North Dakota Mini-Ocean
- Thread starter Reefaquariumnut
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Reefaquariumnut
Premium Member
Finally a few pictures...
This Duncan started out as one polyp...Now its like 25+
And this guy has been doing an fabulous job on the sandbed...
*** I have finally put the calcium and kalk reactors online (Thursday) and currently dialing them in...Once I get the parameters stabilized I will put the ozone reactor online. I am still running the UV 24/7 and it has seemed to help as i have no unwanted algae growth anywhere.
Let's see what else...
Some corals have been growing much better than average and some just doing nothing (atleast not dead)...Some have deep, vibrant color and some have dulled (not so much browned out but just blah coloration). I have a feeling once i get the Alk, pH, and Ca to stablize I will get most/all of the corals to color up and grow like normal.
A couple fish died (one hippo and one powder blue), but they both were kinda suspect from the start. I have yet to add more fish...I am waiting to stabilized the system and then i will add some more fish and coral.
The skimmers are working "second-to-none"...Getting around one gallon of skimmate per day. I almost threw up one day after cleaning the 300 SM out. it was that bad (er, good).
Well here were the parameters as of 4pm (lights had been on for 5 hours)
Calcium - 380 Salifert
Phosphate - Zero Salifert
dKH - 10.2 Salifert
Mag - 1050 Salifert
Nitrate - 7ish Salifert
Salinity - 1.025
pH - 8.45
ORP - 335
Temp - 81.1
RO/DI TDS Output - 0.0
I have yet to order the multi parameter photometer. I am still making sure it will analyze the data I need.
that is it for now!
This Duncan started out as one polyp...Now its like 25+
And this guy has been doing an fabulous job on the sandbed...
*** I have finally put the calcium and kalk reactors online (Thursday) and currently dialing them in...Once I get the parameters stabilized I will put the ozone reactor online. I am still running the UV 24/7 and it has seemed to help as i have no unwanted algae growth anywhere.
Let's see what else...
Some corals have been growing much better than average and some just doing nothing (atleast not dead)...Some have deep, vibrant color and some have dulled (not so much browned out but just blah coloration). I have a feeling once i get the Alk, pH, and Ca to stablize I will get most/all of the corals to color up and grow like normal.
A couple fish died (one hippo and one powder blue), but they both were kinda suspect from the start. I have yet to add more fish...I am waiting to stabilized the system and then i will add some more fish and coral.
The skimmers are working "second-to-none"...Getting around one gallon of skimmate per day. I almost threw up one day after cleaning the 300 SM out. it was that bad (er, good).
Well here were the parameters as of 4pm (lights had been on for 5 hours)
Calcium - 380 Salifert
Phosphate - Zero Salifert
dKH - 10.2 Salifert
Mag - 1050 Salifert
Nitrate - 7ish Salifert
Salinity - 1.025
pH - 8.45
ORP - 335
Temp - 81.1
RO/DI TDS Output - 0.0
I have yet to order the multi parameter photometer. I am still making sure it will analyze the data I need.
that is it for now!
Reefaquariumnut
Premium Member
BTW,
I think this weekend is the 6th month of my tank since being filled with saltwater.
I think this weekend is the 6th month of my tank since being filled with saltwater.
Things look like there getting going congrats. Three things I suggest,
1. Get a Hanna PO4 test kit (worth its weight in gold)
2. Get your Magnesium up to 1350 and keep it there
3. Get yourself a pottasium test kit and get it to 390 and no more or less
You will be very happy trust me once those are inline w/ your cla/alk
1. Get a Hanna PO4 test kit (worth its weight in gold)
2. Get your Magnesium up to 1350 and keep it there
3. Get yourself a pottasium test kit and get it to 390 and no more or less
You will be very happy trust me once those are inline w/ your cla/alk
Reefaquariumnut
Premium Member
Tanya,
I do need to get the Magnesium to stablize...It was like 1300 a few days ago (its been as high as 1500 and lowest has been 1000).
I do need a test for potassium as well as a dosing agent. Should I Google??
I have looked into the Hanna PO4 test, but since i have never had a spike what-so-ever (zero every time with salifert) and i have a phosphate reactor I just never bothered looking into it very hard.
