Tank Journal Archive

[Wrangy]

Whelp it's been two months since the last update so I thought I'd check in and update things that have been crack-a-lackin' in the tank :) Things are finally starting to settle down and level out which is very nice to be getting to that point slowly! Been cleaning the tank out really thoroughly and pumped through 50% the other week and will be doing something similar next week I think, just for the sake of it really, no particular reason. I've got the halide back on and running now the weather is cooler, things were starting to look rather sad and poopy as 4x 24w t5's aren't nearly enough light for the tank, especially as they're all bluer bulbs too. That being said now that the halides are back on again the colours have started coming back very quickly which is nice! I also went through the tank and checked every acro with a magnifying glass and touch wood I'm completely free of AEFW!! :D
A few of the changes I've made around the tank are:
- Changed to AF carbon from K&J as it was too fine and just ending up everywhere lol
- I've removed all the trace elements from my Component 1, 2 + 3 mix as I'm testing something to do with it. It's just the standard mix now; Alk, Ca, Mg and the mineral salt. It's giving me better PE and happiness in general as there wasn't nearly enough coral in there to uptake the trace and metals so it was starting to get to the point of almost poisoning the tank. Once the coral stocking of the tank is back up I'll try again!
- I've also upped my np pro and pro bio s dosing to 4 drops of each every night, as I've upped my feeding and it seems to be keeping up with it, slowly lol.
- I'm dosing 1 drop of AF Vitality each night for something to play with lol

I'm testing the tank much more regularly now and things have become a lot more stable with twice a week alk testing and once a week tests.
Alk: Hanging around 8dKh
Ca: 440ppm
Mg: 1325ppm
PO4: 0.08-0.05ppm
NO3: Hovering around 20ppm
SG: 35ppt

All the fish, corals and clams are all happy and healthy and growing pretty well so I'm happy. I was able to FINALLY get a replacement Possum Wrasse for the tank too!! I absolutely adore these guys and I also nearly bought a Fu Manchu lionfish but Dave stopped me lol sump tank is too small for one :(
My gorgeous rhomboid is starting to turn into a male and he's getting bloody stunning!! Hopefully we go to terminal phase too lol

My current plans are still to get some live food cranking but you need cash for that lol and I've finally got some spare again so I'm hoping to get 3 different cultures of phyto going; nanno, tetraselmis and t.isochrysis :) Once they're cranking and stable I might move onto more things.
The other plan that's a big change is I've done my full circle and I've come back to wanting a CaRx on the tank again lol I'm getting a small and simple (cheap) setup priced off Dave to give it a go and if things improve then I'll upgrade it down the track!

A pic for something interesting to look at lol it's a couple of weeks old so things are looking a little better :)

 

[RobbieMVFC]

Tank is looking good Dom!
Re Alk testing. I have always done at the very least twice a week. If I play with the Calrx then, once a day till it stabilise .
Didn't you have a Calrx ? I just sold my deltec. We need to catch up soon

 

[Wrangy]

Tank is looking good Dom!
Re Alk testing. I have always done at the very least twice a week. If I play with the Calrx then, once a day till it stabilise .
Didn't you have a Calrx ? I just sold my deltec. We need to catch up soon

I'll be honest lol I've always been a very lazy reef tester, sometimes 6+ months between! But I'm trying to get on a better track with alk twice and week and salinity every second day. I must admit the nice thing about the AF dosing is they all do the same thing, so by seeing what the alk is doing I know what the others are too.
I did but it was massive! I'm trying to something more simple and suitable just to get my feet wet with one!
We definitely do :) would be awesome to see your new tank!

 

[Andrew B]

Tank is looking amazing, gald to hear you finally got a new Possum Wrasse. Also gald to hear you fixed the AEFW (touch wood) :)

 

[Sean81]

Interesting on the AF 1,2,3 trace maybe being to much. I only started AF a few weeks ago and with a smallish amount of acro I was wondering the same, but thought it would be somewhat balanced with alk uptake?

 

[Mattres]

Looks great Dom! I do think that acro in the centre needs more putty though, it might fall off.. :rofl
I looked heavily into calcium reactors a while back and would love one!
I think if I did it I'd have to go full hog and get a continuous dosing pump for it. And even that fancy smantzy aquarium plants electronic bubble counter. Or the awesome looking Pacific Sun Calc Feeder Pro will be amazing when all the kinks are ironed out. That coupled with their up coming auto alk tester... oh god, that would be a mic drop moment.. :D

 

[Sam Parker]

Dom - Dave has a cheap/small setup on the top shelf of his dry goods room (just next to the door into the live room). It's loaded with media and all, ready to go! That being said, I'm not sure if it is for sale or being held for someone, but worth an ask and/or look.

6+ months between tests?! You lazy bastard!

