D Z's garage frag tank(formerly CAD 34G Mini)

[CronicReefer]

My SPS were losing color until I removed my carbon and started dosing daily with Kent Coral-Vite. My monti cap had turned grey but is now back to its original red color and my pocillopora is growing noticeably faster. Maybe that would help keep your trace elements elevated because that was the cause for me losing color in mine.

[D Z]

My SPS were losing color until I removed my carbon and started dosing daily with Kent Coral-Vite. My monti cap had turned grey but is now back to its original red color and my pocillopora is growing noticeably faster. Maybe that would help keep your trace elements elevated because that was the cause for me losing color in mine.

Interesting, I'll keep it in mind.

 

I started my daily 5 gallon water changes last night. So far so good I guess. No bad effects at least, just no good ones yet either, but I didn't really expect to see any until day 3 or 4.

 

I did some baseline testing:

 

Nitrate: 3 ppm

Calcium 450

Alk 8.7

Mag 1280

[D Z]

So the daily 5 gallon water changes seem to be paying off. Everything started looking a bit better over the weekend.

 

I have done a total of 5 water changes. I did not get to do one on Saturday as I was just way to busy. So far, the acan and plate that were retracted are starting to be more open. I am seeing the burnt tips of the pearlberry starting to somewhat heal and a bit of PE. I am also seeing some PE starting on the unnamed acro. And a bit better of coloration on everything else in the tank.

 

Parameters yesterday were as follows:

Phosphate: 0.00

Nitrate: 1 - 2 ppm

Calcium: 430

Alk: 8.3 - 8.4 dKh

Mag: 1360 - 1370

 

So I am planning on doing 2 more water changes to round it off at a total of 7, and then go back to weekly water changes and see how things go from there. Once the Pearlberry and unnamed acro are in the clear, I will look into adding some more frags, mainly a stylo and mille.

[Reefkid88]

Glad to hear the water changes are making for a positive come back man,always nice. There had to been something in the water besides just the normal tests in order fort everything to be acting the way that it was,since your parameters were pretty much in line.

[D Z]

Yeah man, I really don't know. I seemed to have started around the last time I dosed Mag, so not sure if I shocked the tank with mag(which I didnt really think you could even do.) That was also the same day I added all the rics and new SPS, so maybe all of the new glue in the tank??(again, not something I would really think would cause a problem)

 

Sometime, in this hobby, you will never really find a reason for why things are not looking quite 100%. I'm just glad things seem to be turning around for the better. Now I just hope the damn clown with stop bothering my duncan. I hadn't really thought about it until now, but maybe my duncan was releasing toxins due to being pissed from the clown picking on it. Who knows.

 

The one thing that this does re-affirm for me, is that almost 100% of the time, water changes will fix, or at least help, when problems arise.

 

Another thing that had recently changed before noticing the issues was my lighting. I had made all the changes to the light just a week or so before I noticed everything looking not so happy. That may have been from the change too I guess, so last night I knocked back the cycle by 1 hour just in case that was what was bothering everything. I can slowly bring this back to 11 and then 12 hours eventually.

[CronicReefer]

I'm glad that those water changes did the trick for you and everything is looking good. Top shelf had gotten in some awesome SPS last week so I bought my first acro . You should head down there and get some eye candy.

[ninjamyst]

water changes FTW. did you end up dosing anything else like coral-vite?

[D Z]

water changes FTW. did you end up dosing anything else like coral-vite?

YEah, I dose sponge power, coral vitalizer and pohls extra almost every day. Zeobak about 3-4 times a week.

[Reefkid88]

I'm glad that those water changes did the trick for you and everything is looking good. Top shelf had gotten in some awesome SPS last week so I bought my first acro . You should head down there and get some eye candy.

It's a shame their top sps guy Travis quit,hopefully things don't change.

 

It may have been releasing toxins or slime which pissed other pieces off. Hopefully everything was sucked up during these water changes. I'm ready for some pics though

[D Z]

It's a shame their top sps guy Travis quit,hopefully things don't change.

 

It may have been releasing toxins or slime which pissed other pieces off. Hopefully everything was sucked up during these water changes. I'm ready for some pics though

Just FYI - I heard through the grapevine that Travis quite to go work at the new Sea Life Inc aquarium that will be opening on I-Drive. It is a shame he left, though, as he was typically who I would deal with, as well.

I will be getting out there to do some shopping in another week or two, probably not till the new year as I'm going out of town for a couple days for XMas.

Pictures probably wont be till then either as things are just too busy right now. Plus, not much has really changed, at least no good change to document.

 

I'll definitely be doing a Janurary FTS sometime in the beginning of the year.

[Reefkid88]

Correct,and to sell insurance 3 months out of the year. I guess he had applied for the job almost a year ago and they finally called back. He's who I dealt with too,and always gave me stupid good deals. I went in there last weekend and they had a "Needle in the Haystack" piece about 1/2" or so and wanted $50-$60 for it. Travis would've given it to me for $20. But oh well.

 

Sounds good man,can't wait. Where you traveling too ?

[D Z]

Correct,and to sell insurance 3 months out of the year. I guess he had applied for the job almost a year ago and they finally called back. He's who I dealt with too,and always gave me stupid good deals. I went in there last weekend and they had a "Needle in the Haystack" piece about 1/2" or so and wanted $50-$60 for it. Travis would've given it to me for $20. But oh well.

 

Sounds good man,can't wait. Where you traveling too ?

