What would you do differently?

[ndz98]

One other thing I see that could cause an issue would be that it appears your rocks are up against the back glass, that can restrict flow behind the rocks and create a nutrient sink as well. So maybe slide them out away from the glass so some flow can get back there and kick up any detritus that's hiding from you.

That is a pretty good point you make about the possible nutrient build up in the back behind the rocks. I would be open to the idea of moving the rocks forward but honestly there is no room to move them forward. The tank has very little space for adjustments and the rocks aren't glued down to each other so I can't get them to stay unless they are leaning against the glass. The other thing too is if there was a big nutrient build up behind them and I moved the rocks and let water flow more freely through it, couldn't that cause a potential spike in P04 and N03?

 

[Mandrew]

I suppose it probably could, so if I were moving them personally I'd turn off all flow, move the rocks out and Gravel vac as much junk out as I could and do a fairly large water change. But I know what you mean about unstable stacked rocks.. and it's not very easy but maybe try a shorter rockscape so the base can be more sturdy?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I only learned about it awhile back from the one and only @saltyfilmfolks haha.

im blushing

The coralline is there but it's odd then it grows in the shady area

Mine too. Its too bright. for the corraline. and...
A lot of your animals like lower light.
not the zoas.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

That is a pretty good point you make about the possible nutrient build up in the back behind the rocks. I would be open to the idea of moving the rocks forward but honestly there is no room to move them forward. The tank has very little space for adjustments and the rocks aren't glued down to each other so I can't get them to stay unless they are leaning against the glass. The other thing too is if there was a big nutrient build up behind them and I moved the rocks and let water flow more freely through it, couldn't that cause a potential spike in P04 and N03?

what are you numbers.......
a build up would show on the test/

And no. I dont test much either.

Look back at brandons post. you use the coral to take up the nutrients.

 

[aaron23]

I'm not sure how good the light is but your corals aren't very demanding. I'd suggest more flow in the tank and definitely a better skimmer. Is that a cpr overflow box? I'd go with a drilled tank as well. More maintenance is required I would add filter socks or filter floss limit feeding clear up the tank and start more frequent water changes

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I would remove it completely because if it traps stuff in the tank and doesn't let the skimmer or a water change remove it t

kinda. a skimmer is not really a mechanical filter. if stuff built yp. it would read on the test. the dissolved organics would go through the floss.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

When I tested today I got .04 ppm for phosphate and 0 nitrates.

increase No. and lower the intensity of the light

 

[Mandrew]

kinda. a skimmer is not really a mechanical filter. if stuff built yp. it would read on the test. the dissolved organics would go through the floss.

At least If its in the water column when you're changing water you could catch some of it. I agree with the skimmer not catching big stuff though.

 

[ndz98]

im blushing


Mine too. Its too bright. for the corraline. and...
A lot of your animals like lower light.
not the zoas.

I meant that instead then. It should be
The coralline is there it's just odd that it grows in the shady area.

Not sure if it changes what you said or not lol.

 

[ndz98]

what are you numbers.......
a build up would show on the test/

And no. I dont test much either.

Look back at brandons post. you use the coral to take up the nutrients.

P04 N03 numbers? And idk if this makes a difference but I have noticed over time the corals take up less alk and calcium which also concerned me which made me think that it meant they were slowing there growth or dying.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I meant that instead then. It should be
The coralline is there it's just odd that it grows in the shady area.

Not sure if it changes what you said or not lol.

it is too bright in the tank for the coralline to grow. So It only grows in the shade.

If its too bright for coralline. Its probably too bright for the lps. but not the zoas,

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

dying.

and so did the corraline.

 

[Mandrew]

it is too bright in the tank for the coralline to grow. So It only grows in the shade.

If its too bright for coralline. Its probably too bright for the lps. but not the zoas,

Really? I thought zoas were low light corals? Learn something new everyday! Lol

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Really? I thought zoas were low light corals? Learn something new everyday! Lol

some yes.
the deepest (80m)growing photosynthetic coral is... An SPS!!!!! a lepto
Some Zoas grow....in TIDEPOOLS..... Weird right?

 

[Mandrew]

Dang... haha

 

[ndz98]

increase No. and lower the intensity of the light

How do I increase No? Just feed more?

 

[lion king]

#1 thing I would never had jumped on the full spectrum led bandwagon. I like the blue/white leds on my fowlrs, but would have kept t5s as my primary lighting on my reef.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

How do I increase No? Just feed more?

yup let it slowly increase. dont have to feed more. just healthy. reduce water changes. don't chase numbers but monitor. add a little extra bacteria cuz the bio filter is going to have to catch up again.
if you have it a little no pox or half dose to stimulate the good bacteria. it is afterall just carbon dosing. ( I think some coral like bacteria poo as much as fish poo btw)
once the glass gets green fast, put chato back in.
if your coming off a diet so to speak go back to the floss or sock and clean it every week. keep the large solids down and the smaller and dissolved up.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

#1 thing I would never had jumped on the full spectrum led bandwagon. I like the blue/white leds on my fowlrs, but would have kept t5s as my primary lighting on my reef.

I do have that light btw and I dont have cyano.
As an experiment I took off the skimmer and and hob refugium. its sumpless. I do have a high coral bio load.
Edit. I did have higher nutrients than I wanted part of that same experiment I let gha grow and I did introduce bryopsis(I wanted a lettuce nudibranch). Now the nutrients are actually at on an api test both zero. I removed all the bryo by hand and it hasn't come back for two weeks. The hair algae has not returned either. I'm not done scrubbing yet though.
The Zoas and Palys suffered a bit and closed. SPS growth stopped. I carbon dosed vitamin c weekly.
The experiment was can I strip the nutrients from a tank with coral and nusance algae and bacteria.
Yes you can.

 

[kashman100]

I scraped coraline from an encrusted rock and crushed it up real fine in water and poured it in the tank. It is now growing everywhere. Also I had that same stringy looking algae that would come back within an hour after wiping the glass. I cleaned everything, did water change, added a poly-filter, new gfo and new carbon and wiped tank glass many times over a few days. It has not come back for a few weeks now. Also I dipped all frags with 5 to 1 tank water to peroxide dip and scrubbed plugs very well.