Nat's 29 Gallon Build Thread
- Thread starter nattarbox
- Start date
nattarbox
New member
Just got a Reef Keeper II in to replace my mess of timers and power strips. Mainly I'm excited about being able to control a fan, as leaving one running all time over powered my heater and caused unnecessary evaporation.
Replaced this mess:
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nattarbox/3175025251/" title="Previous Mess by nttrbx, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3457/3175025251_7c16e4b75b.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Previous Mess" /></a>
Cleaned up:
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nattarbox/3175025725/" title="Rigged Up by nttrbx, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3471/3175025725_28b3fb3c8d.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Rigged Up" /></a>
Operational!
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nattarbox/3175025881/" title="Operational! by nttrbx, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3105/3175025881_80f2f55e97.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Operational!" /></a>
Replaced this mess:
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nattarbox/3175025251/" title="Previous Mess by nttrbx, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3457/3175025251_7c16e4b75b.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Previous Mess" /></a>
Cleaned up:
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nattarbox/3175025725/" title="Rigged Up by nttrbx, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3471/3175025725_28b3fb3c8d.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Rigged Up" /></a>
Operational!
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nattarbox/3175025881/" title="Operational! by nttrbx, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3105/3175025881_80f2f55e97.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Operational!" /></a>
nattarbox
New member
Bumping this thread for self-motivational purposes. There have been a series of problems since the last post that have kept me from sharing photos and progress.
Red Bugs:
Presumably they came in on a frag at some point. The ended up stressing all of my Acro frags into oblivion, ending my experiments with SPS for the immediate future. The exception to that are some montiporas that have been doing very well.
Zoa Pox:
After the red bugs, my zoanthus colonies started melting away. White growths were evident on all of them. They were gone within two weeks. Very demoralizing to lose those colonies, which had been doing so well up until that point.
Algae and Cyanobacteria:
This spring cyano and green algae started developing in my tank. I am still dealing with this, six months later. Dealing with algae has caused a number of problems:
- Scraped algae dies in the tank, contributing to detritus build up
- This in turn feeds organics back into the tank
- Things get worse
Right now I have a real detritus problem. I've added macroalgae to my HOB filter, which has brought the nitrates under control, but I don't have an efficient method of exporting all the crap in the tank. Right now I'm siphoning as much as I can during water changes, and using a Magnum hang on filter with a micron cartridge to pull more out, but it builds up as fast as I can remove it.
Red Bugs:
Presumably they came in on a frag at some point. The ended up stressing all of my Acro frags into oblivion, ending my experiments with SPS for the immediate future. The exception to that are some montiporas that have been doing very well.
Zoa Pox:
After the red bugs, my zoanthus colonies started melting away. White growths were evident on all of them. They were gone within two weeks. Very demoralizing to lose those colonies, which had been doing so well up until that point.
Algae and Cyanobacteria:
This spring cyano and green algae started developing in my tank. I am still dealing with this, six months later. Dealing with algae has caused a number of problems:
- Scraped algae dies in the tank, contributing to detritus build up
- This in turn feeds organics back into the tank
- Things get worse
Right now I have a real detritus problem. I've added macroalgae to my HOB filter, which has brought the nitrates under control, but I don't have an efficient method of exporting all the crap in the tank. Right now I'm siphoning as much as I can during water changes, and using a Magnum hang on filter with a micron cartridge to pull more out, but it builds up as fast as I can remove it.
nattarbox
New member
Today's parameters:
Temp: 79F
SG: 1.024
pH: 8.2
Nitrate: 10ppm
Phosphate: 0
KH: 7
Calcium: 400
My pH has been dropping rapidly, presuming from dead algae and detritus acidifying the water as it breaks down. I've been adding Seachem Reef Buffer every other day to keep it at 8.2, which has worked well. But now it appears that my KH is dropping, as I've never seen it below 10 in the history of this tank. I might adjust the two part dosing if it keeps up.
And since parameter updates are boring, here are a few photos I took a couple weeks back. There was a lot of algae scrubbing and creative photo cropping involved, but you can still see the cyano around the torch coral.
Temp: 79F
SG: 1.024
pH: 8.2
Nitrate: 10ppm
Phosphate: 0
KH: 7
Calcium: 400
My pH has been dropping rapidly, presuming from dead algae and detritus acidifying the water as it breaks down. I've been adding Seachem Reef Buffer every other day to keep it at 8.2, which has worked well. But now it appears that my KH is dropping, as I've never seen it below 10 in the history of this tank. I might adjust the two part dosing if it keeps up.
And since parameter updates are boring, here are a few photos I took a couple weeks back. There was a lot of algae scrubbing and creative photo cropping involved, but you can still see the cyano around the torch coral.
