Custom Look CadLights 50Long

[JR!]

PH

From my previous post I now keep a window by the tank cracked at all times even if the A/C is on.

This has given me higher and more stable PH levels.

 

Cyno

It is in full swing now. Not just in low flow areas, several places on the rocks and over 80% of the sand bed.

I have been blasting it off and putting a filter sock back on to catch the particulate but within 24hrs it is right back. I also see it accumulate on the sponges in my carbon reactor. I am still doing weekly water changes of 10-15 gallons and it is not improving at the moment. The only thing I changed around the same time that this started is I stopped running filter socks in the sump 24/7 since they would clog easily within 1-2 days.

 

• New tank syndrome? (possibly, I had detritus come and go already)
  
• BRS Pukani Rock leaching phosphates? (possibly, test kit reads 0 phosphates though probably because the cyno is using it.)
  
• Heavy handed feeding? (possibly, I am now cutting back and rinsing all frozen)
  

 

Bottom line is the tank looks like crap, a few corals (torch/gorg) are not opening fully and I am frustrated.

I am going to keep my head down, stick to weekly water changes of 10-15gal, watch how much I feed and every other day blast/siphon into a filter sock.

im in the same boat right now brother. im gonna bump up the cuc and see if that helps a bit. i have a very small crew

[Scorched]

Great looking tank twan.

 

About the socks - I currently run a mesh sock filled with polyester fiberfill and love it. I get no splashing in my sump and all the tiny debris is removed from my system making my water pristinely clear and my sump is almost spotless. I lightly feed everyday so there isn't a lot of build up, then when I want to do a large mysis and reef chili feeding I change the poly shortly after.

[twan]

Jrmiller sorry to hear about your woes. Whats steps are you taking to combat other then CuC.

What specifically are you adding to the CuC. I stared with the Quick Crew (40 Breeder) from here:

http://www.reefcleaners.org/index.php?page...t&Itemid=34

 

Maybe I should add some different snails or a Pencil Urchin?

 

Scorched_Ice7 thanks for the visit, love your tank as well. I am going to try going back to the mesh socks instead of the felt and see if it strikes the balance between how often they clog and how good a job they do at picking up particulate.

[JR!]

people keep telling me that tiger sand conch are the way to go. i need to snag a few somewhere.

[twan]

2 day lights out ended with sunrise this morning.

The lights are doing their normal ramp up and I will perform a large water change 2nite along with a thorough sump cleaning. I will also return to running filter socks again, but mesh this time - not felt.

At 1st glance under partially lighting it looks like all of the cyno is gone from the rock and there was a 50% reduction on the sand bed. This was a band aid fix to let me get ahead of the problem. Routine water changes and careful maintenance will prevail here I think.

 

 

 

My thought is the breakout is a combination:

 

*New tank syndrome. while the rock was cycled 2 months alone it has only been in the display for 4 months with plumbing/light/sand/livestock. I am at the 1/2 a year mark on this tank.

 

*Slight over feeding which started with the addition of 3 fish (bringing my total to 5) at the same time almost 1 month to the this day. I am rinsing my frozen food now to combat.

 

* Under skimming. While using felt socks they would clog often. I would remove and replace with a fresh one from my dozen or so stockpile. This almost always lead to the skimmer having to be turned down to avoid overflows. Then over the next 36hrs I would bring it back up to the same spot. This would happen twice a week. Couple that with having to adjust the skimmer after a water change..........I am optimally skimming only approximately 60-75% of the time. This was one of my reasons for ditching the felt socks. I hope swapping in and out mesh socks will not cause my skimmer to go nuts.

[twan]

I think I have a problem. I made 15 gallons of fresh RODI. This water measures 0 TDS unless my TDS meter is faulty. I mix it up with some salt (reef crystals) and a clean heater and pump. Things mix for 36 hours and get to 79 deg and 1.025 salinity. I then go to perform my water changes and notice the container and pump/heater have a coating on them. Little brown thin slime. Rubs right off. Water still measured 0 nitrates in that container. I did not test phosphates of the new water but probably should have.

 

*Is my container contaminated in some way?

*Should I clean down all accessories and the tub with vinegar and let it dry then rinse once again before the next water change?

*Should I replace the bucket?

*Should I buy another TDS meter?

*Is this normal for there to be this build up in my water change water?

 

 

 

[Spirofucci]

I think it normal. My pumps and bucket got covered with it for the first five times I made SW, but not so much now. It's was wierd, I had to soak my pumps in vinegar forever to get it off but hardley and buildup now and I have not changed my salt brand.

[twan]

I usually only wipe it down with paper towels and do not rinse it.

Looks like its time I started rinsing it after each change.

I will give it a quick vinegar wipe down this time as well.

Sound good?

[Spirofucci]

I'd only use the vinegar on equipment/tubing that might get clogged up. I do rinse out my SW buckets with the hose after each use.

