I'm a bad reefkeeper. Looking for help to not be one.

[zuri]

you need to work out your flow my dude see how the powerheads side is relatively clean of cyano an the other is not. ither open up ur rockwork where its blocked in the niches. the main problem it looks like is the flow patterns are cancelling each other out on the left side. turn the powerhead towards the glass(you) and slightly up. this will give you random flow pattern while not fighting the gyre's pattern of flow.

 

[Biokabe]

Sorry this is happening to you. Hopefully we can find some answers.

Let's start with basics. How did you come to find out about the copper? Copper test?
Most reefers have copper pipe in their homes.

I would recommend a ICP test of your water to get a good idea of what's in there. You could have contamination.

Do you test for P04? Need to know what it is, as it could contribute to the cyanobacteria issues your having.

Coral deaths could be numerous things, Light intensity, lack of nutrients, water contamination....etc.

On the fish death, what's your acclimation process when you buy them and they go into your tank. With that said, do you quarantine them?

I found out about the copper through an ICP test, back when I was still in the 55g tank. After that, I picked up a Hanna copper checker, and was eventually able to isolate the source to my RO/DI water. The TDS meter read 0, but in the first couple of minutes of running, it did let some contaminants through; over time, that small amount built up to a detectable and harmful amount in the tank. Since then, I let it run for 5-10 minutes before I actually start using it, and I run with Cuprisorb in case any of it gets by. I do have an ICP test kit sitting around, but I picked it up right when USPS was having all of their issues, so I didn't feel confident that it would actually make it to the destination.

I haven't been testing for P04; in the past, even when I've had cyano and other algae, P04 always tested at 0, so I got out of the habit of testing. I just ran a test after seeing a few people ask about it, and it came in at 0.06. I'll have to address that... I'd prefer not to run GFO, but I'd also prefer not to have cyano in the tank.

For fish, I do 20-30 minute temperature acclimation, following by a 45-60 minute drip acclimation using a Reef Gently Acclimate (which removes the old water while adding in tank water). I typically only add one fish at a time, and try to only add one fish in a month. I don't quarantine; I don't really have the space for a quarantine tank. I'm building something that, when finished, will give me a space for 10g quarantine tank, but it'll be some time before that's finished.

 

[Biokabe]

Always the solution is gas exchange and biology.

No one likes this solution and even when faced with complete defeat (as I was) will they except this simple to understand solution (less so to implement). There will be many that disagree. I have seen them come and I have seen them go, but that is what it takes to succeed.

Been there done that. Hope you can see and understand the simplicity of the solution.

To be honest, that's a little less than helpful to just drop in; a little more detail would probably be more helpful. It's a little like saying, "All you need to do to lose weight is exercise more and eat less." It's technically true, but doesn't really help.

I'm perfectly willing to hear what you have to say, but you don't really need to be that cryptic.

 

[Reefing_addiction]

@Biokabe

I would definitely cut your lighting back. I wouldn’t add anything else to the tank till red slimy monster goes away.

you may want to look into a par meter and make sure your par isn’t off the charts as well.

don’t mind the grumpy people we have sometimes around here. Most of us are nice and happy to help without criticizing you!

 

[HuduVudu]

To be honest, that's a little less than helpful to just drop in; a little more detail would probably be more helpful. It's a little like saying, "All you need to do to lose weight is exercise more and eat less." It's technically true, but doesn't really help.

I'm perfectly willing to hear what you have to say, but you don't really need to be that cryptic.

Unfortunately I do.

I don't know why what I say is so contraversial, but alas it is.

"All you need to do to lose weight is exercise more and eat less."
This makes me chuckle. My brother is a bariatric surgeon. He told me this. He said actually all you need to do is eat less calories. This is funny because people want to fight reality. Calories are calories regardless if they are from a jelly donut or a stalk of brocolli. If you simply limit your calories you will lose weight. It's really that easy. He also said that exercise won't really contribute to your weight loss. It helps to supress your appetite but the amount of calories you burn won't really add up to much. The concept that he was applying was that of calories as energy and he understood if very well. The funniest part is that he makes his money off of people that don't want to accept this one simple truth.

