"The Two Towers" 62G SPS Starfire Reef (Rebooted)

[NanoTopia]

Sorry to hear about your difficulties JD. I am wondering if maybe you are lacking sufficient diverse biology in your tank. I don't think you can run a successful reef tank on bacteria alone. Live rock does offer some diversity to the tank, you often don't need much LR if it is healthy rock. Just keeping a couple of small LR in a tank with dry rock will often seed the dry rock in time provided you offer phytoplankon on a regular basis. We need this part of the food chain to make the biology complete. I think if you were to add a couple of pieces of LR to the display or even the sump and dosed phytoplankton you would see better results in time. Just a thought

 

 

Christine

[JDigital]

I've gone through my various algae stages (rather small ones though). I really have little to no algae minus the stuff that builds up on the glass over a few days and the green coloration of my white SPS skeletons I haven't removed.

 

I haven't tested NH3 or the other 2 for awhile..

[JDigital]

Sorry to hear about your difficulties JD. I am wondering if maybe you are lacking sufficient diverse biology in your tank. I don't think you can run a successful reef tank on bacteria alone. Live rock does offer some diversity to the tank, you often don't need much LR if it is healthy rock. Just keeping a couple of small LR in a tank with dry rock will often seed the dry rock in time provided you offer phytoplankon on a regular basis. We need this part of the food chain to make the biology complete. I think if you were to add a couple of pieces of LR to the display or even the sump and dosed phytoplankton you would see better results in time. Just a thought

 

 

Christine

 

That has been suggested by a buddy, although more along the lines of his sump rock and chaeto that is heavy populated with all sorts of diversity. I was really hoping to stay away from live rock, more to avoid possible nasties than to limit diversity. Perhaps I will pick up a few pieces for this tank.

[Giga]

very loovly

[pschom]

You should:

 

Keep everything running as normal.

Take rock and all livestock out.

Stir up sand bed

Replace rock and blow off with baster.

Add a couple fish.

Wait two weeks and test Nitrates and Ammo during.

Feed daily during two weeks.

Let nitrate build to mid range on test scale.

Do partial water changes to lower nitrate and replace any sponge/floss/sock media and carbon.

Then do 15 gallon water changes biweekly, or 20 gallons once a month. I suggest the former.

 

If that don't work...shoot me dead. lol

[JDigital]

July 13, 2013 Test Results :

Mag: 1300
Ca: 450-460
Alk: 7.78 dKH
PO4: 0.08ppm
Salinity: 1.026
Temp: 25.5C
NH3/4: No Test
NO2: No Test
NO3: No Test

I forgot my test kits for the last three items at work.

I was expecting these to be a lot farther out of wack considering how much difficulty I have had keeping any coral really. Now I'm really confused. Unless I've got Ammonia, Trites or Trates..

[pschom]

Gotta test the three u don't have. IMO it has to be one of those because what else could it be?

[JDigital]

Gotta test the three u don't have. IMO it has to be one of those because what else could it be?

 

I'm almost positive it's not NH3/4 or NO2... but yes, I will test for them when I can get the test kits.

[Spencer7]

I'm almost positive it's not NH3/4 or NO2... but yes, I will test for them when I can get the test kits.

are you...

 

oh I don't know

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HIV positive?

[jedimasterben]

A tank that has finished the initial hard cycle should never, ever see an ammonia or nitrite reading unless shit has REALLY hit the fan and everything in the tank is dead all at once. I no longer even have test kits for it. I use Ammonia Alert badges on my QT tanks, but that's it.

[pschom]

A tank that has finished the initial hard cycle should never, ever see an ammonia or nitrite reading unless shit has REALLY hit the fan and everything in the tank is dead all at once. I no longer even have test kits for it. I use Ammonia Alert badges on my QT tanks, but that's it.

But that's kind of what he's saying, that no coral has been able to survive in there. Maybe, for whatever reason, it never established a good bio filter. ??

[JDigital]

But that's kind of what he's saying, that no coral has been able to survive in there. Maybe, for whatever reason, it never established a good bio filter. ??

 

 

What about my fish though? If there was substantial Ammonia or Nitrites I'd likely be seeing my fish dropping off one after the other. I currently have 2 Clowns, 2 Wrasses, 1 Hogfish, 1 Lawnmower Blenny, 1 Yellow Watchman Goby and a Decorated Spinefish (I know he will need re-homed in the future)

 

Like I said, I will be testing tonight.

 

As a side note, I added about 8-9lbs of Fiji Live Rock last week to try and boost the bio-diversity in the tank per Nano-topias suggestion. I've almost thought about tearing out ALL the dry rock I started with and "starting over" with ALL live rock (although would rather avoid that costly route). I seem to be running into issues I have never seen previously in my tanks that were always LR rather than DR.

[Ebn]

What's your light acclimating like for new corals?

