mcarroll's 100 Gallon System

[mcarroll]

Having a brown algae outbreak. Peroxide treatment did not help. Miscellaneous water changes have not helped. ChemiClean has not helped.

I just had a major breakdown/cleaning and water change. (20 gal) I scrubbed all the pumps and wiped all the walls clean with an algae sponge.

I am hoping that physical removal works!

 

[mcarroll]

Physical removal helped tremendously, but this stuff still lurks in every tiny crevice and makes a s-l-o-w comeback between scrapings.

I think I've had to clean things up only two or three times tops since last post, and it's never been epidemic like it was. (Though it looks like it would be if I'd ignore for long enough.)

So, it clearly wasn't ONLY the spike in salinity that caused/allowed this cccp a foothold. Found out via a Checker that I have about .2 phosphate, so I've been trying to make more time for water changes. Got a 20 gallon and a 30 gallon in so far...just about due for another.

Haven't gotten the phosphate retested yet.

Wondering if the tank would benefit from some direct nitrate additions since there are only three tiny Barnacle Bennies to feed in there?

I did pick up a new bottle of Reef Nutrition [HASHTAG]#ROE[/HASHTAG] and plan to up the feeding rate....but there's only so much I expect to accomplish this way.

After all these years, I may have to pick up nitrate and phosphate kits.

 

[mcarroll]

After starting nitrate and amino acid dosing as well as correcting some Doser issues related to calcium and alkalinity and magnesium, things are looking better for corals in the crease of fights are intercession from what I can tell. Green algae and cyano and even coraline algae are making a comeback.

I even have evidence of coral growth. A few weeks ago my giant orange digitata grew so large that its rock leaned over into the Stylo. behind it. I didn't get around to it right away. The other day I pulled it out and you can see the notch that grew around where the branch was. Growth is about an inch "deep". In about a month. Nice.

 

[mcarroll]

Notably there appeared to be no fighting between the two corals when they were touching and hardly any damage if any at all.

 

[mcarroll]

@Russ265 @robert i've never really gauged the rate of growth of any of my corals for lack of a method. So this is my only data point. But it even seemed fast.

 

[mcarroll]

Update with more phone photos

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Dang that coral is covering that rock on the left!

 

[mcarroll]

Based on how that pink coral looked when I rescued him, I always assumed he was a Stylophora....now that he's all grown out and I happen to be thinking about it again...he doesn't look anything like a Stylo.!!

Looks like a reef slope example of a P. damicornis and it doesn't look like anything else. LOL
http://coral.aims.gov.au/factsheet.jsp?speciesCode=0307

 

[mcarroll]

Re-tested tonight and I can tell I removed the GFO.

Calcium has also dropped a little, which could be increased coral growth. (Will confirm with the next round of testing.)

S.G. 1.026
Alk 3.0 meq/L
Ca 400 ppm
Mg 1375 ppm
NO3 0.2-1.0 ppm
PO4 0.52 ppm

This may be the first time I've ever had NO3 register on a test kit. Ever.

I will probably add back in some GFO to get levels back down to 0.2 or so.

 

[mcarroll]

I'm pretty sure I or someone else posted this recently....

(Formatted for clarity)
See original:
https://www.researchgate.net/profil...and_Corals/links/5400be670cf2c48563aeaa66.pdf

[Summarizing] the main interactions and feedback mechanisms connecting light intensity, nutrient level, and feeding in zooxanthellate corals:

1. Under constant nutrient concentration, light intensity determines the onset of nutrient limitation; as light increases, C : N ratios exceed Redfield ratios.
2. The availability of other nutrients, mainly nitrogen, determines the fate of photoassimilated carbon. Under high C: N ratios, most carbon goes into respiration, calcification, and excreted mucus, whereas low C : N ratios favor increases in zooxanthellae density, reduce translocation, and slow down calcification.
3. Feeding on zooplankton by the coral under low light provides carbon for metabolism. Under high light it supplies both algae and animal with nitrogen.