Just down to Ft Lauderdale to visit my wife's and my families. Yeah, I'm gonna have to figure out someone else to deal with at Top Shelf now. I was worried about a price increase like you said as I have only worked with Travis in there....

[Reefkid88]

Oh okay. A short trip but I'm sure it'll be fun.

 

I have a huge feeling prices will skyrocket over at their place. Like I said above,I went in there last weekend and it was super bare. And when I asked for prices on some SPS no one knew them they had to call people.. The hell. I probably won't go back for awhile.

[D Z]

Oh okay. A short trip but I'm sure it'll be fun.

 

I have a huge feeling prices will skyrocket over at their place. Like I said above,I went in there last weekend and it was super bare. And when I asked for prices on some SPS no one knew them they had to call people.. The hell. I probably won't go back for awhile.

Hmmmm, interesting. I got an email earlier this week that they had gotten a bunch of stuff in. It will be interesting to see how things play out going forward. I'll probably try to make it out that way sometime next week, once I am back in town.(depending on how my tank looks)

[D Z]

Just want to take a minute to say happy holidays and merry Christmas to everyone. Hope you all have a great holiday season with you families.

[Reefkid88]

Same to you man,hopefully the Reef God's treated you well this season !!

[reefernanoman]

I like what I see

[D Z]

Same to you man,hopefully the Reef God's treated you well this season !!

Thanks bro!

I like what I see

Thank you!

 

 

[Reefkid88]

You checking out tomorrow's Living Reef sale at all ?

[D Z]

You checking out tomorrow's Living Reef sale at all ?

Nope, im out of town til monday. You get anything?

[Reefkid88]

Oh okay. No,I opted to skip out on it. I don't have any room lol

[D Z]

Happy New Year everyone! I haven't been on N-R in a good week. The only real good time I have to sit down and read through the blogs is at work, lol. So I just caught up on everything happening on the forum. Glad to see everyone doing well in the new year.

 

In tank news, not much has changed. I have been trying to find time to make it out to shop for fish/coral but just have had too many other things going on. I guess that comes with the territory of having a 2 month old at home!

 

The tank survived my absence pretty well. I have some algae which I believe is bryopsis growing in some spots and a couple small spots of cyano, but for the most part everything is doing well. FTS to come in the next couple days.

 

Parameters:

Ph: 8.0

Nitrate: 1

Phosphate: 0

Calcium: 420

Alk: 8.5

Mag: 1270

 

Oh, and one random pic of the shark tube at SeaWorld. Took the family on Friday and had a lot of fun, as usual.

https://flic.kr/p/qDRkj5'>https://flic.kr/p/qDRkj5'>20150102_164444 by https://www.flickr.com/people/89326890@N03/'>cchsoracle, on Flickr

 

And one random pic of the awesome dinner I made for my wife and I last night! you can never go wrong with steak, chicken, crabs, lobster, and a stuffed clam!

https://flic.kr/p/qG4EWm'>https://flic.kr/p/qG4EWm'>20150104_192414 by https://www.flickr.com/people/89326890@N03/'>cchsoracle, on Flickr

[D Z]

I must vent.....I had to frag my Pearlberry last night and really don't know whether it is going to make it. It has had problems since I put it in the tank. First, it developed burnt tips withing a day or two of being in my tank. I am guessing that was due to a higher Alk in my tank than Alex's. After a week or so it seemed like the tips were healing, then I went on vacation. When I can back, I noticed that the burnt tips still looked like they were healing, but it was starting to STN from the base. Then, the burnt tips started getting worse again. Not really sure why, as nothing else in the tank is having problems. My Pink Lemonade frag looks great, and the unknown acro I have had for a while is starting to finally color back up and have some PE.

 

Last night, though, the pearlberry was looking pretty rough. I had to frag off a small branch that had lost most its tissue, and covered the tissue loss at the base with superglue....not sure what to expect at this point, but figured it was worth a shot.....

 

While I am venting, I also seem to be having a small outbreak of bryopsis and a couple nickle sized spots of cyano. My tank is still measuring at 1 ppm nitrate and 0.00 phosphate, so I am not sure what to attribute this to. My alk was slightly low at 1260, but I doubt that has anything to do with it, but I am dosing it back up to mid 1300's now.

[Reefkid88]

Damn man... That sucks about the pearlberry. Hopefully things get resolved. I mean I know it's a long shot,but if it boils down to it,I'm close to you,I'll take it and get it colored up for you and I can give it back,just saying .

 

 

Also,which type of supplements are you using like Alk,Calc and mag ?

 

Have you tried peroxide yet on it (on the algae) ?

[D Z]

Damn man... That sucks about the pearlberry. Hopefully things get resolved. I mean I know it's a long shot,but if it boils down to it,I'm close to you,I'll take it and get it colored up for you and I can give it back,just saying .

 

 

Also,which type of supplements are you using like Alk,Calc and mag ?

 

Have you tried peroxide yet on it (on the algae) ?

Yeah man, I think I just tried the pearlberry a little too early. Honestly, at this point, transferring it to another tank would probably just kill it as it is already so stressed out. We'll see what happens.

 

I use brightwell supplements.(reef code a, reef code b, and magnesion)

 

Haven't tried peroxide yet. It would be hard to use peroxide in all the places that it is showing up. I'm pretty sure the bryopsis came off on the disc that one of my chalices is on. It is literally growing out from under the chalice so peroxide won't help me much there. I changed out my filter floss last night and pulled out as much as I could so well see if that helps. If it gets worse, I may look into getting some tech m. They cyano should just go away on its own, but I'm keeping a close eye on the couple spots in case they start getting bigger.