Susan's RMS Max C250

[Susanedw]

I think I found a solution to using my pump and avoiding any flooding using this float valve kit http://www.aquahub.com/store/product67.html
any opions? This way, if the water level drops in the sump, it shuts just that return pump off. When I feed and do wc's it should be okay if the water level rises to the high point but it shouldn't ever drop below the set low point.

Opinions?

 

[Susanedw]

oops, I'd put it in the refuge and water level reaches, it shuts pump down...

 

[Susanedw]

IT'S MY 3 MONTH BIRTHDAY (or at least yesterday was <g>) Will update on tank in a few days.

Took the plunge and used chemi clean for the cyano. I've had it before, but it was always gone by morning and if it came back, it never lasted long. this time, it's coating everything in tank and nitrates are higher than normal for my tank. They were zero (and causing issues with corals) and now over 20-30, even with water changes. Used less than a full dose of chemi clean. Used a 30 gal dose and I figure my water level is between 46-50 with the sump. I put in 3 air bubbles and pointed returns toward surface for max agitation of surface. Two airstones are running on battery pumps so will hope they run thru night. Kept skimmer on, just adjusted the air valve to less to keep it under control. box suggested removal of skimmer box but I have it now controlled.

Been doing water changes every day/every other/every 2 for weeks now due to sudden ammonia spike (dead sea cuc I think) and now have high nitrates so it's not lack of wc's! . Working on nitrates with water changes but it's not impacting the cyano at all, nor is it lack of flow. Not comfortable doing a blackout as I am afraid it would stress the fish and corals, esp. as the corals went through a rough time not too long ago. Also read not to use nori type sheets but my tang is doing well with them, and the emeralds pick at them--I rubber band a folded up sheet to a rock and place on bottom so don't want to stop that. Cut feedings to once per day.

Keeping the water temp between 76 and just over 77. Using fans as I don't have a chiller yet.

Working on the refugium this weekend. Will order some macro algae. Until I get the plumbing done, just going to start the refuge with half tank water and half fresh salt water when I do a water change (not in the 48 hrs to get rid of chemicals). I'll also add some of my sand and a couple of small rocks from my tank to the refuge. I also have 2 sponges in the sump which I took out for the treatment. Keeping in bucket of tank water mixed with fresh batch of salt water. Oh, took out the ceramic rings. With the rest of the media waiting to go back in. Not sure they should go back in as they are nitrate factories. Need opinion on this.

Sand arrives on Sunday. Won't have all my gear by then but hopefully i can get it set up and use air stones and the hang on back filter.
One drama after another

 

[mr_tap_water]

hi there
Reading through your post looks like you're having a up-and-down experience being tested all the way and you're doing well to hold on in there all the bad things that have happened will make you a better reefer and gain more experience quicker as we've all gone for it,

From what I can gather you're having a lot of problem with Cyano if I was in your shoes this is what I would do, and being that you say you get a buildup of this in the corners as well sounds like a lack of circulation whether nutrients are building up in low flow areas I would add another one or two flow pumps to your tank and position them so you have my dead spots and keep siphoning out as much as possible in the meantime .

The type of algae you've got on your rocks I would say is to do with your lighting maybe as you was suggested in a earlier post change one of the whites for a blue where too much green and red Spectrum can cause this type of algae to.

Do you ever test for phos as high readings of this along with high No3 also tribute to algae problems Plus an imbalance of the two can also cause Cyano from what I have read.
Good luck[emoji846]


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[Susanedw]

thanks @mr_tap_water I, being frugal, don't want to waste a light so figured on changing one in 3 months <g>. From what I've read, the green is the prelude to the coraline. That bright green doesn't brush off with a brush or turkey baster and the snails can't get it off either. Sometimes I can see a little path, but the rocks are still green beneath. I used to use the baster to get rid of the other algae when the tank was really ugly.

I just tested phos and they are 0. I use gfo. I'm guessing the high nitrates are my issue. Also I've pointed the wavemaker directly at patches on the rock and didn't affect it at all. I'll look into getting another one for the other side of tank. I have 2 returns and 1 wave maker which is one steady right now, not bursts. I also adjusted the 2 returns to change flow and again, didn't change anything. Right now, the returns are pointing up for surface agitation. I also got some more bio spira to try to up the good bacteria. Figure I'll use 1/3 of the bottle. The rest on the refugium.

