1st Marine Reef IM20 Fusion - May 2020 UPDATE

[Lugmos12]

27 minutes ago, StephLionfish said:

I replaced the pump in mine, but I'll suggest (if you upgrade) to not go with the Sicce Syncra 1.0. Fits too snugly and hums.

Your tank is so beautiful, do you have issues keeping the soft corals at bay in a tank this small?

I don't have a problem with the corals at all per se. My main problem has been finding a balance between the rock work and adequate flow. I did a new rockscape so I'll post pictures later this week. I head the Sicce .05 fits well.

[StephLionfish]

I've heard that the Eheim compact 1000 also fits well. 

[Lugmos12]

FTS 2/24/18 new and FINAL rockscape 

 

 

 

[4Swanson2Reefer0N00b]

On July 10, 2017 at 8:43 PM, Lugmos12 said:

Update: Took out my hermit crabs and I lost one. ugh Not sure where it fell but it did and i feel like a dumb*ss.

 

I changed my filter floss today. I bagged it in a filter bag; makes it easier to take in and out. I also finally figured out how to use the surface skimmer properly lol

 

Also what is this brown looking thing growing on the rocks? is it algae?

 

 

 

How does the surface skimmer work?

[Lugmos12]

3 hours ago, 4Swanson2Reefer0N00b said:

How does the surface skimmer work?

it works well; I use the flow from the return pump nozzles to push surface gunk into it

[4Swanson2Reefer0N00b]

I meant how did you fix your surface skimmer issue?  I am five months into the same tank as a first time salt water also and wondered how you fixed the issue.  Was it just getting the water levels right?

[Lugmos12]

24 minutes ago, 4Swanson2Reefer0N00b said:

I meant how did you fix your surface skimmer issue?  I am five months into the same tank as a first time salt water also and wondered how you fixed the issue.  Was it just getting the water levels right?

I did. I was simply placing the surface skimmer 'plate' in the wrong direction. Now I have it so that the water level in the tank is about 3/4 inch from the rim.

[CarolinaShoreReef]

Your tank looks stunning! Love the progression on the scaping too. Curious as to how the sw2 is holding up now ~8 months having it? I was guided away from it on here because of its reliability. 

[Lugmos12]

On 2/25/2018 at 10:58 PM, CarolinaShoreReef said:

Your tank looks stunning! Love the progression on the scaping too. Curious as to how the sw2 is holding up now ~8 months having it? I was guided away from it on here because of its reliability. 

Thanks! I'm still learning a lot. Hopefully this will be my last rockscape lol

 

The SW-2 worked okay for the first few months and then began to die down. I had to do weekly maintenance on it to get it to function properly. It's still running in the tank but I'm considering buying the Aqamai KPS.

[Lugmos12]

Alk  observations:

 

So I tested a fresh batch of saltwater today before a water change. It tested at 14.7 dKH.

I use RSCP and the batch tested at 4.23 meq/l which is about 12.5 dKH according to the e-mail from Red Sea.

Salinity was 1.026 and temp 78 when I tested.

 

I'm not sure if this is something to be concerned about.

I did a three gallon water change and tested the TANK water 2 hours later. It tested at  9.9 dKH.

 

 

I'm using this conversion chart: Alk conversion chart (external link)

 

on the Red Sea FAQ they recommend using Deionized water instead of distilled or RO.

 

I know RSCP has high Alk usually. I'm gonna keep testing throughout this week to see how much the alk changes.

 

I can't think of anything in my tank that can be consuming alk that fast.

 

[CarolinaShoreReef]

5 hours ago, Lugmos12 said:

Thanks! I'm still learning a lot. Hopefully this will be my last rockscape lol

 

The SW-2 worked okay for the first few months and then began to die down. I had to do weekly maintenance on it to get it to function properly. It's still running in the tank but I'm considering buying the Aqamai KPS.

Hahah only a matter of time before you're feeling creative again lol

 

That's a bummer, it seems they're not even hit or miss and just start degrading after a few months.

[TheBig053]

I have an SW-2 in my EVO as well and have had a similar experience. Its about 8 months old and needs to be taken apart and cleaned weekly in order to maintain the same level of power. I am lookin at replacing it with the new Ice Cap 1k Gyre. 

 

@Lugmos12, I am a little confused. The fresh batch tested at 14.7 dKH or 12.5 dKH? Both are high compared to what you see regularly recommended (7-11 dKH). Is your refractometer calibrated properly?  I had an issue several months ago where my Alk test results on fresh batches of SW didn't match up with advertised levels for my salt. I came to find out its because my refractometer was not calibrated properly and I was actually mixing the new SW to 1.030 instead of 1.026. I was using a calibration fluid I bought off Amazon that actually needs to be warmed to 78F in order to provide accurate calibration (read the fine print, eh?). Might be worth looking into. 

 

The new scape looks nice!

[Lugmos12]

3 hours ago, TheBig053 said:

I have an SW-2 in my EVO as well and have had a similar experience. Its about 8 months old and needs to be taken apart and cleaned weekly in order to maintain the same level of power. I am lookin at replacing it with the new Ice Cap 1k Gyre. 

 

@Lugmos12, I am a little confused. The fresh batch tested at 14.7 dKH or 12.5 dKH? Both are high compared to what you see regularly recommended (7-11 dKH). Is your refractometer calibrated properly?  I had an issue several months ago where my Alk test results on fresh batches of SW didn't match up with advertised levels for my salt. I came to find out its because my refractometer was not calibrated properly and I was actually mixing the new SW to 1.030 instead of 1.026. I was using a calibration fluid I bought off Amazon that actually needs to be warmed to 78F in order to provide accurate calibration (read the fine print, eh?). Might be worth looking into. 

