Fish building/man cave build!

dantimdad · Monday at 5:10 PM

salinity stable. 1.025-.026

the history in the ghl connect app says all 8 including yesterday went off without a hitch.

I will check again tomorrow.

I am also going to send off an ICP test and order some dKh reagent for my hanna checker.

dantimdad · Monday at 5:26 PM

Not too bad.

But it means I really was due for the two water changes I did.

dantimdad · Monday at 5:29 PM

I want to get it down to .4 so I may do another big change this weekend.

What do you all think for a mixed lps and softie reef?

dantimdad · Monday at 5:44 PM

This is the recommended course of action to allow the AWC to help th rest of the way.

I can’t do one that big at one whack so I will break it up into three 18 gallon ones for a total of 54 gallons over a few days to avoid shocking the livestock.

That Crusso Kid · Tuesday at 1:27 AM

dantimdad said:
I want to get it down to .4 so I may do another big change this weekend.

What do you all think for a mixed lps and softie reef?

.04 is as low as I would want to go.

08TRDOFFROAD · Tuesday at 12:39 PM

dantimdad said:
I want to get it down to .4 so I may do another big change this weekend.

What do you all think for a mixed lps and softie reef?

My mixed reef runs between .16 and .36, with no nuisance algaes present.

dantimdad · Tuesday at 2:13 PM

08TRDOFFROAD said:
My mixed reef runs between .16 and .36, with no nuisance algaes present.

I have a schedule worked out with my a small amount of GFO, 1 gallon a day AWC and a weekly 18 gallon change to bring it down to .3 or below in three weeks.

After that, I believe the AWC upped to 1.5 gallons a day will keep it in check. I will test weekly to make sure and run GFO if the rock is leaching.

dantimdad · Thursday at 4:54 PM

ok this doesn't compute to me but I decided to run a PO4 test today and it's .44!

Ran it twice. Does this mean the rock isn't leaching? Probably to early to tell but I will stay the course.

Cross your fingers.

08TRDOFFROAD · Thursday at 7:30 PM

dantimdad said:
ok this doesn't compute to me but I decided to run a PO4 test today and it's .44!

Ran it twice. Does this mean the rock isn't leaching? Probably to early to tell but I will stay the course.

Cross your fingers.

Maybe the .89 was a bogus test? What corals do you have in there? Some corals will consume nitrate.

dantimdad · Friday at 7:23 AM

It's all softies at this point. Three or four kinds of mushrooms, kenya tree, devil's hand, neon sinularia, zoas.

I doubt the .89 was bad because algae has been so bad. But, I could be wrong. I am going to test again today along with nitrate since my reagents showed up yesterday.

I may even send off an ICP kit I have.

I have corals coming from a LFS monday along with some chaeto. He's picking up a bunch of plants I am harvesting and some 3d prints.

The 18 gallon water change tomorrow should have it ready if the tests from yesterday hold true and it's a bit lower today.

dantimdad · 2026-09-19T13:47:58-0400

10 gallons changed. Filter sock change.

New water mixed and ready for AWC to kick in at midnight.

po4 .38ppm
NO3 5.5ppm
dKH 7.2 (should be a bit higher)

By the time I change the GFO tomorrow and two more days AWC happen, I believe I am ready for the LPS by buddy is bringing from his store.

I notice the algae on the glass was way easier to remove with the mag float.

I also noticed I am going to have to get another copper band. I found two aptasia

The schedule for water changes is this:

6 times per day starting a 00:00 631ml. Sunday through Friday. total of ~6 gallons. 12 gallons on Saturday.

So about 25% of total water volume per week. I literally spend about 25 minutes total other than waiting on RODI. Which BTW is done in 3 hours. I measure out 2718 grams of Nyos and mix it for 30 minutes. Then about twice a day, I kick off a timer for 20 minutes just to make sure it doesn't go stagnant.

The tank and the water change water is 78-79 degrees.

dantimdad · 2026-09-20T11:07:04-0400

So I pulled plants from the ridiculously over grown 12 footer.

I am trading them to my buddy for a copperband

There is literally 250 plants there. Maybe even baby fish.

I saw baby Cory cats and bristle nose in the tank and pretty sure I spotted two dwarf rainbow fish babies. My fish have been getting busy.

It’s cloudy but it looks so much better.

Sherry is gonna trim the rest in the tank and I will do filter maintenance today. It’ll clear up really fast and look the business again.

Pics to follow.