 

What are the corals like before they crash? Do they bleach out on you? Brown out? Etc.?

[JDigital]

What's your light acclimating like for new corals?

 

What are the corals like before they crash? Do they bleach out on you? Brown out? Etc.?

 

 

Light acclimation is nil. I mount them where I envisioned them and let them be. Honestly I've never acclimated for light.

 

My GHL Mitra is 11.5" off the water surface with the tops of any given SPS about 5-7" below the water surface. My GHL maxes out at 60% midday.

 

I acclimate for temp, dip with Coral Rx, mount.

 

 

As for what they look like, with regards to the SPS, colorful (same color as they were in store). My blue tipped pink mille for example stayed pink as it died off... Starting at the tips and receding back to the base. Same with my Hydnophora, well, pretty much all the SPS started to decline at the tips and worked its way down, never really losing its color until it was completely white obviously.

[JDigital]

Operation "Skim Damn You!!!"

I can't recall if I made any mention of it in this thread but I have had a lot of frustrations with trying to dial in my Reef Octopus XP2000sss skimmer since day 1.

From what I can remember I read that 9" was the optimal depth for the water level in the sump, I'm almost bang on 9" so you can see how things could get frustrating when I can barely get this skimmer to skim.

By my math, I've MAYBE collected 3/4 of the skimmer cup full worth of skimmate since I started this tank. Really not that good and I considered myself to be feeding rather heavy, so this lack of skimming has not been ideal.

While my PO4 reading this week gave me a 0.08ppm reading I still feel this lack of skimming has had a part in my difficulties with this tank so tonight was the last straw. The boys at Concepts had suggest that I raise this skimmer to around 5" of water depth rather than 9" to get better performance from this thing.

So I went out to Home Depot to pick up some egg-crate. Home depot here in Airdrie apparently closes at 8pm now!! I ended up finally finding egg-crate Rona. $12.59 (and 1 Large Steeped Tea) later I was on my way home.



I didn't go right up to 5" yet. I built my skimmer perch to 3" to raise my skimmer to 6" depth and in doing so my sump level dropped somewhere between 3/16"-1/4" putting me at approx 5.75" (which just so happens to be what Bulk Reef Supply has on their site for optimal depth). I'll try that out for now and see if my skimmate increases.

 

 

Video!

[NanoTopia]

That has been suggested by a buddy, although more along the lines of his sump rock and chaeto that is heavy populated with all sorts of diversity. I was really hoping to stay away from live rock, more to avoid possible nasties than to limit diversity. Perhaps I will pick up a few pieces for this tank.

BTW, the ocean is alive. The more "alive" you make your tank, the more success you will have. With that comes the things we don't like but you have to take the bad with the good, and kill all the bad you can, LOL.

 

Christine

[NanoTopia]

Operation "Skim Damn You!!!"

 

I can't recall if I made any mention of it in this thread but I have had a lot of frustrations with trying to dial in my Reef Octopus XP2000sss skimmer since day 1.

 

From what I can remember I read that 9" was the optimal depth for the water level in the sump, I'm almost bang on 9" so you can see how things could get frustrating when I can barely get this skimmer to skim.

 

By my math, I've MAYBE collected 3/4 of the skimmer cup full worth of skimmate since I started this tank. Really not that good and I considered myself to be feeding rather heavy, so this lack of skimming has not been ideal.

 

While my PO4 reading this week gave me a 0.08ppm reading I still feel this lack of skimming has had a part in my difficulties with this tank so tonight was the last straw. The boys at Concepts had suggest that I raise this skimmer to around 5" of water depth rather than 9" to get better performance from this thing.

 

So I went out to Home Depot to pick up some egg-crate. Home depot here in Airdrie apparently closes at 8pm now!! I ended up finally finding egg-crate Rona. $12.59 (and 1 Large Steeped Tea) later I was on my way home.

 

 

I didn't go right up to 5" yet. I built my skimmer perch to 3" to raise my skimmer to 6" depth and in doing so my sump level dropped somewhere between 3/16"-1/4" putting me at approx 5.75" (which just so happens to be what Bulk Reef Supply has on their site for optimal depth). I'll try that out for now and see if my skimmate increases.

 

 

 

Maybe your tank is too clean, LOL. I think the skimmer you are using is a good one so you should be getting skim-mate, but if there's nothing to skim, there's nothing to skim. Dose some phytoplankton, like 30mLs, see what happens

[JDigital]

Oh Christine... you crack me up.. haha

 

With the amount I've fed, the odd fish that hasn't made it that I have never found a body for, the bio-load I currently have, the die off from multiple SPS frags/colonies, I doubt my tank is TOO clean..

 

Finding Phytoplankton in Calgary is tough. It's on my watch list though.

