d2mini's "Essential Focus" Mixed Reef Build

[d2mini]

Mine happen to be glass but there shouldn't be anything wrong with the plastic being that it came from the food industry. :)

 

[justingraham]

I couldn't find glass. So I used plastic.
Although I think Dennis used glass.

The sparkling voss water bottles are glass. The regular water is plastic. I checked Kroger, target and Walmart. No one had sparkling water (glass).

Hope using plastic is okay.

If u are in the tristate area wawa has voss in the glass it's just a smaller bottle that's why I asked. Thanks both of you guys for the answer.
@d2mini hows the tank going? Are you still qting fish? Also is there a way to set up an elos drain in a marineland tank?

 

[d2mini]

If u are in the tristate area wawa has voss in the glass it's just a smaller bottle that's why I asked. Thanks both of you guys for the answer.
@d2mini hows the tank going? Are you still qting fish? Also is there a way to set up an elos drain in a marineland tank?

I haven't gotten any new fish lately. :)
The Elos drain is not available separately.

 

[bsolt]

Very inspirational. Not sure how I missed build.

 

[revhtree]

How's the reef?

 

[JustinFromAL]

How's the reef?

...and still a positive on the Triton method? What about the G4's?

 

[d2mini]

How's the reef?

...and still a positive on the Triton method? What about the G4's?

Reef is good overall but having an issue with Triton. Trying to figure out what's going on.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/hey-triton-whats-going-on-with-my-macro-algae.281922/

The G4's are still doing well.

 

[d2mini]

So expanding on above... back around thanksgiving my Chaeto crashed.
It just started breaking up, falling apart, basically decomposing in the fuge and causing a mess.
I kind of expected that might happen eventually, but I was hoping just some of it would die off, not all of it. I couldn't seem to get it to recover.
So right before Xmas I completely cleaned out the fuge again. Nothing was left but the Chaeto. It had consumed all the other macros.
I was also starting to see nuisance algae in the display. Diatoms on the sand, slimy/stringy stuff and fluffy stuff on the rocks, gorgonians, even my urhchins.
Not a ton. A quick look at the tank and it looks fine. It's when you start to look at the details, and i've been trying to blow it off the rocks every few days, too.
Seemed to me like there would be plenty of nutrients, so I put in an order for more macros.
Got some chaeto and a couple red species again. Put them in the tank right after Xmas.
A week later, the chaeto is decomposing again! What the duck?
Now I started talking with Triton USA. It seems like I plenty of nutrients with the nuisance algae growing in the display, and even in the fuge. My nitrates are always low but usually register around 1 or 2 ppm. But I hadn't checked in a while. This was Triton's main concern after my explanation of events. So I tested again and..... nitrates were ZERO. Crap. Triton says that the algae in the display is a byproduct of the elements that are being dosed that are supposed to feed the algae bed. But the algae bed needs the main nutrients like nitrates to grow or it will die back.

So now I'm back to Nitrate dosing with the Spectracide Stump Remover.
Over the past week or two I've got nitrates back up to around 2-5ppm. Trying to keep it around 5 now and we'll see how it goes.
Still have the stuff in my display. The chaeto is still not looking good but gotta give it time.
I think the reds are doing ok.


Here's the kind of stuff I've got in the display...

 

[Zero Nitrates]

Why are you nitrate dosing instead of feeding more?

 

[d2mini]

Why are you nitrate dosing instead of feeding more?

I was feeding more. 3x/day. I was trying to avoid the dosing.
My fish load is small though. Can only feed so much! ;)

 

[revhtree]

Yuck! Interested to see how the Nitrate dosing goes!

 

[Flipside]

Plausible. Good job, man. ;)

 

[Flipside]

FWIW, when this happens to me, I do something similar. I do have friends that have to dose NO3 regularly, but I digress... I add fish and limewater. Seems to always get things back on track. I'm not familiar with the "Triton Method," so it may be something you can't do. Either way, expanding on my reply above a bit (was in a hurry... meetings!), I think what Triton is telling you makes sense. It happens to me all the time due to the "cleanliness" of my tank. Running BB doesn't help my cause.

Good luck homey! You got this!

 

[d2mini]

FWIW, when this happens to me, I do something similar. I do have friends that have to dose NO3 regularly, but I digress... I add fish and limewater. Seems to always get things back on track. I'm not familiar with the "Triton Method," so it may be something you can't do. Either way, expanding on my reply above a bit (was in a hurry... meetings!), I think what Triton is telling you makes sense. It happens to me all the time due to the "cleanliness" of my tank. Running BB doesn't help my cause.

Good luck homey! You got this!

Ya, the limewater would mess with my alk.
Working on getting a few more fish though, so we'll see how that goes. :)

 

[Flipside]

I know a new LFS that has a few "sweet" deals in his shop. I've actually met him, and he's a great fella. Gem tangs at a rippin' deal if you're interested. "Rippin"

 

[d2mini]

I know a new LFS that has a few "sweet" deals in his shop. I've actually met him, and he's a great fella. Gem tangs at a rippin' deal if you're interested. "Rippin"

Already got my order in. ;)
No Gems though. Still too rich for my blood! lol

 

[Flipside]

Already got my order in. ;)
No Gems though. Still too rich for my blood! lol

This local guy has them at a great price. They can be aggressive so I usually add them last.

I really need a bigger tank. LOL

Can't wait to see your scores!

 

[d2mini]

This local guy has them at a great price. They can be aggressive so I usually add them last.

I really need a bigger tank. LOL

Can't wait to see your scores!

Ya, i'm talking about antonio.

 

[Flipside]

That's the guy! Total hook ups. Seems like a nice guy. I've met with him a couple of times already. Not for purchases, but to give him some tanks for his operation. His accent reminds me of when I was in the military and worked with the British military. :)

 

[fftfk]

I've never been overly impressed with gem tangs. I get that they are rare but beyond that there are many more attractive tangs to look at.