Restarting the Passion, Coming back to the Hobby!

[Josh40996]

I'm very jealous of your aquascape, its defiantly one of the better ones I have seen and your previous setup was very nice!

If your Ammonia and Nitrite have both hit zero and Nitrate have risen you should be good to go, you could add some more shrimp to see if the Ammonia or Nitrite rise but you should be good.

 

[Dartolution]

Josh, yea thats pretty much what I was thinking as well.

I am potentially going to be moving though here in the next few weeks, based on a decision i will make this weekend regarding a job opportunity in south florida. We shall see... This build may have to be relocated ~700 miles south of me.

 

[Dartolution]

So, no major updates yet other than something weird with my phosphate level.
The tank is completely cycled now, showing no Ammonia, Nitrite, and very little detectable Nitrate according to this API kit.

My phosphate level originally when tested was .14ppm on 7-28, and now checking it twice tonight it is showing .07ppm as of 8-3
Its interesting how it dropped that much with no addition of any nutrient reducing media or water change.

When cycling a new tank, does anyone feel the need to do a double cycle?

 

[Dartolution]

Curiosity

Curiosity

An update for the tank:


Interestingly my phosphate levels have dropped to 0.00ppm according to Hanna.

What I am curious about is that the first test revealed 0.03ppm, then the second two tests revealed 0.00ppm. Coming from a science background I always measure everything three times then take the mean. Due to the last two measurements being 0 I wonder if the first test simply had dust in it or what...
Anyone have this happen?


Currently Im having a lovely hair algae outbreak... strands up to 9inches long... its "great." So I suppose even the RODI rinses with the dry rock did not completely rinse all the phosphate out of the dry rock. And with the hanna kit saying they are 0 I'm sure that the hair algae is consuming it before it builds up to measurable quantities.

In the meantime, since my last update I added 1 bay scallop to continue to feed the bacterial populations without any noticeable jump in ammonia or nitrite.
I also added a red firefish, royal gramma, 3 heads of duncanopsamia axifuga, frag of blue haliclona sponge, and a blue/purple ricordia florida.

Pics:

Duncans, notice the hair algae! :uhoh2:

Blue Haliclona, which has generated "feelers" and attached itself to the rock in the back. Additionally, a small 1cm piece broke off when I added it to the system and it has since attached itself where it landed with "feelers." It also has produced noticeable "funnel" tissue that is expanding and contracting (assuming this is feeding behavior). I have read a lot of reports about mixed success with this species and also mixed reports about it being partially photosynthetic. It is in a shaded overhand area for now... any experience with this species is greatly appreciated. I do plan on using KZ sponge power to this system, but am NOT at this present time.

Blue/Purple/Green Ricordia... Dunno why it appears more green tipped in this picture:

Mr. Red Firefish, who is in great health and super relaxed.

Royal Gramma, which I didn't plan to add one of these guys but when I saw him at my LFS and how tiny he was I decided why not. he's only about 3/4 inch.

Thats all for now.
Ive decided on a Reef Breeders Photon 32 for lighting with a custom layout which can be found in the lighting filtration and equipment forum. But for now I am just running the two T5's.

 

[Dartolution]

Update 9.13.14

Update 9.13.14

So, the tank has been on autopilot for the last couple of weeks pretty much other than adding top off water due to a busy work schedule.

I managed to get a decent cleaning crew of mexican red legs, blue legs, and various types of snails including a nice big 5 year old abalone and they have done a wonderful job cleaning up any hair algae that had bloomed.

Im only having to clean the glass about once a week and its light growth then.

No SPS yet, but I did pick up a few more corals and fish I thought Id share:

Softies but a favorite:
Clauvaria

Awesome bi-colored Euphyillia ancora:

Blackline Fang Blenny from ORA:

Shareknose Goby from ORA:

Phosphates have risen to .18ppm (triple check on Hannameter) which I am not happy about and need to to some tank maintenance.

 

[Dartolution]

Update 10.6.14

Update 10.6.14

Not much has changed other than the emergence of a strange SPS coral from the Clauvaria colony.

Phosphates are testing 0ppm with Hanna and I haven't really been able to get them to rise any for some reason. Tested three times with new reagent packs to make sure.

Ca: ~450ppm (RedSea PRO)
Alk: 8.5-9.0dKH (RedSea PRO)
Mg: ~1600-1700ppm (RedSea PRO) - dunno why so high I think its the reef crystals
Salinity: 1.026
pH: 8.0-8.3

Here is a pic of this hitch hiker coral:

Leptoseris maybe?

