Adventures in keeping a sps reef

[Llorgon]

I had to turn the skimmer off for the night, but it eventually has calmed down some. All corals are looking pretty rough today. I can see some tissue loss on 2 of the remaining SPS frags....

 

[BAMatter]

What kind of pellets? Def don’t think they should be making your skimmer go crazy like that…

 

[Llorgon]

No fancy pellets. But it's the only thing that I've done differently the last few days.

Today, even my wife noticed that all the corals looked really unhappy.

I tried to get a par meter today, but it was already loaned out. They also didn't have a microscope to get a positive ID on the algae.

I asked the guy about what he thinks it could be and he had no idea as well. His only suggestion he could give was restarting...

 

[BAMatter]

What’s your plan? How many corals are left?

 

[Llorgon]

What’s your plan? How many corals are left?

The plan:
Lay down
Try not to cry
Cry a lot.

Ok, that is only half true. I'm going to go back with the original plan of higher nutrients and slowly adding some cuc. I will try to not scrub the rocks and just pull algae out by hand.

Still the same amount of corals... they just look more like ****.

 

[BAMatter]

The plan:
Lay down
Try not to cry
Cry a lot.

Ok, that is only half true. I'm going to go back with the original plan of higher nutrients and slowly adding some cuc. I will try to not scrub the rocks and just pull algae out by hand.

Still the same amount of corals... they just look more like ****.

I went through 3 rounds of coral purchases that all whithered away in front of my eyes. I realized they were on their way out and decided to stop focusing on trying to save them since they were on their last leg, and start focusing on my algae issues and lack of biome diversity. Sometimes you just gotta take the L and get things back on track, and try to identify where the issues are coming from…

 

[Llorgon]

I went through 3 rounds of coral purchases that all whithered away in front of my eyes. I realized they were on their way out and decided to stop focusing on trying to save them since they were on their last leg, and start focusing on my algae issues and lack of biome diversity. Sometimes you just gotta take the L and get things back on track, and try to identify where the issues are coming from…

I haven't put anything new in the tank since March. I have just been slowly watching things die on me. Probably why I'm not sure how much more I want to deal with. I have 2 tanks that went downhill at the same time, now I have 2 ugly tanks that just aren't fun to deal with.

I'm sure if/when some good things start happening my feelings on the hobby will change.

As for the tank, working on raising nutrients, pulled a bunch of algae out last night. I'm seeing more and more bubble algae under the long algae.

Looking for urchin and some more cuc

 

[BAMatter]

I haven't put anything new in the tank since March. I have just been slowly watching things die on me. Probably why I'm not sure how much more I want to deal with. I have 2 tanks that went downhill at the same time, now I have 2 ugly tanks that just aren't fun to deal with.

I'm sure if/when some good things start happening my feelings on the hobby will change.

As for the tank, working on raising nutrients, pulled a bunch of algae out last night. I'm seeing more and more bubble algae under the long algae.

Looking for urchin and some more cuc

Have you been keeping any logs of information at all? Since it was both tanks, I’d be playing detective trying to figure out what changed… new dosing additives? Different RODI source? Etc etc… your problem may be staring at you in the face and you just need to figure it out

 

[Llorgon]

I have been keeping better logs of this tank than the 25g. The 25g has been on auto pilot for a bit over a year. I would adjust the alk and cal dosing periodically as needed. Weekly water change and glass scrubbing. Nothing really changed... it just developed the same symptoms as this tank. But instead of this long algae it started getting cyano and bubble algae.

 

[BAMatter]

I have been keeping better logs of this tank than the 25g. The 25g has been on auto pilot for a bit over a year. I would adjust the alk and cal dosing periodically as needed. Weekly water change and glass scrubbing. Nothing really changed... it just developed the same symptoms as this tank. But instead of this long algae it started getting cyano and bubble algae.

I’m going to put another nudge out there for some real live rock, ocean direct aquacultured… expensive stuff but it’s the diversity these tanks need. I’m about to buy 8 lbs of rubble from this website for my fuge to help my systems stability-

Tampa Bay Saltwater – America's #1 Live Rock for Reef Aquariums

 

[Llorgon]

I’m going to put another nudge out there for some real live rock, ocean direct aquacultured… expensive stuff but it’s the diversity these tanks need. I’m about to buy 8 lbs of rubble from this website for my fuge to help my systems stability-

Tampa Bay Saltwater – America's #1 Live Rock for Reef Aquariums

If only. Unfortunately, I am in Canada and none of the places in the states will ship here. The most I have been able to find is the cured rock in LFS. Which is just rock they have sitting in saltwater. Helpful on the no need to really cycle side of things, but not much else... Or so I have heard from people who have used them. Other than that it's dry rock or grabbing rock from a tank shut down. And with the condition I have seen of peoples tanks here shutting down, that seems like it would be more of a risk.

