Unhappy Monti Caps?

[Mako Shark II]

Okay, I’m really confused……

On one hand, everything is going along: Blowing & Growing, except a few SPS & Monti caps frags that didn’t fair well.

- Bali slimmer is blooming.
- Frogspawn(s) looks fantastic.
- Devil’s Hand(s), Digitata & Duncans looks delightful.
- Fish are friendly feeders.
- Leathers are Lovely.
- Mushrooms are multiplying.
- Paly’s are popping.
- Red macro-algae is rising.
- Sacro’s are Smiling.
- Stylophora looks stylish.
- RBTA & GBTA’s look good, although they’ve become more shy and prefer the shade.

Acans are eh…. Okaaaay. (Maybe too much flow is hitting them right now)

But my Monti (caps) are….. mundane.
Scrolling Orange is bleaching out (I think near death. Gasp!)
Purple cap is kinda "blah".

(And nothings’ stinging them. They’re just not happy; except for the Spiderman from Barrett)

SG 1.024
Temp 76 â€"œ 78
Calcium: 450 ppm
pH 8.2
Alk. Okay
Nitrite / Nitrate: In check
Routine Water changes.

Lighting: LED's (one hour), T-5 Actinics (one hour), 2x 250w MH 20,000 (six hours), back to the Actinics for another 1-1/2 hours, LED's (one last hour).

Food: Mixed. Frozen (granted, it's thawed in tap water, but I'm talking like 3 oz of tap vs. 120 gallons of salt!) San Francisco Bay Brand Mysis & Brine shrimp, Krill, Reef Plankton, Reef-Nutrition red algae (phyto goo), occasional Nori on a clip, DT’s Phyto, flakes, etc. Or any combination thereof.

So I don’t get it. Why aren’t my Monti (caps) happy? :worried:

Any ideas?

 

[drowzee]

Re: Unhappy Monti Caps?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13637987#post13637987 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Mako Shark II
Okay, I’m really confused……

SG 1.024
Temp 76 â€"œ 78
Calcium: 450 ppm
pH 8.2
Alk. Okay
Nitrite / Nitrate: In check
Routine Water changes.

What's Okay?

 

[OneReef]

If I am not mistaken, balanced Alk at the Ca level of 450, would be 12.46 dkh.... Just thought I would throw tht out there.

 

[Mako Shark II]

Thanks for asking Roy.

Alk is a little low. I can't give a number, because I'm just using the Rea Sea test, which is solidly green, not blue.

I just did a water change to try and bump that up, but it was marginally changed from this morning.

So I gather you're saying: Buff the Alk?? If so, what do you like?

 

[OneReef]

Randy Holmes Farley has some good articles on dosing alk for cheap. Baking Soda is a cheap and easy way and that is how I dose my tank for alk. Just grab a box of Arm and Hammer baking soda for a couple of bucks. You only have to add a teaspoon or so to some RO water and add to the tank. If you want to keep pH the same or slightly lower it, and raise the alk, just add plain baking soda. If you want to raise pH and alk, bake the baking soda in the oven for awhile, then you can add to the tank. I baked a layer of it last week and it works great. You can find out how much baking powder to boost here: http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chemcalc.html

You can find out more about baking baking soda here: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1469214&highlight=baking


Baking soda as alk supplement: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1433177&highlight=baking+soda

 

[drowzee]

I suggest you get a reliable test kit and find out what your actual reading is before you start adjusting. I have been using API (easy and cheap) and reliable. I usually aim for 9-10 dkh. Always start slow.
This might help too.

http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html

 

[ducklabdad]

"DANGER WILL ROBINSON"

"DANGER WILL ROBINSON"

"DANGER WILL ROBINSON"

quote: "On one hand, everything is going along: Blowing & Growing, except a few SPS & Monti caps frags that didn’t fair well."

Do not risk crashing your tank!!!

Sounds to me like you are doing pretty good for as much as you have added to your tank in a short while! Check how close certain items are to each other and make sure you do not have some "Chemical warfare going on"

Do not forget that your new set up is still "very young"

I do not do well with SPS in my tank and my perameters are almost exactly where I want them to be. ( but I am trying and learning )"But I feel mine is due at least to some extent because of the tank mates and the Chemical battles going on "

Don't make these adjustments quickly and make sure that you "understand the change that one is going to make on the other" and when in doubt, check with a different brand of test kit. "Cheap insurance in the long run"!!

Read all that you can on this "before" you start adjusting.
Read the Back issues of ReefKeeping magazine on Reef Central by Randy Holmes Farley. But Read all of them!! He changes some of his thoughts and formulas in the later articles.

Adjust these perameters slowly and whatever formulas that you use there is a Calculator tool Here on Reef Central that is "Wonderful" Here is the link it will let you know what different solutions will have to get to your "target value": http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chemcalc.html and includes many different materials that are on the market and will also let you know what affect that addition can have on other perameters as well..

