So it begins, part two (120G)
- Thread starter carb850
- Start date
coralreefer
No Pistons
Spent half of last week looking for the software for my camera.Sure you beat me by a week, funny my photo is posted first.
My white rock is envious of yours, looks like you have a good deal more life than I. Not worry though, I'm sure my white rock will be covered in algae before long. hahaha
Unfortunately the life includes a nice macro outbreak right now.
Most of the really encrusted pieces are 9-10 years in tank live rock. The white rocks are some base pieces I had stored.
carb850
New member
Updated photo with both actinics and halides. Since I got the Kalk reactor online the Coraline has really exploded. The few frags I have are doing well and the Pink Stylo w/Blue Polyps is really taking off great. I have had a little GHA popping up but since I started using GFO it seems to be stablizing. All I'm saving for at this point is more frags and a Tunze 7096 controller.
Photo of my 30G with PC actinics only. I'm not liking the 10K Current bulb and like to replace it with something a bit less yellow before adding any coral. Being 150W DE the choices are limited but it will be a 14K bulb most likely such as a Hamilton or Phoenix. Also, I still don't have near enough flow in this tank so I hope to ad a Tunze 6025 when I can.
rsuplido
Member
Looking good Mike. Are you just using kalk to supplement calcium and alk or do you have a calcium reactor or doing 2-part as well?
Is that really a 30g? It looks smaller in proportion to the size of the Maxi-jet. I see Oceanic at the bottom right though which I guess makes it the same as what I am running. As for flow, how about a Vortech MP10 or MP20, and maybe some wave action.
Is that really a 30g? It looks smaller in proportion to the size of the Maxi-jet. I see Oceanic at the bottom right though which I guess makes it the same as what I am running. As for flow, how about a Vortech MP10 or MP20, and maybe some wave action.
carb850
New member
Kalk only at this point. According to my API test my calcuim level is 520! I hope it is wrong. What's a good number for Alk? I last measured 10.0.
I thought about a MP10 but not only is it $200 but also I fear it could be too much flow. I plan on keeping softies and LPS in the 30.
I thought about a MP10 but not only is it $200 but also I fear it could be too much flow. I plan on keeping softies and LPS in the 30.
carb850
New member
Long overdue update.
Fish
I'm proud to say all my fish are healthy and doing well. I been wanting to add more, especially to my 30 cube, but not until I get the GHA under control. Additional bioload will not help in any stretch.
Coral
My coral is doing fair for the most part. Some are encrusting and growing better than others but none have been lost in the longest time. I'm testing zero nitrates but I'm still having troubles believing that. It is possible though, if my nitrates are zero than it means my phosphates are high. Either way, I'm trying my best to get them down and hopefully my coral will color up more and grow faster.
GHA/Nitrates/Phosphates
Slowly the GHA has been growing in my tank. It's not completely out of control but getting near that level. I'm running RO/DI but I haven't checked the TDS for some time. Likely I need to replace the DI and actually probably time to change my RO membrane. If I test the RO water only, what should that level be before it hits the DI? The RO membrane is 2+ years old!
I still need to buy some different flake foods. Orr2003 posted a link of low phosphate dry foods, I need to get some of those. I did cut way back on the frozen immediately though. Right now I'm feeding IO Marine Chips most days with only the occasional frozen food day.
I think about 75% of my problems are husbandry issues. I have been told even before I started that proper husbandry cannot be overlooked and I did it anyhow. I'm not totally lazy on it but I have let some things go too long. One problem is blowing off my rock. A couple months ago I did this and was embarrassed how polluted the water column became. I have decent flow in the tank and thought that would go a long way in keeping detritus from settling in my rock but apparently not enough. It was horrible. Plus, with the GHA I have growing it was flying everywhere after getting dislodge by using the MJ1200. I was taking a fish net catching a lot. I have done this several times since and it gets considerably better each time. Now the flow on my 30cube is a different story. I don't have enough flow it in and not surprisingly it has the biggest GHA issue. Time for another powerhead me thinks.
While I doing monthly water changes a lot of detritus is settling in my sump during the month. I have started to siphon this out between changes. I need to do it at the very least weekly.
Also, while I'm so dreading it I think I need to remove my HDPE bottom. Way back in this thread I posted concerns about the detritus getting trapped underneath. Well, over time some more has gotten trapped. While it isn't a huge amount I do think it is probably enough to be contributing to my problems. So in the coming weeks I will need to remove all my rock, remove the HDPE, and hopefully get my rock back in a similar fashion to what I have currently. I love the aquascaping and hope to keep it similar after rebuild.
