New 220 gallon build

Kurt, I was hoping we wouldn't have to see a post like that. It's always a set back when we have such losses. In my early tank days I had an ICH outbreak from the introduction of a Yellow Tang. I estimated it was a $200 loss by the time I got a handle on things. It was a painful experience to say the least.
 
I appreciate the sentiments. Found the male Scotts dead this morning with the remaining Female Scotts not looking too good. I expect she will be dead by the time I get home from a gathering tonight.

All the other fish in the tank look great this morning, except the radiant wrasse which looks a bit lethargic compared too normal however it was very early and the lights had been out all day.

Both Mandrins are doing well in the other tank.
 
Correction to the death toll. What I thought was an exquisite wrasse last night must have been the other female scotts....teh exquisite and radiant are my two remaining wrasses
 
The exquisite ended up dying a few hours after I made the above correction.

Down to one wrasse, the radiant still looks good.

Hopefully the deaths have ended. I did order some "No sick fish" medicine, hopefully it will arrive soon and nurse the rest back to perfect health as well as get rid of any ICH remaining.
 
Well, to get off the subject of dead fish in this thread I did some maintenance this morning cleaning up the skimmer and getting rid of some general garbage laying around the cellar from the build.

The thich sledge that was in the skimmer was unlike anything I ever got out of my old red sea prism. It almost had an oily muck consistency. I pulled off the head and cleaned inside the main chamber as well as it was dirty as well with film of crud.

Perhaps I should run it a bit "wetter"

I have continually been checking water parameters on the tank and everything runs very stable. I had issues with ALK/Ca as in low readings, very low in fact a week or two ago so I started to add more two part. I now add about a cup of each part per day and I still seem to stay right around an ALK reading of 2.0 and Ca reading of 320ppm neither of which are optimal. If I add more of the two part solution it seems to precipitate onto items in the tank.

I really need to get the Ca reactor up and running.
 
What about using the "powder" calcium and alkilinity of your choice to raise the levels and simply using 2 part to maintain?
 
I seen this awesome set up to day when KurtsReef donated some cheato to me. Those lights are incredible. I really like to check out the equipment and set up on these big tanks. It's just beyond what words can describe how everything is set up. The skimmer would have a hard time fitting into my display tank!!! And here I thought my 90 gal was big.

Everyone with these really incredible set ups need a huge pat on the back for all the effort, research (and $$$) dished out for this hobby.


Oh and the significant other probably earned a vacation somewhere warm this winter :)
 
In regards to the two-part issues you're having kurt, are you using Randy Holmes-Farley's recepie? And are you pouring the two parts into the same chamber?
 
I am using BiOnic's two part. I am pouring the Part 1 into the sump and after all the cloudiness is gone then the part II.

With todays dose I changed it up a bit and put the Alk (pt 1) into an old salt bucket and mixed some RO water with it too get it 'stirred up more' and then added the Ca about 10 minutes later.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10695392#post10695392 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by redrider911


Oh and the significant other probably earned a vacation somewhere warm this winter :)
Click to expand...

She ordered some new bedroom furniture for my daughters yesterday, no vacation coming. ;)
 
I've only read this page, so this question may have already been asked, Have you checked your magnesium? I know when I was struggleing with my low alk/ca, my mag was down in the 1000-1100 range. Once I got that back up to the 1400 range it was easy to maintain higher alk/ ca levels. One other thing that I couldn't beleive was that my salinity level was low. ( That's alot of bionics to be useing every day.)
 
I use Seachem reef advantage calcium & reef builder to balance levels when needed and use Randy's 2 part solution to maintain. The inability to keep these levels up may be linked to something else out of whack. 1 cup of Bionic per day is not too bad for a heavily stocked 220 tank. Playfair used over 100Ml/day(~1/2cup) in his stocked 120 before adding a reactor.
 
Thanks for the input. Bradley you may have hit on part of the original issue. I was not testing for Mag levels before the probem with Ca and ALK arose and found after buying a kit my levels were low. I have since gotten them up to above 1350, before this my Ca was in the acceptable range and my ALK was very low.

The 'precipitation' problems were before getting the Mg up to standard levels, so I could perhaps give the tank a larger measured dose of the two part too get me up too levels and eventually find the right amount to maintain.

My 1 cup measurement here is an approximate as it is not a measuring cup being used. I went from the little cup that came with the two part solution too a larger plastic cup that I think is actually from my brine shrimp hatching kit which I am guessing is 1/2 a cup, will measure it today too see what the actual volume is.

If I get the Ca reactor up and running that will help out with the maintaining of levels.
 
OK, the 'cup' I have been using is 18 teaspoons so 36 teaspoons per day or 3/4 cup of each part per day. My estimate was on the low side.

Today (morning) the readings were ALK 2.0, Mg 1250, Ca 300ppm, and PH was only 8.2

I added my normal 'cup' which we now know is actually 3/4 cup each dose and tested again this evening. Readings were ALK 2.1/2.2, Ca 330ppm, and PH had risen to 8.4 or 8.6. I find both the ALK and PH readings a bit difficult to differentiate between the very close numbers so those readings have an error factor of about +-.2

I added a second dose after the evening readings, including a bit of Mg to get that up some but have not tested the numbers yet...and that finished off the gallons of Bionic I had so I need to 'make' the 4 gal buckets by adding RO water too them. Will do that tomorrow and dose at least the double in the morning after taking readings and re-test in the evening. I know there is a difference in readings between morning and night due to the lighting.
 
I was dosing per the instructions, which I actually dosed less than they suggested. The copper dosage was per 4 gal of water and I dosed for 40g instead of for 45g of water.

When the fish seemed too start stressing from the copper I immediately began to do water changes to remove the medicine. That night in fact I changed 10g, then the next day performed a 20, 10, 20, 20, day after that another three 10g changes.

I have not tested for the copper, do not have a copper testing kit. Would assume that by now all if not most of the copper is out. I also started to run carbon the day after putting the medicine in.

$450-500.00 lesson learned. (Lessen one, QT for two to three weeks and not 3 days. Lesson two, dont treat copper to wrasses)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Brian60077
Building another new tank
2 3
Replies
49
Views
1K
Brian60077
Brian60077
Guygettnby
Nyos 220 on a 120g?
Replies
8
Views
451
Guygettnby
Guygettnby
U
New build
Replies
3
Views
533
griss
griss
D
Structural support for 125 gallon aquarium
Replies
7
Views
231
ddang
D
P
DIY Hang on back Sump Tank
Replies
14
Views
499
kharmaguru
kharmaguru
Back
Top