Sk8n Reefer Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 Beautiful! Looks like a great vacation! Link to comment
vlangel Posted February 11, 2016 Author Share Posted February 11, 2016 Beautiful! Looks like a great vacation! It really could not have been better. The weather was gorgeous, the scenery was fantastic, the Aquarium was fun and everything came with the added bonus of the grandson! Link to comment
vlangel Posted February 12, 2016 Author Share Posted February 12, 2016 I ordered Reef Crystals today. The alk, CA and Mag useage have all gone up so that I am needing to dose almost every day. Hopefully using a reef salt will help me maintain my levels. The growth of my macro algae is crazy Link to comment
vlangel Posted February 12, 2016 Author Share Posted February 12, 2016 I tested alk, CA and Mag again today. Things are definitely changing in my tank because the results were surprising to me. Alk - 8dKh, CA - 390 and Mag - 1410. It was the CA that caught me by surprised because I dosed yesterday. I expected everything to be a little high for my tank and yet CA was a little low. Something is using it? My best guess is the halimeda which is growing like mad and new sprouts are showing up everywhere. Its a calcareous algae and uses CA. My montis don't seem to be growing so I doubt they are the reason and neither are my encrusting sps. I have never had coraline algae so its got to be the macros. Such a puzzling intricate hobby. :-) Link to comment
metrokat Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 Vacation photos look great. Halimeda will need calcium for sure. 390 isn't too low though. Link to comment
vlangel Posted February 12, 2016 Author Share Posted February 12, 2016 Vacation photos look great. Halimeda will need calcium for sure. 390 isn't too low though. Thanks Kat! Yeah I knew halimeda used CA but I did not expect it to be as much as the tank is using. I have dosed everyday since I got back from vacation, plus the WCs. I wasn't worried about 390 as I only want to keep it around 400 -410 but it just surprised me. The Mag useage I expected because all the macros use that. Especially since I added caulerpa in the sump, I know it will suck up Mag like crazy. Link to comment
vlangel Posted February 12, 2016 Author Share Posted February 12, 2016 I have been watching the BRS 50 weeks of reefing with the 180g tank. Last week was 29 and Ryan talked about how alk, CA, and Mag work with each other and how they impact your tank. This week he discussed kalwasser. Its hard to believe but I never really considered using that method to keep up my alk an CA until now. I guess that is because my usage was low and slow before. If changing to reef crystals does not remedy most of my tank's need for alk and CA, then I think I will try kalkwasser in my ATO. Of course that probably should including some sort of redundancy in case the ATO fails like a float switch in the sump to shut the ATO pump off. Link to comment
natalia_la_loca Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 I'm late to the party. Love your vacation pics :wub: Link to comment
vlangel Posted February 12, 2016 Author Share Posted February 12, 2016 I'm late to the party. Love your vacation pics :wub: O thank you! It was a nice getaway. Link to comment
vlangel Posted February 13, 2016 Author Share Posted February 13, 2016 I am trying to resist the MTS but i already have 2 small feeder shrimp tanks. I am pondering the possibility of moving 1 of them next to my desk. It would be the one with my clownfish, Baby. It would only house feeder shrimp when a new shipment arrived and they all would not fit in the other 5.5 feeder tank. I would buy a small clip on light to grow plants and very low light coral. Ok, so I bought a light and sand yesterday. Its a desk light type on an armature that is screwed into the wall. That way the tank is open at the top for me to maintenance as opposed to lights sitting on the tank. It has one of those energy efficient curlique shaped bulbs. I am thinking that will grow macro algae and low light coral. We will see! Link to comment
metrokat Posted February 13, 2016 Share Posted February 13, 2016 I have been watching the BRS 50 weeks of reefing with the 180g tank. Last week was 29 and Ryan talked about how alk, CA, and Mag work with each other and how they impact your tank. This week he discussed kalwasser. Its hard to believe but I never really considered using that method to keep up my alk an CA until now. I guess that is because my usage was low and slow before. If changing to reef crystals does not remedy most of my tank's need for alk and CA, then I think I will try kalkwasser in my ATO. Of course that probably should including some sort of redundancy in case the ATO fails like a float switch in the sump to shut the ATO pump off. A lot of people prefer the Kalk/ATO method and it certainly makes sense. I am not a fan though, tried it a few times and did not like the result. Link to comment
cnseekatz Posted February 13, 2016 Share Posted February 13, 2016 Cool shots from Monterey! I love that place! Link to comment
vlangel Posted February 13, 2016 Author Share Posted February 13, 2016 A lot of people prefer the Kalk/ATO method and it certainly makes sense. I am not a fan though, tried it a few times and did not like the result. Thanks Kat for the input as I respect your opinion. What method do you use, 2 part? Cool shots from Monterey! I love that place! Thanks, it is very beautiful for sure! Well I did it. Baby, my handraised clownfish and and one of the 5.5 gallon tanks has been moved into the biker den. It will still be a low tech tank but I plan to add some coral and macros to make it homey for Baby. Link to comment
vlangel Posted February 13, 2016 Author Share Posted February 13, 2016 Baby ate some flakes so I think he will settle in fine. I made a lid so he does not go carpet surfing. Baby was born in 2009 to the mated pair of clownfish i had. I have become very attached to him over the years. It makes me happy to provide a nicer home for him. He shares his little abode with some ghost shrimp and bridled gobies that came with the shrimp. I found a body of the brackish pipefish but there were no living pipes when we got home from our vacation. They probably starved when the ghost shrimp did not have enough larvae shrimp. Link to comment
