Scooterman
Well-known member
my wife gave me a nice little present the other week for the aquarium stand. It's a nice little mermaid that sits on the ledge. Its rather cute so i put her front and center.
cool centerpiece!
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Rhodes19's 180 build
- Thread starter Rhodes19
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cool centerpiece!
Rhodes19
Well-known member
Over the last year, I've been running into an algae problem. I've been doing water changes but I guess not enough. I got a Reef Octopus BR 140 reactor and some bio pellets from BRS. I was happy with my initial results as I could see the algae slowly deteriorating and disappearing. Then I started to see the algae start to come back. Further research and consults with some folks discovered that I was nitrogen deficient and needed to dose with nitrogen to get the bacteria started again. I have always had nitrates below 12 ppm and not much phos so I thought. I used an Elos test kit for my nitrates and was consistently reading 0. I used a Hanna checker an my phos was as low as 0.04. To get the nitrates back into my system, I started to dose with Seachem's nitrogen. After a while, my trates started to go up to about 2.5 and my phos went up to 0.44. Around that time I realized that some of my algae was bryopsis so I tried to up my Mg to kill it (found various threads talking about it). I finally got it up to 1750 for 2 weeks but nothing happened. Turns out, folks who had suscess getting rid of thier bryopsis used Kent's Tech M and I was using BRS Mg. I need to do one more wc before I get the Mg low enough to dose with Tech M. In they mean while gha and cyano came back with a vengeance. I finally took out about 75% of the rock that had any kind of algae and/or cyano and scrubbed it in a container filled with sw and then rinsed it off in a second container with sw before I put it back into the tank. The rocks looked better but I messed up my rockscape. I'll have to fix that later. I did a big water change at the same time and that seemed to help. I'll do another wc this weekend and then start dosing with Tech M and see what happens to the bryopsis. Shortly after all that, Frankie did some research, made some calls to folks, and recommended that I shut down my bio pellet reactor and take it off line. They think that my skimmer just isn't doing the job and a lot of the stuff coming out of the reactor is not being skimmed. I think he's right. I'm going to mod my skimmer and see if I can get it to perform better. Right now, I either flood the collection cup or I don't get any skimmate to collect in the cup. It is rare to get anything in between and it's important to have a good skimmer when running bio pellets. If the mods don't work, I'll have to look for a new skimmer.
Anyway, here is the algae I've been fighting. Not one of my proudest moments or pictures in reef keeping but I'm working on getting rid of it. As soon as I can mod my skimmer I'll start the bio pellets back up because I do believe the pellets work.
Algae.
Anyway, here is the algae I've been fighting. Not one of my proudest moments or pictures in reef keeping but I'm working on getting rid of it. As soon as I can mod my skimmer I'll start the bio pellets back up because I do believe the pellets work.
Algae.
Rhodes19
Well-known member
Ok, now for some happy news. Frankie got me a beautiful T. Maxima clam!!! Woo hoo!!!! My very first clam. I got a call from a lfs saying that I have a clam waiting for me and that it was a gift from Frankie. Talking about making your day!! Thanks Frank, you're the best . It's about 2 1/2", a teal blue color (a little bluer under my 1200 K mh), and it's front and center in my 180. I acclimated it and placed it on a rock, and within a few minutes, it had reoriented itself. Haven't named it yet but I'm sure it will be an interesting name.
My camera just doesn't do it any justice. If I can figure out how to bet better quality photos I'll post some more updates. Thanks again Frank, you really made my day, month and year.
. It's about 2 1/2", a teal blue color (a little bluer under my 1200 K mh), and it's front and center in my 180. I acclimated it and placed it on a rock, and within a few minutes, it had reoriented itself. Haven't named it yet but I'm sure it will be an interesting name. My camera just doesn't do it any justice. If I can figure out how to bet better quality photos I'll post some more updates. Thanks again Frank, you really made my day, month and year.
Rhodes19
Well-known member
cool centerpiece!
Thanks. It is an nice center piece. I did have to move it over a little so the clam can be seem. My daughter wants to know if there is a pearl in there or not. I told her the clam was the pearl.
Rhodes19
Well-known member
Well, I've finally had it with my skimmer and its time for a change. I pulled it out of the sump yesterday and brought it over to Frankie's Skimmer Body and Repair Shop for some modifications. I just can't get it set to where it can skim properly. It either immediately floods the collection cup within seconds of twisting the adjusting tube, or the level just isn't high enough for the skimmate to flow into the collection cup. We are basically going to make 3 modifications to it. The first is to modify the collection cup. The drain stem empties directly over the body of the skimmer and in order to use it, you have to place a flexible tube on it (metric of course). Between the bend in the tube as it clears the skimmer body and the second bend as it clears the top of the sump, the tube drains slow and has the chance of of clogging. What we are going to do to fix it is to cut off the drain stem, seal it closed, and then drill a hole on the side of the collection cup. Using standard and not metric parts, have an extension come off the collection cup about 2-3" into a 90 deg elbow and into a gate valve and flexible tube to drain into a soda bottle.
