mr11

You can add something similar to this storage cube to the side of your stand. It perfectly fits a 5 gallon bucket and if you get something with more optimal dimensions than a bucket you can fit a larger ATO resovoir. http://www.amazon.com/Winsome-94418-Wood-Storage-Cube/dp/B000GLPQRA?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00

From what I understand Kalk is used more to keep parameters stable. As others have mentioned other products are better for raising parameters to the desired range.

It's hard to tell from the picture but I had a similar problem. For me it was micro bubbles from my skimmer. I started placing filter floss is the baffle of my sump between the skimmer and return sections and it cleared up a lot

Yeah I've heard similar complaints which is definitely concerning. I'm going to implement a DIY guard made of 7 mesh canvas which will decrease flow some but will protect the gyre from snails and my wandering anemone from the gyre. Hoping the new "rugged" blades will help as well. Plus running 2 mp40's or mp10's is twice as expensive. That's awesome, thanks. Looking forward to trying this out. Good to know. I definitely have deadspots with my current setup so I'm hoping this will help some. I'm thinking of leaving 1 Koralia in to target deadspots and create some turbulent flow.

Cool. Well I just bought an xf130... It's hard to say no to free overnight shipping with prime. I'll give it a shot, I'm sure it'll be an upgrade over my current set up. Is GAS an acronym in this hobby too? In the guitar gear world its Gear Acquisition Syndrome and it's real. I need to pick cheaper hobbies.

Does anyone have any experience/opinions on the Gyre? I'm looking to upgrade from Koralias in my 50 gallon and not sure if I should give the Gyre a try or go for some Vortechs.

I'm interested in the sump if you part out

Here's the thread I think you're looking for. http://www.reef2reef.com/threads/helpful-method-for-identifying-dinoflagellates.216508/ I'm dealing with something similar with a newer tank. Trying to resist the temptation to aggressively treat. I've decided it's probably part of the uglies and if I continue to practice good practices it will hopefully resolve.

I'm relatively new to the hobby but working with people as dedicated and committed as the folks at ERC is one of the great aspects of this hobby. I can't imagine anyone or any vendor treating their livestock any better and giving them the best possible chance to thrive. Truly exceptional care and customer service. Beautiful fish. I'll be back.

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SO I took in some water to get tested today. They use Salifert just like me. Salinity 1.026 Alk 8.1 dKH Ca 380 Mg 1230 Much better numbers than I got. I purchased a new Salifert Ca kit (they didn't have Mg unfortunately) and just tested with the new kit and got 380 as well. I guess both tests were bad in the perfect way. To both give low readings while maintaining the expected Ca/Mg ratio. I thought it might be user error so I had the guy at the LFS show me how he tested. It was no different than how I was using the kits and how I retested when I got home today. The numbers are still a little low so I decided to transition to Reef Crystals anyway. To transition should I just start doing water changes with the new salt? 10% of water volume at a time? Make sure to double check those test kits we all rely on so much every once and a while. Had I made decisions based on the numbers I was initially getting I could've caused some serious harm.

Thanks everyone. I really appreciate all of your help so far. My plan is to get my water tested at a LFS and depending on what they say, pick up some Reef Crystals. If my numbers are reading way low compared to what the LFS says I'll assume there is an error in my testing. If not, I'll assume it's a poorly mixed bag or the mix is just "off" for whatever reason. I'll get some reef crystals and repeat the experiment (after mixing/shaking the bag) and see if I get better numbers. If I do, and my tests are accurate, I'll dose some Ca and Mg supplement to bring my numbers up as a short term solution and switch to reef crystals for a long term solution. I'm curious to see how this goes.

What you're saying makes a lot of sense to me and seems to be the simplest answer. But for that to be true it would mean my refractometer/calibration fluid and swing arm hydrometer are all wrong in exactly the same way, so that they all agree with each other. I need to get it tested at a LFS.

Hm well that's interesting. I'll give that a try. I just finished a bag so I'll shake up the next one and retest.