Other inhabitants tonight

 

[sahin]

Nice tank! Really like your final scape. Keep up the good work and update soon.

 

[Dartolution]

Sahin, thank you.


Went by my LFS this weekend and picked up a couple newbies.

ORA Acro Tri-Color

ORA Red Goniopora (geese these things are expensive!)

Didn't plan to get the Tricolor but decided to give it a go anyway.
I still have not put my final lighting on this system and right now am just running 2 T5's. A KZ fiji purple and a RedSea Reef-Spec Bluewhite (15,000K) in an old fishneedit fixture. Cheap right now.
However, despite the cheap fixture and bulk choice everything has been doing quite well and growing nicely, including the hitchhiker Leptoseris which has plated nicely since its arrival and begun to turn more red than brown with neon green mouths.

 

[sahin]

Nice additions! Love the Goni. I'm after a small one myself to place on the sandbed. Love how Goni's sway with the current.

 

[Dartolution]

3 weeks later

3 weeks later

So, I have been monitoring my Ca/ALK/PO4 levels closely over the past few weeks and for some reason I can NOT get my phosphate level up at all! Ive been feeding more heavily (PE mysis & Seachem NutriDiet Chorella Flakes) for the fish and still no luck.

I tested my PO4 with the Hanna test 3 times, with a fresh reagent packet each time and my reading is still 0.00ppm.

The only thing I contribute this to is the use of Carbon and skimming. Probably still needing to feed more heavily.

So, tonight I removed the carbon from the down flow reactor and did maintenance on my skimmer (NWB110). Hopefully I'll start seeing a little more PO4 in combination with heavier feedings.

The reason I bring this up is my ORA tricolor has been growing and is encrusting on the neighboring rock work but its beginning to become pale brown and not have very vibrant tips. I also thing lighting is a possibility(albeit probability).

Here is a three week growth shot of it tonight:

As you can see, there is less color, less polyp extension but growth still.
There is a LOT of PE at night. once the lights go off it extends the polyps quite a bit.
Its about 8 inches directly under the (2) T5 bulbs I have right now, a KZ fiji purple and a ReefSpect 15K from Red Sea.
I still do plan to get the ReefPhoton from reef breeders in combination with the 2 T5's but haven't had the funds available lately due to a series of events.

What do you guys thing? Lighting? Nutrients? both?


Water Specs are:

Salinity: 1.026
pH: 8.0-8.4
Ca: 460ppm
Alk: 8.5dKH
PO4: 0.00ppm (hanna)
Nitrate: 0ppm (AP)
Mg: 1600... usually runs high (Im using Reef Crystals at the moment but plan to change).

I am not having to clean my glass but every 5-7 days and even then its fairly light to moderate algae growth.

The trochus snails must have spawned because I have about 30-50 baby banded trochus everywhere eating all day. Plus, I have what appears to be baby abalone or stomatella snails as well, lots of those.
The LPS are doing wonderfully and the red flowerpot has doubled in size easily.

the only corals that aren't happy right now are my ricordia (out but not as full as usual) and my Clauvaria are looking rather nutrient deprived these days.. the tips of the "flower" are burnt looking and the corals is expanding and contracting all day, it looks very irritated.

 

[sahin]

Keep up the water changes, feed the fishes very well and keep parameters stable. Hopefully the corals will colour up.

 

[Dartolution]

Update 11.16.14

Update 11.16.14

A few new additions but no SPS yet, still working on raising PO4 and NO3 levels.

The current tank parameters are:

Specific Gravity: 1.026
pH: 8.3
Nitrate: 0ppm (undetectable) [API]
PO4: 0ppm (hanna)
Ca: 450ppm
dKH: 8.1
Mg: 1500-1600 ppm *red sea* I test three times and always get slightly different results....

I have been feeding more heavily for the past two weeks to try to raise nutrients to no avail.
However a week ago I picked up some AquaVitro Fuel at my LFS to help with coloration and add back what is being skimmed out.
I have noticed tonight that the Valida is coloring up a little more on the tips turning more purple than last week... Not sure if this is because of the Fuel or additional feedings or both but thats good news either way.

I still am running NO carbon and the tank is starting to smell slightly fishy...
Purigen? suggestions?

 

[basser1]

You know what's funny??

People with SPS strive for zero or close P04 levels, and here you are trying to get some!

Go figure.......

