Emeraude's tank

[Emeraude1484]

This is not a new tank build.  If this is not where it should be mods please feel free to reroute

I'm starting kind of a tank journal since I think someone might profit from seeing the progress or lack of progress going forward.

Here are some specs:
2year old 90gal Perfecto tank + 20gal sump, had ushio 2x250w 10000k + 2t5s til about a month ago switched to 2x250w xm20000k MH, same t5s. Running gfo, Tunze 9006 skimmer, dsb in sump.
Livestock: 2 clowns, 1 firefish, yellow watchman, mandarin. Usual cleanup crew including 4 emerald crabs.
Crocea and Squamosa (giant)
Corals: pink, yellow birdnests, 2 unknown acro, Turbinaria, torch, chalice, gsp, zoas and ricordeas.

Have been battling valonia, heavy cyano and about a month ago stn on pink birdnest and acros.  Started trying to figure out why.  Found Spec grav was at about 0.19 since the refractometer hadn't been recalibrated in forever.  Fixed that, no improvement in conditions.  Started heavy water changes about 20 gals a week. Slight improvement but stil stn and cyano. Scrapped most of the valonia off.

Have gone from this

To this

In 3 weeks or so.

Parameters don't fluctuate much except for Alk
Specific Grav 1.025
PH: 8.2
Ammonia:0
Nitrite:0
Nitrate:0
Phosphate:0
*DKH:7* lowered from 9 in a day
Calcium:420
Mag: 1200
Tests are API othe than a RED Sea Mag test so will be going Salifert or Hanna shortly.

Calcium needs to come up and mag as well so have decided to start balling salts for Ocean Fresh Aquariums and Start dosing Prodibio. 

First dose of Prodibio was last night will be going 6 weeks of digest and optim only before any other dosing as per recommendations.

Balling starts tonight as well.

I'm looking for health right now but eventually brighter colours would be ideal
Wish us luck!

[NjOyRiD]

So, everything good?

[Emeraude1484]

So, everything good?

Phil

I'm still at work!! No updates since this morning

[NjOyRiD]

hehe you always work you

[Cheebs]

Gorgeous tank!!

Could the lighting change have anything to do with the outbreak? It seems it coincides with when you changed your lights. I had to reduce lighting in my tank for a while to deal with some problematic algae and cyano.

[Emeraude1484]

Gorgeous tank!!

Could the lighting change have anything to do with the outbreak? It seems it coincides with when you changed your lights. I had to reduce lighting in my tank for a while to deal with some problematic algae and cyano.

Thanks  

I cut the MH time 3 hours thinking the same thing nothing improved until the recalibration of the refractometer... Eek... took me 5 days to get it back up to 0.025...  Cyano still takes over the side of the tank facing the window so I'm thinking maybe sun? The blinds being closed doesn't seem to help either.  Did the 3 days lights out method on RC, which helped but it was back full force within 3 days.  I'm worried about using chemiclean and it wiping out my pod population since I FINALLY just got my Mandy. 

ummm Ray (hubby) also found a rusty hair clip in the sump a couple days back so that might of had something to do with it....

[Emeraude1484]

hehe you always work you

hehehe Have to bring in the bacon somehow!:D

[az]

nice tank....maybe add something red?

[Emeraude1484]

nice tank....maybe add something red?

Thanks!!!
Don't tempt me right now!  Ray keeps telling me I should've gotten that chalice.    

[Emeraude1484]

Next step since the wonderful stn seems to have stopped, or at least slowed.

Fragging the acros and pink birdnest affected since only about the top 2.5 inches are alive.    Got a few hours of work ahead!

[Emeraude1484]

Also trying to figure out how to alter my sump.  The water level is to low to get my Tunze working properly.  Turn of the return for an hour and it's in overdrive, as it is hardly an skimmate.

[az]

sump/skimmer will work, ask him!

[Emeraude1484]

sump/skimmer will work, ask him!

Yeah just need to measure what size piece of plexi needs to go in.  I don't know how I missed that for so long.  The water level is about 2 inches short from where it should be. No wonder the thing hasn't been working properly!

[Emeraude1484]

Altered the sump, skimmer seems to be working better.  Will do a vinegar bath and see if it kicks in more.

Not much of a change with water/sps ie prodibio, but I'd rather see slow change than crash the tank  

On a completely unrelated note...  Chalice is eating and extending feeders everynight YAY!

