Innovative Marine 50 Gallon EXT Lagoon

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

A normal dose took three weeks and there was no adverse effects to any of my corals, only the algae. So you could just choose to run a normal dose per the instructions and keep the Chaeto elsewhere for the duration, or you could just bomb that particular chamber in the sump with a massive dose and then drain it all out after an hour or so. I don’t know if that would work but I don’t see a downside of trying as long as it can be contained to that one chamber and be completely removed/cleaned. It’s reef safe at the normal dose though, just takes a while.

I'll get some. Wouldn't hurt to measure tank parameters with no refugium for a few weeks. Then if i added it back, i could see if it really impacts nitrates/phosphates.

It may be that with the 50 gallon, that i go macro refugium-less.

 

[jhuntstl]

Buy all three angles IMO, you can have more options for flow for a discount.

Thank you for pointing out the obvious. Seriously. I had two of the 60s in a cart. Getting all three different angles for a few bucks more is the smarter move.

 

[TheWB]

I'll get some. Wouldn't hurt to measure tank parameters with no refugium for a few weeks. Then if i added it back, i could see if it really impacts nitrates/phosphates.

It may be that with the 50 gallon, that i go macro refugium-less.

I just double checked and what I used was the Flux Rx. You have a lot more corals than I do so maybe start with a half dose and see how that goes. No need to take any chances since every system is different and your problem is in the sump, not the display. First time I used it all the bryopsis went away but came back within two weeks. Second time it’s gone and hasn’t come back.

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

Cleaned out macro refugium.

Have a bottle of flux rx. Thinking... it was about this clean before and yhe nuisance ulva came back.

Reef dork on youtube mentioned this ulva is a nightmare.

Its not in my display however.

Options:

1. Could dose the flux rx, half or full dose.

2. Could just leave macro refugium dark for a few weeks.

Votes?

 

[TheWB]

Cleaned out macro refugium.

Have a bottle of flux rx. Thinking... it was about this clean before and yhe nuisance ulva came back.

Reef dork on youtube mentioned this ulva is a nightmare.

Its not in my display however.

Options:

1. Could dose the flux rx, half or full dose.

2. Could just leave macro refugium dark for a few weeks.

Votes?

If it’s not in the display and the fuge chamber is cleaned out then I’d start by going dark for a while. Flux RX worked for me but my display was a mess with Bryopsis. You can afford to start slowly here and can always dose the Flux RX but if you can eradicate it naturally then that’s always better. Maybe put something in the fuge that would eat ulva if it cropped up. Couple of snails maybe?

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

Well getting creative... as i debate options...

Dont reccomend this as potential for darwin award, lol.

But GFCI operational and I'm impatient.

Wet dry vaccum a lot of sump. Blowing hair drier at same time sucking air out of refugium chamber.

Very effective drying of anything in there. Pest ulva needs water.

Edit: less than hour and all algae in the refugium is dust, lol, literally...

Sump walls a warm amost hot to touch. Kinda like a food dehydrator.

Hopefully this does it....

I'll add the chaeto back, careful not introduce the pest algae. Have flux rx if need to go nuclear.

Edit 2:

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

The impulsive hair drier and wet dry vacuum solution, drying out the refugium, appears to have rid me of the stringy pest ulva.

Added some flux rx to the coral qt, treating some briopsis, i think... seems to be killing it slowly

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

I feel like this is a brave goby?!

 

[TheWB]

I feel like this is a brave goby?!

That seems risky. Is that a small elegance?

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

That seems risky. Is that a small elegance?

yup, my thoughts too. He made it. The clowns take interest as well. I ordered a bubble tip to come later in November to put up there too for the clowns.

 

[TheWB]

What kind of BTA? I got my rainbow from Saltwater City in Bellevue for a real good price. My clowns never went anywhere near it. They have always preferred to live in zoas which have stung them so many times they are both completely discolored.

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

So cleaned the skimmer pumps and manifold pump and that section of the sump... way too much gunk for my taste. Much of it i think is the result of vodka dosing. Nothing in the tank, but i suspect plumping may have some too.

Not my style of reefing, too dirty.

So i removed the bio-pellets and stop vodka dosing...

If nitrates rise, so be it. Taking a hands off approach to keep my sump clean.

The refugium seems working out now, so that may help and i still have carbon and GFO reactors.

This may just be a higher nitrate reef tank. I have never noticed anything bad in the tank and corals and fish look great. I'll just take my own advice and not chase that number unless i see otherwise... Eventually the large fish will be in a 200 gallon, soon as i find a moment to get it up, so that's probably the solution longer term.