BUT, you are right in the fact everything must be inline and the tank will mature.
There is something very fasinating/curious/frustrating about my reef...Some reds, purples, blues, and greens are sooo ultra "wow" and then another coral in the same area will be "blah"...
I have a feeling it has to do with the fluctuations in the levels...I wish we had more fish geeks in fargo!
I do need to get the Magnesium to stablize...It was like 1300 a few days ago (its been as high as 1500 and lowest has been 1000).
I do need a test for potassium as well as a dosing agent. Should I Google??
I have looked into the Hanna PO4 test, but since i have never had a spike what-so-ever (zero every time with salifert) and i have a phosphate reactor I just never bothered looking into it very hard.
BUT, you are right in the fact everything must be inline and the tank will mature.
There is something very fasinating/curious/frustrating about my reef...Some reds, purples, blues, and greens are sooo ultra "wow" and then another coral in the same area will be "blah"...
I have a feeling it has to do with the fluctuations in the levels...I wish we had more fish geeks in fargo!
Zeovi makes the pottasium test. Also additives for the tank but so does gettanked. The thing with magnesium is it doesnt go down quick if everything is line and stable but when its low calcium isnt absorbed as well throught he sps. 0 on a salifert could be 1.0 on a hanna FWIW I have seen it first hand. Wish you were closer I would test it for ya 
Everything looks great so far keep up the great work.
Everything looks great so far keep up the great work.
Goodwin9
Premium Member
When I look at your picture, it doesn't look like a lot of fish, but what I do see in the picture are a lot of nice corals that in time will take up a lot of room. I'll bet in a year or two, your tank will look awesome. In my case, the number & size of the fish have made it nearly impossible to have the coral tank I envisioned when first setting up the tank. Other than softies and mushrooms, most other corals have gone by the wayside in my tank. I hate to know how many dollars I spent trying various corals that just can't survive in marginal water. People who get a chance to see my tank in person comment on the fish, and not the corals. Personally, if I had it to do all over again, and I had a tank similar to yours, I would hold off on adding more fish until the corals start to grow & thrive.<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14179483#post14179483 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Reefaquariumnut
Finally a few pictures...
that is it for now!
DamnPepShrimp
Moved On
Nice tank, will be amazing when it grows in. I love your avatar even more though!
Reefaquariumnut
Premium Member
I just ordered a Hanna Photo meter to test for phosphates. I also ordered some more Ca, KH, Mag, I, and Silicates tests to make sure i have new and updated tests to check my parameters.
I just find it hard to believe that I have some of these parameters this morning
Ca - 360 - interesting since i have the calcium reactor online
Mag - 1020 - I have dosed this over the last week and it will not budge
dKH - 10.6 - This has fluctuated since i have been dialing in the kalk and calcium (would like it at 8ish)
Salinity - 1.025 - Good
pH - 8.15 - 2am it was 8.43, so i know CO2 is getting pumped into the system. The effluent is around 6.65 and has a flow of 150ml/min.
ORP - 355
Nitrate - 10ish - This is down by 1/2 from end of Dec.
I am thinking of starting Alcohol and Amino Acid dosing after I get the parameters stable for a couple weeks.
***One item to note that makes me curious...I have no nuisance algae or noticable particulates in the water column, but i have some small air bubbles on some of the rocks (more noticable towards end of light cycle) and I have some corals that are fading color and losing polyp extension (but no tissue loss)...I would think this has to do with nitrates or phosphates, but isn't nuisance algae a common result of high levels of those two?
I think I need to do some more reading of threads in the SPS forum.
I just find it hard to believe that I have some of these parameters this morning
Ca - 360 - interesting since i have the calcium reactor online
Mag - 1020 - I have dosed this over the last week and it will not budge
dKH - 10.6 - This has fluctuated since i have been dialing in the kalk and calcium (would like it at 8ish)
Salinity - 1.025 - Good
pH - 8.15 - 2am it was 8.43, so i know CO2 is getting pumped into the system. The effluent is around 6.65 and has a flow of 150ml/min.
ORP - 355
Nitrate - 10ish - This is down by 1/2 from end of Dec.
