Am I understanding correctly?

[newsalth2o]

OK still new to to the hobby but I think I'm getting this. Let me know if im on the right track. 50G DT 20G sump/refugium, 2 Ocellaris clowns, several softies and two SPS 7 turbo snails and 5 hermit crabs and a sea cucumber somewhere, two britle stars and alot of small starfish. Got a handle on chemistry, I think. Tank is about 4 Months new. Coralines growing where the snails can't eat them. So to get coralines to grow abundantly have to get rid of snails? Still getting some brown algae on the glass, get the phospates down (0.5) and that will stop? Correct. Use reactor or absorbant material to control phospates, watch feeding and not sure what else. Using well water through RO for base water so not getting phospates from there. Going to add protein skimmer to sump next (wife OKed that one already) I promised a blule hippo tang in return and get rid of one of the brittle stars(they give her the creeps). Using filter floss, charcoal, and ammonia absorbant in mesh bag in sump. return pump is pumping about 150 gph from sump. Lighting 10k and 420 flourescent on noon to 10:30pm. minimal ambient lighting. So is it just patience,equipment and dilligent maintenance from here on out? Thanks for the imput.

 

[skinz78]

The only thing that eats Coraline is Sea Urchins so your snails aren't bothering it at all. What you need to grow Coraline is good calcium levels and a bluer spectrum of light. Have you checked your Calcium, Alkalinity, and Magnisum?

I wouldn't add a Hippo Tang to a tank that is smaller than 100g, they like a lot of swimming space and a small tank will stress a Tang into diseases and such.

 

[newsalth2o]

Calcium 460 Alk 120 Kh 6. Going to add kent kH buffer to get to 8. I understand this should be done slowllike over two weeks time. Can I quote you on the hipppo? jk

 

[JackoChang]

What are you using to test your water? Guess I don't understand why you have two alk readings. Alk is in meq/L, KH is in dKH both are related, correct me if I'm wrong, but they're relatively the same thing.

If you want a tang, you might get away with a smaller one say a tomini tang. That's still pushing it though IMO.

Any idea where the po4 is coming from? .5 seems high. What kind of rock are you using? Rumor was it florida and lace rock with leach into your water, I can't verify because I don't own any. Sorry if I'm spreading rumors here, just trying to eliminate a po4 source.

I don't think I saw any powerheads, how is your SPS doing?

Don't mean to nit-pick, just have comments to add.

Oh, and a foxface will eat your coralline

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

[snoopie]

U can get hippo smaller then 1" sure it will work for a year.... thenbit will stress... I did the same thing I now have a 120... with the same powder brown and yellow tang.... one thing for sure is when tang's are stressed... u can almost garrenty u will have ich
Also more flow Better for sps.


Sent from my EVO.

 

[newsalth2o]

Using API tesk kit weekly (saturdays) and dip strips Wednesday. That's why two different numbers. The return from the sump replaces the powerheads water is pushed through two 1/2 PVC pipes with 6 5/32 holes drilled in it. everything in the tank is moving so I think I have good flow. The SPS puts off a "skin" looking stuff about once a week and the polyps seem active most of the time. I think the PO4 is comming from the flake food the kids feed in the morning while I am at work. Not nit-picking at all. I appreciate the feedback.

 

[reefpeeper]

Need to bump up the alk to about 9-11. Also check mag. May also want to run lights shorter for only like 8hrs. A 14k bulb will make everything look alot better.

 

[newsalth2o]

What if I added 75W MH? The alkalinity is supposed to be increased slowly correct? Like 1 pont a week? or does that matter?

 

[skinz78]

Yes increase your alk slowly.

I would get rid of the flake food, that stuff is usually full on Phosphates.

 

[newsalth2o]

If I use only pellets will there be enough small food for the non-fish things? I'm using newlife spectrium marine. The fish love it and so do the starfish and Pods. The pods will run out and grab the pellets from the sand.

 

[skinz78]

I always feed the frozen foods, I actually make my own and it is way cheaper to do it yourself.

 

[Billgax]

Spectrum is great for fish health and color... but notorious for accelerating algae growth.

 

[Paul_N]

Spectrum is great for fish health and color... but notorious for accelerating algae growth.

Interesting, I have been using is it for over a year and never had any issues. This is also the first time I heard this. I have heard it about different flakes but not Spectrum.

 

[nixer]

Interesting, I have been using is it for over a year and never had any issues. This is also the first time I heard this. I have heard it about different flakes but not Spectrum.

+1 actually i find it takes a long time for nls to break down

 

[Billgax]

Used to use Spectrum pellets on the majority of maintenance autofeeder setups and noticed increased algae issues with these tanks. When switching to a couple other pellet foods (same feeding rate/frequency), these issues subsided.

 

[Paul_N]

Used to use Spectrum pellets on the majority of maintenance autofeeder setups and noticed increased algae issues with these tanks. When switching to a couple other pellet foods (same feeding rate/frequency), these issues subsided.

I feed Spectrum 2-3 times a day and never had any issues. Wonder if there is a synergistic effect happening along with something else? I'll definitely keep an eye out either way.