My Tank Thread (Take3) ★Total AUTOMATION★ DIY Doser, Sump, AlgaeScrubber, WaterChnges

[Wally.B]

That's quite a low ph swing but it doesn't really make sense. I suspect the probe is off.

I have to check the probe, since I am highly suspicious something is wrong with it, or where it is placed.
I did check the Apex and Temp Compensation was not ticked off, and compared to temp, graph of PH was following TEMP almost perfectly.

Certainly will do a re-calibration.

Maybe also check the Airline coming from outside since it did wonders to PH when I first hooked it up.

 

[reefmutt]

And that is EXACTLY what I just did.

I trimmed all the corals with Burnt Tips.

Put the really bad ones into Frag Tank.

Put a couple in the back (out of view) to heal.

And I mounted Good Frags from DT Frag Rack, onto Rocks.

I can now look at my tank and not think it's rotting, and needs fix.

Fresh after fixes, photo, for Future Reference. (No New Frags, only what I had in DT, so All acclimatized Frags)

Also if something does go wrong on any Frag, I will notice.


KIND OF A "Fresh Start (Healthiest Frags) with Scrubber Running and Tank Stable" BUT with no new Frags to Experiment with (except the Forest Fire).

Onward.....

Again

But I agree with both of you. Leave it a alone, (leave both alone). Something is much better in Frag tank than in DT.
Maybe lack of my hands (No Tinkering/Stability).

I say you are on the right track with above...
Don't do a test, it'll give you something to pull hair out probably for no reason..
You are doing auto water changes aren't you?
Wally, let's just watch the tanks for a while..

 

[Wally.B]

Also, the photos on this page are very good!
I like the borders (not orders!) and 3D detail as well!

Yes, I discovered that (Border Edge Feature) in my SnagIt program recently.
I think most Photo Editors have it.

I will only use it for special photos.

 

[Wally.B]

I say you are on the right track with above...
Don't do a test, it'll give you something to pull hair out probably for no reason..
You are doing auto water changes aren't you?
Wally, let's just watch the tanks for a while..

ok. No LAB water test for now.

However, I didn't do many water changes (2 tops). Since summer has been to busy to maintain all 3 systems (Kitchen Tank, SPS Tank, Frag Tank).
I've been just dumping Frag DT water changes down the drain.

So am a bit worried to start WC in FT since if DT water has something bad, it might ruin the Frag Tank.

Perhaps just doing a normal Fresh Salt Mix 10-20% Water WC in Frag Tank.

All I have been doing in Frag Tank is maybe like once a week, a bit of Reef Roids, and a squirt of Reef Nutrtion Osyster Feast. Nothing else since only just over 20Gallons water total.

 

[Wally.B]

But I will note:

The circulation improvement (re-programming) to push Particulate down the Overflow is already noticeable with water clearing up. Even after 1 day.

And the fact that I am moving tank Water (Clockwise, Counter Clockwise, and mix in between) looks promising.
Whole tank is getting more proper circulation all over.
Strong, but not Sharp Currents. Further reaching, into ever area of tank.

The little bit of sand Bed that I couldn't get from under the rocks is coming out to the edges, so that means currents are reaching under rocks.

I am happy with this last change.

 

[reefmutt]

ok.. you mentioned frag tank was getting wc water from dt.
Something right is happening in frag tank- despite the numbers.
All I'm really trying to say is don't change anything. Stop doing stuff..
Like Ed said, just do the basics and observe..
10% wcs a week is fine.
Just watch for a while.
The feeding seems fine.
That new flow seems great. Leave it now..

 

[Wally.B]

I say you are on the right track with above...
Don't do a test, it'll give you something to pull hair out probably for no reason..
You are doing auto water changes aren't you?
Wally, let's just watch the tanks for a while..

Small correction.

Yes, I am doing Auto Water Changes on DT (5% twice a week).

My point above is I haven't been using them (DT water) in Frag Tank EVERY TIME.

 

[Wally.B]

ok.

TIME FOR A (No-Touch Promise) like last time.

No changes, No touch (*SPS TANK*):

Except: Water Changes, Cleaning Scrubber, Skimmer and Scrubber.
No Additives: Except a touch of Reef Roids, OsterFeast once a week [After N drops].
No lighting changes.

Till Christmas.

That will be Approx 3 months.

To keep my hands busy, I'm going to finish up my Commodore Amiga Computer Rebuild/Restore Project.
I have a major thread on the Amiga Forums that I stared Early this year. It needs to be finished (75% completed)

 

[Wally.B]

ANOTHER PROJECT to Keep me out of SPS Tank.

I need to rid my Mixed/LPS Kitchen tank of Ick and Save the Power Brown Tang.

That means catching all fish, and doing Tank Transfer Method, then run tank Fallow.

Ton of work, depending how things go!!

 

[reefmutt]

Small correction.

Yes, I am doing Auto Water Changes on DT (5% twice a week).

My point above is I haven't been using them (DT water) in Frag Tank EVERY TIME.

Got it.. so don't change the current routine..

And if I catch you messing with things, we'll have to lock you in the supplement box!
That commodore project sounds... busy! I like it!

Fwiw, even if you eradicate ich from your softy tank, it will only last as long as the addition of a new fish..
personally, not sure it is worth the disruption, time and stress to you and fish hat a full fish removal and qt.. I'd bet it'll kill the powder brown..
Have you gotten your spectrum pellets yet?

 

[Wally.B]

Fwiw, even if you eradicate ich from your softy tank, it will only last as long as the addition of a new fish..
personally, not sure it is worth the disruption, time and stress to you and fish hat a full fish removal and qt.. I'd bet it'll kill the powder brown..
Have you gotten your spectrum pellets yet?