 

[Wrangy]

Tank is looking amazing, gald to hear you finally got a new Possum Wrasse. Also gald to hear you fixed the AEFW (touch wood) :)

I dunno about amazing but I'm pretty happy, getting some vibrant to deal with the bubble algae and some fluconazole to deal with the bryopsis then we'll be amazing haha

Interesting on the AF 1,2,3 trace maybe being to much. I only started AF a few weeks ago and with a smallish amount of acro I was wondering the same, but thought it would be somewhat balanced with alk uptake?

It's mainly due to the little content of acro, while you would think the balanced ratios would mean the uptake is similar I still think it's too potent for such a lightly stocked tank. If you've got other corals and such I don't see it as being an issue but I think it's just a little too much for the tank to handle given the conditions and the recent battle with AEFW.

Looks great Dom! I do think that acro in the centre needs more putty though, it might fall off.. :rofl
I looked heavily into calcium reactors a while back and would love one!
I think if I did it I'd have to go full hog and get a continuous dosing pump for it. And even that fancy smantzy aquarium plants electronic bubble counter. Or the awesome looking Pacific Sun Calc Feeder Pro will be amazing when all the kinks are ironed out. That coupled with their up coming auto alk tester... oh god, that would be a mic drop moment.. :D

hahaha that's actually and algae control method :P I had some caulerpa make it in on one of the clams and it had gotten a little bit on that rock so my solution was to just putty the fucker up haha
It would be amazing having a rig like that but part of me also wants to give these DeStaCo reactors a go as they're seen as the golden child of the calcium reactor world lol

Dom - Dave has a cheap/small setup on the top shelf of his dry goods room (just next to the door into the live room). It's loaded with media and all, ready to go! That being said, I'm not sure if it is for sale or being held for someone, but worth an ask and/or look.

6+ months between tests?! You lazy bastard!

That's the option I'm looking at lol he's just got it sitting around, just needs the CO2 gear but the calcium reactor may be put on hold if certain things fall into line ;) haha

I told you so lol it's shameful really... haha

 

[Sam Parker]

play with the cheapy first, otherwise you wont truly appreciate the DeStaCo (what are they worth to land here, can't be a small amount?!). Alternatively look at an aquarium engineering reactor with one of his CO2 controllers, they operate the same way (not PH related, but just a constant volume of gas)

 

[Wrangy]

play with the cheapy first, otherwise you wont truly appreciate the DeStaCo (what are they worth to land here, can't be a small amount?!). Alternatively look at an aquarium engineering reactor with one of his CO2 controllers, they operate the same way (not PH related, but just a constant volume of gas)

hahaha DaStaCo's **(da not de) are worth a tank these days :P $1800 landed with the full kit and caboodle from Sewatec lol That's everything except a CO2 bottle though lol. I'm definitely going cheap to start with though as I don't think the finance minister will approve nearly $2k in a calcium reactor :P
I'll wait till you get yours from Bill so I can see what you think of it lol

 

[Sam Parker]

oh if that's the case, they are heaps cheaper than Bill's then. The controller alone from bill is $1500USD.....

 

[Wrangy]

oh if that's the case, they are heaps cheaper than Bill's then. The controller alone from bill is $1500USD.....

Blooooodddyyyyy heeellll haha I won't complain about the dastaco then! I would absolutely love to give a full setup a whirl as all the crazy old reefers love them lol

 

[Mattres]

Holy hell, I'm gonna have to look at this aquarium engineering controller.
I think the Pacific Sun works on a same principle as the Dastaco, just measures the co2 differently with an optical sensor instead of a float valve.
But the money's worth spending on the dastaco for sure with its proven record.
God if you guys get one I'll want one..
Haha :p

 

[Sam Parker]

From the man himself:

"It runs 1500 but you just set the co2 flow and forget about it . it does not care what the bottle pressure is or the temp . it uses a mass flow controller ."

 

[Wrangy]

Holy hell, I'm gonna have to look at this aquarium engineering controller.
I think the Pacific Sun works on a same principle as the Dastaco, just measures the co2 differently with an optical sensor instead of a float valve.
But the money's worth spending on the dastaco for sure with its proven record.
God if you guys get one I'll want one..
Haha :p

I see an expensive calcium reactor in your future due to peer pressure :P

From the man himself:

"It runs 1500 but you just set the co2 flow and forget about it . it does not care what the bottle pressure is or the temp . it uses a mass flow controller ."

About as impressive as it comes! You just got the reactor though didn't you?

 

[Sam Parker]

yeah just the reactor. I'll survive with pressure and temperature fluctuations for now :P

 

[Mattres]

I see an expensive calcium reactor in your future due to peer pressure :p


About as impressive as it comes! You just got the reactor though didn't you?

Haha I might have to re jig my cabinet! ;)

yeah just the reactor. I'll survive with pressure and temperature fluctuations for now :p

When you have yours set up please pictures :p:D haha