 

[BAMatter]

If only. Unfortunately, I am in Canada and none of the places in the states will ship here. The most I have been able to find is the cured rock in LFS. Which is just rock they have sitting in saltwater. Helpful on the no need to really cycle side of things, but not much else... Or so I have heard from people who have used them. Other than that it's dry rock or grabbing rock from a tank shut down. And with the condition I have seen of peoples tanks here shutting down, that seems like it would be more of a risk.

Then I may recommend next to send out another ICP-OES as well as an ICP-DOC and go from there to double check your nutrient levels and keep your water honest…

 

[Llorgon]

Then I may recommend next to send out another ICP-OES as well as an ICP-DOC and go from there to double check your nutrient levels and keep your water honest…

That's a good idea. I have a kit already so I could send that off.

 

[BAMatter]

That's a good idea. I have a kit already so I could send that off.

The ICP-DOC will be more important id say so make sure you have that one too.

 

[Llorgon]

The ICP-DOC will be more important id say so make sure you have that one too.

I don't have that one. I'll have to do an order. I need more phyto as well and some more RODI filters.

For the last week, I have been keeping nutrients around 8 and 0.1ppm. a couple euphyllia are looking better, but most haven't had any change.

I have a microscope coming on Monday and that will hopefully allow me to get a positive ID on the algae. I've noticed a new algae showing up, it's more course to the touch and lighter green and it pulls off in mats. I'm thinking turf algae?

 

[Llorgon]

Today ha been a bit disappointing. The microscope I ordered didn't come today, but the main thing is one of the larger heads of my big euphyllia is starting to detach.

I tested my water tonight and nothing seems out of place.

Salinity: 1.025
pH: 7.8 - 8.4
Alk: 8.0
Cal: 485
Mag: 1425
Nitrate: 8.4
Phosphate: 0.21

 

[BAMatter]

Today ha been a bit disappointing. The microscope I ordered didn't come today, but the main thing is one of the larger heads of my big euphyllia is starting to detach.

I tested my water tonight and nothing seems out of place.

Salinity: 1.025
pH: 7.8 - 8.4
Alk: 8.0
Cal: 485
Mag: 1425
Nitrate: 8.4
Phosphate: 0.21

Bummer man… sometimes it’s hard to do, but I’ve had to just consider corals a loss and focus on the bigger long term picture.

How are you measuring your PH? That’s a decent swing… do you dose throughout the day on a doser?

 

[BAMatter]

I was also looking back on your thread… you may want to consider a stronger fuge light, and start with some new chaeto. I’m using a Prime LED fuge light. Not sure those Tunze are sufficient for a system your size… my chaeto grows nicely with my light.

 

[Llorgon]

Bummer man… sometimes it’s hard to do, but I’ve had to just consider corals a loss and focus on the bigger long term picture.

How are you measuring your PH? That’s a decent swing… do you dose throughout the day on a doser?

I refuse to let the big euphyllia die! Honestly it's the only one I really want to pull through. It was softball size at one point.

I was also looking back on your thread… you may want to consider a stronger fuge light, and start with some new chaeto. I’m using a Prime LED fuge light. Not sure those Tunze are sufficient for a system your size… my chaeto grows nicely with my light.

I actually shut down the refugium for the time being at the advice I got on another forum. I have to dose much less nutrients with it being off. I was dropping from 0.2 to 0.1ppm phosphate a day with it on and I have a much more stable drop without it on. Makes keeping nutrients high easier. If/when I am through this algae issues then I will turn it back on. I have a second tunze light to go on it when that time comes.

 

[Llorgon]

I got back from a few days off. I still have a couple days off on Monday and Tuesday as well.

There is definitely more algae than when I left, but I guess that is to be expected.

Some euphyllia are improving while others are not. another head of the large euphyllia bailed, but the one that partially bailed last week is still there.

The manual removal of algae continues.

I'm going to try adding to more of the cuc this week and see how that goes.