 

[mcarroll]

Tested again last night and PO4 and NO3 have both crept up. Interesting because the increased feedings never really materialized. Still just one dose of ROE (maybe around 1/4 teaspoon) for the fish* and about 20 drops of amino acids and 10mL of KNO3 per day. It seems my nitrogen cycle may be "full" and my 10mL KNO3 dose might be able to be scaled back.

S.G. 1.026
Alk 2.91 meq/L
Ca 395 ppm
Mg 1380 ppm
NO3 2 ppm
PO4 0.72 ppm

Also of note is that Ca and alk are both depressed this round....further evidence (beyond visual) that my corals' growth has increased.

I'm going to keep repeating that I was seeing growth and other results prior to seeing any readings above zero in the nitrate test.

I'm skipping NO3 for one day and I've put a partial dose of GFO (ran out) back in the system to keep PO4 contained about where it is, or less, as well as a dose of activated carbon.

After that, I'm going to keep dosing the same at least until next test, assuming the tank maintains course.

So far the tank is still improving. After being absent for quite a while, green algae are showing up in the usual places. Coraline algae are getting a bit more prevalent each day, etc. The nasty brown stuff is still growing in some places, but it's less and less aggressive and growing in fewer and fewer places. Cyano is even back.

 

[bios]

Based on how that pink coral looked when I rescued him, I always assumed he was a Stylophora....now that he's all grown out and I happen to be thinking about it again...he doesn't look anything like a Stylo.!!

Looks like a reef slope example of a P. damicornis and it doesn't look like anything else. LOL
http://coral.aims.gov.au/factsheet.jsp?speciesCode=0307

ItIs pocillopora damicornis tricolor as mine
And you will see it spawn

Looks like a reef slope example of a P. damicornis and it doesn't look like anything else. LOL
http://coral.aims.gov.au/factsheet.jsp?speciesCode=0307

[/QUOTE]

Based on how that pink coral looked when I rescued him, I always assumed he was a Stylophora....now that he's all grown out and I happen to be thinking about it again...he doesn't look anything like a Stylo.!!

Looks like a reef slope example of a P. damicornis and it doesn't look like anything else. LOL
http://coral.aims.gov.au/factsheet.jsp?speciesCode=0307

 

[mcarroll]

@bios To my knowledge I've never seen that happen....I even had a green P. damicornis for a while before I got this colony too.

And by spawn, do you mean releasing gametes of some kind, or do you mean polyp bailout? (I have seen bailout colonies forming in someone else's tank.)

 

[bios]

Also i dont believe and when Find new pocillopora grow in some place of the tank also over the powerhead tought that was i during manuten. that broke some piece and they go with the flow...
One night working with lunar light in the tank i saw little planule come out from poci
And a friend explane to me that poci when be in a good shape just do it.

 

[mcarroll]

I know its lineage goes to an ORA dealer, so it's probably this coral:
http://www.orafarm.com/product/pink-damicornis/ (as opposed to pink&green or green)

One night working with lunar light in the tank i saw little planule come out from poci
And a friend explane to me that poci when be in a good shape just do it.

Interesting! Definitely no signs of spreading on this specimen, except for the spreading of the mother colony...which has been pretty fast now that I'm looking back at this thread! In spite of the lack of attention and everything.

 

[bios]

Mine is exactly as pics you post above and 100/100 is a tricolor

 

[bios]

Violet upper side
Pink the brunch
Strawberry bases

 

[mcarroll]

@bios I do remember we called it a "rainbow stylo" when it was given to me.....the stylo was a guess based mostly on the polyps, but it did have kind of a multicolor hue. The only variety I see now in its color is the "stems" in some areas turn light metallic green sometimes. This is infrequent though.

 

[mcarroll]

Retested tonight after noticing that I let my dosing containers run dry again. :mad:

S.G. 1.025
Ca 375
Alk 1.82
Mg --
NO3 25 ppm
PO4 0.05 ppm

I'm gonna go ahead and back off 50% on the KNO3 and amino acids.

New dose starting tomorrow:

5 mL per day KNO3
10 drips per day amino acids

 

[Salty1962]

Very Cool!