OP
OP
Meh. Improving, but a pain. You mostly only see them in patches on the sand, but my zoas are unhappy. I think the dinos are to blame. They grow in a thin layer on some of the zoas and I have to brush them off with a makeup brush.
John's Fluval Evo 13.5
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What are your settings on the Marine 3.0? I am running that light with a 21LEDUSA deep blue bar next to it--I can't decide on a good program. Note: the 21LEDUSA bar has better par output, but the Fluval Marine 3.0 lights up the whole tank with nice color.
Scottayy
Active Member
That's interesting. Is it actinics specifically for growing coral or is it just for aestheticcs?
I'm only going to have softies and a few LPS in my evo. The stock light will be fine.
However, I'm definitely going to end up getting a bubble tip anemone for my clowns. That, mushrooms, and GSP are the only things I'm for sure getting. I'm worried about the stock light not being enough for the BTA, although I've seen stories of people having them in the evo with stock lighting.
I'm only going to have softies and a few LPS in my evo. The stock light will be fine.
However, I'm definitely going to end up getting a bubble tip anemone for my clowns. That, mushrooms, and GSP are the only things I'm for sure getting. I'm worried about the stock light not being enough for the BTA, although I've seen stories of people having them in the evo with stock lighting.
I have an RBTA in mine, and my light settings are probably not higher than stock currently. If you have some higher rock structure, the BTA can move up closer. Mine spends some time near the surface, higher than my softies and LPS:
Old photos, now have 9 new corals all in the mid to lower part of tank. You may eventually want to add a supplemental bar like the OP did.
KevyKevTPA
Community Member
Looks amazing, John, you've put together a fantastic tank...
OP
OP
Not too happy about the tank right now. I currently have a massive Bryopsis outbreak (usually caused by high nutrients) at the same time as I have lingering dinos (caused by no nutrients). I finally figured out what happened. I discovered that my Salifert phosphate test somehow went bad and never showed lower than .01 or higher than about .02. Phosphates swung from zero up to over .40 in about a week due to dosing that I thought was not working. The result is that some of my best zoas have died. I circled them and a Ricordea. Disappointing.
GHOSTLY
2500 Club Member
The zoas are looking nice at least! I got a bit of gha but rhats just clumsinessNot too happy about the tank right now. I currently have a massive Bryopsis outbreak (usually caused by high nutrients) at the same time as I have lingering dinos (caused by no nutrients). I finally figured out what happened. I discovered that my Salifert phosphate test somehow went bad and never showed lower than .01 or higher than about .02. Phosphates swung from zero up to over .40 in about a week due to dosing that I thought was not working. The result is that some of my best zoas have died. I circled them and a Ricordea. Disappointing.
OP
OP
Those are the "before" zoas.
OP
OP
Since I am only keeping softies and some more durable lps right now, I do not test for it. I should have realized something was wrong when I kept dosing phosphate and it was only creeping from .01 to .02. When my Hanna Checker arrived is when I realized what was going on. Since phosphates will get stored in the rock and sand, even water changes will not help right away. I did a big change and it brought it down to about .30, but it was up to about .39 by the morning. I have Phosguard in there now and between that and the algae I am trying to wait it out. It's down to about .20 now and seems stable.
Goaway
10K Club member
I asked for magnesium levels because, some strains hate mag levels above 1400. I don't know how softies feel about those levels. Some people raise mag levels to 1600... I am sure there is a safer way.
OP
OP
Interesting, I had not heard that. Oddly, some zoas and mushrooms are growing like crazy with the high phosphate, while the others melt away.
muzikalmatt
Valuable Member
Loving this build thread! If I hadn't just setup my 10 gallon build I would strongly consider picking up an Evo.
OP
OP
Absolutely true!
OP
OP
I decided to try a new strategy against the lingering dinos on the sand. They aren't horrible, but I want them gone before they make a comeback. I addition to the UV filter, H2O2 and bacteria added daily that I have been doing, I siphoned out all of the sand in the areas where they primarily settle/grow (about 1/2 of what's in the tank) and filled areas with filter floss with the idea that they will settle on the floss and I can rinse it out daily. So far it seems to be working. I don't see any left after a few days. Hopefully I will be done in a week or so.
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