Terrys Red Sea Max E170 Build thread
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Taxus812
Destroyer of corals
Well I tried the chemiclean and after 48 hrs I vacuumed the sandbed while I did a 30% water change. Most of the cyano was gone with just a faint trace left. Vacuuming took the rest right up. I did notice that the sandbed seems different, lighter and brighter colored. Let’s see what that does for me.
I also changed my filter pads and carbon bag. Tomorrow I will do a full range of testing to see where I’m at.
I think it came out pretty good. Let’s see if it stays gone.
I ticked my snail off vacuuming my sandbed. I think he is climbing out to kick my ****.
I also changed my filter pads and carbon bag. Tomorrow I will do a full range of testing to see where I’m at.
I think it came out pretty good. Let’s see if it stays gone.
I ticked my snail off vacuuming my sandbed. I think he is climbing out to kick my ****.
. I’m pretty happy with the results. Now if I can get some corals to grow.
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Taxus812
Destroyer of corals
RODI Maintenance day (not very exciting)
Changed my prefilter and carbon. This is something I know. I have had an RO filter for 20 years.
I don’t change the pre filter until my input pressure drops 10psi. So my normal psi is 80 so today it was 70 and time to change. The color gets dirty pretty quick.
I check the output of the RO membrane by looking at the input TDS and compare it to the RO (before the DI resin) if it is less than 95% I change it. Mine is 99% so I’m good 512 in and 5 out. (I do this all the time to make sure things are working)
My DI resin gets changed just before it is fully color changed. I never let it get 100%.
I finally test the output TDS is 0 and mine is.
I do this about every 6 months (DI is as needed and more often)
Changed my prefilter and carbon. This is something I know. I have had an RO filter for 20 years.
I don’t change the pre filter until my input pressure drops 10psi. So my normal psi is 80 so today it was 70 and time to change. The color gets dirty pretty quick.
I check the output of the RO membrane by looking at the input TDS and compare it to the RO (before the DI resin) if it is less than 95% I change it. Mine is 99% so I’m good 512 in and 5 out. (I do this all the time to make sure things are working)
My DI resin gets changed just before it is fully color changed. I never let it get 100%.
I finally test the output TDS is 0 and mine is.
I do this about every 6 months (DI is as needed and more often)
OP
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Taxus812
Destroyer of corals
Today’s update:
For the first time, things are growing! I can’t believe I’m seeing growth!
My phosphates are down to .17 and nitrates are at 20. I will do a water change this weekend as normal. I also plan to change out the carbon since it should be spent after the chemiclean. I will not use the Chemipure elite with GFO since these numbers seem to be working.
Surprise growth was the candy cane. I thought it was destroyed but in the last week it really came back to life. Next is my mystery coral. I have no idea what it is but it’s one of my favorites. The poluos have been really extended for days. I am also getting more of them. Finally my zoas are turning into monsters. I can actually see new heads. One frag had only a few left but they are growing as well.
I would love to figure out what this can tell me. I suspect there was a bacterial issue for some time.
My fish have also been super active and more like when I first got them.
I have some specks of hair algae and as expected diatoms (I really stirred the sand bed cleaning the cyano )
Not sure how to clean the candy cane without causing damage.
Before
After
For the first time, things are growing! I can’t believe I’m seeing growth!
My phosphates are down to .17 and nitrates are at 20. I will do a water change this weekend as normal. I also plan to change out the carbon since it should be spent after the chemiclean. I will not use the Chemipure elite with GFO since these numbers seem to be working.
Surprise growth was the candy cane. I thought it was destroyed but in the last week it really came back to life. Next is my mystery coral. I have no idea what it is but it’s one of my favorites. The poluos have been really extended for days. I am also getting more of them. Finally my zoas are turning into monsters. I can actually see new heads. One frag had only a few left but they are growing as well.
I would love to figure out what this can tell me. I suspect there was a bacterial issue for some time.
My fish have also been super active and more like when I first got them.
I have some specks of hair algae and as expected diatoms (I really stirred the sand bed cleaning the cyano )
Not sure how to clean the candy cane without causing damage.
Before
After
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Taxus812
Destroyer of corals
Well I have been super busy with work. Working on patching 30,000 computers against BlueKeep2 vulnerabilities . I have been ready a to drop .
Well a new algae decided to take place of the cyano. Honestly I’m guessing it still cyano just brown. My theory is the chemiclean did its job but while I still dropped phosphates to .09 I didn't add back enough good bacteria. (Chemiclean is an antibacterial agent). Now they do say that you likely will need another treatment. So I’m not upset. My corals are not happy and they all shut up tight. I will have to get In
Front of this. For now the light is off.
