The Great Salt Lake Reef, Stay Tuned for 2.0

[4x5]

I use Seachem Flourish Nitrogen. Seems to do the job.

[evan127]

Shaun, you're the man! Thanks! I am going to look into that. How much do you dose and what is your goal parameter?

 

Just tested alkalinity. 9.5dKH :S. Just cranked the dosers way down.

[4x5]

I was adding about 10 drops every 3rd day (150 litres of water in tank). I don't really have a target - I just like to have them register on tests.

[evan127]

Thanks! I am going to see if I can find some here locally. I'd like to see some nitrates. My system is too clean, and it has been for some time now. I'm always super happy to come home after being away for a week or so and see the colors really bright. My girlfriend always feeds a lot more than me and doesn't do much of the maintenance (not that she just doesn't, I just ask her not to ). I am taking her approach now. Feed a lot, don't put my hands in the tank. Feed a lot, don't put my hands in the tank. Feed a lot, don't put my hands in the tank....

[markalot]

Flatworm stop will strengthen the corals but won't slow the AEFW down very much if at all, unfortunately. People have had peppermint shrimp keep them in check if lots were added but that risks most non SPS in the tank.

 

A couple of RC TOTM tanks have been living with AEFW by blowing them off on a regular basis. Hopefully you can find a way that works!

[evan127]

I've been reading up on it. I fully expect the AEFW to still be present in the system. I just hope the population falls while using FWS and the affected corals come back. Maybe I'll add a wrasse too just to be safe.

[evan127]

Just did my usual morning inspection. Everything looks amazing except the acroporas. My seriatopora hystrix, pavona maldivensis, montipora digitata, montipora setosa, stylophora, porites, seriatopora guttatus all look great. Good polyp extension and good color. I pulled out an acropora millepora and could see only 2 little dots moving around. I pulled out an acropora prostata and could make out 1 little dot. (Not a copepod or red bug)

 

So, I ask everyone; that has to be a huge indication that it's a 100% chance of AEFW and not a light, food, parameters, etc. issue, right?

[markalot]

I don't think so. The acros could be receding for other reasons and the dots are cleanup crew. The acros may be suffering from something that happened weeks ago. Acros behave differently from every other SPS and will sometimes show damage when other corals are doing fine.

 

AEFW has a distinct damage pattern, circular scars on the coral where they feed and then move on.

 

 

 

Look for the telltale damage signs and also look for eggs.

 

This is what the larger worms look like:

 

Magnifying glass and a bright flashlight can help when they are small, once larger it's obvious.

[evan127]

This picture is from NanoTopia's thread. I have the exact same patterns on my acroporas. The markings are not as patchy as in the photos you posted, which leads me to believe that they are juveniles or the population of AEFWs are pretty low right now. I'm looking for egg clusters right now.

 

CORRECTION: I do have patchy bite marks on 3 of the frags, but nearer to the base of the coral. The flashlight showed that.

[evan127]

I can see what I think are eggs on one frag. I can't find any eggs on other frags though. But I do see these little guys crawling around at the edge of the tissue line. The pattern is almost uniform on each acropora frag.

 

Other than AEFW, what do you think could be a probable cause Mark?

[evan127]

Friday:

[evan127]

So, here is a little theory I have about my AEFWs. I think I have had these a lot longer than I original thought. I just went back through my journal and saw that the last acropora I added to the system was in late March. This was well before my upgrade of the new stand, sand and rock. My beloved sixline wrasse died in early April. I think I've had AEFW at least since March and that my wrasse was keeping the populations of the flatworms down to an unnoticeable level. I'm not sure that this theory is all that farfetched.

[markalot]

I can see what I think are eggs on one frag. I can't find any eggs on other frags though. But I do see these little guys crawling around at the edge of the tissue line. The pattern is almost uniform on each acropora frag.

 

Other than AEFW, what do you think could be a probable cause Mark?

 

I don't have any good ideas. I know I had bites that looked kind of like tiny aefw but were apparently made by these little white bugs my tank was infested with. Once I treated with interceptor the marks vanished. Too many unknowns with acros IMO to say anything for sure.

[evan127]

I remember reading that in your thread. I'm hoping its AEFW and not some unknown thing. At least there is some idea of how to keep them in balance and from eating more acropora.

[evan127]

So a little update this morning.

 

My Flatworm stop should be here soon. I am very anxious to start dosing that.

