Saltgator's 240 Build

[Saltgator]

Last year, lol. Early 2013. It's a 230 cone.

 

[Saltgator]

Btw Chris, I have a clam again. It's a baby but a start.

 

[skinz78]

Nice, we need pics!

 

[Saltgator]

Nice, we need pics!

Lol. Soon. It's only blue max from ASD @ about 2 inches.

 

[Saltgator]

Ugly update:
Baby maxima clam is gone. Not sure on why, leading towards my ccb. Had other clams with a different ccb, but this juvenile ccb is a strong and curious hunter. Could have been the angel too possibly.

Sps have started to peel, stn from the tips or middle. I have the slightest idea. Haven't changed the gfo out yet, no WC yet, no light shift or electricity (ground probe).

Both skimmers are fully skimming. The 2nd one, used octopus, is dry skimming and the swc is wet skimming.

Been tossing the idea on putting a small fuge (5 gallon for now) back in now that I've removed the diy scrubber. The scrubber just wasn't growing. Didn't matter on the scrubber being lit 18 hours, 22 hours, or 24 hours, no growth.

Cycle of the dry rocks and sand hits 4 weeks next Saturday. Haven't tested yet, but all looks great.

 

[schooleyosis]

Tank might be cycling or not enough nutrients in the water for the SPS to grow. Most people think that you can't have too clean of water but if you're stripping everything out what are the corals to feed on?

 

[Saltgator]

Considering this Ryan. I just figured with the amount of film algae on the front, nutrients were present. I've also been adding acro power once a week along with oyster feast to offset the 2 skimmers. There's a good idea on the cycling, since the h2o2 dosing stopped (last Friday), I haven't had any algae growth on the rocks!!

If it is nutrients being deprived, it's fish buying time. Would love this to be true, but it'll be the last step.

 

[schooleyosis]

Understood.

Is all the algae on the sand and glass gone now besides the film you are getting? I get a film on my glass that needs to be cleaned every three days or so

 

[Saltgator]

I've got Cyano on the little bit of bed that is remaining from removing all the sand months back. The film algae is all that I recall atm, but I'm trying to think in 90+ degree heat so that may inhibit my memory, lol.

 

[schooleyosis]

Ha. The humidity and heat broke today when some rain came through but I feel ya man. Things are seeming better minus your few SPS loss. Have you checked your ALK/cal/mag levels? Double checked your salinity gauge against another one?

 

[Saltgator]

No sir on the salinity. Checked my alk and cal a week ago. Never bought a mag kit.

 

[schooleyosis]

I'd check your salinity just to confirm. Have you calibrated your refractometer lately?

 

[Saltgator]

Ryan, just check with the refractometer, 1.021! I haven't calibrated it. Just checked my top off water and it as zero. But get this, my year long fight of no polyps on my sps, well some of my sps are fully open today!?! My TDF started to stn from the base weeks ago, stopped, started growing back without polyps out, now in full polyp. Bonsai never stn, but never really any polyps. Today, good extention. Below is pics for you and all. Bonsai, TDF, asd acro (stn top down, but nice PE on base), FTS.

 

[Saltgator]

Sorry, phone pics and reason for sideways pics. My bad

 

[schooleyosis]

Wow... 1.021! I'd have that calibrated or checked against another known good refractometer. Good that you have PE. Maybe everything adjusted to that salinity???

 

[Saltgator]

Possibly but not sure. I was happy enough have little to no algae and PE, lol.

 

[schooleyosis]

LOL. I don't blame ya. Slowly bring that salinity up and I bet you'll see more PE!!!

 

[Saltgator]

Update:

Sent a sample of water with my buddy Mike tonight, he's gonna test for phosphate, nitrates, nitrite, ammonia, silicate, alk and cal. Can't remember if he said orp too.

Ryan, pics of the fish (cell pics, not quality, lol)

 

[Saltgator]

 

[skinz78]

Nice looking fish Brad!