Brad’s 180g mixed reef build

[Brad_95]

And just like that we are cycling!

 

[Brad_95]

And just like that, everything is transferred over! Now it’s time to break down the old system and start growing out this system!

We also cleared out the closet adjacent to the left side of the tank and I was given the go ahead to use it as my fish storage, so frag tank may be coming soon! She also has been showing interested in possibly having her own little tank so that’s another possibility, looking at maybe a 30g bio cube and making it a species specific tank. But anywho, stay tuned, there are many things planned for the big systems with upgrades and coral and new fish additions!

 

[Eagle_Steve]

And just like that, everything is transferred over! Now it’s time to break down the old system and start growing out this system!

We also cleared out the closet adjacent to the left side of the tank and I was given the go ahead to use it as my fish storage, so frag tank may be coming soon! She also has been showing interested in possibly having her own little tank so that’s another possibility, looking at maybe a 30g bio cube and making it a species specific tank. But anywho, stay tuned, there are many things planned for the big systems with upgrades and coral and new fish additions!

Looks great and awesome job!!!!

 

[Brad_95]

Hey everyone, so the tank’s been a little cloudy since getting everything transferred over and I’ve done a 30% water change as well. But it doesn’t seem to help, do you all think this is a bacteria/algae bloom?
Alk: 8.2
C: 440
Mg: 1340
Nitrates: 20

 

[Brad_95]

The only other note I have is that my stupid self didn’t clean the sand out before adding it in, but I’ve been using a siphon tube to get as much of the excess stuff out.

 

[fishguy242]

well, could be either ,are you regularly cleaning sand?
what does skimmate look like ?

 

[Brad_95]

well, could be either ,are you regularly cleaning sand?
what does skimmate look like ?

Skimmate is a darkish brown, and I scrape the glass every day and use the sand sifter siphon on the water changes. So far I’ve done two 30g water changes in the past two weeks. Also, it gets cloudy when the lights are at the peak for the day and when they’re at all blues in the evening it’s gone.

 

[fishguy242]

what are your phosphates at ?
running uv ?

 

[Eagle_Steve]

When it is at its peak, can you take a clear glass, scoop some up and report color under light?

Usually white is bacterial

Green/light brown is algae

Not always true, but usually a good way to get a good guess

 

[Brad_95]

what are your phosphates at ?
running uv ?

I actually have to get my hands on a phosphate tester, but I can get the reading tomorrow. And no uv

 

[Brad_95]

When it is at its peak, can you take a clear glass, scoop some up and report color under light?

Usually white is bacterial

Green/light brown is algae

Not always true, but usually a good way to get a good guess

Since lights are down now, I’ll grab it first thing in the morning when they’re at their peak and report back.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Since lights are down now, I’ll grab it first thing in the morning when they’re at their peak and report back.

Look at it under normal house lights or day light outside and away from tank if inside.

 

[Brad_95]

Look at it under normal house lights or day light outside and away from tank if inside.

 

[Brad_95]

Phosphates are undetectable. But this is at peak lighting today.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Phosphates are undetectable. But this is at peak lighting today.

What color is it once scooped into glass and carried into another room under house lights?

 

[Brad_95]

What color is it once scooped into glass and carried into another room under house lights?

Looks clear to me

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Looks clear to me

Well shoot. Was hoping for a green tint. But may not be enough to see it.

Can you tell with lights at 100% white on tank if it is just whitish or greenish?

 

[Brad_95]

Well shoot. Was hoping for a green tint. But may not be enough to see it.

Can you tell with lights at 100% white on tank if it is just whitish or greenish?

I think we have a winner

 

[Eagle_Steve]

I think we have a winner

Yup.

Few things to do here. Lights out for a few days with really wet skimming. Corals should be fine for a few days with no light. No worse than storms over a reef.

Massive water changes to reduce it and less of a photo period.

Or just let it peter out naturally. Looks like a phyto bloom and in all honesty should not hurt a thing if you have enough aeration from skimmer and water agitation at the surface. Just not pleasing to the eye.

I have had this issue in the past when dosing phyto heavy and tank was not old. Nothing to complete for nutrients, so phyto eats them all up.

It is also one reason PO4 is undetectable. Provided test kit is right. Worry with 0 PO4 is dinos, but if you can knock the phyto back some, then PO4 will return as phyto dies.

 

[Brad_95]

Yup.

Few things to do here. Lights out for a few days with really wet skimming. Corals should be fine for a few days with no light. No worse than storms over a reef.

Massive water changes to reduce it and less of a photo period.

Or just let it peter out naturally. Looks like a phyto bloom and in all honesty should not hurt a thing if you have enough aeration from skimmer and water agitation at the surface. Just not pleasing to the eye.

I have had this issue in the past when dosing phyto heavy and tank was not old. Nothing to complete for nutrients, so phyto eats them all up.

It is also one reason PO4 is undetectable. Provided test kit is right. Worry with 0 PO4 is dinos, but if you can knock the phyto back some, then PO4 will return as phyto dies.

I currently have a 12 hour photo period, including an hour moonlighting before and after peak intensity. LED Lights turn on at 11am and off at 10pm, so ramping from peak intensity from 11am to 1:30pm and then it starts to decline at 8:30pm. My T5 lights kick on at 12pm and off at 9pm. It’s about an hour more overall lighting compared to my old tank. Is that too much? I used the radiant color template by ecotech