 

The alkalinity is still high, but falling. I reduced how much the doser was dosing per day by about half. I have turned off the alkalinity doser completely and will retest in 24 hours to see where it is at.

 

I have once again started looking at the Zeovit products and I am very tempted to give that a try. I'm already having problems getting my NO3 and PO4 up and I am already inadvertently running ULNS, so why the hell not, right? Maybe this fall

[evan127]

Flatworm stop has been dosed

[evan127]

A little update

 

The system is running strong now. New skimmer, new salt mix, a few adjustments here and there and the reef is looking great.

 

The purple seriatopora is such a deep purple now with crazy long white growth tips. The "bird of paradise" seriatopora is the best I've ever seen it. Really bright purple polyps and the skin is a brilliant yellow. The green pocillopora is the best it's ever looked and is growing like a weed with excellent polyp extension (I was afraid it was about to bail out because the polyps are so long) and a rich color. The povona is bright orange. Like, almost fake looking bright. Under just blues, it's so bright it looks like a beacon light across the room. Same story with the montipora setosa.

 

I've been cleaning the sand bed with every water change I have made recently. The water I pour out in the sink is cloudy and white/yellow looking. The rock work is getting darker everyday. A bit of diatoms, but nothing that isn't manageable. I have more cerith snails being delivered this morning. All in all, it made a big recovery.

 

The bad news is the acroporas did not make it to see the benefits from the FWS. I am going to continue to dose the FWS (forever) and add a bunch of acropora later next week/weekend.

[evan127]

It's been a couple of weeks. Things are going really well. I've added 9 frags, all acropora. I've made a few changes. The skimmer is only on for 12 hours at night. I will be taking the refugium offline too. Once I get my sand bed clear of frags that I am giving to a friend, I am going to post some pictures of the new reef.

[evan127]

I am embracing the ULNS. The refugium has been taken out and is now a frag area. Skimmer is on 24 hours and is still pulling out some gunk. 5 gallon water changes per week on Sunday. Corals are being broadcast fed 4 times a week. Twice with 1 little spoon of Reef Chili and twice with 3ml of Marine Snow. Filter socks are being changed Tuesday evenings.

 

The Radion is now down to 50% due to the super clean water. Added some more blues in the morning and evening. Growth is insane right now. Since I have had my new frags, they've already encrusted over all the super glue. I'm stoked!

[jstuver]

Awesome I would love to see a new tank shot:)

[markalot]

Yea, need a fts. How often do you change water?

[HarryPotter]

Yea, need a fts. How often do you change water?

 

 

Two posts up: "5 gallon water changes per week on Sunday."

[markalot]

 

 

Two posts up: "5 gallon water changes per week on Sunday."

 

Thanks. My excuse is I was on mobile and I swear I read every post. :|

[evan127]

So, I think my thread is due for an update. Summer has been good. A bit of highs, a bit of lows, but all in all the reef is headed in a great direction.

 

Here are my mistakes so far this summer:

- Added too many fish too quickly.

- Not having a refugium online.

- Misidentifying the red algae. (It was spirulina btw)

- Under feeding and relying on Zeo products.

- Losing two corals to STN (nutrient lacking environment)

 

Here are the good things:

- I've added about 10 beautiful acros

- Refugium back online

- Started nitrate dosing

- Started feeding a lot more

- Increased my CUC

- Stopped Zeo stuff

- Overhauled my sump

- Bettered my husbandry

 

So after I replaced all my rock work and sand, I had a bunch of corals STN/RTN, I think, due to the removal of nutrients and the amount of sediment blowing around. I think the sediment covered bacteria populations which led to a significant imbalance.

 

Then came the red algae from hell. Nothing seemed to get rid of it. I did blackouts for days at a time, changed my feeding habits, increased water changes, stopped water changes, added more clean up crew, changed my flow, changed my magnesium, changed temperature, changed my lighting to lower levels, changed my lighting to higher levels, added macroalgae, removed a certain type of macroalgae, started micro bubbling, and out of desperation added a gallon of bleach (jk). All these things did nothing. Except for the right identification and correct course of action.

 

TL;DR - The tank was imbalanced due to mistakes on my part. I lost some coral, but added tons. I had a spirulina outbreak and chemiclean did the trick in 48 hours. I am now nitrate dosing and micro bubbling. Now, this week I will finally update with pictures! Stay tuned.

[TheKleinReef]

Sooooo about that FTS...