Nano sapiens Posted February 15, 2016 Share Posted February 15, 2016 I tested alk, CA and Mag again today. Things are definitely changing in my tank because the results were surprising to me. Alk - 8dKh, CA - 390 and Mag - 1410. It was the CA that caught me by surprised because I dosed yesterday. I expected everything to be a little high for my tank and yet CA was a little low. Something is using it? My best guess is the halimeda which is growing like mad and new sprouts are showing up everywhere. Its a calcareous algae and uses CA. My montis don't seem to be growing so I doubt they are the reason and neither are my encrusting sps. I have never had coraline algae so its got to be the macros. Such a puzzling intricate hobby. :-) Basically, when it comes to calcium and alkalinity: Halimeda > Coral > Coralline. Halimeda can outcompete coral and coralline if the water falls below the saturation state of dissolved calcium and alkalinity in respect to precipitation of solid calcium carbonate (The Reef Aquarium, Vol 3, Delbeek/Sprung). In short, Halimeda suck it up real good! It is indeed an intricate hobby with lots of surprises, but, that's what keeps it 'interesting' Link to comment
vlangel Posted February 15, 2016 Author Share Posted February 15, 2016 Basically, when it comes to calcium and alkalinity: Halimeda > Coral > Coralline. Halimeda can outcompete coral and coralline if the water falls below the saturation state of dissolved calcium and alkalinity in respect to precipitation of solid calcium carbonate (The Reef Aquarium, Vol 3, Delbeek/Sprung). In short, Halimeda suck it up real good! It is indeed an intricate hobby with lots of surprises, but, that's what keeps it 'interesting' I am going to have to study up on that some more. I never really got the science of chemistry in a reef, I just sort of understood in a practical way what to do. Since things are changing with my halimeda sucking up the CA, I better endeavor to understand it a bit better, ha ha! Thank you for the reference, I will start there. Link to comment
Nano sapiens Posted February 15, 2016 Share Posted February 15, 2016 I am going to have to study up on that some more. I never really got the science of chemistry in a reef, I just sort of understood in a practical way what to do. Since things are changing with my halimeda sucking up the CA, I better endeavor to understand it a bit better, ha ha! Thank you for the reference, I will start there. Same here, as I learned mostly by trial and error what works and doesn't in a reef tank. Only in the last half dozen years or so have I really done a 'deeper dive' into the chemistry. I'd recommend any of the articles by Randy Homes-Farley (many can be found on the 'Advancedaquarist.com'). They are very informative and written to be understood by the typical reef aquarist. Link to comment
vlangel Posted February 15, 2016 Author Share Posted February 15, 2016 Same here, as I learned mostly by trial and error what works and doesn't in a reef tank. Only in the last half dozen years or so have I really done a 'deeper dive' into the chemistry. I'd recommend any of the articles by Randy Homes-Farley (many can be found on the 'Advancedaquarist.com' blog). They are very informative and written to be understood by the typical reef aquarist. Thank you very much, I will do that! Link to comment
Nano sapiens Posted February 15, 2016 Share Posted February 15, 2016 Thank you very much, I will do that! You're most welcome Link to comment
vlangel Posted February 15, 2016 Author Share Posted February 15, 2016 I am thinking of trying my old pop bottle trap out and see if I can capture 1 or 2 of my peppermint shrimp to move to Baby's aBode. Baby mostly only eats the pellets in the water column and I haven't seen the gobies or ghost shrimp go for them either. They prefer the ground up flakes. I know the peppermint shrimp would clean them right up and with 5 or so in the seahorse tank they are pesky. Link to comment
vlangel Posted February 16, 2016 Author Share Posted February 16, 2016 After watching the little 5.5g tank awhile and seeing how cute and busy those little gobies are in it, I have decided against catching any of the peppermint shrimp. Those shrimp are monsterous in size and I don't trust them not to have gourmet goby for dinner. I have already seen them catch and eat some of the ghost shrimp I put in for the seahorses. If they don't hesitate when it comes to chowing down on relatives, I am sure they wouldn't hesitate with the gobies if they can catch them. Link to comment
vlangel Posted February 16, 2016 Author Share Posted February 16, 2016 If I didn't know better I would think my green slimer is making a comeback. It had gotten so brown and ugly that I moved it down to the sandbed where it still gets light and lots of flow but is mostly out of sight. Well it seems to be greening up! I will try to get a pic here in the near future. Link to comment
teenyreef Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 If I didn't know better I would think my green slimer is making a comeback. It had gotten so brown and ugly that I moved it down to the sandbed where it still gets light and lots of flow but is mostly out of sight. Well it seems to be greening up! I will try to get a pic here in the near future. Yet another example of corals thriving on neglect Link to comment
vlangel Posted February 16, 2016 Author Share Posted February 16, 2016 Yet another example of corals thriving on neglect Aint that the truth. Some times they just want to be left alone when they don't feel good...just like us! Link to comment
vlangel Posted February 17, 2016 Author Share Posted February 17, 2016 Here is a pic of the seahorse tank with the green slimer in the center-back. Who knows, maybe it make it after all. Thats good news but I also have some bad news. My beautiful yellow polyps are slowly receeding and I don't know why. I have tried feeding them and I am at a loss at what the problem is. Link to comment
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