Hope you guys have a great time! I'm sure the tank will be fine until you return. Wishing you safe travels and great weather.
Owners Thread: Innovative Marine Fusion 40
- Thread starter Mr2KiEu
- Start date
Hope you guys have a great time! I'm sure the tank will be fine until you return. Wishing you safe travels and great weather.
I'm glad you guys brought that up. I just noticed three of those little pea-sized white balls for the first time today right around where the Nerites have been spending most of their time. Think I need to try and get those out somehow?
Hate to hear about the lost shrimp, too. I agree with Reduck on double-checking or suspecting the alkalinity. I'm averaging 9.07 dKH, with a low of 8.12 and a high of 9.97. What I've read seems to suggest that anywhere between 6 and 11 is tolerable.
I actually did an "emergency" series of lab tests this evening, too, after my black-and-white clown started acting extremely stressed. Everything checked out perfectly, and now a few hours later he's looking fine again, so maybe the first day of lights out just has him a little freaked out. Was worried that maybe the cyano & algae dying off had caused ammonia and/or nitrites to spike, but they're still immeasurable. Planning to do another water change after day 3 concludes.
Reduck
Because I can....
Pea size? Usually pretty tiny globs more than pea size.
You can remove them, or let the fish eat them.. Some snails leave a very distinct pattern of eggs when they lay. Seems like Nerites don't follow this tradition. Mine just randomly leave them on the back wall or glass...
choss
New member
To be honest, I just started testing for ALK and calcium recently. Since all my other parameters were looking solid (basically no amonia, nitrates, nitrite, and PH 8.2), I had it double checked I at my LFS. I was dripping Kalkwasser fairly regularly so its possible that i pushed it too high. I'm going to cut back on kalk until i get a better reading. I'll check the parameters again tonight with my test kit. I'm also doing a second water change today. I prefer not to do too many gallons at once so doing 10% for a few days in a row to see if things come back in line.
I will check the FSW as well. that's a great idea.
choss
New member
Salifert test kit. I have to say, its not the easiest to use.
choss
New member
I left my deposits alone - I think they disappear over time. They almost look like small calcium disks. They don't move around so I was never worried about them and all the snails do this (I have 6 of them).
choss
New member
did a bit of research and Randy's article suggests my situation is easy to correct:
"Zone 1 is the easiest problem to correct. Unfortunately, it is also very uncommon. In this case, both calcium and alkalinity are on the high side of normal. Moreover, if you leave the tank alone, the problem will likely correct itself, and you will end up in the red target zone (though you may also pass through it into zone 2 if you wait too long)."
I just re-tested my water and KH is down to 14 today so at least heading in the right direction. I'm wondering if water changes will help or hurt this progression? Maybe its best to leave things alone. My GSP is opening today so first sign that things may be heading in the right direction. On another note, the cyano issue really seems to be addressed. I'm liking the reboot a lot.
In pondering my recent issue, I will be testing KH ongoing. I also am wondering if it is the Kalk I used may be part of the problem. Not sure if it can go bad but I realized this morning I'm using Kalk that is 10+ teays old (was sealed but can this stuff get more concentrated I wonder?). Anyway, lesson learned. This tank is significantly more sensitive than my systems from the past.
"Zone 1 is the easiest problem to correct. Unfortunately, it is also very uncommon. In this case, both calcium and alkalinity are on the high side of normal. Moreover, if you leave the tank alone, the problem will likely correct itself, and you will end up in the red target zone (though you may also pass through it into zone 2 if you wait too long)."
I just re-tested my water and KH is down to 14 today so at least heading in the right direction. I'm wondering if water changes will help or hurt this progression? Maybe its best to leave things alone. My GSP is opening today so first sign that things may be heading in the right direction. On another note, the cyano issue really seems to be addressed. I'm liking the reboot a lot.
In pondering my recent issue, I will be testing KH ongoing. I also am wondering if it is the Kalk I used may be part of the problem. Not sure if it can go bad but I realized this morning I'm using Kalk that is 10+ teays old (was sealed but can this stuff get more concentrated I wonder?). Anyway, lesson learned. This tank is significantly more sensitive than my systems from the past.
Reduck
Because I can....
