Acer new 150 build

[hybridazn]

Looks like the tank is going nicely! And sorry about the fish losses, it def sucks.

 

[vlangel]

Everything is looking nice Ted. I love hawkfish. I think its cute the way they perch on the rock. Flame hawks are quite vibrant although the longnose hawks are my very favorite since they look like they are wearing plaid pajamas, ha ha!

 

[acer]

Macna was awesome - got a more difficult fish a few days ago via a discount macna code for Live Aquaria= a multibar Angel.

 

[vlangel]

Macna was awesome - got a more difficult fish a few days ago via a discount macna code for Live Aquaria= a multibar Angel.

What a beauty. I wish you the best of luck with it!

 

[acer]

Haven't gotten him to eat yet, a few picks only. The other fish in the QT are loving it because of the food being offered. Got live black worms yesterday at Aquaworld.

 

[acer]

Well - fall is a bad time of year for me - so the tank suffered a bit. I lost the Multibar- just a day before I was going to transfer him to the display tank. I currently have a Foxface in the QT that is ready for transfer- Yeah...I do not believe the multibar Angel was eating enough-just picked a bit. so it slowly starved. Flukes/parasite?? Maybe... I think I figured out why my SPS /Acros were losing PE and drying off in the last months and my Cheto was dying off as well= due to the cold weather I have had more evaporation, and not thinking I was using the same about of Kalk in my auto top off. Finally got off my butt and tested my Alk= 300 using the Hanna tester, PH = 8.35 and my Salinity was 1.027 = YIKES!! So, ya that would explain it. Dummy- good lesson though for anybody reading this build thread. So, did a 15 gallon water change with hyposalinity water ( 1.010) and changed my Auto top off water to plain RODI water. It will take some time to re-balance itself - as the corals use up the Alk I may have to dose MG+ and Ca+.

I might as well join in the attempt to get free stuff - so here is the link required.

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/vertex-omega-150-protein-skimmer-giveaway.394/

 

[acer]

Update: After seeing my SPS /acros dying off over the last few months and my Cheato was also dying back ( see above) . So, finally got off my lazy backside and started testing instead of just doing water changes. Results: Tank Alk was 16 DKH , Mg 1050, Ca+ 350 = Hanna checkers and PH of 8.3 via probe. Salinity still read high - What the heck!! So, I found my pinpoint salinity reference calibration fluid and sure enough - the new refractometer I got was off by more than a bit- so calibrated it and now my tank salinity was 1.023. OK- so salinity was never the issue - so if I am not mixing my new water incorrectly - then why is my ALK so high - beside putting kalk ( 1 teaspoon /5 gallons) in the auto topoff ? So, I tested my water mixing station new water (Reef Crystals) and I got 14.2 DKH with salinity at 1.025= yikes!! SO yeah- found the issue.... Certainly, all this trouble is my own fault as everything was going well thru summer and early fall - so got lazy and had not checked ALK for months as I do water changes pretty faithfully. Whats weird is the Alk is that high, but my calcium is low. The tank is a mixed reef tank with the SPS/Acros dying off ( as stated above) so they should not be uptaking the calcium and usually I found softies/LPS uptake Alk faster than Calcium. Hmmm.. So, as a safe remedy I just purchased the Red Sea blue bucket- will post parameters of that water using my PH probe and Hanna checkers (ALK/Ca+/Mg+) later today.

Just tested my QT tank after I put in 30 gallons of the newly mixed Reef Crystal water and Ca+ is 464. I figured why waste the new Reef Crystal water- fish don't care about the high ALK. Now mixing up the new Blue bucket salt.

Edit/add on : Red sea Blue bucket new mix results : 1.025 salinity, a PH of 8.4, Ca+ is 515, Mg+ = 1320, Temp is 76 degrees, ALK is 220 on Hanna checker = 12.3 DKH- NOW WHAT! I guess I will let it mix overnight to see if that helps as that level of ALK doesn't really help much in my situation. So, since I am NOT doing a 35 gallon water change today as planned- I added 1000ml of the BRS Calcium Chloride solution to increase the Ca+ in the tank to around 400.

