Brand New 8 gallon bio cube

[living_tribunal]

I'd say to let it rest for tonight, change your water tomorrow. Remember, I could hold my parameters rock solid and lose SPS. Stuff can get in and get depleted that we cant test.

Reefer to my meme about new school and old school. Do a water change and leave it alone, it'll work itself out. ;)

It’s a bit different when every single frag was perfect and then a few look slightly closed/tense. That makes it pretty clear something is wrong.

Hopefully everything in the frag and display are ok tomorrow, can’t have any deaths.

I’m not a big believer in “letting things work out”, that’s when things go wrong.

It also prevents you from learning more about what affects your corals which is the most important thing.

I had no clue rocks could bind so much phosphate! I’m sure I would have a death or two and Dino throughout my tank had I not obsessed over it.

 

[living_tribunal]

it seems to be somewhat consistent. But I’m not sure how you could have Ca higher than your salt without dosing.

your light schedule thing has been bugging me since you posted about it earlier. It sounds like your light is different every day...I know my corals have HATED any change to light or flow.

My light is not different every day. It’s the exact same although I think the acclimation schedule updated it from 35% intensity reduction to 30%.

I can’t remember if I set it to 30 or 35 initially. Other than that, everything has been the same.

 

[SashimiTurtle]

It’s a bit different when every single frag was perfect and then a few look slightly closed/tense. That makes it pretty clear something is wrong.

Hopefully everything in the frag and display are ok tomorrow, can’t have any deaths.

I’m not a big believer in “letting things work out”, that’s when things go wrong.

It also prevents you from learning more about what affects your corals which is the most important thing.

I had no clue rocks could bind so much phosphate! I’m sure I would have a death or two and Dino throughout my tank had I not obsessed over it.

Just offering my 3 years experience at killing corals. Every time I thought I was smarter than the tank and knew how to do this or that by adding chemical x... I killed stuff. When I just do a water change and keep my hands out the tank and stop tinkering with every parameter under the microscope, things just thrive.

Just my $0.02.

 

[Magellan]

My light is not different every day. It’s the exact same although I think the acclimation schedule updated it from 35% intensity reduction to 30%.

I can’t remember if I set it to 30 or 35 initially. Other than that, everything has been the same.

Ahh ok I misunderstood, I thought the acclimation schedule was doing a slight increase every day. But if your light did just change intensity, the more sensitive frags could be responding to that. You should see my acan if I move his rock by .01”...it’s like i throat punched it.

 

[living_tribunal]

Just offering my 3 years experience at killing corals. Every time I thought I was smarter than the tank and knew how to do this or that by adding chemical x... I killed stuff. When I just do a water change and keep my hands out the tank and stop tinkering with every parameter under the microscope, things just thrive.

Just my $0.02.

Of course I don’t plan on adding any chemicals. Something is causing stress and I’m just trying to figure out what that is.

Simply trying to deduce it from what I can.

 

[living_tribunal]

Ahh ok I misunderstood, I thought the acclimation schedule was doing a slight increase every day. But if your light did just change intensity, the more sensitive frags could be responding to that. You should see my acan if I move his rock by .01”...it’s like i throat punched it.

I set it to a very slow acclimation schedule so that it basically stays the same over the next month or so until I make a decision.

Hoping to just cancel out whether it’s params or not.

There are 3 maybe 4 frags that just seem stressed, they’re not closing up or anything.

I should just run the full test suite tomorrow and then see if water change helps out.

Really hoping I find what’s going on soon as I have a handful of frags to add to the display tomorrow.

 

[SashimiTurtle]

Of course I don’t plan on adding any chemicals. Something is causing stress and I’m just trying to figure out what that is.

Simply trying to deduce it from what I can.

If it's off parameters, water change will help bring them in line.

If it's some pollutant, water change will help remove it.

I gave a love hate relationship with water changes. I realize they are important, but man do they suck.

 

[SashimiTurtle]

Anyway, midnight here... need some Zs.

 

[living_tribunal]

With the 1ml syringe you want the bottom of the plunger(ignore the stem, look at the bottom seal) to reach 0 at the back of the syringe. It reads backwards, it's a titration syringe. The scale is reversed to read how much you've squashed out.

