Root of my frustration

[Pickupman66]

So as many know, I have been behind on what seems like EVERYTHING on my tank. it has been a terrible battle and just after the swap, I was about to sell the entire setup and rip it out. I was so MAD!!!!!! My tank had become overrun with Hair Algae and was so UGLY, I didnt want to look at it. the ONLY thing that kept me into it was the fish, and barely.

well I stepped out on a limb and bought some Algae fix. I had overstripped the phosphate with the GFO so I knew this could be the last ditch effort.

well, what do you know, I can look at my tank and see potential again. Here are some photos

This is what Bart called the Tinkerbell. as of today, it is the only SPS that is growing, and it is doing so DAILY.

FTS

 

[Jennifier615]

Cool, don't get discouraged youre too good for that

 

[Pickupman66]

Thanks Jen. you can see some of the remaining HA in some of the shots. it is almost grey and does come off pretty easily. we are getting there. I have also resolved that I wont buy any pretties for the tank until June. this way I can tinker with it, learn it a bit more and refine the steadyness.

 

[zukmancdr]

we had brown hair algae real bad. I found out Jen was using DT. We stopped using it and it went away.

 

[Pickupman66]

Also, can anyone ID this Zoa. it was found on the bottom of the Pacific East tank as Jay and I were draining it. it is very pink.

 

[zukmancdr]

they might be these
http://www.zoaid.com/index.php?module=Gallery2&g2_itemId=2188

 

[Pickupman66]

they are much more pink

 

[NeedBiggerTank]

Is the Sohal camera shy? I don't see him in any of your tank shots above?

 

[josh_tn]

Hang in there man. I know what you mean, mine was very frustrating for quite some time. I still don't fully understand what exactly caused my problems but things are finally doing good and I actually enjoy looking at mine again. Maybe its something in this Tim's Ford water
You have a great setup and I have no doubt that your tank will be amazing when you get everything worked out.

 

[poolkeeper1]

It will all pass and you will look back and laugh at how you got so upset over just the normal issues we all have from time to time. Nothing good happens fast in this hobby you must have patience to be successful and you will overcome all the problems that pop up from time to time.
I felt the same way when i realised i let bugs get into my tank for the first time ever in all the years i have had Reef tanks i never had bugs and I wanted to just quit and toss it all in the trash! But glads i did not do that as any problem can be fixed, It just takes Patience and you win every time.
JMHO
Bill

 

[Pickupman66]

Jennie, full tank shot, top left overflow is boss. He is not camera shy. I have to sit and wait for his fat butt to get outa the way on almost every shot.

 

[orthokardia]

got to love algae fix marine. saved my butt also. good luck Lindsey both on the tank and on no prettys till jun

 

[SmyrnaReefer]

i need a frag when they grow up....

Also, can anyone ID this Zoa. it was found on the bottom of the Pacific East tank as Jay and I were draining it. it is very pink.

 

[Pickupman66]

Jay, Absolutely... how are yours doing that you found?

 

[GT_Jacket]

Are you still running the coil denitrator since you added the pellet reactor?

 

[Pickupman66]

Brett, I actually just had the heart to unplug it last night from the manifold. ill pull it out and drain it tonight.

 

[GT_Jacket]

I would try to wean yourself off of the GFO also. Are you using a bac source (MB7, ZeoBak, etc) with the pellets?

 

[commodore]

"Overstripped" phosphate

"Overstripped" phosphate

When you say you had overstripped phosphate using a GFO reactor, what do you mean? Is it a problem to remove too much phosphate? I thought that was a good thing. Thanks

 

[GT_Jacket]

0.0000000 is great for algae control but corals prefer just a touch. < .03 usually keeps you out of trouble even though I shoot for 0.00 on my hanna checker and assume there is some PO4 in there.

 

[pelagic7]

I got the phosphorus checker. this is what I found

when it gets to around 10-15ppb, it doesn't matter anymore.. I stopped testing it, I started to look at the algae growth on the front panel glass to determine the flow for my GFO reactor.