Josh's SuperReef 65

Oxylebius

Well-Known Member
How is it going now?

How were you dosing the two part Alk supplement? How and when were you adding it to the water? Were you also testing Alk, Ca, and Mg while you were dosing this?

Too bad you didn't test before the water changes so that you would know if it is water quality that is the issue. My guess is water quality issues. All indications based on what you shared point to the new dosing of 2 part. But, maybe a spike in ammonia leading to higher nitrates has also happened since you are showing more growth of algae. Did you look around to see if something died and is causing an issue (snail or some other critter)?
 

StirCrayzy

Well-Known Member
Hard to say, but maybe a slight upturn. Only judging by the fact that the Hammer and acans have stopped receding. Throughout, I suspect water quality of course. I've never had abnormal results except low Alk, and only dosed to try to bring it up a bit hoping to boost growth a bit.
I dosed based on label directions, which I planned to post, but it's downstairs now, so maybe later, I dosed in the evening, probably less than what I could have, because I don't like big changes.
I tested before the last two 25% WC in the last week and continue seeing standard results to today's results below. I changed 20 g last weekend, then again last Wed, and will do 20g again tomorrow. I also tested the WC supply water before adding salt, TDS 001, and after salt checked the vital stats, nothing unusual.
I even broke out my pool test to check for chlorine, not detectable.
Before I brew the next batch of RODI, I'm going to do a full change of RODI filters 1 yr oldish carbon and sediment, 4 months on cur rent resin, which I usually change a few times per yr, and probably the membrane too which is about three years old, and I don't back flush hardly ever.
I need to order more salt too , since these added WC have really sucked my supply down. Reef Crystals just for the record.
I'm strongly thinking supply water and possibly worn out filters , I'll try the cloramines carbon block this time around, just in case Detroit changed over and I missed the memo...
Tonites vitals.
PH 8.3
Nitrate 0
Ammonia 0
Nitrite ? Skipped.
dKH 7
Calcium 400
Magnesium 1400
Phosphate 0-ish ( hard to read API kit is annoying)

What else can I do? Birds nest is pretty much gone, montis are fine excellent PE, and color, Milli has polyps out but not like normal. Ricordias and Yuma about half size shrivelled, even GSP has retracted polyps by 50%, gonipora is gone, retracted deep inside, Xenia tree has inverted polyps, but still maintaining body mass.
I left the ATO fill on last night and by the time the high level alarm went off in the sump at 2am, dropped salinity to 31ppm. Will boost a little next WC adding 20 g @ 37ppm... Insult to injury right.:(

Also I increased the flow rate to my ATS , and will add two more red LEDs to fill in the center on each side of the screen which doesn't grow nearly as well as the outsides in front of the current LEDs. Algae is increasing in the tank, so it's time to pull and so in rocks again. On a side note, the rock boring I added in July has managed to overturn quite a fe rocks, and is being quite a PITA, so I also have some epoxy work to do next weekend. It eats algae like crazy though, so I don't have any interest in banishing him.

The two fish in QT (since early Dec.) are doing fine, I'm just waiting for the DT to stabilize before I add them in.
 
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StirCrayzy

Well-Known Member
I'm entering this RODI thread here for the record since this chronicle is my maintenance log as well.
http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forum/index.php?threads/converted-coralife-rodi-to-75gpd.96401/

I just upgraded all my filters , most notably, added the chloramines/chlorine carbon block and increased to 75gpd membrane .

Next steps to follow, in troubleshooting why water changes suddenly aren't helping the corals health improve.
1. Bleach and scrub out WC tub
2. Change socks more frequently
3. Vacuum settling area of sump

4. Take suggestions on what to try next.

In no particular order
 

mtsully71

Well-Known Member
Lately Josh, I have been dealing with high nitrates (0 Ammonia), have no fricking clue why and everything is well with tolerance. So I have cut back food even more. What I am doing different is changing out my socks 2 times a week as I am thinking the sock is just a nitrate breeding ground.

In your case, I think your filter improvement is going to be a bonus. Your parameters are simliar to mine. I was using RC for a long while, but was always giving me high MG. I switched to Tropic Marin and have seen more stable alk, ca and mg. I have to dose about 10-15 ml of B-ionic every 3-4 days to stay in the 8 range for alk. Oh and I am going to pick up a small powerhead for the sump to keep detrius from settlin.