I am thinking of starting Alcohol and Amino Acid dosing after I get the parameters stable for a couple weeks.
***One item to note that makes me curious...I have no nuisance algae or noticable particulates in the water column, but i have some small air bubbles on some of the rocks (more noticable towards end of light cycle) and I have some corals that are fading color and losing polyp extension (but no tissue loss)...I would think this has to do with nitrates or phosphates, but isn't nuisance algae a common result of high levels of those two?
I think I need to do some more reading of threads in the SPS forum.
Reefaquariumnut
Premium Member
replied.
Reefaquariumnut
Premium Member
I have a couple quick questions on my calcium reactor...
1) I am running Gen-X media (large branch type)...what should the chamber pH be?
2) I have a bubble counter on the CO2 bottle and it looks like i have a bubble counter on the reactor...which on do i base my bubble count on?
3) I am running the effluent at like 150ml/min...is that too much?
4) should there be a million tiny bubbles running through my reactor body (from the bottom up through the media)?
1) I am running Gen-X media (large branch type)...what should the chamber pH be?
2) I have a bubble counter on the CO2 bottle and it looks like i have a bubble counter on the reactor...which on do i base my bubble count on?
3) I am running the effluent at like 150ml/min...is that too much?
4) should there be a million tiny bubbles running through my reactor body (from the bottom up through the media)?
tgunn
Active member
Tip (Jonathan will probably mention this if I dont): Soak the Gen-X large media for a couple days in RO/DI water, changing a couple times a day. This will help get out any phosphates that might be lingering in the media.
I ran my media at 6.7 and it seemed to work pretty well.
Both bubble counters should be pretty much the same; just keep consistent in which one you're using and you'll be fine.
I don't know about the effluent rate; it depends on how much CA/ALK your tank demands.
The bubbles are generally the CO2. This effect will likely dissipate somewhat over time as the air that was in the reactor when you started bleeds out.
Tyler
Reefaquariumnut
Premium Member
The bubbles have been like that since the start and have never stopped.
I am running my body pH at like 6.7 +/-
The bubbles on the CO2 bottle are like 100bpm. anything less and it seems not to get the pH down enough coming out of the effluent. I guess I could slow down the effluent to a dribble. I am dosing in the meantime with two-part and magnesium. My dKH still is hanging around 10.4 and can't seem to get it down.
Maybe i need a new calcium reactor...Remember this is the one from Scott (Spazz)...LOL. None of his stuff seem to work as advertsed.
Maybe Deltec Calcium and Kalk reactors...or Geo.
I am running my body pH at like 6.7 +/-
The bubbles on the CO2 bottle are like 100bpm. anything less and it seems not to get the pH down enough coming out of the effluent. I guess I could slow down the effluent to a dribble. I am dosing in the meantime with two-part and magnesium. My dKH still is hanging around 10.4 and can't seem to get it down.
Maybe i need a new calcium reactor...Remember this is the one from Scott (Spazz)...LOL. None of his stuff seem to work as advertsed.
Maybe Deltec Calcium and Kalk reactors...or Geo.
tgunn
Active member
Are you using a pH controller to control the CO2 injection?
6.7 sounds decent; I believe you can push this media to around 6.5 as well. I always found 6.7 worked reasonably well for me -- too much more and the media started to get a bit mushy for my liking.
You mentioned previously you'd like to get Alk down to around 8dKH. The best way to do that would be to shut down the Ca reactor and let the alk fall down to where you'd like it. Once you'be got that where you want it, use the Calcium part of the 2-part to bring the Ca back up to where you'd like it. Make sure to bring the Mg up as well.
Once you've got your levels where you want them, then it's time to get the reactor running to maintain the levels.
A good sanity check is to test the Alkalinity of your reactor effluent if you're not sure of things. It should read around 20-34 dKH. Since this is higher than the range of test kits like the Salifert, just refill the syringe and keep dripping until you get the color change. Use the total mL of reagant to figure out the Alk.
It sounds to me like your reactor is probably working fine. Reactors don't seem to be as finicky as skimmers luckily. My reactor is not pretty looking but it does the job.
Tyler
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