Well a new algae decided to take place of the cyano. Honestly I’m guessing it still cyano just brown. My theory is the chemiclean did its job but while I still dropped phosphates to .09 I didn't add back enough good bacteria. (Chemiclean is an antibacterial agent). Now they do say that you likely will need another treatment. So I’m not upset. My corals are not happy and they all shut up tight. I will have to get In
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Taxus812
Destroyer of corals
I also decided that October 26 is fragtober fest. So I setup a frag QT. Not super happy with the light but I have most of what I needed on hand. I bought the shelf (diffuser) at Home Depot for $16.
So far I have bio media running in my DT and will transfer it to this tank next week.
I have a power head, ATO (reservoir next to the tank ), 50w heater, shelf and job filter.
Hope I’m not missing anything.
So far I have bio media running in my DT and will transfer it to this tank next week.
I have a power head, ATO (reservoir next to the tank ), 50w heater, shelf and job filter.
Hope I’m not missing anything.
OP
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Taxus812
Destroyer of corals
I seem to be getting results with my theory. I had an algae or cyano growing. I didn’t suspect Dinos because my nitrates are consistently at 20 and phosphates are between .09 and .17.
I decided however to steal Some part from the Dino playbook.
My theory is my good bacteria may be weak or being out competed by less desirable bacteria.
It a bit anecdotal but I used chemiclean the first round (worked great and my coral loved it). I added a small bit of good bacteria. After two weeks I got another round of something and my zoas closed up tight.
My theory is that the chemiclean killed good bacteria as well as bad. Now there was room and another surviving bacteria took over.
As an experiment I did the following
I shut off my lights for a week (not a blackout)
I then added bacteria to the tank. While the lights were off but a few days into it. I then added seed bacteria daily (I had it in hand so why not). I also did not do a water change. So far the result is my sandbox is white and clean. My corals are starting to open up. My snails are now back to cleaning the sand bed as well (notice my plugs are pushed out).
I plan to continue the regimen of adding bacteria weekly for as long as the directions state. I will be interested to see if it is working.
Super clean sand bed
Started to open
Still need time
Be warned it stink like a neglected skimmer
I decided however to steal Some part from the Dino playbook.
My theory is my good bacteria may be weak or being out competed by less desirable bacteria.
It a bit anecdotal but I used chemiclean the first round (worked great and my coral loved it). I added a small bit of good bacteria. After two weeks I got another round of something and my zoas closed up tight.
My theory is that the chemiclean killed good bacteria as well as bad. Now there was room and another surviving bacteria took over.
As an experiment I did the following
I shut off my lights for a week (not a blackout)
I then added bacteria to the tank. While the lights were off but a few days into it. I then added seed bacteria daily (I had it in hand so why not). I also did not do a water change. So far the result is my sandbox is white and clean. My corals are starting to open up. My snails are now back to cleaning the sand bed as well (notice my plugs are pushed out).
I plan to continue the regimen of adding bacteria weekly for as long as the directions state. I will be interested to see if it is working.
Super clean sand bed
Started to open
Still need time
Be warned it stink like a neglected skimmer
OP
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Taxus812
Destroyer of corals
<sigh> I’m growing prehistoric animals really well in my tank.
I was in the hospital..... again. I missed my cleaning weekend. Yesterday I woke up to this.
morning with lights
With lights on
It a lovely shade of red. I know for sure it’s not because of flow. I’m blowing my sandbed all over the place (you can see the piles). My nitrates were 20 and phosphate at .15 last time I checked (before I was admitted). Tonight I feel well enough to do some tank work. I just hope work doesn’t suck all the energy out of me.
I need to get a rake of some sort to pull the mat out. I am assuming it is cyano again. it seems to come back every two weeks. Kill it, then In two weeks it is back.
I’m ready for the waiting game. No plans for any additions for months. I hope that the tank biology will eventually stabilize.
I was in the hospital..... again. I missed my cleaning weekend. Yesterday I woke up to this.
morning with lights
With lights on
It a lovely shade of red. I know for sure it’s not because of flow. I’m blowing my sandbed all over the place (you can see the piles). My nitrates were 20 and phosphate at .15 last time I checked (before I was admitted). Tonight I feel well enough to do some tank work. I just hope work doesn’t suck all the energy out of me.
I need to get a rake of some sort to pull the mat out. I am assuming it is cyano again. it seems to come back every two weeks. Kill it, then In two weeks it is back.
I’m ready for the waiting game. No plans for any additions for months. I hope that the tank biology will eventually stabilize.