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

Tested watee after cleaning out the sump last night and removing all carbon dosing.

I interestingly nitrate is at 22ppm but phosphate, maybe from all stirring up of crud in the sum, is at 0.29ppm.

PH is also significantly higher. Back above 8.2. I did clean the probes, so maybe just that it, though.

Had to dial back the air on the skimmer as its going crazy with pump and light body cleaning.

Critters are happy. Elegance is a big as I've seen him since buying him.

Added new carbon and extra gfo. Trying to not use lanthinum chloride just in case it is rough of clams as some suggest.

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

Now that i am not dosing vodka, i have dosing pump freed up.

Any recommendations on a good one size fits all trace addition?

Or something else to dose? Lol

 

[TheWB]

Now that i am not dosing vodka, i have dosing pump freed up.

Any recommendations on a good one size fits all trace addition?

Or something else to dose? Lol

I think All For Reef is the current flavor of the month for that. I’d try it if my tank used any Cal or Alk lol.

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

What kind of BTA? I got my rainbow from Saltwater City in Bellevue for a real good price. My clowns never went anywhere near it. They have always preferred to live in zoas which have stung them so many times they are both completely discolored.

I think All For Reef is the current flavor of the month for that. I’d try it if my tank used any Cal or Alk lol.

Already dosing the all for reef, basically 50% all for reef and 50% kalk slurry are my major doses. I have chaetogro and seachem reefplus as well. Maybe i am good on dosing but i want to dose something else anyway! hahaha

The bubbletip is sunburst that i found a good preorder cost on. otherwise i would gone rose tip from a buddy.

 

[TheWB]

Already dosing the all for reef, basically 50% all for reef and 50% kalk slurry are my major doses. I have chaetogro and seachem reefplus as well. Maybe i am good on dosing but i want to dose something else anyway! hahaha

The bubbletip is sunburst that i found a good preorder cost on. otherwise i would gone rose tip from a buddy.

Too much chemistry or me. I’d just screw it up Lol

Sunburst will be fun to see, can’t wait for the pics. I was planning on a Rose at one point but I ran across the Rainbow for a pretty good deal (I thought) so I jumped on it. Since mine now just hides all day maybe I should have just waited for a Rose.

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

LOL. The great thing about all for reef and kalk is that they are ionically balanced on their own, or so i understand that. So not really like 2 part solutions. The reef plus and chaeto are just trace elements, so as long as not dosed in mass, i don't think they'll screw anything up. My thought is the occasional ICP test will confirm that. On the 200 gallon, i might get monthly ICP once up, unless it becomes uninteresting as to results or a waste of money.

The rainbow is VERY nice looking anemone. It is definitely on my list, just went with sunburst for the 50 gallon. It was $300, which isn't--i hate to say this now but it's the reality for high end corals now--crazy expensive...

 

[jhuntstl]

LOL. The great thing about all for reef and kalk is that they are ionically balanced on their own, or so i understand that. So not really like 2 part solutions. The reef plus and chaeto are just trace elements, so as long as not dosed in mass, i don't think they'll screw anything up. My thought is the occasional ICP test will confirm that. On the 200 gallon, i might get monthly ICP once up, unless it becomes uninteresting as to results or a waste of money.

The rainbow is VERY nice looking anemone. It is definitely on my list, just went with sunburst for the 50 gallon. It was $300, which isn't--i hate to say this now but it's the reality for high end corals now--crazy expensive...

I'm just now experimenting with kalk and AFR. I got the kalk in my ato for now. So far I'm happy with the results. How do you react to alk consumption changes? How often do you test alk? Do you modify AFR or kalk? Probably a combo of both. How often are you testing mag and ca? Do you have manually supplement alk or mag? Is this too many questions???

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

I'm just now experimenting with kalk and AFR. I got the kalk in my ato for now. So far I'm happy with the results. How do you react to alk consumption changes? How often do you test alk? Do you modify AFR or kalk? Probably a combo of both. How often are you testing mag and ca? Do you have manually supplement alk or mag? Is this too many questions???

Lol

I keep the additions 50% kalk (slurry (two tablespoons per two litres) , not saturated kalk) and 50% all for reef. I test Alk twice a day on a kh director. Magnesium and CA are never low when i do test them, which is maybe a once a month or two. ICP every three months about. The all for reef contain magnesium and other trace elements.

I use the DIY all for reef recipe from BRS instead of the liquid, in case i need to adjust magnesium or trace elements up or down.