The entire salt product? I can only mix 5 gallons at a time unfortunately so I have a lot of salt I still haven't used. Interesting. Just double checked the box and it says 1.022-1.024. I double checked and recalibrated the refractometer and I'm still getting 1.026. Used a hydrometer which gave me 1.025. The ratio is the same but the value is still 75% of what it should be. I haven't done the exact math but it doesn't seem like the amount of salt needed to raise salinity from 1.022 to 1.026 would be enough to account for a 25% difference in Mg and Ca. According to a previous thread on here actually Ca should be 361 and Mg should be 1264 at 1.022 but I'm not sure how accurate that is. Anyway, I feel like there must be something obvious I'm missing but all of my backup checks are reinforcing my initial readings. So I'm lost. Do LFS around here do full parameter tests including Ca, Mg, Alk etc?

I mix to 1.026. I use a refractometer that auto adjust to temp. I calibrated with 35ppt solution and also double checked with a specific gravity swing arm meter which was close. Also the salinity measures what the box says it should for mixing 2.5 cups with 5 gallons of RODI water. I guess it's possible the tests could be bad but I find it pretty unlikely that both tests would be bad and reading so low in error. Unfortunately I have about a years supply of this salt that I bought from a LFS so I'm not really eager to buy more salt to test. Is there such a thing as a "bad batch" of salt?

Hey everyone. Has anyone else had issues with this salt mix? I'm reading Ca of 300 and Mg of 990 on a fresh SW mix. I just started testing Ca and MG and realized they were pretty low. Any recommendation on a salt mix to switch to or any other solution?

Can/should I toothbrush the rocks in the DT? I'm not sure how feasible it would be to remove them. I have been running LED's since the start so I don't think it's a lighting issue

Interesting, thanks. The dry Marco rock has been in there since the tank was set up 3-4 months ago. The purple rock I bought as cured live rock from a LFS and was added at the same time as the dry. I haven't added any new rock since then. But as you mention the rock is still white, no coralline or anything. My mag is low, 1050, so maybe that's why? I know at least the nitrogen cycle is complete as those numbers have been stable for quite a while. Phosphate and nitrate are both reading 0. Part of the uglies? Will any harm come from the algae covering my live rock?

So my tank has been up and running since late October and I'm trying to get a handle on this algae and would like your opinions on what I can do. Attached are some pics and a video to help with ID. My main concern is that it is taking over my live rock and does not blow off with a turkey baster so I'm not thinking Diatoms. What you see on the glass accumulated over 1 week, since I last cleaned it. Recently started running GFO and carbon. Let me know what you think! Thanks. https://youtu.be/0gKZMImS894

Reefcleaners seems to be a popular one. I could use a few snails, maybe something else if you get a group order together.

Hey, Does anyone know of a person or service who will look after my tank for about a week over the christmas break? It should only require a couple of visits. I don't know if regular pet sitters can be trusted.... Thanks

Thanks guys, I ended up going with a reefbreeder photon 32 which has leg mounts that work for me. It seems plenty bright and have great coverage. The center brace does not appear to be a problem either. I don't have corals yet so we will see how that goes.

Yeah I was looking at those as well. I'm not sure how the mounts actually work, are they compatible with that thick edge around the top of my tank?

I'm trying to figure out what lights can work with this tank. There is a lip surrounding the top of the tank that is 1.75" on the sides, 1.5" on the front and back, and a 4" middle support. I'm thinking because of the wide support I need two smaller lights to avoid shadow but I'm not sure since the middle support is clear acrylic. I want to avoid hanging the lights and would like some on the tank mount. Will goosenecks for kessil or so other mounting hardware fit on this tank with the lip like that? Would a pair of a160w work for this tank? As for lights I'm looking for LED's with a max budget of around $500. Finding something that fits my tank (36 x 15 x 21) that is within my price rang (ie not Hydras or some other top end lights) has been difficult so any recommendations are welcome. Thanks in advance!