Ziggy953
Aquarium Advice Addict
You have immaculate algae...
Finally - 40 Breeder Reef Journal/Build Thread
- Thread starter mfdrookie516
- Start date
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You have immaculate algae...
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mfdrookie516
Aquarium Free - 2+ Years
I have something... that's for sure.
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mfdrookie516
Aquarium Free - 2+ Years
Overflow + filter sock + clownfish = dead clownfish. Sigh... back to square one.
NyteGTI
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Aww man sorry to hear that!
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mfdrookie516
Aquarium Free - 2+ Years
I honestly have no clue. I've tried to figure it out. He had to jump, there's no way he could have went between the teeth.
cmor1701d
Aquarium Advice Addict
Sorry for your loss.
They will jump, though I'm lucky that mine never have (9 years). I've had other jumpers though. You may want to get some netting from BRS in the next group buy.
Get Salifert test kits. They use titration with a sharp color change for most tests. At least for Ca, Mg, and Alk. NO3 is a color sample. I seem to be able to get that one pretty easily though.
They will jump, though I'm lucky that mine never have (9 years). I've had other jumpers though. You may want to get some netting from BRS in the next group buy.
Get Salifert test kits. They use titration with a sharp color change for most tests. At least for Ca, Mg, and Alk. NO3 is a color sample. I seem to be able to get that one pretty easily though.
redsea
Aquarium Advice Addict
Sorry about your Clown mfdrookie.
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mfdrookie516
Aquarium Free - 2+ Years
Ok... got my new RO/DI unit hooked up yesterday. I got a drain saddle and a tee that fits inline on my sink faucet plumbing (so much better than the behind the washing machine setup!) and the unit is hooked up in the closet behind my tank.
I replaced the 100gpd membrane and flow restrictor with a 75gpd membrane and restrictor. I'm still getting twice as much water with this config than I did with my old unit. The pump keeps the pressure right at 100psi. I'm getting 0ppm on the tds meter at all times, even when flushing and just starting up (something I'd heard doesn't always happen). I still think I'm going to get a separate canister and move my sediment filter over, and run two carbon blocks, as I've heard that prolongs the membrane when on tap with chloramine. No idea if that's true or not, but for $15, why not?
As far as the corals are concerned, I'm still seeing a lot of new growth. My green millepora has grown another inch or so, and has a couple new places about 1/2" coming off of it. It also has encrused about a 1" diameter circle around it, and looks like another one is coming off that. The red millepora is also showing good growth. I've got 4 1/2" new shoots coming off (pardon my lack of proper terminology here) and overall, probably about 2" taller. The zoas are all growing fine, lots of new polyps. One frag has actually grown off the plug and started growing on the rock beside it. The frogspawn looks bigger, though I'm not sure how to judge its growth yet.
The algae has subsided in a big way. The only algae I'm seeing now is remnants of what was there that I missed on the back wall. The caulerpa is growing in the fuge at insane rates, as is the chaeto. I've seen several pod carcasses floating around, and I have witnessed both my goby and cardinal eating them.
All in all, things have really turned around on this tank. I'm pulling a cup and a half of dark brown skimmate every week, and the socks are getting full about once every 2 weeks. I've come to the conclusion that the less I do, the better it is. I haven't done a water change in about 2 weeks, but things are really turning around. I'm going to get on a good schedule with things, and just let everything happen on it's own instead of forcing it.
I replaced the 100gpd membrane and flow restrictor with a 75gpd membrane and restrictor. I'm still getting twice as much water with this config than I did with my old unit. The pump keeps the pressure right at 100psi. I'm getting 0ppm on the tds meter at all times, even when flushing and just starting up (something I'd heard doesn't always happen). I still think I'm going to get a separate canister and move my sediment filter over, and run two carbon blocks, as I've heard that prolongs the membrane when on tap with chloramine. No idea if that's true or not, but for $15, why not?
