Comments please on pics of my disappointing tank…

[vetteguy53081]

Also, the tank stands in a corner, 25 feet from patio doors, all glass, with light hitting half of the side of the tank …

Thats what I suspected- The power of UV will cause this even if indirect light. UV will penetrate shades-blinds-curtains.
Get a sheet of black construction paper from walmart and place on side that gets this sunlight and see what happens- It will be reduced drastically

 

[Nano_Man]

I will investigate a package. Not sure if I have seen them over here.

Marine world aquatics do bundles of cuc to your door there based in Bradford

 

[peterhos]

You will be fine my dude.
I totally get the dissapointing part - I am very fidsapointed with my build as well. However, we’re in this for the long haul, right? Our journey with dry rock has added sometime to our ageing of the tank but we will get there.

Thank you. Good luck to your tank as well.

 

[peterhos]

Thats what I suspected- The power of UV will cause this even if indirect light. UV will penetrate shades-blinds-curtains.
Get a sheet of black construction paper from walmart and place on side that gets this sunlight and see what happens- It will be reduced drastically

Thanks vetteguy53081. An obvious idea… that I had not thought of!!! I will black out the end near the patio doors and see what happens next.

 

[peterhos]

Marine world aquatics do bundles of cuc to your door there based in Bradford

Thank you. Will check them out now…

 

[doubleshot00]

My tank looked just like that around the 203 month mark after i turned on the lights; then the rocks all turned purple. I don't have much in clean up crew. Turbos are my favorite for rock work and conchs for the sand.

 

[njreefkeeper]

Starting with all dry rock will take 1-2 years to start getting decent stability, your tank looks fine for the setup.

Yep. Gone are the days of insta-tank after an initial ammonia cycle. Live rock is thousands (if not millions) of years ahead in bacterial colonization and maturity. Trying to replicate that in a new tank with dry rock and being disappointed the first year will have you pulling your hair out and throwing everything but the kitchen sink at it. No matter what anyone says about raising nutrients, less light, yada yada yada…it’s going to take time. Embrace that you’re not doing anything wrong at all and let the biology happen. Fighting each stage along the way with the newest hot tip won’t get you anywhere and set you back even more. Enjoy your fish, change much less water and let it happen. In fact, find another hobby for the next 6 months to a year. One day you’ll look at the tank and you’ll know it’s ready.

 

[peterhos]

Yep. Gone are the days of insta-tank after an initial ammonia cycle. Live rock is thousands (if not millions) of years ahead in bacterial colonization and maturity. Trying to replicate that in a new tank with dry rock and being disappointed the first year will have you pulling your hair out and throwing everything but the kitchen sink at it. No matter what anyone says about raising nutrients, less light, yada yada yada…it’s going to take time. Embrace that you’re not doing anything wrong at all and let the biology happen. Fighting each stage along the way with the newest hot tip won’t get you anywhere and set you back even more. Enjoy your fish, change much less water and let it happen. In fact, find another hobby for the next 6 months to a year. One day you’ll look at the tank and you’ll know it’s ready.

Thank you . I like your idea of just relaxing in front of the tank … enjoying the fish. Far too easy to be fiddling around all the time.

 

[njreefkeeper]

Thank you . I like your idea of just relaxing in front of the tank … enjoying the fish. Far too easy to be fiddling around all the time.

It’s just that I’ve set up too many tanks for myself and others with dry rock and seen the exact same things happen over and over throughout the first year. The only ones that were ready for corals the fastest were the ones that I didn’t do water changes, didn’t go crazy with lighting and didn’t use chemicals, potions, and theories on. Around a year later I put some frags in it and before long it was wayyyyyyy ahead of any other tank that I was fiddling with.

 

[peterhos]

It’s just that I’ve set up too many tanks for myself and others with dry rock and seen the exact same things happen over and over throughout the first year. The only ones that were ready for corals the fastest were the ones that I didn’t do water changes, didn’t go crazy with lighting and didn’t use chemicals, potions, and theories on. Around a year later I put some frags in it and before long it was wayyyyyyy ahead of any other tank that I was fiddling with.

Even as I agree with you I have bought in some TM All for Reef … my next potion .... or should I hold fire on that? I found a very impressive new LFS yesterday. They told me to cut back on changing the water! What a hobby of contradictions.

 

[Rugops]

Just create competition for nutrients using chaeto. It worked to an extent for me. I believe that upping magnesium to about 1500 - 1600 can actually help with algae as well.

 

[njreefkeeper]

Even as I agree with you I have bought in some TM All for Reef … my next potion .... or should I hold fire on that? I found a very impressive new LFS yesterday. They told me to cut back on changing the water! What a hobby of contradictions.

All for Reef is just the big three buffering. Sure…if your tank is consuming elements they’d need to be replaced, but my understanding is that all for reef has trace elements as well, which may fuel any Dinos or other undesirables much like a water change.

 

[peterhos]

All for Reef is just the big three buffering. Sure…if your tank is consuming elements they’d need to be replaced, but my understanding is that all for reef has trace elements as well, which may fuel any Dinos or other undesirables much like a water change.

“… which may fuel dinos like a water change …” LOL …yet I thought water changes were the way to get rid of algae and dinos…! I think a spell of leaving well alone may be in order. Thanks for all the helpful comments everyone.

 

[Shibaken3]

Better than mine I'm having hair algae problems right now they just don't go away (10 months). Adding pincushion urchins can help scrape everything on the rock. My Halloween urchin passed away recently and from that hair algae are on a rampage. Keep it up!! ur doing great !!

 

[CasperOe]

@peterhos not even want to comment on the disappointment of the tank, just want to congratulate you on that beauty of a Bearded Collie you have! Got three myself, stunning dogs they are! Off topic- i know, and i'm sorry..

Happy reefing!

 

[I never finish anythi]

Get a **** load of different snails and 2 tuxedo urchin. That be sorted in a couple of weeks

 

[peterhos]

Better than mine I'm having hair algae problems right now they just don't go away (10 months). Adding pincushion urchins can help scrape everything on the rock. My Halloween urchin passed away recently and from that hair algae are on a rampage. Keep it up!! ur doing great !!

Thank you. What a trial it all is. Good luck with your algae. I bought another dozen snails yesterday. Do you have a varied CUC?

 

[peterhos]

@peterhos not even want to comment on the disappointment of the tank, just want to congratulate you on that beauty of a Bearded Collie you have! Got three myself, stunning dogs they are! Off topic- i know, and i'm sorry..

Happy reefing!

Ah. The bearded collie. The love of our lives. Our first dog. How beautiful they are. Any pics of yours?

 

[peterhos]

Get a **** load of different snails and 2 tuxedo urchin. That be sorted in a couple of weeks

Bought a dozen lively snails yesterday. Fingers crossed.

 

[ravila101]

Tank looks good bud, everyone’s tanks goes through a phase where it matures , but as long as you keep doing what you’re doing throw in a cleanup crew. You’ll be just fine! Patience!