OP
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Taxus812
Destroyer of corals
So playing with cyano. As I have stated, I can clean the cyano and like clock work it will be back in about two weeks. Obviously I didn’t fix what was causing it. I was reading a thread on cyano https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/best-way-to-beat-cyano-bacteria.651110/
And what folks are doing to get rid of it. I decided to play some more on trying to get rid of without chemicals.
I also watched a video on how to do the API nitrate test. Guess what I was not doing it correctly. As a result I was reading 20 but in fact it was 80 (just a bit off). Ok I have my goal now. Time to really deep clean the tank.
the first thing I did was clean the back sump in my AIO and try to get all the gunk out. I also tore down the pumps and cleaned them as well. that resulted in a 7gal water change. I did that Friday
today (Sunday) I decided to do my normal water change. however I blew off the rocks, Scraped the glass, pulled hair algae and sucked out the cyano. I cool part was I ditched the big vacuum and just used the tube. I got way more suction. This allowed me to get under the rocks and pull up all the cyano mat.
I also added a 100 micron filter pad to clean up the particles.
Next up is another water change Wednesday.
my goal is to get the nitrates in check. Btw my phosphate was at .09ppm
So here it is. It seems shiney.
a
And what folks are doing to get rid of it. I decided to play some more on trying to get rid of without chemicals.
I also watched a video on how to do the API nitrate test. Guess what I was not doing it correctly. As a result I was reading 20 but in fact it was 80 (just a bit off). Ok I have my goal now. Time to really deep clean the tank.
the first thing I did was clean the back sump in my AIO and try to get all the gunk out. I also tore down the pumps and cleaned them as well. that resulted in a 7gal water change. I did that Friday
today (Sunday) I decided to do my normal water change. however I blew off the rocks, Scraped the glass, pulled hair algae and sucked out the cyano. I cool part was I ditched the big vacuum and just used the tube. I got way more suction. This allowed me to get under the rocks and pull up all the cyano mat.
I also added a 100 micron filter pad to clean up the particles.
Next up is another water change Wednesday.
my goal is to get the nitrates in check. Btw my phosphate was at .09ppm
So here it is. It seems shiney.
Bushmaster
Community Member
I’m definitely no expert on reef keeping, I just try to learn as I go but since no one is commenting or trying to help you narrow down the culprit I figured I’d comment...
Where did you acquire your live rock? Was it dry when you started? I’ve heard stories of live rock leeching..
And I know you mentioned you were on well water, I once lived in a house with well water and I was unable to use the water for my aquarium it was so foul.. I’m not saying yours is just a thought.
Where did you acquire your live rock? Was it dry when you started? I’ve heard stories of live rock leeching..
And I know you mentioned you were on well water, I once lived in a house with well water and I was unable to use the water for my aquarium it was so foul.. I’m not saying yours is just a thought.
OP
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Taxus812
Destroyer of corals
Thanks it is appreciated. I was close to giving up and just decorating it for Christmas
interesting my live rock was cured dry live rock. How long before they started leaching when they did?
my well water is nasty. I do run through an RODI system so I expected that all nitrates would be stripped. Easy enough to check, I can check it later today.
Bushmaster
Community Member
You’re welcome! The phosphate leeching from the live rock is something I read once and didn’t really go too deep into, so I don’t want to say for sure .. it could even be hog wash but it’s worth looking into.
OP
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Taxus812
Destroyer of corals
I did a test on my RODI for nitrates and phosphate. 0 nitrates and phosphates came in at .02 on my Hanna phosphate ULR which is within the margin of error (so I’m coming bring it at zero) for this tester .
good baseline test and I may send the RODI out as well if I decided to get an ICP.
good baseline test and I may send the RODI out as well if I decided to get an ICP.
OP
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Taxus812
Destroyer of corals
Well nothing exciting today. My phosphates are down to .09 and nitrates to 30. Another water change tomorrow. I have noticed that my filter pads are getting very dirty very quickly.
(I added some current pictures). Some cyano is coming back but I’ll suck that out tomorrow.
plus side I’m seeing my toadstool and other corals opening again. I also am getting spots of Coralline algae. Downside is I’m getting hair algae. I’m going to have to try to get my nitrates back in check.
I also started a small project to pull my test equipment into one accessible kit. I got this at harbor freight. It’s deep enough to put the Hanna testers and test kits into. I’m going to print som holders for the test bottles.
(I added some current pictures). Some cyano is coming back but I’ll suck that out tomorrow.
plus side I’m seeing my toadstool and other corals opening again. I also am getting spots of Coralline algae. Downside is I’m getting hair algae. I’m going to have to try to get my nitrates back in check.
I also started a small project to pull my test equipment into one accessible kit. I got this at harbor freight. It’s deep enough to put the Hanna testers and test kits into. I’m going to print som holders for the test bottles.
