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When I woke up there was zero pain or numbness in my leg and foot
A diskectomy huh? My wife had one three years ago after fighting with doctors for six months. She lost near 80% use of her leg before the surgery and is still in recovery after three years. Press hard with any type of phyical therapy is my best advice. Ive seen people make a full recover (within reason) and others still suffer. Im glad your feeling better already though.
 
yeah, luckily I didn't have to fight with my Doc. I just told him I needed the referral and it was done. 80% loss? I would be freakin' but I did lose some percentage. In fact when I woke up, I was amazed at how much difference there was. Our bodies and minds really adjust to injuries to protect us from them.
 
Hey pal... not tracking this thread, so just heard about your surgery..... my back feels for you!

Get your (sorrrry A$$) self better soon :)
D
 
Hey Dan, Thanks!

Slowly but surely I guess. Currently I am losing corals but there is really nothing I can do. All params test out well, but something is going on. Someone up here mentioned you recently...maybe D. Nguyen? Can't remember. Anyway, things are slowly getting better physically and I am stoked to be back to "normal" in a few weeks. :)
 
Sherman's fish are practically crappin' themselves. The watanabe is all over the tank having a great time, eating like a maniac. The barred goby is a surface fish for sure. Stays there but travels the whole tank, apparently unafraid of the other fish, and eats crap way to big for its mouth. I am really stoked that all of his fish are doing very well. I see the marine beta all the time, but just quick glimpse as it loves to hang inside the caves. The neon gobies and bluefin damselfish are kickin' it real in the grow out tank, all eating well and enjoying the comforts of Chateau Algamorpha. Corals all look good except for maybe the big neon leather in the display.
 
Jon-
Glad to hear you are on the road to recovery. Sorry I'm not closer to help figure out what's up, but is also sounds like there are lots of Kitsap reefers more than capable.

D
 
Hey Dan, Thanks!

Slowly but surely I guess. Currently I am losing corals but there is really nothing I can do. All params test out well, but something is going on. Someone up here mentioned you recently...maybe D. Nguyen? Can't remember. Anyway, things are slowly getting better physically and I am stoked to be back to "normal" in a few weeks. :)

Since you are sharp enough to run it safely, set up a large Ozone system. Amazing at helping to stop a new mini cycle in a display. Been there.
 
yeah, well even if someone was to come over and help, there's really nothing that can be done. I had a small acro RTN the other day, and it transferred to an encrusting coral (brain fart) that is now STNing from left to right. This coral has been in my system since the very beginning and has encrusted onto at least 3 rocks (large) and there is zero way to stop the STN. No way to get the coral out, or even reach it to chisel a "fire break". I don't even think that an able-bodied person could get a frag off of it.
 
Since you are sharp enough to run it safely, set up a large Ozone system. Amazing at helping to stop a new mini cycle in a display. Been there.

Yeah, I just haven't gotton to the ozone issue yet. In order to install a large enough one, it looks like some major cash, which I don't have right now. My attitude has become a bit more relaxed though, out of necessity. When I am all better I will spread out the survivors and start working on some upgrades.
 
So I got a couple bags of GetTanked Formula 2 (25g) from Jan. I mixed up two bags to make 50g yesterday @ 1.026. The Formula 2 is for Ultra Low Nutrient systems (typically those running the Zeo Method) so I knew its alkalinity would be low but I wanted to try it out and to have a second person testing the same batch since Jan got some pretty over-the-top results for magnesium.

We also were intending to try the version that does not have the sodium chloride shipped with it as a cost savings method, in which we get that locally. This could potentially save us 40%+ on shipping costs.

From the web site:

Description of Formula # 2:

Natural Seawater Levels

For Ultra Low Nutrient Systems

Sodium Chloride (NaCl) Free Version

Add Your Own Sodium Chloride (NaCl) (Must get food grade, untreated)

For Hobbyist Who Like Their Alkalinity At 7.5 dKH and Calcium At 400 ppm

6-25 Gallon Mixes = 150 Gallon Case

25 Gallon Mix Bag / 4.50 lbs

6-25 gallon / Case Weight / 27.0 lbs

Cost: $68 per 150g case plus shipping

Each 25 gallon sea salt mix bag will make a full 25 gallons of saltwater at Approximate Values: SG: 1.026 / 35 ppt, Magnesium: 1350 ppm, Calcium: 400 ppm, Alkalinity: 7.5 dKH, pH: 8.4, Boron: 4.5 ppm, Potassium 380 mg/L and 70 major and minor trace elements.

