IM 25 lagoon build

[Llorgon]

Starting to see diatoms on the rocks now. My one sps frag has gone totally white. I don't think there will be any saving it :( but my toadstool had polyps out for the first time since the move so that's positive.

Did another big round of water tests

Temp: 78
Salinity: 1.026
pH: 8.0
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 5
Phosphate: 0.113
Alkalinity: 9.2
Calcium: Hanna checker 405, salifert 450
Magnesium: 1380


All fish are eating and doing well. Lost a hermit crab though. Once the cycle is fully complete I am going to have to restock my cuc.

 

[Llorgon]

Ammonia and nitrite are still holding at 0

Unfortunately I lost another hermit crab I think.

Fish are doing well, eating and swimming around.

Corals are still struggling. My largest acan is still not opening and I think I am slowly losing it. The other 2 acans are looking better. My frogspawn is opening up a bit, but nothing like it was in the 75 gallon. The toadstool was open for a few hours on Saturday, but hasn't opened up since and is getting very droopy. All 3 sps frags have diatoms on them so I think they are gone...

 

[Llorgon]

Haven't seen any ammonia or nitrite since last Friday and I haven't added any stability the last couple of days. Looks like the mini cycle is over!

Now I can start trying to get my coral health back up.

My params seem to be fine, but most corals don't seem happy. Do they just take more time to adjust to new lights/flow?

 

[Llorgon]

Yesterday was water testing and water change day. Did another 5 gallon water change and changed filter socks.

Params are
Salinity: 1.026
Temp: 78
pH: 8.0
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 10
Phosphate: 0.120
Alkalinity: 9.7
Calcium: 405 or 450 depending on test kit
Magnesium: 1380

Does anyone have a good recommendation for calcium and nitrate test kits? I have Hanna and salifert for calcium and they have a huge diffet in test results. And my nitrate API reagent is low so I will need a new test kit for that.

I also did a dip in coral revive for a few of the struggling corals. Hopefully that will help them a bit.

My large frogspawn is looking worse today. All closed up. With water parameters seemingly ok, could it be the lights or too much/too little flow?

 

[Llorgon]

Today was water change and testing day. Tank is looking pretty ugly. Lots of cyano on the sand and rocks.

I picked up a mini gravel vac, worked great to clean up the sand a bit.

Don't have much of a positive update on the corals, unfortunately. So far I have lost my 3 sps corals, my largest acan and a green toadstool.

My remaining 2 acans are doing alright. One likes to be all closed up one day and happy the next. The other always seems fine. Still struggling with my frogspawn and the Kenya tree seems to be loving things... At least something grows for me.

Fish are happy and doing well.

Since I lost all my sps I have decided to make this tank a LPS focused tank. I figured they are a little easier and I could use some coral wins to build off of for when I can set my 75 gallon up again.

I changed the light settings on the radion to the coral labs LPS/soft setting at 30% brightness.

If anyone has any advice on a successful LPS tank I am open to hearing it!

Tank Params are
Salinity: 1.026
Temp: 78
pH: 7.8
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 5
Phosphate: 0.021
Alkalinity: 9.6
Calcium: 435
Magnesium: 1380

 

[Mydoghasfleas]

Nice build, following!

 

[Llorgon]

I dropped the brightness on the radion down to 20% this morning. Starting to see the frogspawn open up a bit more. Hopefully it continues!

 

[Llorgon]

With the recent cyano covering the sand I have moved my photo period from 12 hours to 10.

Two heads of the frogspawn we're opening up a little bit today. Hopefully the rest will follow. Looks like lowering the brightness might help after all.

 

[Llorgon]

Happy Halloween everyone!

Spent last night carving pumpkins. It's been awhile since I had done that. Forgot how long it takes to scoop all the guys out of a decent sized pumpkin!

Yesterday while searching for my algae scraper I found a bottle of vibrant. Decided to dose a bit of it. Unfortunately this was during lunch and I immediately got distracted by work and left the open bottle by the tank. And guess what one of the cats does? He stretches up to see what is going on and it's enough to knock the bottle over. So overdosed vibrant a bit yesterday...

The offending cat

The tank was cloudy, but no harm done. I did do a 5 gal water change.

The tank after overdose

 

[Llorgon]

Took a few more pictures of the tank. The lps setting on the radios seems very blue to me. Maybe it's just me though.

Acans are doing well as is the Kenya tree. At least something likes my tank!

The frogspawn has a few heads that are doing a little better. Hoping it continues.

The mushrooms I have are very small. About half the size they were in the 75 gallon. Again doesn't seem to matter where I move them.