It is the underlying idea. There are lots of ways to implement but if you want to have a successful tank you need to grasp the underlying idea. The ocean is turbulent and the oxygen levels on reefs are near constantly over-saturated. I posted a picture of the reef area that snorkeled in the Philippines on a different post. People thought that I was dumb for posting it because ... duh. I was trying to show that gas exchange is important. There are multiple ways that the tanks in our homes don't get proper gas exchange. I was cryptic because when I start asking questions about your set up and recieving answers I am applying my underlying understanding to the concrete situation that you have with your tank. People don't seem to like this they want to follow some predefined formula. There isn't such a thing. There is only the concept, and from the concept you get infinite applications.

As I have stated gas exchange and biology are the key to a successful aquarium and you need to understand them from a conceptual level so that you can see where you are not implementing them correctly, and I can see from your pictures that is exactly what is happening.

Best of luck.

 

[Biokabe]

Alk, mag and Nitrate high. Salinity /temp not mentioned.

Alk 8-9
temp 77-79
mag 1300
salinity 1.025
CA 450
nitrate .03
Ammoni .02
ph 8.1 - 8.3

What test kits are you using?
Are you using RODI water or tap water from the faucet ?

I did forget to mention salinity, but I did mention temperature... it was a bit buried in one of my paragraphs, so easy to miss. So, to run down my current parameters in full:

Alk: 10.2. I'm trying to get this down; it's been stubbornly staying up in the 10 range for a while now despite minimal dosing (5 ml/day). I just turned off dosing, so we'll see if we can get that down a little.

Temp: 77-78. It's on a BRS heater controller, and on my Apex, so the only time it strays out of that range is on particularly hot days (I think there were maybe 5 days this summer that it got into the low 80s).

Mag: 1411. This was a little lower for a while, in the 1250 range, so I've been dosing heavy on it until it got back up to the 1300s. I've now cut my dosing in half and will let it stabilize.

Salinity: 1.025. I check with both a Milwaukee Instruments refractometer and a BRS refractometer.

Nitrate: Currently at 1.5 ppm. I use the Red Sea Algae Management kits, and I tested with the High Range instructions, which only has a 4 ppm increment... I knew it was greater than 0 but less than 4 PPM. I just re-tested with the Low Range instructions.

Ammonia: 0

pH: Currently between 8.0 and 8.2, depending on the time of the day. I think I'm getting close to needing to replace the media in my scrubber.

 

[vetteguy53081]

A couple are still high
Alk & Mag

 

[Biokabe]

I see quite a bit of cyano.
What is your phosphate and Nitrate levels?
Are you Using RODI or Tap water from faucet ?

RODI, I've never used tap water since I started reefkeeping in 2009. I think we have fairly decent water around here, but I don't think I'd trust tap no matter where I lived.

 

[HuduVudu]

Alk: 10.2. I'm trying to get this down; it's been stubbornly staying up in the 10 range for a while now despite minimal dosing (5 ml/day). I just turned off dosing, so we'll see if we can get that down a little.

This is a CO2 issue. Evidence of poor gas exchange.

 

[Biokabe]

Those flatworms appear to be acoel and you need to start siphoning them up ASAP and daily. They are not like red planaria but can and will smother coral blocking light and nutrients to the corals when in numbers.
A 6 lined or lunare wrasse will eat them.

Thanks, I've been reading about them since you posted this. Would a melanarus wrasse (or any other kind of Halichoeres wrasse) also be good for control of those? I'll do my part to get them out as well, but it's always better to hire someone who wants to do the job.

 

[CookieRdReef]

I have had good luck with with 3 day blackouts when algae starts to take over. I would recommend if you haven't tried it. I simply used a couple of sheets to cover and almost all algae was gone after the 3 days.

 

[schuby]

How about phosphate? Is it normally zero or nearly zero?

 

[Biokabe]

@Biokabe

I would definitely cut your lighting back. I wouldn’t add anything else to the tank till red slimy monster goes away.

you may want to look into a par meter and make sure your par isn’t off the charts as well.

don’t mind the grumpy people we have sometimes around here. Most of us are nice and happy to help without criticizing you!

Oh, what I've seen here barely even qualifies as grouchy. I work in B2B sales, and started my career in the automotive aftermarket... if you didn't curse them out at least three different ways in the first sentence, they wouldn't listen to a word you said. All I see here is people with their own opinions sincerely trying to help someone who's asking for help. =)

I actually have rented a PAR meter before, so I so know where the PAR stands:

I'll try turning off the moonlight setting. I like the way the tank looks with them at night, but I like the way the tank looks with healthy corals better. Seems a minor enough change to make... the only irritating part is dragging out the USB cable to reach the Radions.

