madweazl August 8, 2017 Author Share August 8, 2017 (edited) I dont know what the H-E-double hockey sticks is going on with the NO3 (suddenly 0) and PO4 (.1) but the SPS have never looked better LOL. The cali tort is getting it's color back rapidly the past couple days; deep dark purples are starting to move down the tips toward the base that is greening up really well. The pic does this one no justice at all, it is gorgeous; polyp extension today was the best it has ever been. This one has been encrusting fairly fast but especially so the past couple of days (has grown up and out a bit as well). I didnt think this was a strawberry shortcake initially but tips have really started to show some pink even in the past two days (hard to see in this pic but much more prominent today). The Copps undata has it's color back; no more pale yellow. The difference between this pic (all pics taken on the 4th) and today is remarkable; colors are coming back big time. It has started to encrust over the epoxy since being moved a few days back (something I havent seen since adding it to the tank). Parameters today were: dKH - 9.2 Ca - 445 Mg - 1335 NO3 - 0 PO4 - .098 Edited August 8, 2017 by madweazl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami August 8, 2017 Share August 8, 2017 Looks good. Keep doing whatever it is you're doing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madweazl August 8, 2017 Author Share August 8, 2017 Looks good. Keep doing whatever it is you're doing! If only I knew what that was LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madweazl August 8, 2017 Author Share August 8, 2017 (edited) Looking so much better! I didn't believe it was a RR Wolverine when I got the frag but Customride0105 was right. June 24th before shot Edited August 8, 2017 by madweazl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanM August 8, 2017 Share August 8, 2017 wow, those are some great turnaround shots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madweazl August 8, 2017 Author Share August 8, 2017 Turned the alk and Ca dosing pumps back on to maintain current levels (dKH 9.0). Vodka dosing was reduced to 1ml/day from 1.4 (never stopped dosing like I was planning a few days back). Ordered another Triton test to see how the phosphate levels turn up in comparison to these latest Hanna results. At this point, I trust the corals in the tank far more than any test kit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madweazl August 8, 2017 Author Share August 8, 2017 The Cali tort 28 Jun 8 Aug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami August 9, 2017 Share August 9, 2017 ... At this point, I trust the corals in the tank far more than any test kit. There's a whole lot of wisdom in that sentence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madweazl August 10, 2017 Author Share August 10, 2017 This little frag was boring initially but has started to show some color the past week as well. The tips are starting to purple up and it looks like the polyps are becoming pink in color. It's in a difficult spot to photograph with any clarity so I don't really have a before shot worth posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madweazl August 12, 2017 Author Share August 12, 2017 (edited) The McCosker's is doing fantastic; the trophonts dropped off about five days ago and I fully expected to see some of them pop up on some of the fish but it just didnt happen. That lil dude eats like a pig and has just been amazing. On the negative side, I havent seen the Hector's goby eat anything; it is visibly skinny but is still active. With that said, I do worry that it may perish from starvation (hopefully I'm wrong). Maintenance performed: Started dosing stump remover in the hopes that it will bring phosphate levels down (or at least level out). There isnt any nuisance algae to speak of and everything looks fantastic for the most part (one of the SPS has browned a bit but most are showing amazing color). I moved the RR Wolverine towards the center of the tank next to the electric blue acro because it should making for a beautiful contrast as they grow out. This exposed a side of the RR Wolverine that hasnt been getting much light so there is a great opportunity to watch this area color up (or not if it doesn't like the conditions here). Current dosing on the nitrates is 10ml which increased nitrates approx 5ppm today. I'll monitor and test the next few days to get a feel for consumption and any relationship that may or may not be present with the phosphates. I imagine things will go a bit wonky initially as the bacteria die off from the vodka dosing that was stopped a day or two ago balances out. I also have hundreds, if not thousands, of baby snails running amok right now (roughly 1-2mm in diameter). It will be interesting to see what happens with these lil guys. The only negative I've observed thus far is that this tip has receded very slightly and appears to have some algae growing on it (this pic doesn't show the recession but it's about 2mm in diameter right at the tip). I haven't noticed any other recession on the other acros at this point and don't have any one specific causal factor to point to right now (nitrates 0, phosphates elevated, alk swing of possibly 1+dKH with the water change etc.). Hopefully this remains an isolated incident. Edited August 12, 2017 by madweazl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madweazl August 12, 2017 Author Share August 12, 2017 Oh, there was one other point of interest. Since swapping the Kessil H80 in place of the CFLs and harvesting about 50% of the macro algae from the refugium, pH swings have been much larger that previously observed. In the past, these were typically about .2 but the last week or tow, it has been closer to .4 in regard to daily swings (8.1-8.5). My assumption here is that there just isn't enough macro algae to consume the excess CO2; yet another reason to just let it grow out vice harvesting which is what I've done most of the last year. If leaving the refugium full doesn't pan out, I'll pick up a light with more intensity (H360) and see how that goes but I believe the H80 is capable once the refugium fills back up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madweazl August 12, 2017 Author Share August 12, 2017 After checking out that exposed tip, I think there might actually be something living on to the tip of it. There are two long semi-transparent "feelers" sticking out of the tip (approx 3/16" in length) that aren't polyps (at least, not this corals polyps). I remember seeing them a while back and it didnt really dawn on me until last night that there might be something living within the coral. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madweazl August 12, 2017 Author Share August 12, 2017 Some promising results from dosing the nitrates today; it used approx 2.5ppm nitrates over the course of 23 hours. I was really hopeful phosphate levels followed suit and I wasnt disappointed; phosphates had dropped from .150 to .101 over the same 23 hours. Initial results look very promising, we'll see what tomorrow brings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami August 13, 2017 Share August 13, 2017 Excellent! Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madweazl August 13, 2017 Author Share August 13, 2017 (edited) One of the bajillions (approximately...) of baby snails that have somehow survived this long. Edited August 13, 2017 by madweazl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madweazl August 16, 2017 Author Share August 16, 2017 Looks like my firefish took a digger :( Didn't come out to eat last night (always right out front) and I don't see him this afternoon either. It had been doing fantastic though the the wrasse had chased it around a bit the last week (don't see it on the floor but it could be somewhere in that rat nest behind the tank). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madweazl August 16, 2017 Author Share August 16, 2017 Spoke too soon, it's alive and well other than spending a lot of time in the rock work. No nipped fins or anything, not sure what this new behavior is all about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madweazl August 17, 2017 Author Share August 17, 2017 Firefish popped back out at feeding time so I could get a good look at him and somebody is indeed nipping at his tail fin. I've not witnessed the wrasse do this; it has only been a display of fins the past week. I'm at work all day so I only witness a couple hours of interaction at night but it seems things have escalated quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruleyii August 17, 2017 Share August 17, 2017 Time for that webcam! lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madweazl August 19, 2017 Author Share August 19, 2017 Went through some old notes/posts and was able to put dates to everything in the tank (updated on the first post). I was surprised by some of the dates and it will be cool to track the growth of stuff a year after introduction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madweazl August 21, 2017 Author Share August 21, 2017 (edited) This McCosker's wrasse is exceptionally pugnacious! He has taken over the tank; beat up the firefish (which I think will survive) and goes at with the yellow tang (tore up his fins a bit too). This is the third McCosker's I've had in various tanks but is the only one that has been mean (the rest were very peaceful). This one has the souls of many flushed six-lines in it I think! On the brighter side, the Hector's goby is still alive and kicking and seems to be doing well. It picks at the rocks but still doesn't feed on anything introduced to the tank. Edited August 21, 2017 by madweazl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madweazl August 21, 2017 Author Share August 21, 2017 (edited) Triton results came back and like the previous results, PO4 was considerably lower than shown on the Hanna ULR. The first Triton test showed zero P and PO4 while the Hanna indicated .049 while this Triton test indicates 16 P and .049 PO4 with the Hanna measured .150. The tank looked great with the elevated phosphate levels but I did have three upset corals after the 20g water change I performed after taking the samples for the tests. The Copps undata paled big time. Two of the acropora had an exposed tip (one on each coral). While I'm not positive on what caused the issue, I believe it was the increased alkalinity (9.9 dKH after the water change and would have been somewhere around 8.6 prior to the water change). One of the acropora has completely healed and the other is about 90% but getting better daily. I'm going to continue dosing nitrates (about 1ml/daily seems to be working well for the time being) and will also attempt to keep the elevated PO4 levels as well (was looking great prior to the water change) if possible. I'm guessing Hanna ULR results around .1 should put me right around .03 on the Triton analysis. Latest Triton results (11 Aug 2017): Previous Triton results (8 Jul 2017): Edited August 21, 2017 by madweazl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madweazl August 22, 2017 Author Share August 22, 2017 Not sure what just crawled up inside one of the MP40s but it brought it to a screeching halt! Thankfully it was just before I went to bed for the night and I was able to clean it up; seems to be operating normally again but I bet it would have been dead by morning had I not caught it. I will say, the Jebao seem to be a superior pump when it comes to chewing up and spitting out what ever gets in the way but the Vortech controllers sure are awesome. Need something that combines the best of both worlds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madweazl August 29, 2017 Author Share August 29, 2017 Looks like my Randall's goby is on the way out :( He has become very lethargic over the last week and isn't eating now. The chalk bass showed the same symptoms before he died. Hate to lose this guy, it was a miracle it even made after being shipped almost frozen last year. On a positive note, the firefish is doing well even though he spends more time hiding than swimming now. The hectors goby is looking good too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madweazl September 1, 2017 Author Share September 1, 2017 Baby sticks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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