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Steely185's rimless 75 edge


steely185

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I went and had my water tested this weekend after noticing a small amount of RTN on some corals. It had been a month since the last water change so I did a 20% change over the weekend before having the water tested. Everything checks out.

 

salinity: 1.025

nitrate: not detected

nitrite: not detected

phosphate: not detected

ammonia: not tested

 

Alk: 10.5 dKH

Calc: 380 (going to bring this up a bit using tropic marin biocalcium)

Mag: 1550

pH: 8.1

 

Looking back through old pics it doesn't seem as serious as I originally thought. Any recession may be from the nightly pH dropping to 7.6 -7.5 range. I plan on adding a CO2 scrubber to combat this problem.

 

I also picked up some new frozen food over the weekend that the fish love. I hadn't seen the cardinals eat yet so I needed to entice them with some frozen food. I picked up H2O Life's 50/50 plus food. It's a mix of bloodworms, brine shrimp, and mysis. The second it hit the water the cardinals went crazy for it along with the other fish.

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tundrashaul

Are you still running bio-pellets? Ive recently come across some info that was saying bio-pellets can be dangerious on the tank with Alk not between 6-8, I keep mine around ten so maybe thats why Ive lost corals both attempts to run. I'm staying away from them now I thought it was me but now I hear horror stories with them everywhere!

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I still use biopellets but I don't source them as my problem. I've used them a couple times for 6 months or more each time without any issues. I would look to GFO before biopellets (if being used properly) as a problem. GFO usage is more commonly associated with RTN problems but I'm also using a very very small amount.

 

I think the feedback on biopellets is about 50/50 or 60/40 depending on what you read. I personally like them and the results I've observed.

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Thank you. I need to update some shots with a real camera. Things have really taken off. Today I ordered everything I need to set up a CO2 scrubber so hopefully that added stability will help boost growth even more.

 

I sold a few things and have to move a few things in their place. I have an 8-10" pink cap that's hidden behind the rocks. I need to move it where it can be seen and have room to grow.

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While Skimmers raise oxygen levels, they also raise carbon dioxide levels. CO2 accumulates in marine and reef aquariums at higher than ambient levels, causing a drop in pH. The CO2 Scrubber removes carbon dioxide from the air drawn by the skimmer using soda lime as a media , lowering CO2 levels in the aquarium water. As a result, the pH rises and stabilizes naturally at a new higher level.

 

They aren't a necessity by any means but will help in my case because I use a calcium reactor where CO2 dissolves the media releasing calcium carbonate. The solution which drips into the aquarium to raise alk/calcium in equal parts also has higher levels of CO2 which depress the pH levels. Using a CO2 scrubber helps to remove some of the excess CO2 introduced to the system by the calcium reactor.

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While Skimmers raise oxygen levels, they also raise carbon dioxide levels. CO2 accumulates in marine and reef aquariums at higher than ambient levels, causing a drop in pH. The CO2 Scrubber removes carbon dioxide from the air drawn by the skimmer using soda lime as a media , lowering CO2 levels in the aquarium water. As a result, the pH rises and stabilizes naturally at a new higher level.

 

They aren't a necessity by any means but will help in my case because I use a calcium reactor where CO2 dissolves the media releasing calcium carbonate. The solution which drips into the aquarium to raise alk/calcium in equal parts also has higher levels of CO2 which depress the pH levels. Using a CO2 scrubber helps to remove some of the excess CO2 introduced to the system by the calcium reactor.

 

Science!

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CO2 scrubber should be arriving today. I will hopefully get this online this weekend.

 

I've also been testing out some of Ultralife Reef Aiptasia & Majano remover. It seems to work. I haven't used it as directed yet (haven't boiled any water to mix with the powder used). It seems to do a better job for me than kalk past has done. The few small areas I have treated haven't returned. I'm going to keep using it on new areas to see if it will cut back on the population.

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So I just hooked up the CO2 scrubber. Here is the before pH data. I will post an update after a couple days use to illustrate any change.

 

Before:

 

bde519b9.jpg

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The majano remover seems to work well. I have learned the side effect of using more than directed. It extremely depresses your pH. I used more than directed this morning while lights were out and it dropped the pH from 7.77 to 7.26. I quickly added some kalk saturated top off water to get the pH up. It's back at safer levels now but I will use it in small doses next time. The drop in pH didn't last more than 20 minutes but made me nervous.

