Adventures in keeping a sps reef
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Llorgon
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Yep Triton. This test went to Quebec on the east coast, I'm on the west coast. Every time I have sent out an ICP test the turn around time has been weeks/month. I wouldn't expect this one to be any different.
Llorgon
Well-Known Member
Still no response on the triton test. Hopefully it comes soon...
The two corals I added were from my 25g and were testers to see when I can start the rebuild process of it. It seems like acans will be ok to move, but not the few euphyllia I have left.
Not much to update. I did my weekly water change, scraped the glass, pull a few more cups of algae out... general tediousness of trying to right the ship.
Today is water testing day, so I will test nutrients and see how they are going. I'm getting to the point I can tell when nutrients are getting low since I have less algae growth... of course that doesn't help the corals. So I shall continue my nightly algae removal and weekly big clean.
My normal place to order CUC is back to shipping again. Of course they are sold out of tuxedo urchins, trochus and mexican turbos. The only place with tuxedo urchins in stock is selling them for $60! Every other place is $20-25, so I guess I will continue the wait. I could order a small army of cerith and astrea though.
Since I'm really getting tired of seemingly getting nowhere with this algae or coral situation and my refugium is completely algae free. I am wondering if I should try and get some chaeto and put it in the refugium after a big algae removal session and see if I can get the chaeto to out compete the gha in the display.
The two corals I added were from my 25g and were testers to see when I can start the rebuild process of it. It seems like acans will be ok to move, but not the few euphyllia I have left.
Not much to update. I did my weekly water change, scraped the glass, pull a few more cups of algae out... general tediousness of trying to right the ship.
Today is water testing day, so I will test nutrients and see how they are going. I'm getting to the point I can tell when nutrients are getting low since I have less algae growth... of course that doesn't help the corals. So I shall continue my nightly algae removal and weekly big clean.
My normal place to order CUC is back to shipping again. Of course they are sold out of tuxedo urchins, trochus and mexican turbos. The only place with tuxedo urchins in stock is selling them for $60! Every other place is $20-25, so I guess I will continue the wait. I could order a small army of cerith and astrea though.
Since I'm really getting tired of seemingly getting nowhere with this algae or coral situation and my refugium is completely algae free. I am wondering if I should try and get some chaeto and put it in the refugium after a big algae removal session and see if I can get the chaeto to out compete the gha in the display.
Llorgon
Well-Known Member
I'm at a loss as to what. TDS is zero, checked with a digital TDS meter.
PO4 has been a bit under 0.1ppm for a few weeks now. I can tell I have less algae growth when the tank gets down to around 0.03ppm, but the few remaining euphyllia don't like it.
As for what I put in the tank:
Seachem nitrate - 2 capful a week
Neophos - 1.5 capful a week
Live phyto - 10ml/day
Half a cube of frozen food once a day
A pinch of flake/pellets once a day.
ATO for keeping salinity in check
BAMatter
Valuable Member
With that amount of algae, your numbers are being padded and nutrients are getting consumed by the algae. I’d stop dosing NO3 and PO4 and keep on manually removing the algae, personally. What is your NO3 testing at? You can always spot feed the remaining corals a few times a week to make sure they’re getting what they need while the algae is sponging everything up…
Llorgon
Well-Known Member
I've been thinking of this for awhile now as well. In another forum, it was explained that I would still want to have measurable nutrients so the corals would have something to use. Of course that hasn't really worked so I will give the feedings a try and see if I can get things a little more under control. I would think the live phyto would give the corals some nutrients as well.
I'm going to place an order for 10 ceriths and 10 astrea snails and see how that goes. I'm still keeping an eye out for an urchin as well.
Llorgon
Well-Known Member
Some good news, cuc I ordered came today. 5 ceriths and a tuxedo urchin!! Finally caught it when it was in stock. Hopefully it will help make a bit of a dent in at least some of the algae.
Some of the corals are actually looking pretty good. My montipora is as green as I have seen it in a long time and the acan I put in is looking nice and big. Even one of the euphyllia has been looking good. The other one from the 25g is less happy looking though.
Some of the corals are actually looking pretty good. My montipora is as green as I have seen it in a long time and the acan I put in is looking nice and big. Even one of the euphyllia has been looking good. The other one from the 25g is less happy looking though.