You are right. Catch and remove is Last Resort.
Big Als just called, and I'm on way to pick up Medi Pellets.
Hoping that works. Plus Tang just learned to Eat the Frozen BrineShrimp Gut loaded with spirulina (much more nourishing) .

 

[Wally.B]

And if I catch you messing with things, we'll have to lock you in the supplement box!

 

[reefmutt]

Lol!
I had no idea you were so small, Wally!

 

[Wally.B]

ICH SHIELD (Treatment) Started

So I brought the Medicated New Life Spectrum Ick Sheild Pellets home.

It they work it will be worth every Penny.
Actually to be mathematically correct 46,000 Pennies after Tax.

The Jar is pretty fancy looking.

But I didn't pay for the jar.

Lots of interesting Ingredients you don't normally see in Fish Food (I highlighted a few that caught my attention):

Ingredients: Whole Antarctic Krill, Garlic, Whole Wheat Flour, Omega-3 Fish Oil, Spirulina, Chlorella Algae,
Ulva Seaweed, Ginger, Ginseng, Onion, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cardamom, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement
Niacin, Folic Acid, Biotin, Thiamine Hydrochloride,Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Calcium Pantothenate, , L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate Vitamin C)
Choline Chloride, Ethylenediamine Dihydroiodide, Cobalt Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, and Manganese Sulfate.
Active Ingredients: I,4-Pentanediamine, N4-(7-chloro-4-quinolinyl)-NI,NI-diethyl


The instruction are pretty clear this is not for Corals, Anemones, etc.

I turned off all circulation to ensure no pellet scattering.
I have to drop more than one Pellet to get Tangs attention.

The GOOD NEWS is the Power Tang ate a bunch right way!!!

The other Kind of Good News is a couple Pellets got by, and the fell on the Green Paly's right under the feeding station (I have not way to avoid this without risking other areas where LPS Corals, Acans, Richordia's or High End Zoa's are)
Will be interesting to see what happens to the Green Palys.
I would like to get rid of them in certain areas.
Could be two birds with one stone. We'll see how they react. They didn't go after the pellet like other food, but they eventually closed up (and trapped the loose pellet )

The Bad News is Chromis Fish are not interested. Not sure about the Algae Blenny since he wasn't around (He's a pig and will eat anything)..
Cleaner Shrimp took one.

Hunger will change the Chromis eating issue. Nothing will be fed except a few sparse pellets, twice a day.

 

[Wally.B]

Frag from Frag Tank (Reference Photo) For Future Compares.

At least it survived overnight going into DT. Pop the Champagne, it 1st day Transfer Anniversary :celeb3:.

And is showing PE, so DT must not be terrible change (P much Lower, N Higher).

Over time we'll see how it goes in both places.

Update on the Tiny Frags I put into my MIXED LPS Tank a while ago.
One Acro Bleached. One went brown, not growing but has PE. One the Bird of Paradise has outlive the one in SPS tank, and doing very well.

 

[Wally.B]

Day 0 (Ich Guard Medicated Pellet) Treatment

Too bad I never thought of taking Photo before I started Treatment.

He has eaten The Pellets Twice.
Then I fed him some Frozen.

Maybe I'm having hallucinations, but he has changed.
Not cured, but different.

(Looks way worse that earlier today before treatment. Blochy Spots as seen below versus the tiny pinpoint white spots I saw earlier. That may be healthy Mucus)
(The blochy spots are flat, vs the raised tiny spots before)

WAY Too early to tell.

I will be watching daily, and taking photo's of any changes.

 

[reefmutt]

Ouch.. well, as long as he is eating there is hope.

 

[sensei]

Wally,

if you do not treat all fish in tank, ich will come back because of the nature and the life cycle of the parasite.
There should be ich cysts in the hard surfaces of that tank and rocks and cyst can hatch any time so sooner or later ich will show again. there is no easy cure.
you can read more in here:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1992196

TTM is really easy to do, and it should not harm fish.
you only need 12 days and fish is cured from ich; tank needs 72 days fishless.
Ofcoarse, you need to be comitted to do TTM to any new fish to avoid introducing ich again.

the skin of Acanthurus and hippo tangs are among the thinest ones, they are ich magnets, that is why most of the are contaminated.

Urenoma is much worse.
Quarenting fish is a good practice.

 

[Wally.B]

Wally,

if you do not treat all fish in tank, ich will come back because of the nature and the life cycle of the parasite.
There should be ich cysts in the hard surfaces of that tank and rocks and cyst can hatch any time so sooner or later ich will show again. there is no easy cure.
you can read more in here:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1992196

TTM is really easy to do, and it should not harm fish.
you only need 12 days and fish is cured from ich; tank needs 72 days fishless.
Ofcoarse, you need to be comitted to do TTM to any new fish to avoid introducing ich again.

the skin of Acanthurus and hippo tangs are among the thinest ones, they are ich magnets, that is why most of the are contaminated.

Urenoma is much worse.
Quarenting fish is a good practice.

I know and understand everything you are saying.
I read that ich never goes away Ever, even if fish gets better.
I have to try the Meds.
I have no plans to add fish, if he survives.
And if he get better that buys me some time to do TTM later.
If he dies, then same price as Pellets at this point.
I don't care about the Chromis Fish. HawkFish, I do. Algae Blenny I do.
Catching Hawkfish, and Blenny extremely difficult.

 

[Wally.B]

Ouch.. well, as long as he is eating there is hope.

You know I usually over react.
Trust me he doesn't look that bad.
It's the Photo and lighting.
But yes, the blotches are there now.
Few hours ago, they were not there,before I treated.
His skin was even color, just white specs.