Here is the drain stem.
Here it is cut off.
Frankie is sanding it smooth.
The second mod is to cut off the effluent plumbing from the body of the skimmer and place a gate valve on it. That way I can accurate control the water level in the skimmer. The knife edge adjusting pipe just can't be finely adjusted, even with silicone grease smeared all over it.
The third mod is going to be with the pump and bubble production. The Sicce PK 2500 that came with the skimmer just isn't cutting it. The water level has to be at or just slightly above where the body turns into a cone in order to get skimmate close enough to empty into the collection cup. There is a couple of options we're looking at. I was thinking of getting a Bubble Blaster 3000 which has been recommended in the past but after reading so many wildly different specs on it, we need to find out what the specs really are before making any decisions. More to follow as we get more info.
Here is the drain stem.
Here it is cut off.
Frankie is sanding it smooth.
The second mod is to cut off the effluent plumbing from the body of the skimmer and place a gate valve on it. That way I can accurate control the water level in the skimmer. The knife edge adjusting pipe just can't be finely adjusted, even with silicone grease smeared all over it.
The third mod is going to be with the pump and bubble production. The Sicce PK 2500 that came with the skimmer just isn't cutting it. The water level has to be at or just slightly above where the body turns into a cone in order to get skimmate close enough to empty into the collection cup. There is a couple of options we're looking at. I was thinking of getting a Bubble Blaster 3000 which has been recommended in the past but after reading so many wildly different specs on it, we need to find out what the specs really are before making any decisions. More to follow as we get more info.
Rhodes19
Well-known member
Ok, I ordered some GFO and a reactor from BRS to work on the phosphates and I ordered the Bubble Blaster 3000 and adapter for the skimmer from Reef Specialty. Talked with Mike and he was nice and helpful. Even gave me some good ideas. I'm hoping it all comes in by Friday so Frank and I can play with it over the weekend.
I'm hoping it all comes in by Friday so Frank and I can play with it over the weekend. 
Krish
RF STAFF
Bummer on the algae...I know how that can be. I also see quite a few aiptasia in there as well. Tell Frankie stop sanding that skimmer and get to work in the tank!!
Krish
RF STAFF
I'd probably boil the crap out of that rock Chris and start from scratch. Get rid of all of the pests (aiptasia and algae) and start clean. I had to do this with quite a few rocks I had that I though was growing a pretty cool sponge until I found out it was lobophora a pest!!! I see Mojo is sending you his number...Call him!
Rhodes19
Well-known member
Bummer on the algae...I know how that can be. I also see quite a few aiptasia in there as well. Tell Frankie stop sanding that skimmer and get to work in the tank!!
Hi Krish,
Thanks, I made a zapper for the aiptasia and been using it. It a little more difficult to zap them than I thought, they retreat into a crevice and I can't get at them so I have to sneak up on them and then zap them. I've been working on the algae, I removed about half the rock and scrubbed them down, rinsed them off and put them back in. I think the algae problem was a result of the skimmer not functioning correctly and not being able to skim out the mulm from the bio pellets. With the skimmer being upgraded I think that will help a lot. I also have bryopsis in the tank and I'll be dosing with Tech-M to help kill it off. I've also started doing weekly 50 g water changes. It's definitely a work in progress.
Rhodes19
Well-known member
Intervention??? Ut oh.
Thanks Mike, I got your pm and I'll give you a call after 2 pm est.
Rhodes19
Well-known member
I'd probably boil the crap out of that rock Chris and start from scratch. Get rid of all of the pests (aiptasia and algae) and start clean. I had to do this with quite a few rocks I had that I though was growing a pretty cool sponge until I found out it was lobophora a pest!!! I see Mojo is sending you his number...Call him!
Interesting, Frankie said something earlier about boiling the crap out of the rocks too. Will I need to boil all the rocks or just the ones with algae and pests on them? If I boil all the rocks and start from scratch, what will I have to do with the sand, fish and corals? Will I have to get rid of them? Fortunately, I don't have that many corals yet or large ones.
Chris you just got some ussues going on in your tank that your skimmer, biopellets and so on are not going to have an effect. Not really a big one but as you probibly have noticed a year later and its still dealing with it, so we should take a different direction.