 

[Biokabe]

How about phosphate? Is it normally zero or nearly zero?

Mentioned above, but it's currently at 0.06. In the past it's been undetectable, but that may have been down to the test kits.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks, I've been reading about them since you posted this. Would a melanarus wrasse (or any other kind of Halichoeres wrasse) also be good for control of those? I'll do my part to get them out as well, but it's always better to hire someone who wants to do the job.

Melanurus also good

 

[Daniel]

I'm actually a bit envious of your coralline algae - not everything is bad with the tank, I think you're probably closer than you might feel with the adjustments.

Do you have pics of your sump setup? Also, any magnets that might be in the tank that need checking?

 

[Uncle99]

I really like the idea of no moonlights all night.
Even though it’s real low, that’s the look to us, not what the coral sees.
I think it’s important for corals to cease photosynthetic process, (rest) and this could not be completely done with light present.
When lights are out, most corals extend their night feeders. This process must happen for healthy corals.
That phosphates number is fine.
If your alk is 10 but stable, me, I’d make no change.
I note you got good coralline growth which certainly is an indicator of good water chemistry.

We all try best to mimic the natural environment, moonlight does not penetrate far, it’s dark down there at night, so, any light IMO, is not natural.

Also, not that you do it, but trace dosing of the metals group without weekly water changes can build to a point where corals will suffer.

 

[Biokabe]

you need to work out your flow my dude see how the powerheads side is relatively clean of cyano an the other is not. ither open up ur rockwork where its blocked in the niches. the main problem it looks like is the flow patterns are cancelling each other out on the left side. turn the powerhead towards the glass(you) and slightly up. this will give you random flow pattern while not fighting the gyre's pattern of flow.

Thanks for the suggestion. I did this (moved the WAV to the back wall, pointing at the front glass) and I've already noticed a reduction in the cyano on that side. Really simple idea that I probably wouldn't have considered, but tentatively it seems to be making a difference.

 

[Biokabe]

I really like the idea of no moonlights all night.
Even though it’s real low, that’s the look to us, not what the coral sees.
I think it’s important for corals to cease photosynthetic process, (rest) and this could not be completely done with light present.
When lights are out, most corals extend their night feeders. This process must happen for healthy corals.
That phosphates number is fine.
If your alk is 10 but stable, me, I’d make no change.
I note you got good coralline growth which certainly is an indicator of good water chemistry.

I'll drag my USB cable out tomorrow to change the settings on the Radions themselves, but I changed the timing on the Apex to cut power to the Radions when I normally would've had my moonlight setting on. I don't know that I necessarily believe it'll make that much of a difference, but you're certainly not the only one to have suggested this and I'm not so married to moonlights that I'm not willing to give it a solid try.

Also, not that you do it, but trace dosing of the metals group without weekly water changes can build to a point where corals will suffer.

That much is definitely true, and one of the reasons I don't dose trace elements. I've toyed with no-water-change systems in the past, and that's essentially how my copper problem happened a few years ago - I wasn't taking water out of the system, but trace levels of copper were getting in. Without any export mechanism, it just kept building up until finally it got to the level that I noticed something was wrong and did an ICP test.

Since then, I gave up my flirtation with no-change systems and have instead focused on making water changes easier.

 

[Viking_Reefing]

Alk, mag and Nitrate high. Salinity /temp not mentioned.

Alk 8-9
temp 77-79
mag 1300
salinity 1.025
CA 450
nitrate .03
Ammoni .02
ph 8.1 - 8.3

What test kits are you using?
Are you using RODI water or tap water from the faucet ?

How do you figure that 4 in nitrates is to high unless the specific goal is to run a ULN system?
Running nitrates close to zero usually results in a Dino outbreak, at least it dose for me if I don’t keep my nutrients from bottoming out.

OP, now that you’ve lowered your nutrients a fair bit make sure to also lower your alk and perhaps decrease decrease the intensity of you lighting a bit (I got the impression that you’re running your fixtures full bore) to avoid burnt tips and bleaching.