Just blabbering really though
 

saintsreturn

Well-Known Member
Damn bud. Good luck. I am still trying to figure out why my tank got so shook up on my move. Haven't added carbon back yet, will ok wed. The water change did wonders for me, but my tests always came back normal with no spikes. Starting to wonder if something is in the air.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

StirCrayzy

Well-Known Member




Still fighting the battle of the green.
There are some signs of rebirth, but not without some loss. Most of my zoas are withered and I can barely make out a dot of color in the middle of some shrunken stalks. Millipora bleached out then lost tissue really quick, it was doing good till two weeks ago. Most of my birdsnest RTNd but thankfully a small branch is OK, so I snipped it and glued it right back where the original colony started. Ricordias and yuma are shrunken but may bounce back eventually. Hammer , digi, and monti are growing great. Acans are puffing up again since last WC, but I still suspect something isn't right.
I just busted a bunch of frags off the monti so I can clean the glass again.
Also last WC I had a great ATS harvest from the areas in front of the diodes so I added another in the center on each side. I'm glad I drilled tapped and left enough wire when I initially built it. It's good to have options.
Before.. ( feels like prepping for surgery)



After. The centers are new Cree 660nm photo red the outer are Phillips deep red 660nm. I'll see if there's much difference.


And here is a strange occurance I've been witnessing once in a while, but this time two at the same time. Montipora is killing / eating hermit crabs?? I keep finding corpses out of their shells sitting on the monti randomly. Weird
 

Oxylebius

Well-Known Member
And here is a strange occurance I've been witnessing once in a while, but this time two at the same time. Montipora is killing / eating hermit crabs?? I keep finding corpses out of their shells sitting on the monti randomly. Weird

Is it a molt? Or is there a solid body in there? This is most likely a coincidence finding these in the same coral. What is most likely happening is that your hermit crabs have found a safe place to molt. When hermit crabs molt they have to leave the snail shell, slowly molt, and then get back into the shell as fast as they can. After molting their exoskeleton is soft and thus vulnerable to predation. During a molt they will seek a safe place to lessen predation upon them. What might be happening here is that more then one of your hermit crabs have found your coral a safe place to molt and what you are finding is their molt that is left behind. Or perhaps you do have a predator of your hermits and it lives in/near that specific coral. I highly doubt that the coral is eating your hermits. Something else is at play here.
 

StirCrayzy

Well-Known Member
Ya, i don't really think the monti is eating them... The body looks solid, but I never find an empty shell, so molt is the most likely scenario.

In this rock is a strange creature I've never seen though. It lives in a perfectly circular hole about 6mm diameter. I find round tubular frag outside this burrow on occasion, but that is the only obvious evidence something is in there.
I'll take a pic next time I notice some frag.
 

Oxylebius

Well-Known Member
Oooo - I want to see the strange creature! I hope you can capture a pic. Perhaps it is nocturnal. There are many different critters that make their home in corals. Some we are more aware of like barnacles and tube worms. Others not so much, like did you know that there is a crab that makes it home inside of corals - do a image search for Paguritta sp. of crab.
 

StirCrayzy

Well-Known Member
Those crabs are awesome, doesn't seem to bother the corals.

images
 

mtsully71

Well-Known Member
Oooo - I want to see the strange creature! I hope you can capture a pic. Perhaps it is nocturnal. There are many different critters that make their home in corals. Some we are more aware of like barnacles and tube worms. Others not so much, like did you know that there is a crab that makes it home inside of corals - do a image search for Paguritta sp. of crab.

I'm right with ya Sue I want to know!

Josh, agree the hermit looks like a body, the other may be a molt, would your water flow carry them there?
 

StirCrayzy

Well-Known Member
The water goes that way, but if it was dumping things there, I would see other debris settling also.
I did an early am recon on the creature, and it was out ! I'm thinking a tube worm of sorts, but it wouldn't reveal a mouth or any obvious feeding structures to identify. I know this has been in the tank a while though, I haven't added new live rock to the system since 2012 ish but this in an older rock than those.

 
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