SaltHammerX
In Memoriam
Very nice tank, sorry to hear about all the bad stuff. I wasn't real clear on what you used and how you hooked the ro/di system under the sink. I have a 29 gallon as well, not quite as nice 
but it gets the job done. I love ur lights, I wish I didnt have to start saving up for a car :rollface:. good luck and thanks.
but it gets the job done. I love ur lights, I wish I didnt have to start saving up for a car :rollface:. good luck and thanks.clownfish360
New member
Looks NICE!!!!
nattarbox
New member
So earlier this month (10/7) I added chaeto to my tank to help combat the organics/nitrates that are probably the source of my algae and cyano problems. Around the same time I also started vodka dosing. The combination of both has led to two straight tests in a row showing 0 nitrates in the tank. Cyano is growing back much slower, so I'm hoping I've turned the corner.
10/12: 15ppm
10/17: 10ppm
10/23: 0ppm
10/26: 0ppm
I'm going to get another test kit just to confirm, but I'm liking what I see so far. I've also got the pH and hardness levels stabilized.
10/12: 15ppm
10/17: 10ppm
10/23: 0ppm
10/26: 0ppm
I'm going to get another test kit just to confirm, but I'm liking what I see so far. I've also got the pH and hardness levels stabilized.
nattarbox
New member
Anyone want to hazard a guess on this thing? Two of these just showed up in my tank this week. Murphy's law would indicate that since I've turned the corner on nitrates and algae, a biblical plague of aiptasia would sweep in; I'm hoping it isn't.
Sorry about the crappy photo, it was in an awkward spot.
Sorry about the crappy photo, it was in an awkward spot.
nattarbox
New member
Yeah I posted in an identification thread and that seemed to be the consensus.
I used some two part putty to make a dome shape which I dropped over the top of the two visible heads of whatever this is. I sealed the outside edges and then pushed down. Hopefully that will have killed them without allowing any spores or pieces to spread around the tank.
I might grab some peppermint shrimp this weekend just to make sure.
I used some two part putty to make a dome shape which I dropped over the top of the two visible heads of whatever this is. I sealed the outside edges and then pushed down. Hopefully that will have killed them without allowing any spores or pieces to spread around the tank.
I might grab some peppermint shrimp this weekend just to make sure.
Jay Fortay
Uber Member
definitely, some peppermints will do the trick. Also, when you are down and out on the hobby because of bad luck, that's when you need the support of the site. When you have a problem, post a pic. Most people around here are extremely helpful.
nattarbox
New member
Haven't posted in a long time!
Last April I switched my tank over to LED lighting, using the Par38 screw in fixtures. The change in growth and general coral health compared to the 150 watt halide I had been using was awesome! The tank has been doing very well since.
I've been wrestling with some Bryopsis, but as long as it doesn't overgrow the coral it is mainly just a nuisance. I got some sea slugs that have been keeping it in check, and doing weekly manual removal.
Some new pics:
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nattarbox/5366028862/" title="Shrimp by Nat Tarbox, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5210/5366028862_62bc0e27ec_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="Shrimp"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nattarbox/5365415407/" title="Coral by Nat Tarbox, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5204/5365415407_ac885b284c_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="Coral"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nattarbox/5366027494/" title="Coral by Nat Tarbox, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5006/5366027494_00c14e7749_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="Coral"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nattarbox/5365414251/" title="Polyps by Nat Tarbox, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5281/5365414251_80b64a64db_z.jpg" width="480" height="640" alt="Polyps"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nattarbox/5365903674/" title="Side Shot by Nat Tarbox, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5285/5365903674_ac93490d44_z.jpg" width="529" height="640" alt="Side Shot"></a>
Last April I switched my tank over to LED lighting, using the Par38 screw in fixtures. The change in growth and general coral health compared to the 150 watt halide I had been using was awesome! The tank has been doing very well since.
I've been wrestling with some Bryopsis, but as long as it doesn't overgrow the coral it is mainly just a nuisance. I got some sea slugs that have been keeping it in check, and doing weekly manual removal.
Some new pics:
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nattarbox/5366028862/" title="Shrimp by Nat Tarbox, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5210/5366028862_62bc0e27ec_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="Shrimp"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nattarbox/5365415407/" title="Coral by Nat Tarbox, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5204/5365415407_ac885b284c_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="Coral"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nattarbox/5366027494/" title="Coral by Nat Tarbox, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5006/5366027494_00c14e7749_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="Coral"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nattarbox/5365414251/" title="Polyps by Nat Tarbox, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5281/5365414251_80b64a64db_z.jpg" width="480" height="640" alt="Polyps"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nattarbox/5365903674/" title="Side Shot by Nat Tarbox, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5285/5365903674_ac93490d44_z.jpg" width="529" height="640" alt="Side Shot"></a>
