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WheresTheReef

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Posts posted by WheresTheReef

    Eric's 120g peninsula style aquarium build

    in Dedicated Tank (Build) Forum

    On 10/24/2023 at 10:42 PM, YHSublime said:

    Everything is growing remarkably fast

    Yea things are growing nicely. Definitely takes more patience watching LPS grow compared to SPS. Most are frags so it will take a bit to grow. Once they are small colonies the growth rate is exponential.

     

    I’m enjoying this version of the tank. I love the movement in the tank way more than the static look of colored sticks.

     

    On 10/26/2023 at 5:59 AM, rutherkip said:

    It's great to see the camaraderie and support in the reef-keeping community during challenging times. Eric's experience is relatable to many hobbyists who've faced setbacks but continued to persevere.

    Regarding the coincidental issue with the chemi-clean treatment and the health of your friend's torch corals, it's a reminder of the complexities of reef-keeping. Sometimes, even when water parameters seem fine, there can be unexpected reactions or sensitivities within the ecosystem. It highlights the importance of monitoring the tank closely and seeking advice from experienced reef enthusiasts or professionals when faced with unexplained issues. Reef-keeping can be both rewarding and challenging, but the shared experiences and learning from one another are valuable aspects of the hobby.

    It definitely helps to know we are not alone in our tough times. If you’re in this hobby long enough, most experience at least one setback. I agree with needing to stay diligent in this hobby. Many of my struggles have coincided with times life was too busy for me to focus on the tank. I think it’s important to enjoy when the tank is doing well, and lean on that as you ride out the struggles. It’s all part of this journey.

     

    I actually feel more connected to this version of the tank than previous ones. I find myself inspecting coral tissues to monitor the health of the euphyllia/frimbriaphyllia. I like the faster feedback you get from LPS compared to SPS (especially acros), which might look fine one day and just seems to die overnight sometimes.

     

     

    Alk question

    in General Discussion

    Is your refractometer calibrated?

     

    What corals do you have in the tank? Are they showing any signs of stress? If not, I wouldn't worry too much. If you do want to lower it a little, then you can just do what I mentioned above.

    Alk question

    in General Discussion

    I had a similar thing happen to me with IO. My euphyllia/fimbriaphyllia were stressed and I lost a few of them over time as the ALK approached 11dkh. I ended up dropping the salinity of water changes to 1.024 which lower the ALK slowly to around 9.5. Of course the tank’s salinity also dropped to 1.024, which is fine. The corals seemed happier. As I filled the tank with more corals I raised the water salinity to 1.025 with water changes which keeps the ALK around 9.5ish. What salinity do you mix your water to?

    Apex Control of CaRx

    in Controllers

    · Edited by WheresTheReef

    Another thing, does you ph ever drop below 6.3 to trigger the OFF condition? The lowest point in your graph above is only 6.39 (within logging rate - 10mins by default). Can you adjust the ON/OFF ph conditions? What is your target ph range?

    Do clownfish stop eating in relation to mating or pairing?

    in Propagation and Breeding

    They don't look thin or unhealthy. Just keep offering them small meals and give them time. They are hardy fish. I'm sure they'll start eating like pigs soon enough. Tank looks fairly new. How long have you had them in there?

     

    Clownfish tend to stay in a certain area. My pair spawns regularly and yet they bicker like an old married couple all the time. Their interaction with each other looks normal in your video. I wouldn't worry unless you see really aggressive behavior.

    Lynn's Fish Room

    in Dedicated Tank (Build) Forum

    IMO, if you have a controller it's best to make it work for you. Even with a pump I have a max time on safety programed in the apex. Once it exceeds that time, it shuts off the pump and notifies me. It has caught a stuck float switch, and also an empty ATO reservoir for me. I have it on my to-do list to install a low level sensor/switch to catch a float switch stuck in the up/full position.

     

    With your investment I believe it's definitely worth the extra monitoring and safety checks. I assume your controller controls and monitors your heaters? Just last week my controller notified me that the temp dropped a little low in the tank. Turns out one of my heaters had failed. With the Apex EB832 I also monitor the power draw of my return pump. I have a notification if the pump is supposed to be on, but it is not drawing sufficient power. This should catch a pump failure. 

    Lynn's Fish Room

    in Dedicated Tank (Build) Forum

    Nice. How are you controlling the gravity fed ATO output? Are you using a mechanical float valve? If so, have you considered adding any safety checks for this? For example, adding high/low sensors or float switches that are monitored by your controller. These would help notify you if there is a failure on your mechanical switch. You could also incorporate a solenoid valve on the ATO line that would be closed by the controller (and notify you) if the level got too high.

    Water line on tank (cleaning)

    in General Discussion

    That line may not matter too much because that’s where the water line will be once you fill it up anyways. Make sure you don’t end up scratching the glass trying to remove the line. If you use a razor blade, use a new one and dampen the area with water. Test it in a small area on the back.

    Coral help

    in General Discussion

    · Edited by WheresTheReef

    Leathers sometimes take a little bit to be happy again after being pissed off. They do this too on occasion so not a big deal if other corals are looking ok.
     

    How are your tank’s params trending? Are you dosing?

    I had to drop my tank’s salinity to 1.024 since I have an LPS dominated tank and the params kept drifting up with weekly 10% water changes. I’m not dosing anything. The tank’s Alk with regular IO was around 10.5 and rising. Corals were looking stressed, but now much happier with Alk around 9.5. Last time I measured, the Alk reading for newly mixed IO saltwater at 1.026 was 11+. Reef crystals might be even higher. If you’re in a similar situation as me, you may consider dropping the salinity of newly mixed saltwater if your tank’s consumption of trace elements is less than what water changes introduces. This will slowly lower your tank’s params.

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