[NanoTopia]

Oh Christine... you crack me up.. haha

 

With the amount I've fed, the odd fish that hasn't made it that I have never found a body for, the bio-load I currently have, the die off from multiple SPS frags/colonies, I doubt my tank is TOO clean..

 

Finding Phytoplankton in Calgary is tough. It's on my watch list though.

On SALE, act now...http://www.jlaquatics.com/product/rm-pf006/Reef+Nutrition+Phyto-Feast+Premium+Phytoplankton+-+6oz..html

 

Live is better but I have been dosing this stuff twice a week with success. You have to think "Food Chain" now. Phyto feeds what the rest want Seriously, phyto feeds the pods and all the filter feeders, no phyto, no food chain. The number one thing reefers neglect is the food chain. Three great foods you must have, bacteria, phytoplankton, and zooplankton. You have those happening in your reef, you have a real healthy reef

 

 

Christine:)

[glennr1978]

That's really odd. Any chance your skimmer is in a bad spot in the sump? Maybe the majority of the water goes right by the skimmer and back into the display?? Other than that, are you sure it's drawing enough air? If it's even remotely clogged it will drastically reduce the skimmers performance.

[JDigital]

That's really odd. Any chance your skimmer is in a bad spot in the sump? Maybe the majority of the water goes right by the skimmer and back into the display?? Other than that, are you sure it's drawing enough air? If it's even remotely clogged it will drastically reduce the skimmers performance.

 

The Inlet to the skimmer pump is about 3" from the outlet of my Main drain and right next to were my Refugium drains into the skimmer compartment.

 

My air intake is completely open on this thing and everything is clean and free flowing.

[glennr1978]

Maybe give the skimmer a vinegar bath. It could have oils or something from packaging, idk...

[JDigital]

On SALE, act now...http://www.jlaquatics.com/product/rm-pf006/Reef+Nutrition+Phyto-Feast+Premium+Phytoplankton+-+6oz..html

 

Live is better but I have been dosing this stuff twice a week with success. You have to think "Food Chain" now. Phyto feeds what the rest want Seriously, phyto feeds the pods and all the filter feeders, no phyto, no food chain. The number one thing reefers neglect is the food chain. Three great foods you must have, bacteria, phytoplankton, and zooplankton. You have those happening in your reef, you have a real healthy reef

 

 

Christine:)

 

 

The Shipping would cost more than 3 bottles worth of product.... I'll keep looking..

[JDigital]

**TURN AWAY NOW IF YOU DON'T WANT TO READ A WALL OF TEXT**



Ever since I got back into the salty side of things, wrasses seem to be my bad luck charm.

I had a very healthy Leopard Wrasse that I got off reefwars for my 180G which vanished one weekend with no trace or body.

I lost another Leopard Wrasse in my home tank. Similar scenario, just vanished one day, no body to be found.

I picked up a Blue Sided Fairy Wrasse for my 180G tank yesterday from Ocean Creations that I had put on hold Friday until Han was OK to sell. This wrasse is now not doing that great in my QT tank. Won't swim and barely even bothers to keep himself upright. Only thing is he seem to be very attentive when it comes to his eyes, he's always scanning around the tank but I don't have high hopes for him. I can basically reach in and grab him with my bare hand.

And to top it off, I get home last night, my fish are doing well and all accounted as I walk in the door. Few hours later (only minutes before I was about to go down and feed the tank) I can hear my roommate hollering at me that my tank is making some noise.

I head down stairs and the alarm on my Tunze ATO is beeping wildly and my skimmer is overflowing. Wonderful.

After unplugging the skimmer and ATO I tried to diagnose the problem. Yup, you guessed it... A Wrasse.

As far as I can see, one of my smaller wrasses was able to get through an extra wide gap in my overflow teeth, which would have instantly forced him down the main drain line. Likely getting mangled when he got to the gate valve and forced through whatever small opening there might be. This in turn slowed the flow of the tank and my tank level increased until it began to go down the Emergency drain (thank goodness for Herbie Overflows). With more water going into the tank than what was draining from the tank for a few moments activated my ATO as the levels in the sump dropped a bit.

Once the wrasse had been forced out of the piping the system settled back down which then elevated my sump levels about normal (and above my ATO emergency float switched). This caused my already sensitive skimmer to overflow what it had been skimming since my mini-project on the weekend.

And to top it off, I had a dead, mangled wrasse in the skimmer section of my sump.

Ultimately it could have been a lot worse I suppose but I was finally starting to get this tank back on the road to recovery with my levels, PO4, and what has seemed to be a successful fix for my skimmer issues. So certainly frustrating.


WRASSES!

[jedimasterben]

Light acclimation is nil. I mount them where I envisioned them and let them be. Honestly I've never acclimated for light.

 

My GHL Mitra is 11.5" off the water surface with the tops of any given SPS about 5-7" below the water surface. My GHL maxes out at 60% midday.

So you can't keep any coral? Well, here's your problem, then.