 

[Llorgon]

I have upped the flow of the mp10 to about 70% on reef crest seems to have taken care of the cyano I had on the sand. Still some left here and there on the rocks though.

I also removed all the dead coral while doing my weekly water change. On the plus side while removing the dead coral I found that there was a tiny piece of the bird'snest still alive! It's a very tiny piece, but it's something. So I broke off the live piece and kept that.

My water does seem slightly cloudy lately. I am wondering if it's because of the accidental vibrant overdose earlier in the week.

 

[Llorgon]

Tested tank params today

Tank Params are

Salinity: 1.026

Temp: 78

pH: 7.8

Ammonia: 0

Nitrite: 0

Nitrate: 5

Phosphate: 0.031

Alkalinity: 9.6

Calcium: 450

Magnesium: 1340

Mag and Cal have gone in opposite directions this week. Might be my testing error. Sometimes it's hard to tell when those salifert tests have started to change.

 

[Llorgon]

Tank has been looking better today. Water is less cloudy and the frogspawn is looking a little bit better.

On some less good news, looks like I will be moving again in December... So that means taking the tank and moving everything again. At least it's only 25 minutes away this time.

 

[jordan10]

Nice set up I am looking to get the same tank after Xmas. And getting a list together. Was thinking of getting the mp10 u don't think it to much for 25gallon? You have a nice set up going

 

[Llorgon]

Thanks!

I don't think the mp10 is too much. I have this one at about 70% and it seems to be at a good range for flow. Plus with the motor being outside the tank it's a really low profile inside the tank.

 

[Llorgon]

Not much to update on with the tank. It's basically on holding to keep everything steady until we move again. Mostly been dealing with our problem tenant and hoping she moves when she said she was going to.

Frogspawn is doing better, but still have 2 heads not opening. Others are opening, but not to the same extent that they were in the 75 gal.

Kenya tree is loving life and the 2 mushrooms are still half the size of what they were in the 75 gallon. Acans seem to be happy as well.

I finally managed to get a picture of the teeny tiny piece of forest fire digi that survived.

Fish are all happy and eating!

 

[Llorgon]

Did my weekly water change and water testing. I got a big increase in phosphates this week. I'm not entirely sure why. Everything else is pretty stable.

Tank Params are
Salinity: 1.026
Temp: 78
pH: 7.8
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 5
Phosphate: 0.092 up from 0.031 last week.
Alkalinity: 9.6
Calcium: 450
Magnesium: 1350

Tried to take more pictures. They always come out so blue! Anyone have tips on taking decent pics of the tank with a Nexus 6?

 

[Llorgon]

Not a whole lot to update on the tank. Things have been pretty steady. Most of the frogspawn is opening daily. The Kenya tree is growing and has dropped some branches that have found a home of their own in the tank. The acans look to be doing well. The little finger nail sized piece of forest fire digi that survived the move is showing some growth!

I am having trouble with my 2 mushrooms. They are tiny and looking worse every day. I'm not sure what the issue is. I have them at the bottom of the tank in a lower flow area. Maybe still too much flow?

Fish are all doing well and eating. I'm seeing some pods on the glass and the algae in the tank is going from brown to green so I think that's good?

 

[Llorgon]

Today is water testing and water change day!

Overall the tank is looking pretty good. Although a little empty of coral. Acans and Kenya tree are doing well. Most of the frogspawn heads are always open. I have lost on head though :( the mushrooms seem to be melting and I'm not entirely sure why.

The most exciting thing is the forest fire is growing and I can see green at the tip! In the 75 gallon the green would always fade away.

Tank Params are

Salinity: 1.026
Temp: 78
pH: 7.8
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 10
Phosphate: 0.276
Alkalinity: 9.4
Calcium: 440
Magnesium: 1260

Some concerning things are the spike in phosphate and the drop in magnesium. Since next Saturday the tank is being moved and will probably be filled with fresh saltwater, should I correct those numbers or leave them ?

In preparation for the move I picked up a garbage can to mix water in. Should be easier than a bunch of 5 gallon buckets!

 

[Llorgon]

Alright, moving day has come and gone and the tank and inhabitants all seem to be doing fine. Much better result for the coral on this move than the last.

I filled the tank with all new saltwater so hopefully that will help in lowering the rising phosphates I was having before the move. I'm excited to actually be able to start buying some corals and replenishing my cuc!

One thing I have to figure out is how to make water. The only tap I have that will fit the tap connector for the ro/di unit is in the garage, which is a pretty cold place right now. Anyone have experience with making or keeping saltwater in a cold garage?

And now for the important stuff, what should my first new coral purchase be?!?