SaraB's 268 Gallon Build¦ Try #3!
- Thread starter SaraB
- Start date
BenjieC
New member
SaraB
Coral Killer
You mean the upper left? That's a magnetic reef shelf to hold a couple of chalice pieces. I have 3 of them on the back of my 268G display as well.
SaraB
Coral Killer
You know I have a generator on an automatic transfer switch. It's this wacky Aquamedic dosing pump that shuts down on just a blip in the power is all.
Nope, won't make the meeting as I'm heading over to the Midwest Marine Conference in Michigan this weekend.
SaraB
Coral Killer
SaraB
Coral Killer
I'm pretty much at my wits-end with my display :uzi: The hair algae is winning and I've started to lose my SPS mini colonies overnight to RTN ... they look fine in the evening and white at noon when the lights come on.
Granted, I feed alot and add nutrients all on my own
I'm also working on removing my 12" DSB from the 75G Refugium and also the crushed coral bed from my frag tank as I think they have become detritus catchers and nutrient sinks. I've been changing out carbon weekly for about 2 months and also changing out my GFO every 3 weeks. I also added 3 large bags of Chemi-pure to the sump last night just for good measure.
I've been testing my parameters over the last 5 weeks and they have not fluctuated a whole lot. I'm dosing BRS 2-Part and I'm also using Tech M to try and raise my Mg levels. I also use a Kalk Reactor for top-off 24/7.
Here's what I came up with tonight from my system:
Calcium CA 380
Magnesium 1200
8.8 KH
I just started on my 3rd bucket of the new Tropic Marin Bio-Actif salt and it had me thinking that it was a recent change. Has anyone else used this salt? All I hear are good reviews, but I'm just really frustrated with the parameter reads I just got from some freshly mixed up salt (mixed yesterday) at 1.025 salinity. These are my results using Salifert test kits. Yes, I've ordered up all new test kits today from Premium and hopefully they arrive tomorrow and I'm trying some La Motte and Elos.
Calcium CA 380
Magnesium 1050
6.3 KH
I don't see what salinity Reef Builders mixed it to when testing, but this is what they got:
Calcium CA 442 PPM
Magnesium 1348 PPM
8 KH
I'm just surprised that I'm seeing such a large difference and it may explain why I've had to dose more to keep up.
I leave on vacation on Sunday and I'm not sure what shape the tank will be in when I return ... sometimes I really am frustrated by this hobby that seems more like a chore to me for the last year :hmm3:
Enough of my rant!
Granted, I feed alot and add nutrients all on my own
I'm also working on removing my 12" DSB from the 75G Refugium and also the crushed coral bed from my frag tank as I think they have become detritus catchers and nutrient sinks. I've been changing out carbon weekly for about 2 months and also changing out my GFO every 3 weeks. I also added 3 large bags of Chemi-pure to the sump last night just for good measure.I've been testing my parameters over the last 5 weeks and they have not fluctuated a whole lot. I'm dosing BRS 2-Part and I'm also using Tech M to try and raise my Mg levels. I also use a Kalk Reactor for top-off 24/7.
Here's what I came up with tonight from my system:
Calcium CA 380
Magnesium 1200
8.8 KH
I just started on my 3rd bucket of the new Tropic Marin Bio-Actif salt and it had me thinking that it was a recent change. Has anyone else used this salt? All I hear are good reviews, but I'm just really frustrated with the parameter reads I just got from some freshly mixed up salt (mixed yesterday) at 1.025 salinity. These are my results using Salifert test kits. Yes, I've ordered up all new test kits today from Premium and hopefully they arrive tomorrow and I'm trying some La Motte and Elos.
Calcium CA 380
Magnesium 1050
6.3 KH
I don't see what salinity Reef Builders mixed it to when testing, but this is what they got:
Calcium CA 442 PPM
Magnesium 1348 PPM
8 KH
I'm just surprised that I'm seeing such a large difference and it may explain why I've had to dose more to keep up.
I leave on vacation on Sunday and I'm not sure what shape the tank will be in when I return ... sometimes I really am frustrated by this hobby that seems more like a chore to me for the last year :hmm3:
Enough of my rant!
aquaph8
Love The Fish
Hang in there with the hair algae. It can be a pain but once you figure it all out it will be alot easier later. Soon as you finish with the hair algae it will be something else though. Its just one big learning experience everytime you turn around. In a way thats the fun part though, If it was easy everyone would do it. I read through your whole thread and your tank is amazing. Hang in there and it will all pay off in the end.
DanW
Certified Stick Killer
:sad2: Darn Sara, I'm sorry to hear that the hair algae war is not going well. Once that stuff gets a hold it is tough to eradicate. The difference with the salt parameter readings is pretty significant have those low readings been pretty consistent from bucket to bucket? I feel your pain as when there is a downer event sometimes the hobby feels like a choir but think back on the good times and how happy the tank made you feel. Hang in there Sara, you're an experienced reefer and you'll get this thing beat"¦we're pulling for ya. Hope you can squeeze in a short visit next week"¦prepare to be underwhelmed 
Good luck Sara. Go get a whole bunch on Tech M and run your mg around 1450-1500 for a few weeks and see what that does. I would also cut back your feedings to 1-2x daily. Fighting the same problems for long period of times is never fun as you question everything you have done or will think of doing.
Sara - sorry to hear ... Have you thought about experimenting with either liquid or solid carbon dosing? You'll still need to manually extract as much of the GHA in the meantime though ... 
I've been through what you're going through so hang in there! (still haven't eradicated all of my GHA ... grrrrrrr)
I've been through what you're going through so hang in there! (still haven't eradicated all of my GHA ... grrrrrrr)
pookstreet
Registered Stick Killer
Hang in there, Sara. Have a fun and safe trip! 
SaraB
Coral Killer
Thanks all for the encouragement to hang in there, I appreciate that very much.
Last weekend the local club had a speaker on carbon dosing and i'm seriously considering trying that. Just trying to decide between Pridibio or VGV with a dosing pump off my newly installed Aquatronica controller. The acro deaths just started last Saturday, so I'm going to work with Gary next weekend on a plan of attack for the system to include more manual HA removal and sandbed removals.
Phosphates have been at .04 on the Hanna thanks to the algae uptake!
Right now I'm working on vacation and our boat ride over to Catalina Island for the night and a spa
Last weekend the local club had a speaker on carbon dosing and i'm seriously considering trying that. Just trying to decide between Pridibio or VGV with a dosing pump off my newly installed Aquatronica controller. The acro deaths just started last Saturday, so I'm going to work with Gary next weekend on a plan of attack for the system to include more manual HA removal and sandbed removals.
Phosphates have been at .04 on the Hanna thanks to the algae uptake!
Right now I'm working on vacation and our boat ride over to Catalina Island for the night and a spa
DanW
Certified Stick Killer
Ah I see. I've been a TMP user for the most part since I started mixing my own and I sometimes get odd readings from the same bucket. I suppose that the ingredients weren't completely mixed within the bucket and since I make about 30g at at time I scooped out some unmixed portion. I wish I had the ability (room) to mix 200g at a time...that would be sweet. Hope there's no "June Gloom" on the island but even if there is it will probably burn off by the afternoon.Dan- I forgot to mention that this was the first bucket of the Bio-Actif salt I tested. Guess I got lazy after so many years of using Tropic Marin salt.
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