 

[Dartolution]

I was very careful with this build. I have dealt with high PO4 levels before and its a pain in the rump.
So I made sure to try and eliminate sources as much as possible.
Especially when it came to rock work. I used BRS pukani and did RODI rinses for weeks before building. I feel like this helped tremendously with PO4 release.

However now, haha... it would have been a good thing.

The only filtration I have other than biological right now is a NWB110 skimmer and a filter sock.

 

[Dartolution]

Update 12.7.14

Update 12.7.14

So, Im still having issues raising my PO4 / NO3 levels...
Ive been feeding heavily with PE mysis, Amino Acids from Aquavitro Fuel, and Oyster feast still with no increase in nutrients.

Still feeding 3ML daily of Fuel
2.5 ML Oyster Feast daily

PE mysis / Clorella flakes daily.


I have noticed the color on my LPS and Acro getting much better and richer.
Its hard to capture it in pictures on my iPhone but here are some from tonight.

Any suggestions are welcome.

LPS/SOFT

 

[kayak.nl]

If you are really keen on getting your po4 levels up why don't you use some in liquid form (or powder)

I'm currently using the triton method, but considered the dsr method and he sells it in liquid form.

When id had a planted tank i had po4 on an automatic doser.

But your corals seem to do fine so stick to your current routine i would say

Good work!

 

[markalot]

Acros look good, I don't think you should worry about PO4 levels at 0 and instead keep doing what you are doing by feeding on a regular basis. SPS don't really need measurable PO4 IMO, they need a constant source of food. PO4 is sometimes an indicator of food in the water but as long as you feed on a regular basis and make sure export is good enough to prevent a buildup then everything will work well. IMO

The fishy smell in my tank went away slowly and was finally gone at about the 4 month point. I used rock from an older tank, new sand, and still had to deal with the smell. Not sure what the heck causes it and no amount of carbon seemed to help.

 

[YoungREEFA]

Did you end up raising the output of the skimmer above water? I would think if you did it would be a whole lot more noisy.

 

[Dartolution]

hey,

I am monitoring the PO4 level closely but nothing is happening even with heavy feedings.

The skimmer is excellent at removing junk in the water, including detritus. When performing water changes, I just stir up my sump really good and keep a MJ1200 running in it and the skimmer cleans the entire sump of detritus in just about 30 mins or so...

I did raise the output up so that it is not below the water line, instead it is about half submerged and half emerged.

I can tell the nutrients are low because I do not have an excessive algae problem, just diatoms develop in the back of the tank on the sand bed after a few days, and a light dusting on the glass once a week.

I just need to get more light in the tank, right now I am only running 2 T5 bulbs still on a cheap fishneedit fixture.
From above the acro looks very good, from the side or front its harder to tell.

Ive refrained from adding anymore up until now because I wanted to get the water parameters stable and see how I can control nutrient flow. Im fairly pleased at how well the skimmer is working, and in the change of color and polyp extension since using oyster feast and fuel.

i have two acro colonys from live aquaria on the way as of monday, and a few more goodies from pacific east aquaculture as well.

 

[Dartolution]

Update 1-9-14

Update 1-9-14

So, everything is balancing out so far other than an annoying diatom issue that occurs about a week after a water change... My local water supply has a TON of silica in it, and I believe that the RODI unit is not removing all of it from the water even though my TDS meter shows 0ppm - .01ppm post DI.

No measurable phosphates still with hanna, nor Nitrates with API.

Performing bimonthly water changes with Reef Crystals for now...

Salinity 1.025-1.026
pH 8.1-8.4
CA 450-475
dKH 8.0-9.0 (having a swing issue until I can get a fixated schedule on 2 part
MG high.... still... its reef crystals
PO4 0 (hanna)
NO3 less than 5ppm (API)

Fish now include:
Firefish goby
Royal Gramma
Blackline fang blenny
Exquisite Fairy Wrasse
Solorensis Fairy Wrasse

I did have a catalina goby and two rainfordi gobies which I haven't seen in a few weeks The rainfordi's were pretty emaciated

Also got a couple of new acros... some are coloring up still.

Here are some crappy iPhone pictures for an update:

FTS:

New Acro from Bali

Aussie Acro that came in yellow but is coloring up to be green with blue tips looks like, time will tell

Acro group. The one on the far left is as brown as brown gets, and since I have lost about half that colony due to RTN, but after some extensive supergluing it has stopped and is growing over the superglue. Im seeing redish/pink tips and green coming through now.

Some LPS and my huge maxima I got locally!