Innovative Marine 25 Lagoon

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I decided to switch up my salt to Red Sea blue bucket.  I have been using DD H2Ocean and am almost out.  The Red Sea has lower alk levels.  I want to keep that around 7 dkh.  My sps have been doing well at that range.  The DD is high 8s.  

 

I am going to do my first 10% water change or 2 gallons today.  I am going to test the alk, calcium and magnesium after I mix it.  I heard the magnesium is a little low so I’ll probably add some b ionic magnesium to the mixed water and get it in the 1350-1400 range.  My tank water magnesium around 1400.

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Just checked my magnesium and it’s a lot lower than I though.  I guess I hadn’t checked it in a way.  2 weeks ago was the last time.  It measured at 1400 then and 1240 today.  It’s not terribly low, but I want to get it at least up to 1300.  I am going to raise it some with this water change.  I’ll do like 1450 in the 2 gallons. That should raise the total a little.  I’ll have to keep checking it.  I know raising magnesium 50ppm a day doesn’t cause any issues.  I know low magnesium though can have issues with the alk and calcium usage.

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Longnose Hawkfish I ordered from LiveAquaria I guess were sold out.  I would just order from somewhere else but they have the two week thing where they will ship one if they get.  I also spent money on an ORA purple plasma acro so I would be above the free shipping amount.  So hopefully in the next week or so they get more in.

 

My new corals are all doing well except one.  Could be one of two as a couple haven’t colored up yet.  I moved the acro to a spot with less light and turned my light intesity down some.  It’s a light pale brown without polyp extension.  It’s skin is still there, so that’s good.  Hopefully it starts doing better soon.  

 

My Firefish has dug itself out a spot in the corner of my tank.  I didn’t know they would do that.  There’s plenty of caves and spots in the rock work for it to sleep, but loves sleeping in that corner for some reason.

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Why does my Clownfish terrorize my snails?  😂. He’s always pecking at their shells when they are on the glass.  It doesn’t matter what side of the tank.  It gets loud sometimes too.  I am guessing it’s just a territorial thing.  

 

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I got a Longnose Hawkfish on Tuesday.  He’s doing well.  I thought for sure he was a going to be goner because the plane he was on broke and he took 48hrs to ship.  He has not eaten food yet that I have fed yet though.  Frozen, flake, pellet.  I see him pecking at pods though, so at least he’s eating something.  He’s getting along with everything though.  I have only seen him shoo away my cleaner shrimp, but the cleaner pretty much harasses him to want to clean him.  😂

 

I also have an Ora captive bred orchid dottyback coming on Tuesday.  He’s less than 2 inches so I am hoping he does well with everybody.  

 

I got 11 new acro frags as well that I couldn’t pass up the deal on.  I’ll list them and take photos of everything tomorrow.  I know I said I was going to hold of on Acros but I feel like my tank is in a pretty good place right now stability wise.  

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I added an Orchid Dottyback on Tuesday and a 4 Line Wrasse today.  Both are doing great in their new home, cruising through the rocks.  Both are around 1.5”.  I made sure to get them small so they wouldn’t bully the other fish.  My Longnose Hawkfish has been picking on the Helfrichi a little bit, but they are on opposite ends of the quickness spectrum.  The Firefish just shrugs him off and still stays up at the front of the tank swimming around.  It’s not constant just once and a while.  

 

These will most likely be my last editions.  I may end up getting a Charub Angel or something else that’s blue down the road.  I am going to wait a while and see how all of these fish do and see what my nutrients are at and what I can maintain them at.  I am actually hoping everything increases my nitrates and phosphates at this point.  I took one of my nano  chemipure blue packs out, which I have 3 at a time now.  

 

I am going to try and get some new photos tomorrow.  It’s just a process taking decent ones.  

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I forgot to say, the fish I have now are a Blackstorm Clown, Helfrichi Firefish, Longnose Hawkfish, Orchid Dottyback and a 4 Line Wrasse.

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Today I decided to removed all of my chemipure blue, 3 nano bags, and replace it with Red Sea reefspec Carbon.  I am using 40ml.  I am going to keep monitoring my nitrates and phosphates and hopefully see at least some numbers that are more than 0 for both.  Even with the heavy feeding of fish and corals the past few weeks and increase of fish, they aren’t budging.  

 

I did my water change and cleaned up the tank, hopefully I’ll get some decent photos today.

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Took some photos today.   Still trying to figure out settings and post processing.  I haven't worked with my Cannon much.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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My first video.  Took this shortly after feeding.  Everything is off.  

 

 

[DaveFason]

Looking great man! 

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7 hours ago, DaveFason said:

Looking great man! 

Thanks buddy!!  

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Water clarity today is nuts.  I don’t think it’s ever been so clear.  The reefspec carbon is good stuff.

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Ordered some Brightwell Aquatics nitrates and phosphates adders.  Even feeding all of the fish twice a day with a combination of flake, pellet and frozen food, taking all of the chemipure blue out I am still zero nitrates and phosphates.  Kind of nuts.  I don’t want to take the skimmer offline because it helps keep the ph up.  I’ll start dosing slow when it gets here.  I just want my nitrates at like 2.5 and phosphates detectable.  

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Last weekend I took all of my chemipure blue offline and am just running carbon now.  My numbers at the time were 0 phosphates and 0 nitrates.    Friday my nitrates were at 1 and my phosphate was 0.  I dosed a capful of neonitro and 1 capful of neophos yesterday.  Today my nitrates were a little below 2 color wise with the Red Sea kit and .03 phosphates with Hanna ultra low checker.  

 

My cyano in a week has has completely vanished.  It’s no longer on the sand, back wall, power heads, frag racks.  It’s gone.  My Acros have really darkened up though.  They haven’t browned out, just got really dark.  I am going to slowly raise my light intesity as I turned it down a few weeks ago because I was afraid of hurting the corals with the low nutrients.  I think that will lighten the colors a little bit but being a lot healthier for the corals.  

 

I am not going to add anymore of the liquid nutrients and see how the tank does with just feeding for the next week.  Phosphates are pretty much where I want them and nitrates I want to keep around 5.  

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My hybrid didn’t come with any reflectors for the T5s and today I decided to finally install some.  These are ATI powermodule reflectors.  I had to measure and and trim the edges, drill some holes, fit and refit but I think these worked out great in the end.  It’s pretty much a night and day difference now on the light output from the T5s. 

 

I was also going to put in some new T5s today that I recently ordered from marinedepot and they were both shattered in their boxes.  Haven’t had that happen before.  

 

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Big plans for my Reefing hobby.  I decided that I am upgrading to a Waterbox 130.4.  I already ordered and received a bunch of stuff for it.  The tank is backordered but hopefully it will ship out in a month or so.  

 

Unfortunately that means the IM 25 Lagoon has to go.  It was a fun tank but I am ready to go bigger.  I’ll be tearing that down once the new tank gets here and parting out my equipment for it.