Gulf Coast

Snoopdog · May 11, 2023

A_family_man13 said:
Such as? I dose pods about once a month plus live phyto. I also dose all for reef.

Chaeto, Caulerpa or such.

A_family_man13 · May 11, 2023

Snoopdog said:
Chaeto, Caulerpa or such.

Yes I went without for about a month because I my light went out! But I got a grow light about 2 weeks ago and been running again since then. Put in fresh chaeto at that point to.

BamaCoastPyrat · May 11, 2023

Snoopdog said:
You guys are too quiet? Give me some updates! Does everyone still have tanks and how are they doing? I am having to add water too often so I think I am about to buy a Tenecor ATO if I can force the narrow one to fit. Also the white worm production is ramping up, we did a test feeding today while changing out the culture's food to see how the fish reacted to live food, they absolutely destroyed it and it was noticeable the difference in feeding frozen food compared to live food. It is hard to explain but they seemed to be able to recognize the live food easier when it hit the water and they left none of it, where the frozen food they seem to be lazy and pieces just kind of float around.

Apparently my notifications turned off for this group again.

I just finished combining my display tank and the pistol shrimp tank. I thought it was going to be fairly simple but it ended up being a nightmare. Water pumps into the 29g pistol shrimp tank, overflows into the 35g reef tank, which overflows into the 40g sump, and then a 20g ATO reservoir off to the side.

This is supposed to simplify things for my wife while I'm deployed. With the refugium and the water volume and the light fish load, she might be able to go the whole deployment without doing water changes.

Snoopdog · May 11, 2023

BamaCoastPyrat said:
Apparently my notifications turned off for this group again.

I just finished combining my display tank and the pistol shrimp tank. I thought it was going to be fairly simple but it ended up being a nightmare. Water pumps into the 29g pistol shrimp tank, overflows into the 35g reef tank, which overflows into the 40g sump, and then a 20g ATO reservoir off to the side.

This is supposed to simplify things for my wife while I'm deployed. With the refugium and the water volume and the light fish load, she might be able to go the whole deployment without doing water changes.

You need it bulletproof, seriously bulletproof.

Snoopdog · May 11, 2023

A_family_man13 said:
Well I’m still struggling with super high nitrates! Tried the NoPox method and it lowered it a bit but not enough! I change the sock filters and clean the sump every 3 days. Also have a mini refugium. I recently got a salifert phosphate tester and tested 0. So I think I’m gonna head to oceans coral and pick up some phosphate supplements!

Your phosphates are likely bottoming out from the macro algae, maybe cut down the lights a bit over the macro algae.

BamaCoastPyrat · May 11, 2023

Snoopdog said:
You need it bulletproof, seriously bulletproof.

That's what I'm shooting for. I don't care if the tank looks awful when I get back as long as everything survives.

Snoopdog · May 11, 2023

BamaCoastPyrat said:
That's what I'm shooting for. I don't care if the tank looks awful when I get back as long as everything survives.

Well even if there are issues, you tried.

BamaCoastPyrat · May 11, 2023

Snoopdog said:
Well even if there are issues, you tried.

Yeah, I have put in as much effort as I can. I have a couple more things to set up and then I just have to hope there are no issues I can't coach my wife through. If it fails, I'll break everything down and we will restart after we move.

Snoopdog · May 11, 2023

BamaCoastPyrat said:
Yeah, I have put in as much effort as I can. I have a couple more things to set up and then I just have to hope there are no issues I can't coach my wife through. If it fails, I'll break everything down and we will restart after we move.

Never, ever give him. Keep your eye on the goal.

A_family_man13 · May 12, 2023

Snoopdog said:
Your phosphates are likely bottoming out from the macro algae, maybe cut down the lights a bit over the macro algae.

I went about 3 weeks no lights with no drop. Spoke with Chris at oceans coral and I’m going to turn off my skimmer for 2 days and test my phosphates again. Hopefully this helps.

Snoopdog · May 12, 2023

A_family_man13 said:
I went about 3 weeks no lights with no drop. Spoke with Chris at oceans coral and I’m going to turn off my skimmer for 2 days and test my phosphates again. Hopefully this helps.

You want phosphates? Do a two prong approach, just start feeding your corals some Reef Roids, it will go right up.

A_family_man13 · May 12, 2023

Snoopdog said:
You want phosphates? Do a two prong approach, just start feeding your corals some Reef Roids, it will go right up.

I was told u want real low phosphate, that there is a bacteria that eats nitrates and phosphate. no phosphate and the bacteria doesn’t exist. Overall my goal is to lower nitrates. I can’t keep zoas they always die on me, same for any type of leather. All my other parameters seem to be stable.

Snoopdog · May 12, 2023

A_family_man13 said:
I was told u want real low phosphate, that there is a bacteria that eats nitrates and phosphate. no phosphate and the bacteria doesn’t exist. Overall my goal is to lower nitrates. I can’t keep zoas they always die on me, same for any type of leather. All my other parameters seem to be stable.

Well you do not want 0 for along period, but 0 for short periods are fine.

A_family_man13 · May 12, 2023

Snoopdog said:
Well you do not want 0 for along period, but 0 for short periods are fine.

I’ve never tested for phosphate before. So no telling how long I have been at 0. Gonna try it for a couple days and test everything then go from there.

Snoopdog · May 12, 2023

A_family_man13 said:
I’ve never tested for phosphate before. So no telling how long I have been at 0. Gonna try it for a couple days and test everything then go from there.

Reading zero is not always bad. Sometimes there is no phosphate in the water column, but it is actually there just tied up elsewhere. As long as you are not seeing dinos I would not worry too much.

A_family_man13 · May 12, 2023

Snoopdog said:
Reading zero is not always bad. Sometimes there is no phosphate in the water column, but it is actually there just tied up elsewhere. As long as you are not seeing dinos I would not worry too much.

No Dino, no algae outbreak at all. It’s just my nitrates. Above 70/80. I have tested with Hanna and Salifert. I want to get more Zoas but can’t get any to survive in my tank. Only thing outta wack is Nitrates.

Snoopdog · May 13, 2023

A_family_man13 said:
No Dino, no algae outbreak at all. It’s just my nitrates. Above 70/80. I have tested with Hanna and Salifert. I want to get more Zoas but can’t get any to survive in my tank. Only thing outta wack is Nitrates.

70 is really, really high.

BamaCoastPyrat · May 13, 2023

A_family_man13 said:
No Dino, no algae outbreak at all. It’s just my nitrates. Above 70/80. I have tested with Hanna and Salifert. I want to get more Zoas but can’t get any to survive in my tank. Only thing outta wack is Nitrates.

Are you running a refugium or doing regular water changes? You need a way to regularly export those nitrates.