Yea. that article explains a lot. I've read it many times in the past year for reference.
Water changes will help stabilize everything as long as the FSW is not adding to your issue. Test it to make sure. Like I mentioned, I have had some real bad mixes that threw everything off. It took weeks to get it back to normal.
It is possible that the kalk is more concentrated that you expected, but not due to aging. I've read that most additives are fairly inert and can last for years. You can only get to a maximum concentration and then the kalk mix won't get any stronger. Though if your ATO container is evaporating heavily, it may concentrate a little more than you expected.
I'd lower the concentration by adding more rodi to the mix for now and let the tank settle back down. I'd also test alk and cal every couple days and watch the consumption rate. This will help you set your dosing levels in the future.
Even still, the tank requirements will change as you add new corals and livestock. Keep up your testing regime. It will work out.
Personally, I gave up on kalk due to similar inconsistencies. I have read too many horror stories about failing atos, or pump controllers killing tanks. OTOH some reefers love it. Its just not for me.
Thats when I started 2 part dosing. While it took time to get everything balanced, it virtually goes on auto pilot. I test the tank maybe twice a month and make very small adjustments, then let it go.
I do test every batch of FSW though.
Fool me once...
choss
New member
Solid advice. Will test the FSW tonight when I get home. I started this tank trying to hold true to what worked for me many years ago. Kalkwasser never let me down but I had about 35 gallons of volume and much heavier (and bigger) corals, clams etc. Even though I'm dosing a fraction of the amount, its probably just too much. I'm going to test as you suggest and then bring the kalk slowy back online once things are stable. Testing should get me to a sweet spot. But will consider the two part. I know a lot of people swear by it. Might be time for me to adopt a few new tricks. :strange:
I used kalk for a while, then my tank crashed while I was traveling last year and decided to switch to a controller and 2 part. With kalk there are two many variables for me. Evaporation can change and you will see a fluctuation in the amount of kalk in your tank. I have dialed in my 2 part and only make adjustments after adding coral and seeing what my tank needs.
I am a big supporter of no sudden changes and believe a lot of times the tank will correct itself with the right amount of wc and patience. Good luck!!
Thanks! I hope we have a great time as well. My parents are coming along to babysit
. I am one of those people that don't get excited until wheels are up and drink is in hand. Though this is going to be an amazing two weeks and just feel blessed we are able to do something like this.
I am a big supporter of no sudden changes and believe a lot of times the tank will correct itself with the right amount of wc and patience. Good luck!!
Thanks! I hope we have a great time as well. My parents are coming along to babysit
. I am one of those people that don't get excited until wheels are up and drink is in hand. Though this is going to be an amazing two weeks and just feel blessed we are able to do something like this.I'm using the Hanna checker for alkalinity and Seachem for calcium and magnesium. Basically just went through the Mr. Saltwater Tank guide on test kits and ordered whatever he recommended for each one all in one big order. Didn't really do much research beyond that. So far my tests have all made sense - in other words they haven't given me any wild readings. I started to question the Hanna phosphate results consistently reading zero... until I started seeing some algae and 0.08ppm on the colorimeter!
I'm tempted to get one of those 3-packs of "professional" lab analyses that Reduck mentioned a month or so ago in this thread and use one for a baseline, then use the others any time I make a major change or when I feel like something isn't right with a test kit.
You also might think about grabbing an alternative to the Salifert. Not that Salifert is bad - that's what I'm using for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate - just a different brand to essentially get a second opinion on those results since the results are coming back quite high.
Somewhat related, at work we do some sterile drug compounding and have to send off samples of every batch for sterility, potency, and endotoxin testing. I can think of two different times that the first round of results on samples came back indicating endotoxins present. That'll definitely get your attention... When that happens, that lab completely re-performs the test and we send a sample out of the same batch to a different lab. Thankfully our results have always been false positives related to improper procedures being used in the analytical lab. Point being, with our tanks we're using hobby-grade test kits and even the pros using state-of-the-art equipment sometimes get bad results.
I'd probably go with Bizacon and not make any major changes, wait and see what happens after a water change (after making sure your FSW isn't part of the problem like Reduck mentioned!), and also get a second opinion on that Salifert. FWIW, the Hanna colorimeter is super simple for checking alkalinity.
