Tank Journal Archive

[macca_75]

OK:

ph: 8.62
Alk: 225 ppm (12.6 dKH)

I'm going to put the dosing on hold for a few days as I don't really want Alk getting much higher.

I have also noticed the slime doesn't seem to be any worse tonight and the filter sock is really clogging up since increasing the flow (still dosing 2.5ml Lath into it twice daily).

The tang also seems to be back to normal - hopefully this is the start to recovery.

On a more positive note my Heatsink and some of the LED's arrived today

View attachment awww.imagerocket.net_photos_1357530845_Heatsink.JPG

Let the build begin soon (just waiting on a few more to arrive from RapidLED)

 

[macca_75]

I didn't run any tests last night, but when looking today I am confident I have raised by pH by 0.2, but shortening the lighting period means it nevers gets as high as it should (being that pH raises during the day and drops of the night).

Tonight I am going to put the lighting schedule back to 8 hours.

Got me stuffed this one.

On a positive note it didn't look any worse tonight. Might be time for a full batch of tests again tonight to to check what is happening.

 

[Sarg]

Have you have a read of this might be of some help. Good luck!

http://www.masa.asn.au/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=244866

 

[macca_75]

Have you have a read of this might be of some help. Good luck!

http://www.masa.asn.au/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=244866

Thanks Sarg - had read that one.

I'm not convinced that the "black out" method had any effect in the end - I suspect that raising the pH to above 8.4 for a week will do the trick, as noted by Julian Sprung in The Reef Aquarium, Vol 1.

Going to stop off and buy some builders lime on the way home I think. Problem is my Alk is already pretty high.

 

[macca_75]

OK - Last nights tests (for the record):

Temp: 26.7
pH: 8.4 (was 8.62 on the digital meter which is the instrument used the previous few days for trending)
Alk: 11.2 (200ppm)
Salinity: 1.023
Ca: 425
Po4: 0.07 (this was straight after a feed so it's actually a little lower)
Mg: 1080 (this has been stable at 1300 for 4 months so I suspect this test screwed up)

Observations: Since rasing the pH the algae doesn't have seem to have got worse since the last vaccum. I gave the tank another vacuum last night and got most of the remaining stuff out (I hope - tonight will tell).

The tang also looks as clear as a bell in terms of whitespot so this cleared up really quickly thankfully.

 

[macca_75]

Ladies and Gentleman - good news.

It's still early but it seems wherever I have vacuumed the algae up it isn't coming straight back.

I'll leave it a few weeks before I declare success, but so far so good.

 

[Elias]

Hey.... nice torch there on the end. Where d'ya get that? :rolleyes

 

[macca_75]

Hey.... nice torch there on the end. Where d'ya get that? :rolleyes

It's actually out much more than that and looking really good - thanks for that.

You never got that Pocci.

 

[Elias]

You never got that Pocci.

I know... shokka huh? I was only thinking about it the other day too.

 

[Sarg]

Good to see it looks like you are winning the battle! Google MavG cyno and it will bring up a good little blog post if you haven't read it :)

 

[macca_75]

Good to see it looks like you are winning the battle! Google MavG cyno and it will bring up a good little blog post if you haven't read it :)

Thanks for the link - will do that now.

Not sure if I am winning the battle or just keeping it at bay though. Still needs a fair amount of work every night or second night.

Oh - how I look forward to being able to sit back and just look......

 

[Luke]

Hi mate , Just read your trouble with the algae ,
If its cyno ? It might be worth getting a bottle of ZeoBak or something similar
Keep siphoning it out , And stick to adding the zeoBak You will be replacing one Bactria for another , So the key is siphon the cyno ? as often as possible , If you can get the ZeoBak to use the nutrients it should starve / replace the cyno
Maybe worth a shot ... But it will take a while , When you start ...If you do , It would be a good time for the blackout period

Are you adding some sort of carbon base ? Vinegar / Vodka / Biopellets ?
I would also look into what the very minimum you could get away with feeding the fish for a while .... Keep your chin up mate ...hopefully it will pass

 

[Luke]

Out of curiosity .. What are the Nitrate lvl's ?
How deep is that sand bed ? You could of hit the nail on the head yourself ,When you said disturbing the sand bed was the last straw ?
If its not a DSB ? you need to give it a good vac every water change ... at least for a while ,
I would only do smallish areas until you finish , Then do the lot for a few changes as well ,
But If it is a DSB .. obviously you cant

 

[macca_75]

Hey @Luke,

When my Nitrate was last tested it was 1ppm on a LR kit (so I have a lot of confidence in the reading). That was at the ned on Nov last year though.

It's only a shallow Sand bed so vacumming is an option. Looking at everything at the moment. I tried raising the pH for a week - little effect.

I have shyphned it out - once again it's back in a few days.

I've reviewed an article http://wateralchemy.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/cyano-tips-for-control-and-erradication.html which has a few interesting idea's.

Either way it seems I have a long battle ahead and a few options to try and tackle it.

 

[Sarg]

@MavG is a member here if he logs in he may have a few ideas.

 

[macca_75]

Not a lot has gone on here in the past few weeks.

I have picked up a Bangaii from Reeflections last week (19/01/2013) and is feeding on Mysis like a pig - not intimidated at all. If one (she??) will start to see the pallets as a food source. I also had a PowderBlue Tang on hold, but it didn't make it so I am waiting on another to come I.

I'm still battling with the Algae problem. Sometimes I think I am winning, sometimes it is. Anyway, it might be a long battle, but I'm here for the long run. Who is winning the battle really does seem to depend on the results of the Phosphate test. When it's low, I'm winning. When it gets to 0.07(ish) it comes back with a vengeance.

Last night my wife woke me up when she got home (about 12:30am) with a "your tanks making a funny clicking noise".

CRAP. I went down stairs to find the return pump making the noise. Goes to show how tuff the Laguna's are. Even though it was a horrible clicking noise, it was still running without an issue. I turned it off, turned the skimmer off (as it wasn't being fed DT water anyway) and went to bed.

In the morning I found a snail had made it's way into the impellor. Bloody thing. Oh well - the pump and sump was due for a clean anyway. I guess this just forced my hand.

I've taken the RowaPhos offline and am using Lath exclusively now to try and reduce my phosphate - going to work out a lot cheaper in the long run. Just a little more work I guess.

Stock wise I haven't lost anything lately which is a good thing.

I just need to beat this bloody algae so I can start to enjoy my tank again instead of seeing it as a choir. Off to go and vacuum some out now, change the filter sock, soak a pump in Vinager so I can clean it tomorrow and then that's it for the night.

Oh - and I've made a little a little progress on my DIY LED light - http://www.thereefuge.com.au/thread...those-who-have-done-it.5158/page-9#post-84659

 

[Sarg]

@Uglyman has recently fought the good fight and came out victor he may be able to give his 2 cents ;)

 

[Luke]

I had an algae problem for a while .. You start to look at your tank and think .. Why am i bothering ...But i did end up winning the war .. It took a while but just keep at it mate
Are you using NSW for water changes ?

 

[macca_75]

I had an algae problem for a while .. You start to look at your tank and think .. Why am i bothering ...But i did end up winning the war .. It took a while but just keep at it mate
Are you using NSW for water changes ?

Yeah - NSW.but not nearly enough. I need to get another delivery.

 

[macca_75]

@Uglyman has recently fought the good fight and came out victor he may be able to give his 2 cents ;)

Thanks - I'm guessing if it's documented it will be over on MASA as I searched and couldn't find it here.

Cheers