As far as the corals are concerned, I'm still seeing a lot of new growth. My green millepora has grown another inch or so, and has a couple new places about 1/2" coming off of it. It also has encrused about a 1" diameter circle around it, and looks like another one is coming off that. The red millepora is also showing good growth. I've got 4 1/2" new shoots coming off (pardon my lack of proper terminology here) and overall, probably about 2" taller. The zoas are all growing fine, lots of new polyps. One frag has actually grown off the plug and started growing on the rock beside it. The frogspawn looks bigger, though I'm not sure how to judge its growth yet.
The algae has subsided in a big way. The only algae I'm seeing now is remnants of what was there that I missed on the back wall. The caulerpa is growing in the fuge at insane rates, as is the chaeto. I've seen several pod carcasses floating around, and I have witnessed both my goby and cardinal eating them.
All in all, things have really turned around on this tank. I'm pulling a cup and a half of dark brown skimmate every week, and the socks are getting full about once every 2 weeks. I've come to the conclusion that the less I do, the better it is. I haven't done a water change in about 2 weeks, but things are really turning around. I'm going to get on a good schedule with things, and just let everything happen on it's own instead of forcing it.
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mfdrookie516
Aquarium Free - 2+ Years
I'll work on getting some this afternoon. I need to get out the mag float, as the glass is pretty dirty.
redsea
Aquarium Advice Addict
Glad the tank is doing well, especially all of the new growth!
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mfdrookie516
Aquarium Free - 2+ Years
Well... big fail on my part... While trying to clean the back glass with the mag float I broke my red millepora frag. Just broke off a 1" piece, but also broke the whole frag off the rock. I glued it on another, and also glued the 1" piece on a different rock.
Here are the pics... they aren't great, but they are what they are.
Here are the pics... they aren't great, but they are what they are.
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mfdrookie516
Aquarium Free - 2+ Years
And... some more
cmor1701d
Aquarium Advice Addict
Fragging is NOT a failure. It's a part of tank maintenance! 
And you have matured to the point of recognizing that less is more, but don't go too far with that concept of tank maintenance. About a 20% PWC every other week is still a good idea. It helps replenish the trace elements that get used by the coral and removed by the skimmer.
And you have matured to the point of recognizing that less is more, but don't go too far with that concept of tank maintenance. About a 20% PWC every other week is still a good idea. It helps replenish the trace elements that get used by the coral and removed by the skimmer.
carey
Aquarium Advice Addict
Those bam bam zooas are looking fantastic! Not that everything doesn't look awesome but those are my favorites! lol
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mfdrookie516
Aquarium Free - 2+ Years
Thanks
Fragging is NOT a failure. It's a part of tank maintenance!
And you have matured to the point of recognizing that less is more, but don't go too far with that concept of tank maintenance. About a 20% PWC every other week is still a good idea. It helps replenish the trace elements that get used by the coral and removed by the skimmer.
I was afraid I would sound as if I wasn't wanting to do as many. I actually meant that I was going to get on a good schedule of weekly water changes. I think I was getting frustrated with carrying buckets up two flights of stairs, which was making me resent doing them. I still did them, but not weekly like I prefer. I did one last night, and will get back on an every week schedule.
I do think less is more though. I didn't look at my tank for a week (had wife check to make sure all was well), and the growth that I saw was amazing. You don't see big changes daily... but when taking a break, they show well.
Thanks. I've had them called la lakers, bam bam, fruit loop, blue, orange, sunset... I think the only common denomiator is that they're zoas haha. But... I do think the orange (insert your opinion here) zoas are my favorites
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mfdrookie516
Aquarium Free - 2+ Years
I just placed an order for the following (a great bday present from my wife)-
1 x Nuclear Holocaust Palys
1 x Velvety Green Mushroom
1 x Titan Paly
1 x Spring Sunburst Zoa
1 x Rainbow Zoas
1 x Radioactive Dragon Eye Zoas
1 x Fire & Ice Echinata
1 x Acan
1 x Nuclear Holocaust Palys
1 x Velvety Green Mushroom
1 x Titan Paly
1 x Spring Sunburst Zoa
1 x Rainbow Zoas
1 x Radioactive Dragon Eye Zoas
1 x Fire & Ice Echinata
1 x Acan
iadubber
Aquarium Advice Freak
Very nice order! Can't wait to see them all
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