 

The new scape looks nice!

I'll try the calibration fluid.

The RODI water tested at 0 so I assume the refractometer is working property but I'll buy some calibration fluid and look into that.

It tested at 14.7 dKH using the salifert test kit. The batch of salt from Red Sea that my bucket comes from tested at around 12.5dkh or 4.23 meq/l.

 

Do colder temperature/high SG cause alk to increase?

 

 

 

[Clown79]

12 hours ago, Lugmos12 said:

Thanks! I'm still learning a lot. Hopefully this will be my last rockscape lol

 

The SW-2 worked okay for the first few months and then began to die down. I had to do weekly maintenance on it to get it to function properly. It's still running in the tank but I'm considering buying the Aqamai KPS.

You'll love the aqamai. Had the same issues with the sw2.

 

 

I also had issues with rscp and high alk which was also inconsistent with the testing of new as opposed to my tank after waterchange.

 

I changed salts. Got tired of the increasing alk and my sps all ended with issues due to it.

 

I don't think distilled really will matter, its pure water- nothing in it just like rodi.

 

Now ro and tap could cause issues as both have chemicals and minerals which would alter the parameters.

[CarolinaShoreReef]

5 minutes ago, Lugmos12 said:

I'll try the calibration fluid.

The RODI water tested at 0 so I assume the refractometer is working property but I'll buy some calibration fluid and look into that.

It tested at 14.7 dKH using the salifert test kit. The batch of salt from Red Sea that my bucket comes from tested at around 12.5dkh or 4.23 meq/l.

 

Do colder temperature/high SG cause alk to increase?

 

 

 

When I used distilled water to calibrate my refractometer was reading about 2 off. See if your lfs is fine with calibrating it, mine will just match it up to what their Milwaukee is reading. 

[Lugmos12]

12 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

You'll love the aqamai. Had the same issues with the sw2.

 

 

I also had issues with rscp and high alk which was also inconsistent with the testing of new as opposed to my tank after waterchange.

 

I changed salts. Got tired of the increasing alk and my sps all ended with issues due to it.

 

I don't think distilled really will matter, its pure water- nothing in it just like rodi.

 

Now ro and tap could cause issues as both have chemicals and minerals which would alter the parameters.

How long do you think I should monitor it for?

I plan to test alk today again after work.

I mean my corals look happy and nothing appears to be dying in the tank. I've use RSCP since I began the tank in July and it's always tested high.

[Lugmos12]

7 minutes ago, CarolinaShoreReef said:

When I used distilled water to calibrate my refractometer was reading about 2 off. See if your lfs is fine with calibrating it, mine will just match it up to what their Milwaukee is reading. 

Thanks. I'll try to get this done soon.

 

 

[Lugmos12]

On 2/28/2018 at 10:06 PM, Lugmos12 said:

Alk  observations:

 

So I tested a fresh batch of saltwater today before a water change. It tested at 14.7 dKH.

I use RSCP and the batch tested at 4.23 meq/l which is about 12.5 dKH according to the e-mail from Red Sea.

Salinity was 1.026 and temp 78 when I tested.

 

I'm not sure if this is something to be concerned about.

I did a three gallon water change and tested the TANK water 2 hours later. It tested at  9.9 dKH.

 

 

I'm using this conversion chart: Alk conversion chart (external link)

 

on the Red Sea FAQ they recommend using Deionized water instead of distilled or RO.

 

I know RSCP has high Alk usually. I'm gonna keep testing throughout this week to see how much the alk changes.

 

I can't think of anything in my tank that can be consuming alk that fast.

 

Tested my alk today again using Salifert: 11.2

 

 

I'm very confused :/

[Lugmos12]

On 2/28/2018 at 10:06 PM, Lugmos12 said:

Alk  observations:

 

So I tested a fresh batch of saltwater today before a water change. It tested at 14.7 dKH.

I use RSCP and the batch tested at 4.23 meq/l which is about 12.5 dKH according to the e-mail from Red Sea.

Salinity was 1.026 and temp 78 when I tested.

 

I'm not sure if this is something to be concerned about.

I did a three gallon water change and tested the TANK water 2 hours later. It tested at  9.9 dKH.

 

 

I'm using this conversion chart: Alk conversion chart (external link)

 

on the Red Sea FAQ they recommend using Deionized water instead of distilled or RO.

 

I know RSCP has high Alk usually. I'm gonna keep testing throughout this week to see how much the alk changes.

 

I can't think of anything in my tank that can be consuming alk that fast.

 

 

I tested today and it's 9.9

[Lugmos12]

I am seeing these weird growths on this piece of GSP. I don’t think they are sponges. Someone said it could be a branching GSP.

 

[fishfreak0114]

That definitely looks like GSP growth to me. Mine do that when they want to reach my main rock work. 

[Lugmos12]

15 hours ago, fishfreak0114 said:

That definitely looks like GSP growth to me. Mine do that when they want to reach my main rock work. 

This is the highest coral in my tank - about 1-2 inches from surface. I wonder 'where' it is going to grow to

[Lugmos12]

I'm seeing green algae again and some cyano maybe. Will not feed over the next 3 days so I can get back on a regular feeding schedule. I think i got carried away feeding the anemone.

[Lugmos12]

Found this inside a rock. It ripped a little when I was taking out. Can someone ID?

 

 

[WV Reefer]

50 minutes ago, Lugmos12 said:

Found this inside a rock. It ripped a little when I was taking out. Can someone ID?

 

 

 Flatworm

 

.....and not to alarm you but I think it’s the bad kind.