BAMatter
Valuable Member
CUC should do you well… the urchin in the short term may seem like it’s not doing much because it will likely stay on one rock and wipe it clean since there’s so much algae, not a lot of incentive to hunt for more at the moment… hope you start to see progress.
ICP come back yet? I sent mine out on Monday and had results by Saturday… shame it takes so long for yours to come back
Llorgon
Well-Known Member
The urchin has actually been moving around pretty good. I put it on the rocks and this morning it's on the back glass. I'm concerned I can't see any missing algae anywhere though.
No ICP test results yet. I will probably send them an email to follow up today. On the site it still doesn't even register as on the way or anything.
Llorgon
Well-Known Member
Small update. Still talking with Triton to see if my water sample has even arrived. Hopefully they find it tomorrow. They have a record of me registering the sample and that's it.
I am slowly moving the acans from the 25g to this tank. I moved a few more over last night and 2 of the 3 are looking good.
Montipora and one of the euphyllia are still looking good. The other test euphyllia is sad and I cannot seem to keep algae off the space invaders.
Algae in general is no better, still growing pretty quick. I am not dosing any nitrate or phosphates. I have some messages out on facebook to see if I can get some chaeto from someone in town. Hopefully adding that to the refugium will out compete the algae in the display.
I'm really not sure where to go with the tank and algae at this point. I'm removing stuff nightly for months now and I don't seem to be making any headway.
And the thought of the urchin helping with the algae was short lived. It ate a tiny patch of algae at the top of the glass yesterday and seems to be dead on the sand as of last night. At least it hasn't moved and seems to have lost all it's spines. All other inverts and fish seem to be fine.
This hobby sure is fun.... Maybe I turn this into a softy tank and use their weed like growth to kill the algae
I am slowly moving the acans from the 25g to this tank. I moved a few more over last night and 2 of the 3 are looking good.
Montipora and one of the euphyllia are still looking good. The other test euphyllia is sad and I cannot seem to keep algae off the space invaders.
Algae in general is no better, still growing pretty quick. I am not dosing any nitrate or phosphates. I have some messages out on facebook to see if I can get some chaeto from someone in town. Hopefully adding that to the refugium will out compete the algae in the display.
I'm really not sure where to go with the tank and algae at this point. I'm removing stuff nightly for months now and I don't seem to be making any headway.
And the thought of the urchin helping with the algae was short lived. It ate a tiny patch of algae at the top of the glass yesterday and seems to be dead on the sand as of last night. At least it hasn't moved and seems to have lost all it's spines. All other inverts and fish seem to be fine.
This hobby sure is fun.... Maybe I turn this into a softy tank and use their weed like growth to kill the algae
BAMatter
Valuable Member
Tough break on this situation… spines falling off are stress related typically, did you acclimate it? Could also be high NO3 levels. Had a long spine urchin drop all its spines a long time ago in a different tank that ended up growing them all back with better water management. Hopefully yours pulls through.
Llorgon
Well-Known Member
I did acclimate it. I matched temp and salinity. It did lose a bunch of spines by the time it came though. Maybe they don't ship well? Either way, it's dead and has been removed.
I did not. I should have!
Llorgon
Well-Known Member
I did my weekly water change and algae removal. I completely scraped the left side of the glass and removed the algae and Coraline. I also moved the powerhead to be pointing more to the back of the tank and see if that helps anything flow wise.
I also moved the test euphyllia back to my 25g and it's starting to look better already.
My post looking for chaeto is still unanswered, so I will probably just order some and get the refugium going again. At this point what do I have to lose.
Attached some pictures of the tank post water change. Water was a bit cloudy/pink from Coraline being scraped off the glass.
I also moved the test euphyllia back to my 25g and it's starting to look better already.
My post looking for chaeto is still unanswered, so I will probably just order some and get the refugium going again. At this point what do I have to lose.
Attached some pictures of the tank post water change. Water was a bit cloudy/pink from Coraline being scraped off the glass.
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BAMatter
Valuable Member
Bummer! If it had spines falling off in the bag it was shipped in I would contact the company and let them know. Might be too late but ya never know if they can do anything for ya…
Llorgon
Well-Known Member
I can try, but I think they only refund or send a replacement if it's DOA. It lived for about a day, but maybe I will get lucky.
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