Mojo
Mojo
Rhodes19
Well-known member
Hi Mike,
Thanks for talking with me yesterday, I greatly appreciate your help. I'm going to get set up so I can get my corals and fish moved then I'll start breaking down the tank. I talked with Frankie last night and he's going to help me cook the rocks. I'll also start working on the plumbing we talked about. While the tank is dry, might as well take advantage of it and do some upgrades. I'll post picture updates as we move along. Thanks again for your help. I think this is really going to work and fix the problem once and for all.
Chris
Thanks for talking with me yesterday, I greatly appreciate your help. I'm going to get set up so I can get my corals and fish moved then I'll start breaking down the tank. I talked with Frankie last night and he's going to help me cook the rocks. I'll also start working on the plumbing we talked about. While the tank is dry, might as well take advantage of it and do some upgrades.
I'll post picture updates as we move along. Thanks again for your help. I think this is really going to work and fix the problem once and for all. Chris
Scooterman
Well-known member
This intervention should be interesting lol, hope the break down goes well and you can get her cleaned up! look forward to the progress! Oh BTW nice Clam, that is a sweet addition!
Rhodes19
Well-known member
This intervention should be interesting lol, hope the break down goes well and you can get her cleaned up! look forward to the progress! Oh BTW nice Clam, that is a sweet addition!
Thanks Scootie.
Frank sure knows his clams.
Yeah, I hope the break down goes smoothly too. I got my wife's permission to set up my 40 g for the corals and I'll start moving the fish to the 125. I may sell or trade in some of the fish and some of the corals I really don't want to keep any more. Mostly softies and a couple of drab colored sps. Once the tank is dry I'm looking at putting in a coast to coast and a closed loop system. It should be an interesting resurrection. 
Never said boil the crap out of the rock Chris! LOL, that was Krish.
Cooking it will be the best thing for it. Bring it on over and i'll kill that algae. I am glad your understanding that you need to break this tank down and start over. You did very good for your first large reef but the algae has you now and it's time to rebuild. Look at it as a great way to do the things you have wishes you had. After a year and a half I am sure there are thngs you would have done diferently if you knew better.
Frank
Cooking it will be the best thing for it. Bring it on over and i'll kill that algae. I am glad your understanding that you need to break this tank down and start over. You did very good for your first large reef but the algae has you now and it's time to rebuild. Look at it as a great way to do the things you have wishes you had. After a year and a half I am sure there are thngs you would have done diferently if you knew better.
Frank
Scooterman
Well-known member
Are you going to Bleach the rock then boil it or just boil it?
Krish
RF STAFF
This should work out well. When in doubt, boil LOL!! I think with the knowledge you have now, starting fresh without any pests will be the way to go. Seems like a bit of a setback, but battling algae sometimes is a losing battle. Algae beat me up really bad the first time and came back better equiped the second time around.
Good luck!
Good luck!
Never said boil the crap out of the rock Chris! LOL, that was Krish.
Yea that was me, I believe it was bleach it, boil it and then cook it. :rip:
As we all know LR at the best of times, is coral that has been sitting dead for hundreds of year, well in that time it picks up alot of renters, mainly sponge (which we all know can be a bear itself) , detritus and similar from the millions of microscopic critters that have live, died and reduced with in it, and then a whole host of other things. One has to look at LR as more of a polisher of water, yes it does nitrify and denitrify but it is so clogged with crap that it is very inefficient. The only good thing is that through bacterial tugor it will shed this crap out of itself (something LS cant because of the bottom glass). So anyway Chris has been battling algae for a while now and although he has been doing all the right moves in terms of treating his water (fighting nutrients) the LR is the producer and the algae have now created an enviroment for themselves that it doesnt really matter what Chris does to the water, the algae will still thrive.
If you look at the rock you can see a fes different types of algae, mainly the slime hair algae and the cyano. They have basically egulfed the rock and are sucking and living off the detritus that the rock is putting off and on the other side taking what ever is in the water kind of a win win for them. At this pont the rock has become mostly anaerobic as i does not have any real oxygenated water flowing into it, you can see that by the denitrogen gas being caught up in the hair algae and the the cyano is in seventh heaven. So the tank now has lost a major player in the biological filtration that this tank is heavily relient on. So now thats all being put on the sand which is also not the most efficient and its begining to get cyano and show signs of being overwhelmed. SO you stilll could keep the tank up and get some algae eating fish, do alot of harvesting and so on, but I figured after about a year of this it might be a better idea to have a fresh start.
Anyway the idea is to take the rock out, stick it in some garbage cans with half bleach and half water and a power head and just let everything in it die die die for a few days. Then it goes into boiling water to off gas the ammonia a bit and then into some clean sw cans to shed for a few weeks to month. From that point you should end up with fresh clean and vacant rock. Kind of look at it like taking a rock apartment building out of the ghetto, doing a big reno and then allowing the residents you want back into a wide open, well vented building!! Time to raise the rent!!
MOjo