Please refer to the GetTanked Mixing Instructions

What I did:

I slowly added the dry mix and NaCl into RO/DI water being rapidly mixed with a powerhead and allowed it to continue filling with water until it had reach a salinity of 1.026. I allowed it to mix for another 6 hours and then set an acclimation drip up for the calcium. The one thing that bothers me about adding the calcium to my tank rather than the salt, is that I cannot verify the Ca content of just the new salt water by itself. So I dissolved the Ca in 1 qt of RO/DI water and put it on a 6 hour drip. The drip method was used because when you add the Ca straight to the salt water, it causes quite a bit of cloudiness and according to Garry, some error or change in the alkalinity level.

This morning I checked on the mixing water and it was indeed completely clear. In fact, it is the most clear batch of salt water I have ever made. It is hard to describe, but when I looked at it, I thought to myself, now that really looks like seawater. Sort of strange and a bit surprising since I am so used to the look of other synthetic and evaporated salts.

Test Results: (PLEASE NOTE, I AM NOT A SCIENTIST. THIS IS MY HOBBY.)

Salinity: 1.026 (Refractometer)
Alkalinity: 4.2 dKh 1.49 meq/l (Salifert)
Calcium: 375 ppm (Salifert)
Magnesium: 1350 ppm (Salifert)
Phosphate: 0 ppm (Merck/D-D)
Nitrite: 0 ppm (Seachem)
Nitrate: 0 ppm (Seachem)
Silicate: 0 ppm (Seachem)
Ammonia: 0 ppm (AP)

So the results again are pretty good, especially for the stuff we don't want to see in our salts. IMO, very impressive on the contaminants that we test for. I guess my biggest issue with this salt is that even though we would save money on shipping by getting the NaCl locally, the cost for 150g is still $68, plus shipping, plus the NaCl purchased locally. I have yet to price that but do know that for our area, the minimum order is one pallet delivered to a commercial address. This is NOT a problem in my case, but still represents further cost and of course, handling.

Garry did tell Jan that we could expect a 15% discount for a "Group Order" which would bring the cost down to $57.80 plus shipping, plus the NaCl. I am guessing Garry doesn't really understand that I am a "Group Order" by myself! :lol: At any rate, I wouldn't ship it unless it was at least a pallet anyway, to mate up with the pallet of NaCl, and at that volume, I still think the price is too high.

So we continue our "testing" and discussions! :)
 
Hi Jonathan,

Did you really get an alkalinity level of 4.2 dhk? I wonder what's up with that? :confused: Interesting that you got a normal magnesium level. I did buy a new refractometer and it matches up with what I get from my Tropic Marin floating hydrometer so that is reassuring. I'll post my next set of parameters for this salt.

By the way, were you able to tell whether your tank's inhabitants "liked" the salt? Everyone asks that about this salt...not really sure what it means. :lol:

Garry posted on the Zeovit forum a couple of sources for bulk untreated NaCl. One is Cash & Carry Smart Food Service and the other is Purato's. He said that the salt should cost about $9 for a 50lb bag if I remember correctly.
 
Yeah, Cash & Carry over here may have it, but it is a hump to get there, and I always am a bit leary of the products sold there. I guess that is a prejudice since one of their primary markets is the Roach Coach.

Purato's delivers on my block at least once a week because we have 3 bakeries on our street, but that is a wholesale only operation. I will check and see what their minimum order is, but again, it's nmot so much the cost of the NaCl, but the cost of the GT mix.

When you get in touch, we can discuss a couple of different options. Hope your Mom is doing better!
 
can you guys recommend a good skimmer or someone to build a really good skimmer for a 75g glass tank that i am hoping to eventually have a heavy bioload? i am a new reefer and have finally been able to set up my very 1st DIY reef system! i am located in the seattle area so somewhere where i can get it local would be good. thanks!
 
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