Chemistry
In another thread some time ago I posted issues with my Calcium being too high. I first noticed it when the sandbed of my 30 cube was setting up like concrete! This was probably back 5 months ago and I took my Kalk Reactor and Osmolator offline at that time. Since then, I have been topping my tank off by hand. My ATO is ran through the Reactor and the line from the Reactor to the tank is not long enough to stretch to the pump directly so I need to run another line. Anyhow, after taking the Kalk reactor offline my CA has slowly dropped from 520 down to 450. I suppose the CA from my water changes is enough to keep it at that level alone... My ALk on the other hand drops all the time. I started dosing Baking Soda with anywhere from 2-4 tablespoons a week (not all at once). This is maintaining my ALK in the 7.5 - 8.5 range but I'm wanting to get it up to 10 and keep it steady there.
My pH and Magnesium are all testing great. Since I don't have a phosphate test I have no idea what it is but I have a suspicion that it has been really high but hopefully dropping from some of the changes I have made.
Fish
I'm proud to say all my fish are healthy and doing well. I been wanting to add more, especially to my 30 cube, but not until I get the GHA under control. Additional bioload will not help in any stretch.
Coral
My coral is doing fair for the most part. Some are encrusting and growing better than others but none have been lost in the longest time. I'm testing zero nitrates but I'm still having troubles believing that. It is possible though, if my nitrates are zero than it means my phosphates are high. Either way, I'm trying my best to get them down and hopefully my coral will color up more and grow faster.
GHA/Nitrates/Phosphates
Slowly the GHA has been growing in my tank. It's not completely out of control but getting near that level. I'm running RO/DI but I haven't checked the TDS for some time. Likely I need to replace the DI and actually probably time to change my RO membrane. If I test the RO water only, what should that level be before it hits the DI? The RO membrane is 2+ years old!
I still need to buy some different flake foods. Orr2003 posted a link of low phosphate dry foods, I need to get some of those. I did cut way back on the frozen immediately though. Right now I'm feeding IO Marine Chips most days with only the occasional frozen food day.
I think about 75% of my problems are husbandry issues. I have been told even before I started that proper husbandry cannot be overlooked and I did it anyhow. I'm not totally lazy on it but I have let some things go too long. One problem is blowing off my rock. A couple months ago I did this and was embarrassed how polluted the water column became. I have decent flow in the tank and thought that would go a long way in keeping detritus from settling in my rock but apparently not enough. It was horrible. Plus, with the GHA I have growing it was flying everywhere after getting dislodge by using the MJ1200. I was taking a fish net catching a lot. I have done this several times since and it gets considerably better each time. Now the flow on my 30cube is a different story. I don't have enough flow it in and not surprisingly it has the biggest GHA issue. Time for another powerhead me thinks.
While I doing monthly water changes a lot of detritus is settling in my sump during the month. I have started to siphon this out between changes. I need to do it at the very least weekly.
Also, while I'm so dreading it I think I need to remove my HDPE bottom. Way back in this thread I posted concerns about the detritus getting trapped underneath. Well, over time some more has gotten trapped. While it isn't a huge amount I do think it is probably enough to be contributing to my problems. So in the coming weeks I will need to remove all my rock, remove the HDPE, and hopefully get my rock back in a similar fashion to what I have currently. I love the aquascaping and hope to keep it similar after rebuild.
Chemistry
In another thread some time ago I posted issues with my Calcium being too high. I first noticed it when the sandbed of my 30 cube was setting up like concrete! This was probably back 5 months ago and I took my Kalk Reactor and Osmolator offline at that time. Since then, I have been topping my tank off by hand. My ATO is ran through the Reactor and the line from the Reactor to the tank is not long enough to stretch to the pump directly so I need to run another line. Anyhow, after taking the Kalk reactor offline my CA has slowly dropped from 520 down to 450. I suppose the CA from my water changes is enough to keep it at that level alone... My ALk on the other hand drops all the time. I started dosing Baking Soda with anywhere from 2-4 tablespoons a week (not all at once). This is maintaining my ALK in the 7.5 - 8.5 range but I'm wanting to get it up to 10 and keep it steady there.
My pH and Magnesium are all testing great. Since I don't have a phosphate test I have no idea what it is but I have a suspicion that it has been really high but hopefully dropping from some of the changes I have made.
LtPiper
Active member
That totally depends on how much water your putting through the filter. Mine is 6 years old and still original membrane and have only changed the carbon/prefilter and DI once. I still get 0 TDS on mine. never have gotten over about 5. That is running top off for around 200 gallon worth of tanks at peak.
As for what you should be getting before DI depends on the membrane and what you have going in to the filter to start with. I know my water is nearly 400 at the faucet on most days.
carb850
New member
In the ~ 3 years. The first 1.5-2 years was used sparingly but it has made many gallons of water during the past year. Last fall or summer I tested and the RO/DI was running about 5 or so I think so I changed the prefilters and DI resin at that time and it went back to 0.
My RO membrane is the 75gpd Dow Filmtec. As for my tap, seems like it tested in the 300 range.
Project this week.
