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

[Wally.B]

P04 Dropping (with no GFO) 2.0% water Change (ATS Growth accelerated)

The Algae Scrubber continues to speed up.

Not sure if it's the FIRST Replacement Screen that has matured?

PO4 is dropping which I assume happens at this low range, even though I have no Carbon or GFO. (Feeding Fish more, but Rinsing Frozen)

Or is if the 2.0% water changes are fueling Scrubber (so double impact on PO4)

I know fast PO4 Drops are NOT a good thing, so watching closely.

 

[Wally.B]

[FOR RECORDS] All Frags Photo (White LED)

After Cutting Down FOUR STN Frags (two tossed), plus Frag Rack Moved UP and ACROSS Towards Center of Tank.

I moved the rack more towards center of tank (Away from Front Glass) since I could tell MH lights are hitting back sides of FRAGS, and backside is showing slightly better coloration/glow.

 

[Wally.B]

Happy Halloween 2017 from our Place

 

[Wally.B]

Future Frags (Dipping Time) Bayer Ready.

This arrived in the mail today.

Got to learn how to use this stuff.
Stored away safely for now.

But you are Either Weird, Have Lawn and Garden Bug Problems, or a Reefer, when you get Excited about Pesticide arriving in the mailbox.

2 out of 3 ain't bad [ You pick ]

 

[Wally.B]

Green Horrida (1 Month) Review

I guess I just need to let things be since in general all is good.

TANK water is ULTRA SUPER STABLE. (Parameter all in check)

LIGHTING still needs a tiny bit more PhotoPeriod and Intensity (SLOWLY)

But I wonder why I don't really see any encrusting/growth. (ALK/CAL dosing is 21 ml daily)
I guess more time after things have RECENTLY stabilized, and P below 0.1, and lighting getting close to optimal.

Maybe this is normal, since 1 Month is nothing. 3 months will show something?

 

[Wally.B]

Accelerated (Coralline Growth) is Positive Sign

Usually my black frag racks would accumulate brown or green nuisance algae.

Funny part is Coralline is growing also on Frag Plugs more than SPS Encrustment.

Frag tank isn't showing such Coralline growth. Same WC water, less lighting.

 

[Wally.B]

Decision to (Dip & Cut Down) STN Frags appears to be Positive

Not perfect, but the Cut-Down Frags look like STN has been halted for now.
New Clean-Plugs and MARINE Melafix Dip probably helped.

All may make it. We'll see.

 

[Wally.B]

Hmm. PH is looking really nice after all that PH instability, and Low Level.

Last Low PH was Oct 10th, so Stability hasn't been around that long.

I get a feeling it's the more frequent Water Changes.

May be possible with this stability, and other Water Parameters as well, that good things may be on the horizon. (Must be patient, and change nothing).

BTW. (TYPO on the Green Horridia Progress POST ABOVE. THat is a 2 month Span, not 1 Month)

 

[Wally.B]

NEW (Infestation / PEST) Shows up

I've seen this before in my other Tank.

As soon as water quality starts getting really good, it also wakes up all dormant Pests, like Aptasia, Bubble Algae, etc.

Never see this before.
I noticed these polyp because they were poking out of a small Cyano patch.

They are covering a good portion of a loose rock.

Doesn't look like feather dusters. Not typical Colonial Hydriods that I have in my Kitchen tank (since the RED CENTER is different).

No Zoa's, so what the heck are these.



Rock is loose and I could Yank it and Treat, but I'm pretty sure this stuff has already spread elsewhere.

 

[Wally.B]

Looking everywhere to ID this infestation. (If bad). They do look nice (but I only want SPS in this tank).

This ID website is great.
http://chucksaddiction.thefishestate.net/hitchhikers.html

NOthing Close.

Was thinking Strawberry Anenome, Christmas Tree Worm, various Hydroids (NOTHING matches)

I need to pull the ROCK and put in bucket.
(Possible but tricky since two other rocks leaning on it)


I never would have noticed these polyp if not the Cyano Patch.

 

[Wally.B]

ANOTHER (PAR TEST) Full PhotoPeriod (Apogee LOG mode 30 min Avg)

Borrowed the Apogee MQ-210 Quantum Meter again .

Learned about the LOGGING/Average feature that take continuous samples and Average to 30 mins for 18 Logged Samples.

Put Sensor into Tank for full Photo Period.

Mid Tank level looks about right. (Not Extreme at all).

 

[reefmutt]

Hey Wally. I’ve been absent from the forum for a while.. family stuff and just plain busy life stuff .
I’m not concerned about those little colonial polyp type things. Seen them before but not sure what they are. I’ve never really seen them over take a tank or anything. They seem to come and go..
Things are looking slow to get going in your sps tank but I do like seeing the corraline algae increasing.
Certainly not seeing growth or encrusting like I’d like to but not the end of the world right now.
I forget, do you add reef roids or have you stopped?

 

[Wally.B]

I stopped reef Roids when I had that false P spike.

Maybe time to start a bit.
What do you suggest?
Once a week a pinch (1/8 t)
Or more like every other day.

I always feed just before light out.

 

[reefmutt]

Once a week can’t hurt..
Especially if P is dropping... IF..
But do another po4 test.. I don’t trust those eggs to give consistent results and the two results you have gotten are within the margin of error. To really establish a trend, you need more than two results.

 

[Wally.B]

Once a week can't hurt..
Especially if P is dropping... IF..
But do another po4 test.. I don't trust those eggs to give consistent results and the two results you have gotten are within the margin of error. To really establish a trend, you need more than two results.

Will continue to test. I have both EGGS (Phosphate and Phosperous) both are giving same reading.

But I do have an Salifert P04 Phosphate kit. Expired 2016-12, but it has been sealed since I got the Eggs (worth a try for comparison)

 

[Wally.B]

INTERESTING Find ( A SPS FRAG like no other) 35 years OLD

So my office started getting Cobwebs in the Ceiling so was doing dusting.
Decided to also dust off my Collectable shelf

It's a Coral Figure, even mounted on a Frag.
Got it while getting Scuba Certified in Cozumel Mexico (diving the Santa Rosa Trench)

HERE is the CORAL FRAG on Mounted on Base.

It's a deep water BLACK CORAL Frag.
Kind of cool to re-discover this.

Longest Lasting FRAG I've ever owned

 

[Wally.B]

Once a week can't hurt..
Especially if P is dropping... IF..
But do another po4 test.. I don't trust those eggs to give consistent results and the two results you have gotten are within the margin of error. To really establish a trend, you need more than two results.

Ok. I did a bunch of PO4 Tests (till I got some consistent results).

The Salifert was a tough Color Reading. Looked like ZERO to me.
But I did the precision DOUBLE Regent test and got a better Color Grade.

Usually the Hanna Eggs match, but this is the closest I could get.

Overall, P is getting close to good levels.

 

[Wally.B]

Algae Scrubber (Update) Continues to Accelerate Macro Growth

Interesting to see that as P continues to Drop to Lower Levels, the ATS is roaring along.

I was expecting the opposite.

I feel confident enough and have moved one of my Mexican Turbo Snails into the Scrubber to start some Wall/Glass Surface Cleaning (since I don't harvest the Macro There)

 

[Wally.B]

ALL WATER PARAM (TESTs) * All GOOD * Time to sit-back and Watch/Wait *

 

[reefmutt]

Very nice. P is great! I, personally, wouldn’t want it much lower even if many keep it much lower.. this is where personal preference based on coral colours starts to play a role.
Will be interesting to see how he snail in the fuge affects nutrient numbers.