NOT About To Give Up On My System(Thanks to the folks on this forum)

[farkwar]

Change the title of your thread....

 

?

[Steensj2004]

Haha, I was JUST thinking about doing that.... donno how

[tibbsy07]

Haha, I was JUST thinking about doing that.... donno how

Glad to hear things are turning around. To edit your title, edit your very first post of this thread. You should be able to change it there.

[Steensj2004]

Glad to hear things are turning around. To edit your title, edit your very first post of this thread. You should be able to change it there.

 

Gotcha, thanks Tibbsy!

[Sunar357]

Apex, bro! I loved mine and if you've seen the ones coming out they showed at MACNA....very cool! Reef Angel is interesting if you want to tinker more possibly. Reefkeeper is 'ok'....if you are dead broke the RK Basic is the cheapest of everything though...but it won't do a ton.

 

Want more pics as it goes along!

[Steensj2004]

Now I just have to find an apex for sale. SaltCube sent me a message as he was selling his. It sold before I saw the PM.....sigh

[farkwar]

Now I just have to find an apex for sale. SaltCube sent me a message as he was selling his. It sold before I saw the PM.....sigh

 

You need to find a quality RODI unit first. And a refractometer if you don't have one.

 

A controller won't fix any of your problems.

 

[Mr. Microscope]

Any chance I could get the rundown on this process? Interested in trying it, possibly asap. Thanks!

It look several weeks to really start working well. Answered in PM.

BTW, are you using RO/DI water?

[Steensj2004]

Yes, I am using RO/DI water. TDS meter reads 000ppm, Salifert tests read 000ppm on the water it produces as well. I use a refractometer as well. I use all high end test kits, including a Hana Phosphate checker. I want a controller to help refine my water quality even more than it already is.a controller will allow me to control an auto top off and thermometer to reduce swings from manual top off etc. I'm 100 percent sure my water source is not the problem as I stated before. I believe I am leeching phosphates from rock,sand, or maybe even the eggcrate I used. My perams are in check, I barely feed, I am unsure where excess nutrients are coming from. No tests display anything negitive.

[Mr. Microscope]

If you don't attempt carbon dosing (which BTW, you absolutely need a skimmer to do), an algae scrubber may do the trick.

[metrokat]

[tigrtraps]

Very happy to see your tank turning around! Howbout some pics now?

[Steensj2004]

Well, I have some pics that the boss lady sent over. She says sand has cleared up and no brown clumpy messes. There is a few rocks covered in that brown fuzzy stuff. It isn't slimey like cyano and she says it turns to dust when you hit with turkey blaster....diatoms?...anyway...here are some pictures.

[Steensj2004]

If you don't attempt carbon dosing (which BTW, you absolutely need a skimmer to do), an algae scrubber may do the trick.

I think I am going to try and dose carbon. I have read a lot of opinions on what to dose, you dose vitamin C, right? Do you use the Kent Marine brand? Anyway, if you could provide me a little more info on your process and what you use than I would like to try it out. There are a lot of advantages to dosing, not just killing algae,lol. I have a skimmer, so it will be running the whole time.

 

 

MP10 arrives Saturday, and as soon as I can get home from work, I will pay for the second one I bought today along with a RKL. I planned on an Apex, but this was an amazing deal, and I don't plan on using my controller for much more than temperature and maybe control an ATO. No point in spending an extra 400.00 for stuff I don't plan to use. If I change my mind I will upgrade down the road. I plan on doing another tank down the road anyway(like a pico), so I will switch the RKL to the nano and replace the one on the 75 later.

 

Algae seems to be taking the hit. Another 10 gallon water change performed today, along with some scrubbing off of random GHA and diatoms or whatever the hell the brown stuff is.

[Mr. Microscope]

I think I am going to try and dose carbon. I have read a lot of opinions on what to dose, you dose vitamin C, right? Do you use the Kent Marine brand? Anyway, if you could provide me a little more info on your process and what you use than I would like to try it out. There are a lot of advantages to dosing, not just killing algae,lol. I have a skimmer, so it will be running the whole time.

I ordered this off Amazon.

..yes, three pounds..

For vitamin C, it has to be buffered of you'll drop your pH. That's why I use sodium ascorbate instead of straight up ascorbic acid. I dose 1/8-1/4 tsp. about twice a day in my 28 gallons (technically, vitamin C loses it's vitaminy qualities after 8 hours, hense three times/day would be ideal), but again beware. With ULNS comes other challenges to keeping corals. You may need to supplement somehow.

 

Another option you could consider is a lawnmower blenny. Those things supposedly wreak havoc on GHA. Also, your tank is definitely big enough for one.

MP10 arrives Saturday, and as soon as I can get home from work, I will pay for the second one I bought today along with a RKL.

Sounds like you're far from quitting now. Glad to see you're keeping with it!