I tried to syphon out with my water change hose but it isn't strong enough so maybe I'll try it without the vacumn head--just the hose. The cyano on the sand is a mat. I did use a net to get some out. when lights come one I'll see if there is any change. The red slime remover hasn't wiped it out. I still see it. Will hope its a bit better and then see tomorrow. Guessing I might have to repeat the dose.

Once I get this under control, I need to work on numbers. The IO salt keeps my cal at 400, mg at 1200 and alk around 7. Question on testing alk with the red sea kit. Does that first drop count toward the total drops or just the drops added after.

I have the kent 2 part but haven't used it for a while as I wanted the tank to get through this second cycle first: lesson learned: no sea cucs or anything else big that hides under sand and rock....

I'm quite determined to have a pretty tank again...

 

[mr_tap_water]

Hi there
From what you just said there is a imbalance between your PHOS and No3 and you need to bring your phos levels up somewhere between 0.02-0.03 and down No3 5-10 as an example so if you're No3 Say 50 you would need a higher Phos level to go with this to help combat Colony please note though this is only one thing that might be causing it being that you say you have good circulation with no dead spots and your siphoning off regular. Also I would strongly advise to definitely reduce the green lighting which I believe is a lot to do with The green on the rocks, add some extra blue instead.

With the Coraline you won't get any if there is none in the tank in the beginning you have to have it there in the first place for it to spread first of all I would get your stats at the right levels calcium levels between 420-450 Magnesium
1300-1400 Kh 7-12 then I would add the Coraline which you can buy in a bottle And add as instructed.


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[Susanedw]

@mr_tap_water How do I bring phos up. I thought the goal was to have them at 0. I took out the gfo bag when I dosed the tank. Should I not put it back in? Yes, trying to get those nitrates back down to the 5-10 range. Would like them at 5 or just under.

will def. do the lighting change, maybe not right away as I'm spending money on the refuge. MIght add another wave maker to the other side.

I have some coraline on a couple of frags but not a lot. Will look into adding it from a bottle or get my daughter to do some scrapings for me from their tanks.

cyano is a bit less intense in some spots and looks like dying off in others. Will use a turkey baster today and see if I can get rid of some of it. Tomrrow I do a water change and will try the syphon without the vacumm attachment as it should be stronger sucktion.

Fish all active and tank well areated.

 

[mr_tap_water]

How to bring your Phos up,
from what I gather is in everything food, waste,etc,
i've never been lucky enough to have it as low as you,
I suppose you would have to stop using anything that takes the phos out of the water for a short period of time until you see a reading, but would only do this as a last resort.


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[Susanedw]

Had to return first refuge 29 gal tank as hood defective and they didn't call to say another tank came in on friday. turns out they had a 37 gal 28 bucks cheaper on sale with the same footprint. Score!! It's ready to add sand and water. Irritated that there is a sticker stuck between top trim and glass and I didn't see until after I painted. Going back to petsmart to see if they'll give a discount. who would put a sticker at the top? Should have been at the bottom.... Hood totally sucks. One piece. I have to take it off to get into tank. Will look into just lights and no hood. Can't believe that either.

Otherwise, I think i'm all set once everything gets here to do plumbing. Going to start it up on it's own with the hob filter for now. Need overflow box and hubby needs to do the float box that hooks to the pump I'll use. Oh, guess I need one of those yet too. No water yet. what you see is the main tank reflection

 

[Susanedw]

I am assuming I do not want to put any of my display tank water into my refuge until the cyano is gone. I do a water change tomorrow at the 48 hr mark. I'm willing to bet I need to do another treatment. Need to find out if I can retreat immed. or put carbons back in and give it a few days before retreating. Skimmer has been running. Directions on box said not to turn off just remove box. I did until the skim settled.

I had planned to start the fuge with half tank water, and half fresh. And to add a bit of my tank sand to get the refugium off to faster start and to avoid having to start a new cycle. My plan until I can use tank water is to start it. And when ready to hook up the two tanks, I'll do a fifty percent water change and refill with tank water as I add fresh salt water to the main tank

 

[mr_tap_water]

Hi there
With The sand you say you're taking from your old tank if it's only the top layer I don't believe it will work and from what I remember The good bacteria is our lease 2 inches down this is why when they do a deep sand bed it's at least 4 to 6 inches for it to be able to work first one and a half to 2 inches cannot substantiate the good bacteria, also changing some of the old water over Will not make any difference either.


