barrierreefcf
Sponsor
Looking great Jesse. I know its been a long road back and it looks like the patience and hard work paid off!
Jesse's Elos 120xl
- Thread starter jezzeaepi
- Start date
Help Support Reef Aquarium & Tank Building Forum:
danno14
That's Dumas!
Looks great! Gotta love those Radiums
soyadrink
Well-known member
Wow!!! Thats one awesome tank! I love radiums as well, they're the best.
Hehe nice to see someone was still up to see my update =)
My porblem when I set up the reactor is my first setting was too low, and I allowed it to run for a few days and my alk dropped to like 7.5, then when I tried to turn it up a little, I guess I didn't quite get it yet, and within a day or two I was at like 11dkh and my corals were mad at me. I lost anywhere from just the tipts, to like an inch of flesh on most sps, but I stabilized things with a few large water changes of good balanced water, and got my reactor dialed in properly.
I think my biggest suggestion would be to go real slow with the reactor, and test your ALK every day at the same time. If your lower then where you should be, add a little A/B solution to boost yourself back to the safe range, and make small adjustments. Eventaully youll reach a day when you dont have to add any more A/B to keep up with your alk/calc deamdn, and youll be set. I am still super paranoid about alk. I test every other day lol.
Finn, Danno, and Soya,
Once you try the radiums you dont go back! They look really nice in person. A very tastefull amount of blue for a 20k bulb.
BCT,
Do you have any efflos? I have always wanted one, then saw this one all browned out and discounted at Barrier Reefs anniversery sale. I have read many accounts of them reaming brown forever, so I was very happy to see any color hehe.
Quigley,
Do you have a tank thread? Id love to see what your aquascaping looks like and see what your keeping.
Cy,
hehe, recognize anything in the pictures Cy? (Thats a trick question, 95% of it came from BR =P ) Thanks again for all the help from your crew!
Peace,
Jesse
Once you try the radiums you dont go back! They look really nice in person. A very tastefull amount of blue for a 20k bulb.
BCT,
Do you have any efflos? I have always wanted one, then saw this one all browned out and discounted at Barrier Reefs anniversery sale. I have read many accounts of them reaming brown forever, so I was very happy to see any color hehe.
Quigley,
Do you have a tank thread? Id love to see what your aquascaping looks like and see what your keeping.
Cy,
hehe, recognize anything in the pictures Cy? (Thats a trick question, 95% of it came from BR =P ) Thanks again for all the help from your crew!
Peace,
Jesse
soyadrink
Well-known member
class clown
Well-known member
Jesse - if there was a trophy for most recovered tank, you should get it. Your fish are amazing, your corals are amazing. your tank is amazing. Feel proud my friend! I'm so glad you kept on trucking through all of the hard times - what you've created here is nothing less than stunning. I'm sure it even looks better in person.
Ben
Ben
Jan
Well-known member
Hi Jesse,
Way to come back, buddy! Your tank is looking terrific. I love your fish! That anthias is especially awesome.
From your post:
How did you get your nitrates and phosphates down so low while feeding so generously?
Way to come back, buddy! Your tank is looking terrific. I love your fish! That anthias is especially awesome.
From your post:
How did you get your nitrates and phosphates down so low while feeding so generously?
Jan-
For almost a year I had issues with nitrates and phosphatesand algae all over my rocks. I decided an overhaul was needed and vinegar-soaked and cleaned all my pumps, tunze, return, and my skimmer. I began a daily routine of blasting all my rocks with a trukey baster. This kicks up all the crap and puts it into the water column where atleast some of it can get eaten or skimmed. I also began skimming real wet for a while to try to clear things up. I was emptying the skimmer cup several times a day for a while, but I eventually stopped pulling out light tea colored water, and after a few weeks, I noticed a large reduction in nitrates. I have continued to skim wet, and "turkey baste" my rocks every day, and my nitrates have remained undetectable, and phosphates at .01 according to my elos kit.... Maybe Ill try another test kit just to double check them, but coral growth anc oloration has never been better so I must assume the tests are right.