Anyway, suck up the reagent until the bottom seal is at 0, then put all of that in the curvete and fill to the line with RODI. You know what a meniscus is, right? Always use the bottom of the curve in the water surface.

I get that lol but which ring do I match up to the 0? There is the black tip of the syringe and then the two rings.

I watched a nursing video on it and I believe it’s the first black ring.

 

[living_tribunal]

If it's off parameters, water change will help bring them in line.

If it's some pollutant, water change will help remove it.

I gave a love hate relationship with water changes. I realize they are important, but man do they suck.

I agree, I don’t mind doing them. Whatever it takes to keep everything happy.

It seemed like you were against me doing a water change earlier today.

 

[living_tribunal]

Lemme know how it is. I still will probably rely on my trusty refractometer tho.

Do yourself a favor and get a Milwaukee. Easy as hell, accurate as ****, and you don’t have to mess with the hanna nonsense

 

[Why-Me]

I get that lol but which ring do I match up to the 0? There is the black tip of the syringe and then the two rings.

I watched a nursing video on it and I believe it’s the first black ring.

I always do the second one (bottom ring), don't go all the way to the tip.
@crusso1993 is gonna nail me for that one

 

[Why-Me]

Do yourself a favor and get a Milwaukee. Easy as hell, accurate as ****, and you don’t have to mess with the hanna nonsense

Absolutely not.
That milwaukee isn't as accurate or stable as you think.
Go read some threads, I'd rather have conductivity tester.

 

[living_tribunal]

I always do the second one (bottom ring), don't go all the way to the tip.
@crusso1993 is gonna nail me for that one

So this picture has the first ring from bottom, you’re saying to go the topmost ring right?

 

[living_tribunal]

Absolutely not.
That milwaukee isn't as accurate or stable as you think.
Go read some threads, I'd rather have conductivity tester.

Really? Mine has been spot on and consistent every time.

Maybe it’s worth checking out the conductivity tester.

 

[Why-Me]

So this picture has the first ring from bottom, you’re saying to go the topmost ring right?

No, you got it right in that pic.
Line up that ring closest to the tip at your mark.

Really? Mine has been spot on and consistent every time.

Maybe it’s worth checking out the conductivity tester.

They measure light and if it's too bright or sunlight shining on it, can get incorrect readings.
The metal between that testing circle and plastic can rust etc.
To me it's a fine tool but for the price I'd rather get something a little more foolproof.
I'm sure that milwaukee will be fine for ya. Just make sure you test correctly as with any and every test we do in this hobby.
Quick tip, to get the temp up on the unit before testing hold your thumb over the metal circle the heat from your thumb will raise it quicker than tank water will.

 

[Why-Me]

Also my thinking with the hanna salinity checker is I can bring the thing to a buddies and pull out of my pocket and test their reef, collect frags and be able to match salinity with ease, I love the portability of it.
Also great for testing incoming frags or fish from the LFS or Online.

 

[living_tribunal]

No, you got it right in that pic.
Line up that ring closest to the tip at your mark.

They measure light and if it's too bright or sunlight shining on it, can get incorrect readings.
The metal between that testing circle and plastic can rust etc.
To me it's a fine tool but for the price I'd rather get something a little more foolproof.
I'm sure that milwaukee will be fine for ya. Just make sure you test correctly as with any and every test we do in this hobby.
Quick tip, to get the temp up on the unit before testing hold your thumb over the metal circle the heat from your thumb will raise it quicker than tank water will.

Well you’re supposed to cover it. I place my hand over the well. I also wait two minutes before the reading and remove all bubbles.

I personally find it to be significantly more accurate than my refractometer.

Not sure what else is more accurate for the price.

Seems like people do have good results with the Hanna salinity meter. I did read a lot of people get inaccurate results when they aren’t letting temp equalize and not covering the well or calibrating often.

 

[Why-Me]

In that 2 minute wait I'll have tested my salinity and double checked my temp against my apex probe. With time to wipe it off and put it away.
Like we've said here before many ways to skin a cat.

 

[living_tribunal]

In that 2 minute wait I'll have tested my salinity and double checked my temp against my apex probe. With time to wipe it off and put it away.
Like we've said here before many ways to skin a cat.

Sure is. Maybe I just got a good unit but it’s highly accurate and consistent every single time.

The hanna salinity meter looks exactly the same as the Milwaukee and is a $180.