leeweber85
New member
Sweet skimmer Brad. The skull in the rocks is pretty neat.
Third Time's A Charm!
- Thread starter dascharisma
- Start date
dascharisma
New member
I mentioned a bit ago that I planned on tanking monthly tank progression photos. I figured it would be a good way to monitor the tank, and make me diligent about my cleaning. Right now the tank needs to be scraped about once every 4 weeks. Getting in there and scraping it is no easy task. It usually takes me 3 or 4 hours to do. My plan is to scrape the tank the weekend before the tank photos. That way I will make sure to get it done. That being said, its been over 2 weeks since its last scraping, so we'll see how this goes.
In addition to the full tank shots, I am going to try to document any issues I am having, post my parameters, and show coral growth etc.
Pics to come,
Brad
In addition to the full tank shots, I am going to try to document any issues I am having, post my parameters, and show coral growth etc.
Pics to come,
Brad
dascharisma
New member
Water Parameters
RODI
TDS - 0 (inline meter)
Tank
Temp - 79.3 (fluctuates between 78.1 and 80.4)
Ph - 8.02 (probe)
Salinity 1.024 (refractometer)
Nitrates - 0 (LaMotte)
P04 - 0 (LaMotte (I realize this is essentially worthless))
Alk - 6.1 (Salifert)
Calcium 580 (Salifert)
Magnesium - 1080 (Salifert)
The parameters are getting close to where I want them, but they need a little more work. For quite a while I thought my ph was higher than it was (due to a bad ph probe.) This led me to let my alk get low in hopes of keeping the ph in check. It also led to a slow overdose of calcium. To remedy these issues I have started doing daily 5% water changes (44 gallons). I don't want to rush things, so I plan to take it slow. I attribute the limited success I have currently had to very stable parameters. With numbers this far off my targets, it just goes to show that stability is more important than any magic numbers.
Tank Front
Tank Left
Tank Right
Over the last week, my system has really taken a beating. The picture may not reveal it, but a number of corals are showing reduced polyp extension and some minor browning. When the big storm came through Ankeny on Sunday, we lost power for about 6 hours. The tank was completely still for that entire time. Then for the next 48-72 hours we had repeated power surges (or maybe the correct term is brown outs?) that trip circuits over and over. It happened in the night and while I was at work, so there is no telling how long the tank sat still. My plan is to get something to backup my system in case of future power failure. I would like to run 4 Tunze 6080s and my return pump. I'm not sure what the most cost effective way to do this is.
The biggest issue I have had is algae growth. Even running two phosphate reactors continuously, I have still had uncontrollable hair algae growth. I think it is mostly due to the base rock I used. I probably should have been more patient and simply cooked the rock. Now that the algae is there, I have decided to do small frequent water changes and change out my GFO on a more regular basis. Manual removal is really not an option, as the tank is far too deep to work in easily.
Algae is everywhere!
This Chips Acro needs help
Although the pink birds nest looks good, the little green one has taken a nose dive in the last week.
All and all things look good. If I can just get this algae taken care of, the tank will really look sweet.
I can't wait for this to grow out.
A close up
Brad
RODI
TDS - 0 (inline meter)
Tank
Temp - 79.3 (fluctuates between 78.1 and 80.4)
Ph - 8.02 (probe)
Salinity 1.024 (refractometer)
Nitrates - 0 (LaMotte)
P04 - 0 (LaMotte (I realize this is essentially worthless))
Alk - 6.1 (Salifert)
Calcium 580 (Salifert)
Magnesium - 1080 (Salifert)
The parameters are getting close to where I want them, but they need a little more work. For quite a while I thought my ph was higher than it was (due to a bad ph probe.) This led me to let my alk get low in hopes of keeping the ph in check. It also led to a slow overdose of calcium. To remedy these issues I have started doing daily 5% water changes (44 gallons). I don't want to rush things, so I plan to take it slow. I attribute the limited success I have currently had to very stable parameters. With numbers this far off my targets, it just goes to show that stability is more important than any magic numbers.
Tank Front
Tank Left
Tank Right
Over the last week, my system has really taken a beating. The picture may not reveal it, but a number of corals are showing reduced polyp extension and some minor browning. When the big storm came through Ankeny on Sunday, we lost power for about 6 hours. The tank was completely still for that entire time. Then for the next 48-72 hours we had repeated power surges (or maybe the correct term is brown outs?) that trip circuits over and over. It happened in the night and while I was at work, so there is no telling how long the tank sat still. My plan is to get something to backup my system in case of future power failure. I would like to run 4 Tunze 6080s and my return pump. I'm not sure what the most cost effective way to do this is.
The biggest issue I have had is algae growth. Even running two phosphate reactors continuously, I have still had uncontrollable hair algae growth. I think it is mostly due to the base rock I used. I probably should have been more patient and simply cooked the rock. Now that the algae is there, I have decided to do small frequent water changes and change out my GFO on a more regular basis. Manual removal is really not an option, as the tank is far too deep to work in easily.
Algae is everywhere!
This Chips Acro needs help
Although the pink birds nest looks good, the little green one has taken a nose dive in the last week.
All and all things look good. If I can just get this algae taken care of, the tank will really look sweet.
I can't wait for this to grow out.
A close up
Brad
billbigsbe1
New member
Sorry to see your algae Ive been fighting it in my 46 for about two years! Im at a loss for words... In my case i turned it into a softie tank/algae farm! If you find a solution please let me know!Ive tryed manuel cleaning, gfo,phos reactor, chemi pure,sugar/vodka dosing, livestock you name it. Dammit!
dascharisma
New member
I think I am starting to figure out how to set the skimmer. I decided to raise the water level high up into the neck. The skimmer doesn't even get a chance to make a foam head before it gets to the top of the neck. I cleaned the skimmer and then left it unadjusted for 5 days. Here are the results. I have 8 small fish at the moment.