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The scrubber has been doing its job. My pH has averaged a 0.2 increase.

 

While at the store today I picked up an ORA grube's gorgonia. They aren't the most colorful but super hardy, fast growing, and photosynthetic. I just need to pick a final spot for it. Looks nice though.

 

I need to order some new radiums. I just realized my bulbs are 14 months old

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I finally got a house under contract after many failed attempts (nothing I did wrong) over the last 14 months.

 

That being said I will have to take on the task of moving this beast in July. I'm not looking forward to it. I'm sure there will be many a broken coral and hopefully no fish losses. I dread moving the tank after my previous partial tank crash when upgrading to a 150.

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I'm kind of frustrated at the moment. I believe some of the lingering effects of pH swings have taken their toll on my corals. My 8" birdsnest is dying from one side to the other. I fragged away the sickly portion last night and it's continued on this morning. I'm probably going to frag what's left of the healthy portion to save it. I lost a battered plum crazy frag and a separate piece of my setosa in recent weeks. Water parameters check out fine.

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My birdsnest colony is dead or at least will be by morning. The parts I fragged last night are dead now. I have a small frag that was separated a few months ago that is still kicking.

 

I also sold my frogspawn today so more space to be had with two large colonies gone.

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Before CO2 scrubber:

bde519b9.jpg

 

pH data after using the CO2 scrubber

1d02eb38.jpg

 

The dip down to 7.26 was after heavy use of the ultra life majano/aiptasia remover. It drops pH extremely.

I attribute the loss of my birdsnest colony to the probable alk swing when the pH was corrected by larger doses of kalk. The stress likely took a couple days to really hit the coral and push it past it's tipping point. I have a small frag of the 8" colony left that survived so I can grow it out. It is a bummer after growing it from a 2" frag to an 8" round colony from August to May. I guess I will just have to do it all over again. My new gorgonia has taken it's place for now. I may put my bird of paradise in it's place where it can be seen better.

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Do you think that employing macro algae instead of a Co2 Scrubber would've had the same result?

 

Or would the amount of macro algae required be too much?

 

-Wizzy :happy:

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I can't really say for sure. It wasn't much of an option for me because of how I handle nutrients. I generally run pretty low nutrient using biopellets and GFO to remove any remaining phosphates. I would think that running lower nutrient would prevent the macro from growing very well. I also don't have the room to run a refugium.

 

I am hoping to see an improvement in CO2 levels in my new home when I move in a little over a month. I would think that CO2 levels may be somewhat diminished when taking the same number of people/dogs and placing them in a much larger sq ft home vs a 700 sq ft apartment. The new home also has more windows allowing fresh air to circulate the home more than the apartment.

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I can't really say for sure. It wasn't much of an option for me because of how I handle nutrients. I generally run pretty low nutrient using biopellets and GFO to remove any remaining phosphates. I would think that running lower nutrient would prevent the macro from growing very well. I also don't have the room to run a refugium.

 

I am hoping to see an improvement in CO2 levels in my new home when I move in a little over a month. I would think that CO2 levels may be somewhat diminished when taking the same number of people/dogs and placing them in a much larger sq ft home vs a 700 sq ft apartment. The new home also has more windows allowing fresh air to circulate the home more than the apartment.

 

That makes sense.

 

Thanks for explaining that for me and nice tank :D

 

-Wizzy :happy:

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Rehype ran just a refugium with tons of macros and a decent amount of nutrients, but still had a bigger PH swing than when he turned on his CO2 scrubber.

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Thanks,

 

Yeah the biopellets and space really prevent from running a refugium with macro to help CO2 levels.

 

The pH swing itself doesn't bother me as much as the lower levels. My system also differs because I use a Calcium reactor which is fueled by CO2 injected to dissolve the media. This results in CO2 entering the system so without a fuge the scrubber is my main option.

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Arkayology

Lots of ups and downs here. Sorry to hear about you losing your plum crazy. Ph swings can be a beech.

 

Are you planning on changing anything up with the move in July?

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