Test faucet tds
Test RO tds
Test RO/DI tds
My RO membrane is the 75gpd Dow Filmtec. As for my tap, seems like it tested in the 300 range.
Project this week.
Test faucet tds
Test RO tds
Test RO/DI tds
coralreefer
No Pistons
Mike you're on the right track. 
Since this is on your to do list...
Since this is on your to do list...
With a 75 gph membrane in general you should see ~ 95-98% reduction in TDS from the tap value to after the RO membrane. The DI should/will take it to 1-0.
carb850
New member
I didn't check my RO straight out but my RO/DI is still reading '0'.
Tonight I completed a water change (month overdue
) and actually remembered to test my new water before adding it to the display. Using Reef Crystals my alkalinity read 14.4KH/5.14 mq/L with the calcium reading 540-550 range.
Tonight I completed a water change (month overdue
) and actually remembered to test my new water before adding it to the display. Using Reef Crystals my alkalinity read 14.4KH/5.14 mq/L with the calcium reading 540-550 range.
carb850
New member
Finally removed my Kalk reactor and FW reservoir tonight. I been putting this off for so long because I have to siphon most of the water from the reactor before I could remove it or my 10G holding tank. The 10G tank had a 1/4" of Kalk in it from the back siphon I had going when I first set things up.
I have both cleaned out completely. Tomorrow I'm going to add 1"-2" of Kalk to the reactor and get both it and my ATO working again. It is silly having this equipment setting in the stand and not utilizing either. I been manually topping off my tank for several months now... That ends tomorrow.
I have both cleaned out completely. Tomorrow I'm going to add 1"-2" of Kalk to the reactor and get both it and my ATO working again. It is silly having this equipment setting in the stand and not utilizing either. I been manually topping off my tank for several months now... That ends tomorrow.
carb850
New member
Well, I have had the Kalk Reactor and ATO back online for a week or so now. I should have done this a long time ago. I forgot how nice it is having an ATO. Anyhow, I'm starting to think my tank is unpredictable. Back when I ran the Kalk Reactor late last fall my Calcium was off the charts but Alk was between low to okay.
Fast foward to today and my lastest reading have my Ca @ 440 and DKH @ 11.2. That is pretty good readings according to the 'zone' graph of AdvanceAquarist but the DKH might be a little high. I will keep a regular log to see if I can see a trend.
While not much as changed I still hope to upload some updated photo's within the next 7 days just to get some life back in this thread.
Fast foward to today and my lastest reading have my Ca @ 440 and DKH @ 11.2. That is pretty good readings according to the 'zone' graph of AdvanceAquarist but the DKH might be a little high. I will keep a regular log to see if I can see a trend.
While not much as changed I still hope to upload some updated photo's within the next 7 days just to get some life back in this thread.
carb850
New member
Updated photo.
I have a thin covering of cyano on much of my rock but it isn't a thick buildup. I hope will recede as I'm getting control over my GHA. I will say I'm making strides with the GHA and that is all attributed to changing foods and even more important improved husbandry.
This pic isn't for bragging purposes as I'm not proud just yet but I do like my recent progress so that is what this pic is... a progress pic.
BTW, I just rechecked my water and with my ATO and Kalk reactor running for a few weeks my reading of tonight are CA 440 and ALK 10.6 DKH.
coralreefer
No Pistons
It really does look good Mike. You've got some nice coralline starting on the back wall.
:beer:
carb850
New member
Thanks guys.
Corals are a mixed bag. Everything from my Pink Stylo growing great to my Tri-Color barely hanging on. I will say that all have seen an improvement with my recent changes.
Most people that see my tank say the Flame is their favorite. He is a little aggressive and I"m constantly afraid he will turn into a nipper but so far so good.
Corals are a mixed bag. Everything from my Pink Stylo growing great to my Tri-Color barely hanging on. I will say that all have seen an improvement with my recent changes.
Most people that see my tank say the Flame is their favorite. He is a little aggressive and I"m constantly afraid he will turn into a nipper but so far so good.
carb850
New member
I started this thread a little over 2 years ago and now have over 250 posts. I had hoped by this point I would have a TOTM quality reef... hoped but not expected :spin2:
The tanks are doing fine but it is still nothing to show off. With some time, patients, money, and labor hopefully it will continue to improve.
I appreciate those who have posted here offering suggestions and words of encouragement but I think it is time to move on from this thread. I will continue to post and share photos if I have something worth sharing but most likely just not in this thread. Thanks again for looking and happy reefing :beer:
The tanks are doing fine but it is still nothing to show off. With some time, patients, money, and labor hopefully it will continue to improve.
I appreciate those who have posted here offering suggestions and words of encouragement but I think it is time to move on from this thread. I will continue to post and share photos if I have something worth sharing but most likely just not in this thread. Thanks again for looking and happy reefing :beer:
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