[mpsti05]

i have always had that very thin brown coating on the pump after im done mixing the water and do the water change, I wipe down the inside of the bucket and the pump and cord and it has always had something on it. But never has caused a problem

[twan]

Battling Cyno Part II

 

So I am still in the middle of a 5 week battle with cyno. The sandbed is most effected but there is some on the rocks as well. If I blow/siphon and do a water change, within 2 days it is right back where I started.

 

Steps taken previously:

1.) Weekly water changes of 12g.

2.) Rinsing frozen foods before offering.

3.) Changed RODI filters and DI resin even though I was at 0 TDS out the end.

 

New steps taken:

1.) Increased the % flow on the two MP10's by 5-15% across all 7 profiles to generate more flow.

2.) Removed all frags from sand bed because they were being smothered.

3.) Bumped up my CuC.

 

Notes about clean up crew

My original stocking of CuC was from reef cleaners. It included:

-40 dwarf ceriths

-19 nassarius

-17 florida ceriths

-10 large nerites.

-6 scarlet reef hermits

 

This crew I thought would be adequate but over time I have realized that the dwarf ceriths impact is very miniscule and all my nerites are lazy and climb to the top of the glass and huddle in the corner as a ball.

I deployed the following to help fight the fight:

 

5 - Dwarf Blue Leg Hermit Crab

10 - Astraea Turbo Snail

11 - Nassarius Snail

2 - Mexican Turbo Snail

5 - Dwarf Red Tip Hermit Crab

11 - Cerith Snail

2 - Fighting Conch

[twan]

5.5 Month Update

 

While the rock had been cycled in tubs, it has been 5.5 months since they have been setup in the display tank, lighting running a 10-12hr period and a sump buzzing away. Real life has been busy at the moment but I still maintain this tank religiously. There has been some growth, some loss but everything is more stable now. Enjoy and let me know if you have any questions.

 

Vid

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CpMMYIYwiM

 

Pics

 

 

 

[twan]

1 more quick post.

 

 

3 months ago 7/4/12

 

 

Today 10/8/12

[thirdchild]

Nice growth! The maintenance is really paying off!

[mpsti05]

Looking good in there dude!

[hannahs]

How's the tank doing? Fish still doing good?

[nano_tank]

1 more quick post.

 

 

3 months ago 7/4/12

 

 

Today 10/8/12

 

 

I can't believe I went thru all 29 pages of this thread. Amazing attention to detail. Very well done.

[twan]

Cyno is now 90% gone, out of nowhere as predicted.

Some hair algae now popping up in 6 small dime size patches and 2-3 quarter size patches. Will administer manual removal at next biweekly water change.

No new coral additions between now and the end of the year.

I would like to add another fish though.

[twan]

Tonight at 6pm will mark 96 hours without power.

 

I have been running my generator 16 hours a day for house heat, lights and the fish tank. Those hours that the tank is not on power the ecotech backup powers at least the 2 power heads to keep some circulation and air exchange. Problem is when not on generator the tank plummets from 78 deg to 75 deg in 3hrs losing 1 degree per hour. That is why I am having to run the generator 16 hours a day. It is using 1/2 a gallon an hour so 8 gallons a day at $4 a gallon is $32 per day.

 

I have 15g more on hand to last me 2 more days...............but there is no restoration estimate for me..............and the stations by me that have power are running out of fuel. :-\

[got2envy]

I am sorry to hear that! I hope that they restore the power soon.

[twan]

I am trying to get a handle on how long I can run the tank off the generator just on the 2 ecotechs being run very low on their battery backup.

 

I have been doing 3-4 hours on then 3-4 hours off with the generator to preserve gas. Now gas supply is running out and I have to adjust that schedule to allow for more off time.............just wondering how far I can stretch it.

[Sahin]

I hope all your livestock pulls through man. Feel so bad for you guys in the states going through this.

[Asureef]

I hope all your livestock pulls through man. Feel so bad for you guys in the states going through this.

 

Same here. All that hard work you've put into the tank, I'm sure it will pull through.

[twan]

Still no power, going on my 120th hour.

 

Was able to get gas by me so I have 25g stockpiled for the generator.

The projected power restoration is now available and shows Tuesday

by Noon which means another 60 hours to go.

I have been running the generator 4-5 hours on then 3-4 hours off.

This totals about 16 hours of run time in a 24hr period.

 

I already did 1 oil change on the generator after the initial 30 hours as recommended to get rid of

the break in oil.

 

The next is recommended after an additional 100 hours of use so I might hit that before this outage is up, crazy!

 

Tank seems to be doing fine, no losses. Salinity is OK, temp swings from 78.4 with the generator running the apex to about 75.0 after 3-4 hours off. I have not measure any other paramaters as of yet. I am even skimming and running the carbon reactor.

 

I know a lot have it worse as far as their tanks go with this storm not to mention other property loss and injuries. I am very lucky so far.

[Spirofucci]

OMG!!! Hang in there! At least you have a generator!!!