5 days worth of skimmate
A look inside
I would still like to try making some adjustments to it. Currently I am not using the wetneck. I want to set that up and see what happens. I have also thought about getting an Alita 40 to force feed the skimmer.
Brad
5 days worth of skimmate
A look inside
I would still like to try making some adjustments to it. Currently I am not using the wetneck. I want to set that up and see what happens. I have also thought about getting an Alita 40 to force feed the skimmer.
Brad
waverz
Slave to the reef!
Hey Brad you might want to look into Guardian standby generators they are pretty slick, when the power goes out they automatically switch on and can be run on natural gas, i was thinking about getting one for my home a few years ago after those ice storms, heres a link:
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/category_6970_36+280778+770955
As for the algae, just wait it out, maybe move some of the colonies getting buried in it into a more established system for the time being, its gotta run out of nutrients sooner or later.
Very impressive so far though dude.
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/category_6970_36+280778+770955
As for the algae, just wait it out, maybe move some of the colonies getting buried in it into a more established system for the time being, its gotta run out of nutrients sooner or later.
Very impressive so far though dude.
leeweber85
New member
What are you feeding that makes your fish poop orange?
lolBrad,
Your calcium is way too high, I just had a bad episode with high calcium and experienced polyps starting to retract and eventually not opening at all and then tissue started dying off. Once I got my calcium levels back down things started coming back. It was mostly sps that were affected but a couple LPS as well.
Janna
Your calcium is way too high, I just had a bad episode with high calcium and experienced polyps starting to retract and eventually not opening at all and then tissue started dying off. Once I got my calcium levels back down things started coming back. It was mostly sps that were affected but a couple LPS as well.
Janna
dascharisma
New member
Well I know that it is too high according to the numbers, and I won't be adding any calcium supplement until it gets back in range. However, all of my sps have good color and growth, so I'm not worried about it at all. To be honest, I don't have much faith in test kits. I think it is more important to have a stable system. With more than 900 gallons of water, that isn't a problem.
Brad
dascharisma
New member
So I haven't been too diligent with the scraping in the last couple of weeks, and you can barely see into the tank. In addition to the dirty acrylic, there is still a bunch of hair algae. My solution to dealing with the algae is to simply let the rocks clean up on their own. I am skimming heavily and my bioload is tiny (5 chromis, 1 royal gramma, 1 yellow tang, 1 hawkfish). The tank is too big for manual removal, but what I have been doing instead is to blow everything off with a maxi jet. It works well and kicks up a lot more than just algae. There is a ton of detritus on the rocks.
I think I need to up the flow in the tank to help reduce the settling. Right now there are 4 Tunze 6080s, 2 Tunze 6100s, and 1 Tunze 6200. I have 2 more 6200s in my posession, but I'm not sure it will be enough.
Here is the tank right after using the maxi jet.
Brad
I think I need to up the flow in the tank to help reduce the settling. Right now there are 4 Tunze 6080s, 2 Tunze 6100s, and 1 Tunze 6200. I have 2 more 6200s in my posession, but I'm not sure it will be enough.
Here is the tank right after using the maxi jet.
Brad
dascharisma
New member
When I clean the tank with the maxi jet, I set my skimmer to run very wet. It kicks out a lot of algae.
Brad
Brad
dascharisma
New member
Here are the results of the clean up.
Brad
Brad
Itaysworld
Premium Member
Brad - I have a new 180 gallon tank that recently had a massive hair algae bloom.
I got a flame fin tang and a foxfaced rabbit fish (assisted by turbo snails and sally lightfoot crabs and electric blue hermits) and within 2 1/2 weeks there was not a single strand of algae left.
If adding similar fish is an option for you, I think you would be pleasantly surprised bt the turn around!
Here's a link to how bad it got in my tank: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=13234692#post13234692
Hope you take control of the algae.
BTW - love your ricordeas and SPSes!
Best,
I got a flame fin tang and a foxfaced rabbit fish (assisted by turbo snails and sally lightfoot crabs and electric blue hermits) and within 2 1/2 weeks there was not a single strand of algae left.
If adding similar fish is an option for you, I think you would be pleasantly surprised bt the turn around!
Here's a link to how bad it got in my tank: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=13234692#post13234692
Hope you take control of the algae.
BTW - love your ricordeas and SPSes!
Best,
dascharisma
New member
In the past month things have continued to do well.
Here is the chips acro a month ago.
Here it is today.
Here is my favorite coral, looking good as always.
Here is a plain turquoise stag that I think is sweet.
Brad
Here is the chips acro a month ago.
Here it is today.
Here is my favorite coral, looking good as always.
Here is a plain turquoise stag that I think is sweet.
Brad
dascharisma
New member
I also picked up some new corals this month. I still need around 15 branching sps until I consider the tank "stocked", but I am getting close.
Tyree Watermelon Chalice. This is the real deal.
Purple Monster
Poker Star Monti
Sunset
Setosa
Superman
Zoas
Clover Chalice
Brad
Tyree Watermelon Chalice. This is the real deal.
Purple Monster
Poker Star Monti
Sunset
Setosa
Superman
Zoas
Clover Chalice
Brad
dascharisma
New member
That coral isn't in my display. It is in my maintenance tank out in Waukee. It is doing quite well.
Brad
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