Also "neuroslicer" is a wealth of knowledge on this subject. Seek out his assistance.
He has always been very helpfull and has given a couple of talks to the club on this in the past from my understanding!!

He has been a great deal of assistance to me on the very front end of understanding the 2 part solutions and the interactions.

Good Luck and keep us posted (as I know you will)

 

[Mako Shark II]

Thanks guys. All good stuff here. And I agree with all y’all too.

One thing though Bill, it’s not (truly) a new tank. It's a compilation of three. A majority (2/3's) of the rock & water were “migrated” from a previous 150. Of course, the original water has been gradually changed out many, many times, but honestly, only the sand and equipment are new. The Bio filter isn’t, so I never even had a nitrate cycle (spike) to speak of. Everything’s always been fairly constant.

That said, Yes I have read up on Randy Holmes Farley. That is one sharp dude! The guy is incredible and 65,000 Posts?? I’ve clearly got some reading to do.

However, last night I did hit (okay, “gently nudged”) the tank with 30 cc's of Kent Buffer Part "B" only. (for 150 gallons of total water volume)

I had actually gotten away from the A/B mixes because I wasn’t getting the results I wanted on the Calcium side.

(Previously, I was dosing the tank (oddly enough) with Purple Up, which I've found does a terrific job of bumping up the Calcium levels too. (Duh, it’s aragonite!)... I kinda felt stupid, because I couldn’t' ever get the scale to move using just the Kent Part "A" (calc), but I noticed a surge after I "purpled-up", so that became my method. Right, wrong or otherwise, it worked. )

I sorta forgot about the Alk, and kept THAT in line with water changes. Nowadays, the tank has changed, but I didn’t, so my method needs to as well.

I also started dosing & testing for magnesium (Thanks Richard)

Once I get my new GEO Kalk reactor on-line, this will be a moot point, and I'll be monitoring levels more closely.

I appreciate the feedback folks. Thanks!

With Greater Tanks, comes Greater responsibilities.

 

[mrharris3]

Hey Marty,

Check out these two links, you might find some things here.

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/for/897299830.html
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/alkalinity.htm

 

[Mako Shark II]

Thanks Glover. Good stuff.
Update:

Alk levels are now solidly green (crappy little Red Sea test); more so than before, so a pushed 30 CC's of Kent Buffer (Part "B" only) again.

The green monti cap has sprouted micro polyps and even the Sacro's perked up.

I just hope I can save my Orange & Purple Cap frags. They're still pretty spotted (not quite bleached out 100% yet).
I'll get a better test kit as Roy

 

[neuroslicer]

76 degrees? Brrrrhhhhh... why so cold?

 

[Mako Shark II]

Trying to keep my Catalina alive. (?)

Chiller (with Hi-Lo Controller) set at 80.
Digital reads 76.4 (now)
"Mercury" reads 78.

Pick one.

What should it be?

 

[mempho reefer]

Marty,
Trust your glass thermometer. The digitals can be off by a few degrees plus or minus. Have seen instances when two digitals side by side varied by three degrees. Mercury thermometer settled the debate.

 

[Mako Shark II]

I'll take that as "Expert" advise!

Thanks Ron.

(Dressing up as Dave today??)

 

[mempho reefer]

One other note on your Ca and Alk, I add Seachem Reef Builder and Seachem Reef Calcium to the top off water alternating them every other week. In other words Calcium one week and Reef Builder the next. My Ca remains constant at 500 ( I like mine a bit high) and PH stays steady at 8.2 I use the GARF

 

[mempho reefer]

i hit enter too soon.....
As i was saying......I use the Garf method on my reef, no plenum though, and all is well. Consistant parameters and water quality.

No DB costume this year, I dressed as a scary weatherman.... no make up and bad lighting.....TV nightmares are made of this.

 

[ducklabdad]

Where in your system are you taking your Temperature reading?

Have you checked the temperature in different areas, I found when I first set mine up that I had one "zone" significantly cooler (3 degrees) than the rest until I changed my water flow!

 

[Mako Shark II]

120 Temp reading zones:

400w Heater:
Located inside the tank's (corner) overflow Box, controlled by the integral Chiller's thermostat, set at 2 degrees lower than the Chiller setting, which is 80 degrees.

Digital thermometer:
Inside Refugium (inside adjacent Sump Closet) approx. 4' linear feet away from heater.

"Mercury" thermometer:
Top front of tank, behind Closed Loop return jets. (Reads ambient water temp)

Chiller controller:
Inside adjacent Sump Closet, approx. 4' linear feet away from tank return jet.

Now, I'm thinking about adding a Lab quality (analog version) thermometer inside the sump.