new 55 gallon reef build

[KAhner]

So what exactly happend to the corals? Did it just kinda happen overnight or have they been looking bad for a few days? How do your parameters look?

 

[rob_mango]

It was an over night thing and now my water is a little off but I started the steps to fix it and I must say that my skimmer is going nuts pulling out a bunch of stuff.... I will keep doing what I am to see if it will clear up in a week if not I will have to figure something out....

 

[Bschowa]

i love the look of your tank! the pictures are amazing even though im sure that they do not do the tank justice.

perhaps a new camera is the next purchase lol jk

sorry to hear about your corals but it is amazing reading through all of this and following your progress! What happened with the 300g tank?

also its nice enough to ride out there? i wish it was nice here the bike is covered but still teases me every time i look at it. i debated bringing it out when it was 40 the other day but now its back to 20* unfortunately.

 

[rob_mango]

Thank you for the complement the 300 fell out my friends dad didn't let him sell it.... Yes it's nice tI ride but it's still cold when I go home from work its like 50 degrees when I ride home

 

[rob_mango]

Ok so my tank has cleared up a lot but not all the way so what I am doing is helping so lets c in a week

 

[rob_mango]

Ok so my pagoda looks good again but still upset that I lost my sps corals I tested my water still a little off but is looking better..... So I think it will be good in no time

 

[rob_mango]

Well I went and got a new test kit and my readings are
Nitrate: 5
Phosphate: .25
Dkh: 10
Salt: 1.028
Calcium: 460
Mag: 1480ish
Need to find out what is going on I hope I can get it all under control here quick....

Also I tested my pre-mixed water and I am showing phosphates and nitrates in there going to replace my DI resion and switch salts to see if I can get that down to zero

 

[scottayy]

What salt are you using?
I doubt your corals died, why do you say they died?

Water looks good, nothing outstanding besides your SG may be a little high unless you are intentionally putting it that way.

 

[rob_mango]

I have been using coral life going to switch to h2ocean and they r completely white and no polyp extetion

View attachment 76223

Everything but the pagoda is dead

 

[rob_mango]

So now my skimmer is kicking but with these bio-pellets in there the crap it's pulling out is just insane.... I just cleaned this cup on Saturday and keep in mind it is off for 4 to 6 hrs a day with me dosing microbacter7 from brightwell

View attachment 76312

How crazy is this it is so thick I have to scoop it out nasty......

 

[mr_X]

Are you sure you aren't skimming out the microbacter you are dosing? I don't see how that stuff is going to increase skimmate otherwise.

 

[rob_mango]

That is a good point but I was told to shut it down for 4to6 hrs. A day when I dose it so I won't skim it out so I guess it is just something I really can't say

 

[mr_X]

I don't really think you need to use that stuff. I would discontinue use and see how things go. Your system should establish a bacteria colony and that bacteria will sustain it for as long as you take care of it.

 

[KAhner]

Are you sure you aren't skimming out the microbacter you are dosing? I don't see how that stuff is going to increase skimmate otherwise.

From what I've read it's probably the biopellets. They ironically release a lot of nutrients into to tank.

 

[mr_X]

Bio pellets release nutrients in the tank? What good are they then? I don't think that's the case.

 

[rob_mango]

Bio pellets create a carbon source for the bacteria to feed on thus braking down all the phosphates and nitrates that is causing the waste to be released in to the tank that is y it needs to go into the skimmer to pull out all the waist it is creating

 

[Gregcoyote]

I think vodka dosing is similar. I would not think that a smaller system would tolerate this very well. At the very least you will end up with a bacterial bloom that could compromise oxygen levels, not sure the bio-pellets are worth the trouble.

 

[rob_mango]

I am starting to think that as well but my goal is to get my 240 gallon tank up and running as well and put the bio pellets on that instead but the wife thinks its to much money right now

 

[mr_X]

Why even bother with the pellets at all? Just cycle the tank properly and enjoy it.

 

[Gregcoyote]

In almost all cases, the successful long lived reefs are the simplest ones. After using almost everything on the shelf, there are only a couple of things I found that were useful. But I harvest a lot of my nitrates when I clean my algae scrubber, so I don't need all the additives and filter media. Not everyone has the room a scrubber takes up, but there are other ways to improve water quality that would seem to me to be less dangerous than these pellets have been. Simpler is better and the fewer chemicals you have to rely on saves you money and decreases the chance you will destabilize your tank.