Same here. They either dissolved or got eaten at some point today. I had three of them the size of small peas, spread out over the back wall in the general vicinity of where those guys seem to like to hang out.
Between the snails and the lights-out, the tank is getting back to normal. Thanks for all the advice everyone!
Would love some lighting tips ... I have a few small colonies of Zoa's ... under one Radion light which was at 60% power. I noticed that a couple higher-up colonies were fading in color, yet one lower colony is really straining and has 3/4" stalks and longer fringes. I concluded that the light is probably not bright enough, but no improvement after a week. Any tips? All show irredescence under the blue light, but some more than others ... is there a magic formula? All have been in the tank for several weeks / months .. GSP is growing really well on back wall and mushrooms / lower light colony of GSP thriving. Any ideas? Should I reduce certain light colors or lower intensity? The light is on at varying strengths for 12 hours - is that too long?
So to go back a bit, I mentioned that I saw a sharp pH increase last time I changed my filter media but couldn't pinpoint it or explain it. Forgot to mention it, but over the weekend I changed out the bag of BRS Rox carbon again. That's unquestionably what caused the pH swing, as it did it again. This time the only thing I changed out was the carbon. Wore nitrile gloves from the time I pulled the basket out of the tank until I reinserted it. Rinsed a BPA-free plastic bowl out with RODI water to carry the basket in and hold it while I was changing the carbon. Dumped the old carbon in the trash, poured fresh carbon into the same sock, rinsed it under RODI water for ~ 1 minute, placed the bag back in the basket and the basket back in the tank.
This time I followed Bizacon's advice and just waited it out instead of adding vinegar. Within a few hours the pH was back to normal.
Totally baffled on this one. This is my second container of BRS carbon and I definitely didn't see any changes at all with the first container. Haven't changed anything in my replenishment process, and I've narrowed it down to the carbon definitely being responsible for the pH change. Doesn't make any sense though. Since it doesn't seem to be causing any real damage, I think I'll probably use up what I have left. But it doesn't give me a warm fuzzy feeling about that particular brand of carbon... although I have to admit that it's amazingly "clean" with virtually zero dust.
Anybody have another brand they really like? Preferably one that's really clean.
This time I followed Bizacon's advice and just waited it out instead of adding vinegar. Within a few hours the pH was back to normal.
Totally baffled on this one. This is my second container of BRS carbon and I definitely didn't see any changes at all with the first container. Haven't changed anything in my replenishment process, and I've narrowed it down to the carbon definitely being responsible for the pH change. Doesn't make any sense though. Since it doesn't seem to be causing any real damage, I think I'll probably use up what I have left. But it doesn't give me a warm fuzzy feeling about that particular brand of carbon... although I have to admit that it's amazingly "clean" with virtually zero dust.
Anybody have another brand they really like? Preferably one that's really clean.
choss
New member
I used kalk for a while, then my tank crashed while I was traveling last year and decided to switch to a controller and 2 part. With kalk there are two many variables for me. Evaporation can change and you will see a fluctuation in the amount of kalk in your tank. I have dialed in my 2 part and only make adjustments after adding coral and seeing what my tank needs.
I am a big supporter of no sudden changes and believe a lot of times the tank will correct itself with the right amount of wc and patience. Good luck!!
Thanks! I hope we have a great time as well. My parents are coming along to babysit
Yeah I'm gonna let the tank settle and correct itself. Good luck on your trip. By the way I just noticed you are in Westchester NY. I am as well.
Cheers and safe travels.
Reduck
Because I can....
which radion are you using? x15 or 30? How are you controlling it?
Sorry. I don't remember what you are using.
It has a lot to do with how i'd answer your question.
Basically though, up to 6 hours of full sun should be plenty to grow your tank. Much more than that and you'll probably start seeing algae growth.
So 12k-14k should be your daylight setting for at least a couple hours daily. You can ramp up to that and ramp down from that for the remainder of your schedule.
The iridescence you are seeing is most likely from the UV LEDs.
First thing first though..are water parameters all good?
Reduck
Because I can....
stunning! Nice work!
choss
New member
Updated pic of my 40
wow - amazing tank. How long has it been running? Nice work!
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