Tamberav Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 BTW its probably worth noting I use an older Milwaukee Refractometer (not the green one) that was like $70 vs the $20 chinese ones on on amazon that most people use. In the instructions it says to calibrate using distilled water. When I bought the calibration fluid online it made no difference, it read correctly even though it was calibrated with RODI. I also owned the amazon one and I can say that one needed frequent calibration so brand may effect results. I didn't own it at the time I bought the calibration fluid so can't comment there. ALOT may depend on the accuracy/quality of your refractometer. Checking every time you mix salt is safest. 2 Quote Link to comment
Ladytank Posted October 18, 2018 Share Posted October 18, 2018 I'm running a biocube14A, with stock lighting. I can tell you right off that's to many fish for your tank. 2 is more then sufficient. I would keep the goby and 1 clown. Once you have your nutrients under control which your skimmer will help do,your corals will be good. I do a 5 gallon water change every week,and change my floss twice a week. This tank has been up 4 months. Quote Link to comment
JBM Posted October 19, 2018 Share Posted October 19, 2018 hopefully your sg isnt to far out of whack Quote Link to comment
Lula_Mae Posted October 19, 2018 Share Posted October 19, 2018 3 hours ago, Tamberav said: BTW its probably worth noting I use an older Milwaukee Refractometer (not the green one) that was like $70 vs the $20 chinese ones on on amazon that most people use. In the instructions it says to calibrate using distilled water. When I bought the calibration fluid online it made no difference, it read correctly even though it was calibrated with RODI. I also owned the amazon one and I can say that one needed frequent calibration so brand may effect results. I didn't own it at the time I bought the calibration fluid so can't comment there. ALOT may depend on the accuracy/quality of your refractometer. Checking every time you mix salt is safest. I have the same refractometer I bought from DFS a decade ago and have always calibrated with distilled water lol. I check a few times a year and it's rarely off so I don't worry about it too much. I agree that stability is the most important thing. Quote Link to comment
Tamberav Posted October 19, 2018 Share Posted October 19, 2018 3 minutes ago, Lula_Mae said: I have the same refractometer I bought from DFS a decade ago and have always calibrated with distilled water lol. I check a few times a year and it's rarely off so I don't worry about it too much. I agree that stability is the most important thing. 3 Quote Link to comment
paneubert Posted October 19, 2018 Share Posted October 19, 2018 16 hours ago, Tamberav said: I am a bad person and calibrate with RODI. I had the calibration fluid but always wondered about evaporation, bottle didn't seem air tight enough to me. As just one reference point, I was out of the hobby for 6 years and wondered the same thing about my old dropper of reference solution. Bought a new bottle. Same brand. Both read the same. So at least for me the old stuff/old bottle is still good and it does keep pretty well. My old stuff was in a storage unit and then a shed. So major temp swings. 2 Quote Link to comment
WCO2 Neptune Posted October 23, 2018 Author Share Posted October 23, 2018 Ok so I'm completely lost.. damn algae is growing back faster than before. Water testing is good and I did a water change with ro water.. any advise? Quote Link to comment
paneubert Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 You are putting in more nutrients than the bio filter (and/or manual filter) can take out before the algae uses them to grow. Most likely phosphates are the main culprit. 2 Quote Link to comment
el_ote Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 8 minutes ago, paneubert said: You are putting in more nutrients than the bio filter (and/or manual filter) can take out before the algae uses them to grow. Most likely phosphates are the main culprit. This. This is why you are being told to lighten the bioload on the tank. Too many fish. Too much waste. Algae has too much to eat because of it... there are methods of eradication but without fixing the cause it's a losing battle Quote Link to comment
skyscraper2290 Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 What is your lighting schedule as well? With a heavy bioload already the algae probably has perfect conditions to explode if your lighting schedule is also heavy Quote Link to comment
vegasgundog Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 Clean both the lid and glass surface of the refractometer with fresh water. I honestly use tap water and and a soft cloth. Its always on point after doing so and check with check solution once in a while. Check your lighting schedule as suggested. Have you hit the algae with peroxide? 1 Quote Link to comment
WCO2 Neptune Posted October 23, 2018 Author Share Posted October 23, 2018 Thanks all, I'm going to try to rehome the fish, since the shop won't take them back... the lights aren't on long.... basically on at 8am-4pm dimming slowly on and off. probably has a good 2-4 hours of white light and the rest of the time it's blue... will update upon making new changes.. Quote Link to comment
Clown79 Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 As mentioned, there are ways of getting rid of gha but as long as more nutrients is added that the system can't handle, the algae will just return. Once the bioload has been lightened then it will be easier to get rid of the gha and prevent its return. Lighting fuels algae growth but nutrients is the cause. Quote Link to comment