[Emeraude1484]

Well, Mg is up to 1400, Alk is slowly being raised to 10 and ca 450.

Birdnest is actually starting to grow again  but all acros have taken a turn for the worst stn from the bottom up seemed to have stopped but all of a sudden there are now patches of tissue bleaching and essentially flaking off...  All affected pieces have now been fragged.
I pruned one of my larger acro colonies to where the branches were not just breaking off when touched lightly just to see if it will come back. But the rest... I hope the healthy branches I took for frags will make it through.

Looking into Korallin C1502 Calcium Reactor to run ARM media.  Anyone here use it?

[salvini55]

How much flow do you have in there?

[NjOyRiD]

I like your style

[Emeraude1484]

How much flow do you have in there?

Have the Ocean runner 3500, koralia 550gph and koralia 750gph

[salvini55]

I cant say for sure but i would bet that the reason your large sps are receeding at the base from not getting enough flow. I would look for a maxi jet 1200 wih a sure flow mod to up the flow. They r
Are pretty cheap and can move water very well.

[Emeraude1484]

I cant say for sure but i would bet that the reason your large sps are receeding at the base from not getting enough flow. I would look for a maxi jet 1200 wih a sure flow mod to up the flow. They r
Are pretty cheap and can move water very well.

Hubby's been looking for wavemakers   can you suggest one or do you think the maxijet would be sufficient?

[salvini55]

I would buy an MP40 if i were going for a wavemaker type pump. I think the Hydor one is ok. But for what its worth saving the cash and going with the MODDED Maxi jet 1200 is a safe bet

[Emeraude1484]

I would buy an MP40 if i were going for a wavemaker type pump. I think the Hydor one is ok. But for what its worth saving the cash and going with the MODDED Maxi jet 1200 is a safe bet

Excellent, I'll bring it up.

Finally have the protein skimmer up and running got a few ml overnight!!! Yes I am completely over-enthusiastic

Going to be dipping all the acro frags tonight, don't believe I see and bites or eggs but might as well test it out.

[Emeraude1484]

A little update,

Cyano still a small issue, bubbles are nowhere near as bad as they were and I"m still scrapping it off whenever I do water changes.

Iodine dipped all the corals, found no pests.  Acros are still looking rough but don't seem to be receeding since being fragged.  The pink birdnest is actually growing!   The green chalice extends feeders every night, the new orange one (added on friday)has yet to do so but had not receeded or bleached in any way.  The bubble added at the same time looks fantastic.

The mandy has doubled in size in 1.5mths that it's been there.  The bi-coloured blenny is bold enough to stick around the mated clown pair   We added a blue-sided wrasse on friday, seemed to be doing fine.  Eating mysis, swimming around and now we haven't seen him in over a day   The only thing that might have affected it is temp on Sunday as we couldn't turn on the air but NOTHING else was affected.

Parameters:nitrate 0.25 nitrite 0 ammonia 0 Phosphate 0 Cal 440 Alk 7.4 (this is the only one that I'm having an issue keeping steady!) Mag 1400

[kole18]

I used kalkwasser my alk & cal, mag seems stable now, I don't use a lot of mag 5 ml a week which is thrown in ato mix/w kalkwasser so it drips into my sump it last my 10g reservoir a week. I'm getting cyano but not much, water change weekly is the best to solve the cyano:).

[Emeraude1484]

I think I've finally figured out a dosing schedule for the time being.  Alk is 60mL/day Cal 30mL/day I'll test the alk daily and cal next week and change it accordingly.  Mag I'll test/dose once a week.

I'm leaning towards a calcium reactor when funds and space become available. kalkwasser was an option but I have no room for an ato

[Emeraude1484]

Made our DIY frozen food

Seafood Medley of mussels, squid, octopus, shrimp, added some selcon, garlic, nori, Mysis, Cyclopeeze, a few new era pellets.

The Fishies seem happy  The LPS go nuts within seconds and I've noticed actual PE in the acros! 

Next step is adding a screen top before adding any new fish.  How's this stocklist for a 90gal?

Current:
- 2 clowns
- Bi-colour blenny
- Firefish
- Yellow watchman

Possible additions:
- Blue-sided wrasse
- 2 anthias
- Kole tang or mock lemon peel tang

[Emeraude1484]

forgot the Potter's angel

[NjOyRiD]

vient donc me jaser hihi
je me tient ici derniemrenet: http://www.facebook.com/groups/jgomes/