 

[acer]

Figured I would try to post a few pics I took today.

Golden Hammers, Miami hurricane, and a flower anemone, and some Zoas

 

[acer]

My Melaranus Wrasse with the Gorgonian ( needs to be trimmed) , Orange Monti cap, small purple Gorgonian on bottom right, some Zoa's, and the Orange Leptoseris in the sand on the left. If anybody wants some of the Gorgonian let me know - while not real colorful - I like the way if moves in the current.

 

[acer]

Wider shots - you can see some of the Acros/SPS not doing well on the higher levels:

 

[vlangel]

You are too hard on yourself Ted. I think the tank looks pretty good. Anyway with you testing, I hope the sps and acros come around for ya!

 

[acer]

Thanks- your very kind - but really did not stay up on testing for months- just felt pretty crappy in the fall and did not care.

 

[IvanTheTerrible]

You are too hard on yourself Ted. I think the tank looks pretty good. Anyway with you testing, I hope the sps and acros come around for ya!

I agree. Looks pretty good to me too Ted. Have you tried a different test kit? That alk reading seems awfully high, even with the new salt.

- Ivan

 

[acer]

Well - the reagent is expired by 6 months, but I took my water and the test kit up to Jaime at the store yesterday- I tested one of their tanks and it worked fine ( 165 ppm = 9.2 DKH). Jaime tested my water with his store kit and got the same ALK number on my tank water I did. So, unless their test kit is bad as well - I would say I have an issue and I am a bit "peeved" that the new Salt = Red Sea Blue bucket is testing at 12.2 DKH. I have new Hanna ALK reagent on its way - be here today by 8 pm according to the shipping email tracker. If that also tests my tank water and the new Red Sea water as high ALK- then I will take water it to Elmer's or somebodies house and get it tested again to see if the Hanna checker is bad.

 

[Wieloch89]

Ugh it’s the little things that discourage you in this hobby. Tank looks amazing but I can see how the few flaws that you have found can bug you. I was having some trouble so I’ve started doing more frequent micro water changes and just relying mainly on dosing and I’ve been able to keep pretty stabile at 7.5DKH 440cal and 1350 Mag. Even after all of that, I had a clog in my drain over night and last week when it was really cold and my tank dropped 4 degrees to 72F because my heaters are in the sump. Some of my corals are suffering but they’re coming back. Everything bounces back!!! Keep at it, looks great.

 

[IvanTheTerrible]

Well - the reagent is expired by 6 months, but I took my water and the test kit up to Jaime at the store yesterday- I tested one of their tanks and it worked fine ( 165 ppm = 9.2 DKH). Jaime tested my water with his store kit and got the same ALK number on my tank water I did. So, unless their test kit is bad as well - I would say I have an issue and I am a bit "peeved" that the new Salt = Red Sea Blue bucket is testing at 12.2 DKH. I have new Hanna ALK reagent on its way - be here today by 8 pm according to the shipping email tracker. If that also tests my tank water and the new Red Sea water as high ALK- then I will take water it to Elmer's or somebodies house and get it tested again to see if the Hanna checker is bad.

I have a standard for the Hanna checker that you can use to see if it is reading right. Let me know if you want to use it.

-Ivan

 

[acer]

Maybe, I mighty be down in your neck of the woods soon. Thanks for the offer.

 

[acer]

Of course, USPS did not deliver until today after I left for work- will test water tonight/tomorrow. Also I have some neat Yellow eye/disc with orange shirt Zoa's that I don'tknow what they are called - need ID. They are not seen in the pics lately. Will post that pic tonight tomorrow as well.

 

[acer]

Yeah- receive new Hanna ALK reagent last night. Test results= tank= 10.6 DKH, and new Red Sea water= 7.8 DKH = YEAH!! So, is the 10.6 too high for the Acros that I lost? I don't think that is too high. Maybe it was the low Ca+ = probably. Well- on to the water change and supplementing as my Mag Chloride arrived as well.

 

[acer]

These are the zoa's I need ID on. Any ideas? The pic was taken with mostly blue light on- forgot till the lights were dimming.

A little better pic