[Steensj2004]

I ordered this off Amazon...yes, three pounds.. For vitamin C, it has to be buffered of you'll drop your pH. That's why I use sodium ascorbate instead of straight up ascorbic acid. I dose 1/8-1/4 tsp. about twice a day in my 28 gallons (technically, vitamin C loses it's vitaminy qualities after 8 hours, hense three times/day would be ideal), but again beware. With ULNS comes other challenges to keeping corals. You may need to supplement somehow.Another option you could consider is a lawnmower blenny. Those things supposedly wreak havoc on GHA. Also, your tank is definitely big enough for one.Sounds like you're far from quitting now. Glad to see you're keeping with it!

 

Uhhhhhhhh.......BANG!(head explodes)......so supplement with trace elements, crack cocaine.....I'm confused,lol. Need a link or a explination of wtf exactly is the DL on all this,lol. I mean I get the basic idea,buuuuuut..... saw some miniature algae scrubbers that hang in tank, maybe use that instead hahahahaha. Anyone have experience with these?..

 

http://www.santa-monica.cc/HOG1x-Hang-On-Glass-UAS-Upflow-Algae-Scrubber-with-Green-Grabber-surface-and-Xtra-LEDs--1-Cube-feeding-per-day--MAGNET-VERSION_p_38.html

 

 

[Steensj2004]

UPDATE: Came home from work early, and I found good news......No growth on glass, no new growth in sand, no new growth on rocks. Hair algae is scarce, and things are looking up! On a side note, out of the CUC I bought the Limpets and the Fuzzy Chitons(SP?) I ordered are MACHINES. IF you get a CUC, get some of these. They make all the snails that came with my CUC their preverbal beotches when it comes to hair algae munching. they are doin work!

 

I have one MP10 arriving tomorrow, and the other seller is shipping the controller and the second MP10 sometime asap. That will make two MP10s and two large Korallias....I feel like that is excessive, think the hydors will have to go, haha. Ill have two Hydors and a Hydor Wavemaker for sale soon....anyone interested? hahahah.

 

Anyway, things are looking up, going to stay diligent and eradicate the rest of this stuff. Looking into some more natural and chemical measures to prevent this in the future(Carbon dosing,Algae scrubbers, etc). Thanks again for all the help. I will continue to update for a while to let everyone know if it comes back etc. Thanks again!!!

[Steensj2004]

Lol, MP10 arrived early.....shipped to the wrong address. O well, apparently my paypal had my last address still and the seller didn't see the note on the payment with my new address. Luckily, the lady that took over my townhouse lease when I bought this place kept my number. So I will be going to pick it up when I head to the LFS to take advantage of the 5 frags for 100.00 sale. SPS,LPS, and softies all included....best....lfs....ever.

[tigrtraps]

Lol, MP10 arrived early.....shipped to the wrong address. O well, apparently my paypal had my last address still and the seller didn't see the note on the payment with my new address. Luckily, the lady that took over my townhouse lease when I bought this place kept my number. So I will be going to pick it up when I head to the LFS to take advantage of the 5 frags for 100.00 sale. SPS,LPS, and softies all included....best....lfs....ever.

 

Damn, glad that lady doesn't have an aquarium of her own or she would of given you the "What MP10? I didn't see no MP10." routine .

[Steensj2004]

Hahaha, a person can get hurt sealing some Ecotech Marine stuff....just saying

[Steensj2004]

Bleeding Apple Favia, Orange Digi, Stary Night, Armour of The Gods Zoas, and Strawberry Short Cake......frags I got tonight

[Steensj2004]

Question.....my water stinks. I'm unsure as to why, never had this problem before. I've changed carbon in media as I usually do when it has a slight smell, didn't help. Is it possible a portion of these snails died and are poluting my water? A lot of the dwarf cerths I'm unsure if they are alive.....gah, last thing I need is nutrients causing algae spike again....

[Steensj2004]

New additions, also goby playing ,"Are you gonna feed me" peek-a-boo behind my clam....lol

[Steensj2004]

Update: Well folks, looks like the upswing continues. Keeping up on aggressive skimming, manual removal,reduced feeding, and water changes. Manual removal has reduced to mostly me looking in the tank as I walk by and thinking I see GHA and using the toothbrush to scrub. There are a few spots here and there where you can see remnants of GHA, mostly in crevices I cant scrub. They are getting H202 this weekend via out of tank treatment per past recommendations of Brandon. I lost my Red and White striped Goby, came home to fish jerky on the carpet....guess he jumped. He was my favorite... , sucks to think of how a fish suffers laying on the carpet.... Never lost a fish to jumping, heck, till this point I had lost only one fish(and he was sickly when I got him home). So tank news is pretty positive minus the fish loss. Second MP10 and the RKL come tomorrow, I have obtained a 5 gallon jug for an ATO(same 5 gallon jugs used in office water coolers. Included a blue cap that is very tight). Anyone care to recommend an ATO brand?

[Sunar357]

Make a clear mesh top for it! Any fish can jump.