Other then to simply keeping pumps regularly cleaned, skimming wet, and daily rock blasting, I: have a small refugium with cheato, drip kalk(probablys helps my phosphates), and I do a 20% water change every 2 weeks.
Now I dont know exactly why this works, but I have a few ideas. I think it has to do with my tank having a large population of bacteria, eager to consume nitrates and phosphates. As soon as somes nitrogen source is available, they consume it, and end up getting skimmed out by the skimmer. I believe that turkey basting and regular feeding keep this population alive. Interestingly, whenever I do a WC with my IO water(which is high in nitrates and phosphates according to DonW's testing), my skimmer goes nuts. Ill skim out 2- 3 times as much for a day or two after the WC until things eventaully return to about .5 cup of light skimmate a day.
For almost a year I had issues with nitrates and phosphatesand algae all over my rocks. I decided an overhaul was needed and vinegar-soaked and cleaned all my pumps, tunze, return, and my skimmer. I began a daily routine of blasting all my rocks with a trukey baster. This kicks up all the crap and puts it into the water column where atleast some of it can get eaten or skimmed. I also began skimming real wet for a while to try to clear things up. I was emptying the skimmer cup several times a day for a while, but I eventually stopped pulling out light tea colored water, and after a few weeks, I noticed a large reduction in nitrates. I have continued to skim wet, and "turkey baste" my rocks every day, and my nitrates have remained undetectable, and phosphates at .01 according to my elos kit.... Maybe Ill try another test kit just to double check them, but coral growth anc oloration has never been better so I must assume the tests are right.
Other then to simply keeping pumps regularly cleaned, skimming wet, and daily rock blasting, I: have a small refugium with cheato, drip kalk(probablys helps my phosphates), and I do a 20% water change every 2 weeks.
Now I dont know exactly why this works, but I have a few ideas. I think it has to do with my tank having a large population of bacteria, eager to consume nitrates and phosphates. As soon as somes nitrogen source is available, they consume it, and end up getting skimmed out by the skimmer. I believe that turkey basting and regular feeding keep this population alive. Interestingly, whenever I do a WC with my IO water(which is high in nitrates and phosphates according to DonW's testing), my skimmer goes nuts. Ill skim out 2- 3 times as much for a day or two after the WC until things eventaully return to about .5 cup of light skimmate a day.
Jan
Well-known member
That's very interesting. You're not adding any bacteria are you? Or carbon dosing? You didn't mention it so I think your not. Well, thanks for sharing your husbandry secrets with us...it sure seems to be working. (Mental note: turn up skimmer to be more wet)
(Mental note: turn up skimmer to be more wet)
treehugger
Well-known member
I just vinegar soaked my pumps, moved some liverock to the sump, increased the flow a bit, started skimming alot wetter, and started turkey basting my rocks as well...just kicking all that crap out of the rocks made a huge difference within two weeks. I'm glad it worked out for you as well. The tank looks great. Keep the updates coming...nice acans
No carbon source or dosing Jan thats correct.
I was surprised actually how well it worked. Just goes to show how diligent husbandry can go a long way.
Thanks for the acan compliment treehugger, that means alot coming from you =)
I was surprised actually how well it worked. Just goes to show how diligent husbandry can go a long way.
Thanks for the acan compliment treehugger, that means alot coming from you =)
Jan
Well-known member
Bummer, Jesse! I'm sorry to hear this
I put so much effort in to keeping them well fed and their water clean, that it makes it hard to see em go. I'm going to have to find something that I can put over the tank that keeps the fish in, but doesn't distract from the aesthetics of the open top design. If I can't find something, I may go fishless for the most part when I move in a few months.
mfinn
Surgeonfish
I saw a thread on Reef Central where a guy used some clear nylon netting put into a frame that was very low profile and blocked very little light.
I believe he was selling some also.
I believe he was selling some also.
Thank you for the tip, Ill check it out!
Allenfamily
fish eaters
I just went through your thread and have to say WOW, your setup looks great. Also sorry to hear about your tang, it always sucks to lose a fish.