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[Susanedw]

Okay, and thanks @mr_tap_water. I have one small rock (covered with cyano) that I'll eventually put in and two foam sponges I've had in my sump. I'll let them get a bit riper then put them into a basket with suction cups in the fuge for a while (not sure there is room on the hob filter)

I'm assuming I do not need to use the filter once I'm plumbed? Is there any good reason to have it as part of the system. This one just has carbon and a bio plate. the hob from the 29 gal I returned-and forgot to put back the hob--is a bio wheel.

 

[SPR]

On the nitrates have you looked into using NoPox by Red Sea to get it under control? You just dose it every day, very easy.

I've used it since I started out and it works very well, albeit less so on phosphates I've found.

You need a small amount of phosphate as well with it, and although you say you have zero, most of the hobby kits aren't that accurate so I would have thought it unlikely it's actually zero.

I use both the Red Sea Pro and also the Hanna Phosphate checkers. My Hanna today said 0.00 phosphate but it has an accuracy of +/- 0.04. So it could be 0 but more likely higher.

On the lighting, red and green I believe encourage algea growth. Certainly the Red Sea Reef spec light settings are zero for green and red.

 

[Susanedw]

thanks @SPR I just got in some Instant Ocean natural nitrate reducer. Will try that and then check out the one you recommend.

@mr_tap_water I am removing the bag of ceramic rings from the sump (hear they are nitrate factories) and I'll add those to the refuge for a while, in a basket with the foam.

 

[mr_tap_water]

thanks @SPR I just got in some Instant Ocean natural nitrate reducer. Will try that and then check out the one you recommend.

@mr_tap_water I am removing the bag of ceramic rings from the sump (hear they are nitrate factories) and I'll add those to the refuge for a while, in a basket with the foam.

As long as you've got live rock in your system removing the chemical rings should be ok but there are lots of us out there that use both chemical rings and live rock together including myself and have great success but some might disagree.[emoji846]


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[Susanedw]

my rock is only 3 months old. Maybe I should keep @mr_tap_water ?

 

[mr_tap_water]

my rock is only 3 months old. Maybe I should keep @mr_tap_water ?

If you really don't want the chemical rings The best thing to do is take them out gradually over a period of time but it's really down to personal choice if you don't want them at all.


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[Susanedw]

okay, left them in. Will give tank a week to see how it's doing before I decide to do another treatment. Some clearing but still lots. Tried to syphon but it closed my syphon pump on the vacuum. Will turkey baste rocks tomorrow to get some off that way.

 

[Susanedw]

Okay, lots of activity as I deal with cyano and starting a refuge. Refuge 3/4 full. Ran out of water as I also did a water change in main tank. Not going a deep sand bed until I want to order 40 lbs more sand...

Chemi clean helped some areas of cyano. Hopeful that over the n
Tank is now just past 3 month mark. Today during feeding, the 2 peppermint shrimps came to the baster for their share which was kinda cute. 1 emerald is cluing in. Little Scooter gets fed first after I squirt some for the fish.

Used IO nitrate control and am keeping temps between 76-77

-Clowns growing. They tend to mostly hang in one corner. Would like to see them more active all over.
-Chromis doing well
-Tang gets occasional white spots on fin and it goes away. I use Kent's garlic in water and in food.
-Gold Head Sleeper goby now eating frozen mysis and brine with everyone else. Love that fish, esp. when he objects to a hermit too close to his burrow and carries him off and spits him out elsewhere
-bicolor blenny darts in and out of his holes
-Scooter Blenny doing well. Puts on displays so assuming its a male. Might find him a female later
-no sign of yellow watchman or the pistol. Saw a molted shell so assume it's still in cavern but not sure if the ywg is. If so it doesn't come out to eat. Sad as I liked that teeny tiny guy
-2 pepermints doing well
-3 emeralds. Lost one last week. Not sure why
-Who knows how many hermits or other snails...
-Zoa/polyp frag seems happy
-Xenia very happy with all the nitrates....
_Torch also happy
_greet star polyps also doing well
All coral recovered except the clove which I think the algae got too much for it.

Pleased that I've come this far even with ups and downs.

 

[Pat24601]

Great update!