lpsouth1978 Posted October 24, 2018 Share Posted October 24, 2018 I am battling this same issue at the moment. I know my bioload is too high, but won't be fixing it for a few more months. I am working on an upgrade to a 75 gallon and will keep the 40b with nems and the clowns only. All other fish and corals will be moved to the 75. In the meantime, I am just doing my best to keep the majority of the gha in the sump where it belongs. 1 Quote Link to comment
JBM Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 Here is a screen shot of my light schedule. Granted your percentages will be different. Notice how little my whites are on and how little they are in relation to blues. Ymmv but it's a start 1 1 Quote Link to comment
WCO2 Neptune Posted October 27, 2018 Author Share Posted October 27, 2018 New plan. Please feel free to chime in... Upgrading to 75gal tank, new sun sun 404b, new skimmer. Setting up tank will take 2 months to get it to cycle. Then transferring fish over. Will clean up bio cube and use it to grow some cheap $5 corals then transfer to bigger tank. What do you guys think? Quote Link to comment
Clown79 Posted October 27, 2018 Share Posted October 27, 2018 2 hours ago, WCO2 Neptune said: New plan. Please feel free to chime in... Upgrading to 75gal tank, new sun sun 404b, new skimmer. Setting up tank will take 2 months to get it to cycle. Then transferring fish over. Will clean up bio cube and use it to grow some cheap $5 corals then transfer to bigger tank. What do you guys think? Why will it take 2 months to cycle? You could simply cycle rocks in a bucket then transfer it all to the new tank. Quote Link to comment
WCO2 Neptune Posted October 27, 2018 Author Share Posted October 27, 2018 2 months us what the store told me it would take... didn't know there was a faster process... not sure I wanna rush anything and end up screwing myself again with a messy tank.. Update... got my new tank in place. No water or filter yet... just tank and skimmer arrived today.. think itll look great.. 1 Quote Link to comment
Clown79 Posted October 27, 2018 Share Posted October 27, 2018 27 minutes ago, WCO2 Neptune said: 2 months us what the store told me it would take... didn't know there was a faster process... not sure I wanna rush anything and end up screwing myself again with a messy tank.. Update... got my new tank in place. No water or filter yet... just tank and skimmer arrived today.. think itll look great.. Depending on rock chosen and method chosen cycle time changes. Cured liverock - no cycle Uncured Liverock- 1 - 6 weeks is common Dry rock fishless-cycling- 2-6 weeks is common Quote Link to comment
ReefGoat Posted October 27, 2018 Share Posted October 27, 2018 If you don't have an ATO or RODI now would be a good time to invest in both. That's a much bigger tank. I was completely shocked at how much water evaporated from my 45g daily as opposed to the 10g. I have about a 3ish to 4 gallon ATO container and it lasts maybe 2 and half or 3 days and filling the tank up was an entire separate adventure. Nice tank though btw. Good luck Quote Link to comment
lpsouth1978 Posted October 29, 2018 Share Posted October 29, 2018 On 10/26/2018 at 5:50 PM, WCO2 Neptune said: New plan. Please feel free to chime in... Upgrading to 75gal tank, new sun sun 404b, new skimmer. Setting up tank will take 2 months to get it to cycle. Then transferring fish over. Will clean up bio cube and use it to grow some cheap $5 corals then transfer to bigger tank. What do you guys think? Just my $0.02, but I would get a MUCH better filter than the SunSun 404b. I have used these filters in the past and was VERY underwhelmed. They do not have a very tight fit to the baskets inside and allow a lot of bypass. Also, they are fairly difficult to clean and WAY underpowered. I know that the price is very enticing, but in this case, you really do get what you pay for. What do you plan on using in the canister? They are great for water polishing using filter floss or foam, as long as it is cleaned/changed at least once a week. They also make great media reactors using carbon or GFO. Just curious what your plan was. Quote Link to comment
JBM Posted October 29, 2018 Share Posted October 29, 2018 OMG! return that crappy sun sun 404b right now. Please. I'm begging you. I was once where you were, I believed everything the fish stores told me. Turns out they lied. Everything I "learned" I had to forget. Now, actually. would be a great time to set up a tank with a sump. As everything is new, and you can finagle and get everything perfect. Take your time and dont rush into anything. PLUS, idk bout your area, but petco has the $1 per gallon sale. So a 10g standard would set you back $10 ps, are you sure thats a 75g? Looks a whole lot like a 54 corner Quote Link to comment
DSFIRSTSLTWATER Posted October 29, 2018 Share Posted October 29, 2018 2 minutes ago, JBM said: OMG! return that crappy sun sun 404b right now. Please. I'm begging you. I was once where you were, I believed everything the fish stores told me. Turns out they lied. Everything I "learned" I had to forget. Now, actually. would be a great time to set up a tank with a sump. As everything is new, and you can finagle and get everything perfect. Take your time and dont rush into anything. ps, are you sure thats a 75g? Looks a whole lot like a 54 corner That is a 54 lol I just blew up the picture 1 Quote Link to comment
JBM Posted October 29, 2018 Share Posted October 29, 2018 1 minute ago, DSFIRSTSLTWATER said: That is a 54 lol I just blew up the picture yea well, my eyes arent what they used to be. To quote a great movie " I may be blind Frank, but my memory is perfect. " 1 Quote Link to comment
DSFIRSTSLTWATER Posted October 29, 2018 Share Posted October 29, 2018 2 minutes ago, JBM said: yea well, my eyes arent what they used to be. To quote a great movie " I may be blind Frank, but my memory is perfect. " It's ok I had to blow it up pretty big but the tag says 54g 1 Quote Link to comment
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