Tank Journal Archive

[holly]

8th December 2014

Been away two weeks, had some hot days where the house sitter didn't leave the air con on and I'm sure the tank probably had a few days of 28 degree temps.
Also discovered ATO had at some point completely rusted out and been sitting in the water:

Over the two weeks I was away I lost:
- a blue trachy,
- the last remaining golden torch head, and
- a green and orange mille.

Haven't tested anything (too scared to) so I'll be changing 20% water every other day to try to bring things back to normal. Had a cyano outbreak again. Will change out carbon and GFO but I expect excess nutrients to be behind the algae. It's even growing on the macro in the sump!

 

[ReeferRob]

If you have access to Poly filtres, get one of those on the tank ASAP!!

 

[holly]

poly filters?

edit: just googled, will be heading to LFS now to see what I can get.

 

[Sam Parker]

I know Deer Park carry them, I think Williamstown do too.

 

[MagicJ]

What ATO was it?

 

[holly]

I know Deer Park carry them, I think Williamstown do too.

no one super-local carried it so I got it online.

What ATO was it?

It was the smart ATO.

 

[RobbieMVFC]

Dammm that should not happen (stating the obvious)...lol
I would be contacting them.
How old was the unit.

 

[holly]

Dammm that should not happen (stating the obvious)...lol
I would be contacting them.
How old was the unit.

I have, I'm sure I'll be taken care of :) The unit was a year old, maybe 18 months?

 

[ReeferRob]

I'm more worried about lead and copper contamination than I am about the iron. The Chinese are known to use shit quality metals when they can.

 

[holly]

I'm more worried about lead and copper contamination than I am about the iron. The Chinese are known to use shit quality metals when they can.

I ordered some of this: http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/CupriSorb.html
Should be here tomorrow and will place in the sump. New magnets for the ATO units should also be here tomorrow. According to manufacturer, this has happened 6 times in Australia in the last 1.5 years of the units being available.

 

[holly]

Still waiting on the cuprisorb. I'm guessing it's being held back by the usual christmas busyness. Since keeping an eye on the temperatures since being home things are looking better. Mille that I though I had lost still has a few good stems on it which don't seem to be receding so I will frag them in the hope it comes back.

While I was away my lovely fish-sitter was regularly giving the tang and rabbitfish nori. I am wondering if nori encourages cyano algae growth? I usually give the fish a 1/4 sheet a fortnight and some plant based frozen once a week. The nori tends to turn red when uneaten hence my theory. And that the cyano regrew ten fold in two weeks compared to the previous increase in growth over three to four months.

Excellent service as usual from @K&J Aquatics who got me replacement magnets within 2 days through the supplier (thanks @Beyond the sea reef ).

 

[holly]

I'm realising I may be dealing with dinoflagellates due to RO membranes. I recently needed 500 litres of water due to the skimmer incident and used tap water. The next week saw the complete disappearance of this algae from my large tank system. Inside tank is still effected and not improving with coral snow, microbacter7, raising ph and water changes. It's actually getting worse. Will change membranes and do a large water change and see what happens. Membranes are 2 years old. Ts meter says 0 output but I think it may be something else coming out of the old membranes.

 

[holly]

 

[holly]

Anemone continues to take up more real estate:

 

[Agent M]

Do you want me to bring the Chemiclean when I come visit?