ReefAddict

My tank is approaching 5 years old and it’s SPS dominant and been stable for the last few years until.......either I screwed up or possibly a vendor, but most likely me. I test my alk usually twice a week and about a month ago I was shocked after a week it was down to 4.5dkh - Hannah checker and Salifert kit verified. I must have done two gallons of calcium chloride instead of one of calcium chloride and one of soda ash or the bags were mislabeled, but most likely a brain fart on my part. So I mixed new batches of each and resumed normal dosing and over the course of 2.5 weeks my alk was back to 8.3dkh. The problem is it didn’t stop rising, I’ve lowered my dosing from 160ml a day to 80 and it’s still rising. Calcium is around 480 Mag around 1250. It’s increasing about .3 dkh a day. Some of my LPS are not happy and I’m losing some of my Stylos and a few Acros are starting to STN from the base. Should I continue to lower my dosing and let it come back down? Should I stop all together until is levels out? What is my best course of action?

I play the backup game rather than preventative replacement. Last week I lost my 5 yr old Vectra M1. Put my old mag pump in until the replacement power supply arrived. Same with my heaters and power heads. I have appropriate backups that can make do until new replacements arrive.

? ? ? photos look great Lynn.

@cynthiathank you that’s great feedback. Are you also using the DOS to control dosing? I’m currently using a GHL standalone doser, but like the idea of as needed dosing based on testing.

Have you looked at any of the dying acros under a microscope? @telegrahamis dealing with something similar and is suspecting vibrio and Philaster as the cause. I’d never heard of either before today.

Thanks for the heads up I had no idea about the 18-24 month service. Do the Alktronic or GHL KH director have similar maintenances required?

I would guess stomatella snail, but hard to say unless you get a closer picture with some white lights.

I would really like to automate my testing and already have an Apex so the Trident seems to be the most affordable option. For those of you currently using one how is the maintenance? If I have to maintain the ? by calibrating it frequently or messing with clogged lines I’d probably stick to manually testing.

Best thing I’ve read all day....lol

I’m also using Fritz blue box, with great results. I get mine sometimes next day from Saltwateraquariums.com. Also a club sponsor.

Those little guys look like Chitons, good guys....free cleanup crew.

Ghost flatworms? They are white, but supposedly they don’t eat coral just may aggravate them. I always like to have a wrasse or two to eat anything that may bypass a dip, as well a a mandarin. I had red bugs years ago and a trio of leopard wrasses annihilated them in weeks.

I’ve had bigger wrasses be real jerks. My yellow coris was almost 6 inches and killed quite a few fish. My current jerk is a large red velvet fairy wrasse.

Yep get a 20L from Petco $1 per gallon sale.

What’s your go to recycling place for fluorescent bulbs in Northern VA?

Is this a new piece or an established colony? If it’s new, light acclimation could be an issue, your water could be too clean the list goes on and on.

I also struggle with PH and recently purchased a CO2 Scrubber. Can you tell when I put fresh media in? The test that worked for me was while I was on vacation my PH never went below 8.1 with everyone home only goes over 8 a few hours a day when the lights are on. Now with the scrubber always above 8.

I just started, bumped my ph by .5 but media only lasted about 2 weeks.

Nice setup! Did the leak stop? Looks like you have the gasket correct. Mine wept a little my first go around just needed to be a little tighter. If you have room, I’d turn the tank and make it a peninsula.

I have a few WWC shipping boxes with styrofoam. Let me know if your in this neck of the woods and I can set them on the front porch.

+1 on @Supreme Reefs

I have the spheres and I’m not a fan. They get very crumbly. Detritus collects under them so I need to move them around or blow around them frequently. I think the blocks would do better. Some people also say either product leaches aluminum, or other metals..... I think BRS tested them but don’t remember the results.

Going on a year

I added 3 females to my 125. I now have 1 male (transitioned) and 2 females. They get along great. I did get them all at the same time from the same store (Reef Escape)