Basement Office with a View

[X-37B]

Well this is a bit of a disappointment.

Yesterday (Sat) I was in a rush and was only able to measure alkalinity, and it was 7.0 dKH. Perfect, dosed 2ml Part 1&2 and 1ml Trace as directed.

Today I was able to test all my parameters. All is within range EXCEPT Nitrates. I am using Hanna Nitrate HR and did the test twice. 1.1 ppm (1st test), 1.2 ppm (2nd test).

FYI:

• I went from feeding 2x a day so (14x a week) to about 18-20 x a week (two or three times was pellets).
• I also noticed snails would fall and not right themselves. I also lost 1 larger snail and I think a 2nd is on it's way out. (2 potential deaths).
• My tank is due a WC next week 2 Gallons (10%)
• I actually ordered frags on WWC R2R Sale
• I manually pulled some GHA on the rear right branch, still there.

I have not dosed yet. @90's reefer
-should I dose?
-WC today?
-Feed 1x day for 3 days and retest?

Thank you!

Always dose unless out of range.
Stop feeding the pellets until no3 and po4 are in range.
I have snails that have lived several years. That said I am always adding snails every few months or so.

I would cross reference the no3 # to make sure its real.
This is why having 2 sets for each test comes in handy.

 

[Gaspipe]

Just checked my nitrates.
NO3: 0.4 ppm

I was feeding twice a day frozen. I will not kick it back to 3x a day frozen only.

I just found my 3rd snail this week that seems to be dead. It's strange the last two seem alive but are not sticking to the glass or moving when I right them up from being upside down.

Are they starving? Hopefully the extra feeding will help.
I have some corals coming Tues Oct 18th.
Perhaps after a few weeks it's time to add a 4th fish. One step at a time... my plan of action:

• Feed frozen 3x day
• continue to dose as suggested
• measure nitrates on Friday
• measure all parameters before WC
• 2 gallon water change over weekend (no dose that day)
• clean pump in citrus acid
• Measure all parameters 24 hours after WC but before dose
• Coral placement

Update on GHA:
It seems to get finer again. Parts would blow off w/ turkey baster

 

[X-37B]

Just checked my nitrates.
NO3: 0.4 ppm

I was feeding twice a day frozen. I will not kick it back to 3x a day frozen only.

I just found my 3rd snail this week that seems to be dead. It's strange the last two seem alive but are not sticking to the glass or moving when I right them up from being upside down.

Are they starving? Hopefully the extra feeding will help.
I have some corals coming Tues Oct 18th.
Perhaps after a few weeks it's time to add a 4th fish. One step at a time... my plan of action:

• Feed frozen 3x day
• continue to dose as suggested
• measure nitrates on Friday
• measure all parameters before WC
• 2 gallon water change over weekend (no dose that day)
• clean pump in citrus acid
• Measure all parameters 24 hours after WC but before dose
• Coral placement

Update on GHA:
It seems to get finer again. Parts would blow off w/ turkey baster

Sound good. As a reference I only feed all my systems 2x a day. Pellets once or twice a month.

 

[Gaspipe]

Sound good. As a reference I only feed all my systems 2x a day. Pellets once or twice a month.

Perhaps I should feed heavier 2x a day.

I'll try that!

 

[Gaspipe]

NO3 are still up. I will be going back to 1 piece a feeding twice a day vs 2 pieces AM and 1 piece in the PM of frozen food.

If I can goto the LFS I will have nitrates tested, perhaps consider a 2nd tester. @90's reefer do you have a recommendation outside of the Hanna Nitrate HR (my current tester).

Mind you these parameters are BEFORE a 2-gallon water change which will be done now.

• I will not dose today
• Changing carbon and filter floss
• Tmrw I will retest parameters again before dosing
• Tues I have some corals arriving

 

[Gaspipe]

Dam it. I had a new box of Nitrate HR reagents and used one of those. 1.9 NO3.

It's not the test kit.

As mentioned above I will feed 1 piece 2/day frozen food.
Changing the filter floss more often
Also, using 3 tbs carbon (recommended is 2tbs.) but changing every 2 weeks vs more 4 tbs once a month

 

[X-37B]

I use Nyos nitrate with Salifert as a backup. Nyos is easy to read.

I run a cup of rox carbon on my 20g. It helps keep nitrate <10 in that system with no skimmer.
My other 2 systems run Tunze skimmers and no3 is never above 5.

 

[Gaspipe]

I use Nyos nitrate with Salifert as a backup. Nyos is easy to read.

I run a cup of rox carbon on my 20g. It helps keep nitrate <10 in that system with no skimmer.
My other 2 systems run Tunze skimmers and no3 is never above 5.

My target should be 0.25 ppm with a low of 0.10 and a high of 0.50 Correct?

 

[X-37B]

My target should be 0.25 ppm with a low of 0.10 and a high of 0.50 Correct?

No3 target <5.0. 10 max.
Po4 <.1

 

[Gaspipe]

So wait a min.

My nitrates (NO3) is 1.8ppm. That is ok??

 

[X-37B]

Yes fine. I run <5. Mine run around 3 in skimmer systems.
So your 1.8 is fine, yes.

 

[Gaspipe]

My alkalinity is slightly lower, wonder if due to me adding 5 new corals from @WWC sale on R2R...
-going to dose as normal and measure tmrw at same time. This will determine if I need to dose more Part 1&2.
-Will report measurements before any changes.

NO3 have increased a little. I am going to feed twice a day with two pieces in AM feeding and 1 piece in PM feeding.
It's in an acceptable range just want it to stay below 5ppm.

Pictures to come of new corals....

 

[Gaspipe]

Just tested...

Alkalinity: 7.3 dKH
Salinity: 34.7 ppm
Temp.: 79.7*

Will continue to dose 2ml Part 1&2 as well as 1ml Trace daily.

 

[Gaspipe]

@90's reefer what do you think?

The octo isn't stretching and the Duncan isn't open much...

The flow they are getting is indirect, as in the wave hits the glass wall, bounces back...

Thoughts?

 

[X-37B]

Maybe too much flow. My frogspawns like lower flow.
Otherwise tanks looking good!

 

[Gaspipe]

Maybe too much flow. My frogspawns like lower flow.
Otherwise tanks looking good!

Really?

Even though the flow is bouncing off the back wall? There is even a branch of LR that protects the octo a bit, not so much for the duncan though.

Think I need to move them?

 

[X-37B]

Maybe just lower flow or change it up. On all my systems I change the flow every few weeks. Not by moving the powerheads but by changing the flow settings from fixed to wave to random. This keeps the flow going throughout the system and has worked well over the years.

 

[Gaspipe]

Maybe just lower flow or change it up. On all my systems I change the flow every few weeks. Not by moving the powerheads but by changing the flow settings from fixed to wave to random. This keeps the flow going throughout the system and has worked well over the years.

To be honest, I had it on W1 on last week, and changed it back to EISE on Tues.

Just switched it back to W1 for rest of week.
Next week will do W2, then a week later EISE.

I'll also test my salinity w/ TM hydro this evening. Hanna says 34.9 (was 34.7 three days ago). My salinity gradually changes due to filter floss.

 

[Gaspipe]

Temp: 80.1*
Salinity: TM: 1.0261 (34.7ppt); Hanna 34.9ppt

Perhaps I should recal my Hanna as it's off .2 ppt.

But salinity is def in the proper range.

 

[Gaspipe]

1. Parameters for the month below
2. Will move Duncan. Def. does not like that spot
3. Moving powerhead to W2 from W1
4. I don't see a reason to dose more or less. Will stay as is.