Sniperhank's UPGRADED 55 gal Build

[Dary421]

Never tried one yet ..., maybe some day when I need a new project I'll make one ....


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[Sniperhank]

So far. It'd be nice to have growth in front of where the lights sit but one step at a time.


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[paul87]

Originally Posted by Sniperhank

So far. It'd be nice to have growth in front of where the lights sit but one step at a time.


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Maybe the light is too intense for it to grow right there. How close is the light to the screen?

[Sniperhank]

It's pretty close. The problem is I can't back it up any either. It's a problem to be assessed way later down the line.

[paul87]

Originally Posted by Sniperhank

It's pretty close. The problem is I can't back it up any either. It's a problem to be assessed way later down the line.

Ahh gotcha, that's more than likely why. Still getting plenty of growth though.

[navaljonf]

Looks great. You notice any changes to the algae growth in the display tank?


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[Sniperhank]

Not yet. I was a fool and increased feeding before the ATS had really established itself. That increased the growth in the display, obviously. Once things really get rolling we'll see real proof in the pudding, but this is still an invasive algae I'm battling and I suspect it will take more than a simple ATS to solve. This will most likely be something addressed in a tank upgrade, removal of rock...so on.

[PB_Smith]

Have you noticed any change in water parameters?
I imagine it's about the same, you just want to relocate the algae.


I know everyone says "don't use animals to solve problems" but my getting a lawnmower blenny was one of the best things I have done to combat algae. That guy has scrubbed all the rockwork clean and there is just enough algae left to give the rock a faint green look in patches and he has been doing a great job of keeping the lawn mowed!


Now the blenny isn't solely responsible, my fixing water quality and adjusting my habits had more to do with it, but darned if he didn't clean up the display better than I could and he is keeping it clean.
Heck, he even cleans the snails shells, annoys the heck out of the snails though....LOL

[Sniperhank]

With the ATS on top of the lawnmower blenny and tomini tang in the tank, there isn't progress as this stuff is rough and they won't eat it. Real nasty stuff this cotton candy algae and whatever the other stuff is...it's like the bristles on a horse brush that will anchor rocks together and climbs up the back of my tank walls.

[Sniperhank]

Ok. So things aren't improving. I have recession on more coral as it stands. This includes all trumpet, sps frags, and the newest challice. What remains unaffected is the duncans, the hammer corals, montis, large acro colony, all polyps and soft coral, and anemone.
It is possible that the scraping of the ATS is the cause, though it is unknown.

So, to break things down at this point is easy: Whatever happens happens. Will continue with the usual routine as what is happening is out of my control. I'm out of phosphate tests. I picked up a small pack of Phosguard last night to put into the reactor as the GFO just won't tumble. This will hold off until the order that will be coming in sometime this or early next week of phosguard, a red sea nitrate test, more phosphate tests, phosphate RX, and more salt. Then will be the start of my battle plan. With the good nitrate test kit and more phosphate test I will be able to monitor and manage the lowering of such with the phosguard and phosphate RX, if necessary, as closely as possible. There will be a light at the end of the tunnel, I'm tired of playing games.
In this same order, I was very close to getting a reactor to run the zeovit stuff. I'm still very interested in it...I'm glad I didn't because that would have cut out the funds for the new TV I got last night. I was already activating the battle plan and didn't want to throw money at the issue more than was necessary. Maybe try it out when I upgrade the system, whenever that happens. We'll see.

[mr_X]

Originally Posted by Sniperhank

the new TV I got last night.

4K?

As for the tank, I skipped a few pages, but have you found the source of your nutrient problem?

[Sniperhank]

I was feeding more again and the gfo keeps clumping up.


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[mr_X]

Did you get a 4k tv?

[Sand dollar]

I think I mentioned on here before about calcium and alk but you had just had a phosphate spike and thought that was the culprit. I lost trumpets a while back, flesh just kept receding (I tried moving them around but finally chalked it up to a newbie tank) and then my lobo and chalice started receding. Everything else (similar to the corals doing fine in your tank) seemed to be thriving and my phosphates and nitrates always tested ok. Finally learned after LFS tested my water that calcium and alk were very low even with frequent water changes. Started dosing 2 part system and it has taken a while but my watermelon chalice which had melted away to only one mouth is back up to 5 with a 6th starting, still kicking myself for not saving it sooner because it is still only a 1/3 the size it was when I bought it. Lobo has never really recovered and I don't think it's going to. Have you tested calc and alk?


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[Sniperhank]

I haven't tested my calc/alk in the last week simply because it can't be the issue at hand, as seeing the algae growth increase pointed it out. The past of the alk and this tank has been that it is lower and could be higher. I've dosed a couple of times to bring it up, once caused a crappy job at it and the other it went much better.

Doug, I did. I got myself one of the Vizio P-series of TVs. Upgrade in size and performance. It's beautiful.

[Sniperhank]

Well, nitrates tested at 0 and phosphates at .04. This is after water change and not scraping the ATS. Dosed some of the nitrate/phosphate reducer and we'll go from here. This algae will loose.

[Sniperhank]

Continued battle. A ton of algae has been removed. Double water change today. Refreshed purigen and new phosguard in the reactor. Didn't scrape the ATS. Also been using the red sea nitrate/phosphate remover to assist.

[Dary421]

What's you ph ? And mag ?


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[Sniperhank]

Not sure since I"m currently at work...the problem isn't that it isn't an overwhelming issue like byropsis. It's still this cotton candy garbage. With nitrates at 0 and phosphates at .04, I'm debating what the next step of this battle is. It is impossible to pull it out.

So, the more I read there are two paths to choose from.
One involves hydrogen peroxide. Had great success with it on small scale, but can't take the mass covered rocks as they are main support column and have either a large acro or anemone on it.
The other involves the path I'm already on and several mexican turbos as it is reported that they will eat this junk. Problem is that I can't buy them here and would have to order them...way expensive issue.
Path three...pull it a part and simply bleach the rock and be over and done with it. Not an option until there is an upgrade on the table.

This stuff...just awful.

[paul87]

Have you asked your LFS if they can order some me Mexican Turbos for you? Worth a shot.