I will be posting pictures of corals I collected for my DT since Jan - Feb 2014.
Help me please with scientific and common names. Thanks

Chalice Bubble-Gum Monster



Chalice Navahoe War Paint



Chalice Navahoe War Paint AND Leptastrae on the left



Pls advise on names if inncorrect ... THANKS

 

[Osama]

Look at this beauty skimming this morning.. If I can keep it doing thiscan it over-skim and cause bleaching of my SPS?



Cleaned the skimmer , opened the drain valve all the way, the closed it one turn at a time and let it work for several hours before closing the skimmer half a turn. Now valve has been at 4 full turns for almost 24 hrs. looking best since I got it...

 

[dave.m]

I would call that too wet - very light skimming. When the bubbles collapse and it turns into a liquid what does it look like?

Dave.M

 

[albano]

Cleaned the skimmer , opened the drain valve all the way, the closed it one turn at a time and let it work for several hours before closing the skimmer half a turn.

If it was skimming 'well' for several hours, why would you close 'the skimmer 1/2 a turn'?

 

[Osama]

Dave I am at a loss with this big skimmer.. It is very light skimming. Bubbles are just sitting there no new bubbles pushing the old bubbles out of the way... Maybe I need to close the drain valve a bit more? let the large bubbles move up a notch from where they are now at the top of the conical section. Just closed the drain valve half a turn... What fo U think

 

[dave.m]

I am not familiar with that skimmer so I can't give you manual instructions. However, I think you are on the right track if you can get the bubbles at the top to keep collapsing back onto the bubbles underneath. That will concentrate the wastes to be removed and reduce the amount of salt lost due to the skimming.

Dave.M

 

[Osama]

Thanks Dave Will try to control that skimmer beast. If there is a will there is a way. I just think that that skimmer will always remain super-sensitive as it is built for much bigger systems and anything that happens in a smaller system will throw it out of whack.. THANKS AGAIN

 

[Osama]

Thanks Jonny . Looking forward to chatting here with U

 

[Osama]

If it was skimming 'well' for several hours, why would you close 'the skimmer 1/2 a turn'?

It would skim but skimmate is very thick and staying within the cup not flowing out. SO by closing the valve I hope it will flow out a bit easier. Thanks for your participation Appreciate all inputs ...

 

[SPotter]

Osama have you spoken to bill wann yet about the issues you're having?

 

[Osama]

Yes Steve.... and am doing what Bill Wann is suggesting. Open the valve and let it skim from a lower level in the cup and be patient. New thing I am learning is "patient" and no matter what I think : a skimmer this size will be super sensitive IMO to any small change in the tank environment. What I am trying to balance is get it to skim but not overflow (by closing valve too much) when small tank environmental changes occur. After 9 months of total success in my tank I am seeing red and green slime algae and SPS loosing colors. Can't imagine that with my size skimmer any nutrients will remain in the water column... Like anything else in our hobby Live ... Experience ... and hopefully learn something new.... Good to hear from U.. Anything new I missed with your setup....

 

[SPotter]

What have your nutrient levels been prior to you noticing the slime? My tank is just running on auto pilot now. I'm extremely pleased with the way everything turned out and the way it's running. My only regret is not building a bigger fish room.

 

[Osama]

I feed very sparingly and did not increase it. Three months ago added four fish. Everything was fine till about 3 weeks ago. Yesterday alk is down to 6 from 8 where it was all year. Phos is up to .22 .. May have been experiencing dye out from too many cleaner crew of small snails that mostly are gone. I know I lost one anemone and I discovered some crud in the bottom of my salt-RODI storage tank that I need to clean... today will be in the process of replacing all cartridges on my Spectra pure (not the membrane that is less than a year old) then replacing 60g of water maybe weekly bypassing the dirty salt storage tank. AS U say " ALL THIS FOR OUR FISH-REEF"

 

[SPotter]

What have your nutrient levels been prior to you noticing the slime? My tank is just running on auto pilot now. I'm extremely pleased with the way everything turned out and the way it's running. My only regret is not building a bigger fish room.

 

[Osama]

What have your nutrient levels been prior to you noticing the slime? My tank is just running on auto pilot now. I'm extremely pleased with the way everything turned out and the way it's running. My only regret is not building a bigger fish room.

I feed very sparingly and did not increase it. Three months ago added four fish. Everything was fine till about 3 weeks ago. Yesterday alk is down to 6 from 8 where it was all year. Phos is up to .22 .. May have been experiencing dye out from too many cleaner crew of small snails that mostly are gone. I know I lost one anemone and I discovered some crud in the bottom of my salt-RODI storage tank that I need to clean... today will be in the process of replacing all cartridges on my Spectra pure (not the membrane that is less than a year old) then replacing 60g of water maybe weekly bypassing the dirty salt storage tank. AS U say " ALL THIS FOR OUR FISH-REEF"

 

[Osama]

Steve two things I also wish I did: One is ALSO having a bigger fish room second paint the water storage tanks black. Planning on covering them now with something

 

[SPotter]

Steve two things I also wish I did: One is ALSO having a bigger fish room second paint the water storage tanks black. Planning on covering them now with something

I dont know if I would paint or cover those tanks Osama. Things will build up in those tank with most salts that you use. If they are covered or blacked out I think it will be harder for you to see when they need to be cleaned. When I had my storage tanks in NJ I had the pumps set up to circulate the tanks for 10 minutes every 30 minutes. I know its not easy for you to remove the tanks and clean them but I would still rather be able to easily identify if there is something accumulating on the inside of the tanks.

 

[Osama]

I dont know if I would paint or cover those tanks Osama. Things will build up in those tank with most salts that you use. If they are covered or blacked out I think it will be harder for you to see when they need to be cleaned. When I had my storage tanks in NJ I had the pumps set up to circulate the tanks for 10 minutes every 30 minutes. I know its not easy for you to remove the tanks and clean them but I would still rather be able to easily identify if there is something accumulating on the inside of the tanks.

Thanks Steve I can set up my Apex to circulate the tank with salt-water. Does the RODI tank needs circulation as well???
I am going to ask Matt Jensen to install drains in the bottom of the tanks and thru the stand. What do u think...?