Looking for a reefing mentor

[saltysailor]

Do you think it would be beneficial to add an urchin?

 

[saltysailor]

I think your aquarium looks perfectly great.

I worry about expectations regarding aquariums. The internet has a way of making people feel like they aren't "keeping up with the jones"

I think corals grow much slower then "the net" talks about.

Most algae issue are related to finding something that eats it.

"Look at my 6 month old nano" post showing mini colonies or better are simply Reefers whom had/bought bigger corals.

My point is simple... have fun, learn as you go, and don't compare tanks to the internet.

Good luck finding someone to help guide.

Thank you I appreciate it but I am goal oriented and I want to be able to get this to look my tank and not see gha and enjoy it.

 

[X-37B]

Do you think it would be beneficial to add an urchin?

Yes, I have urchins in all my systems. Just make sure you have all your corals secure as certain ones do this.
The black spine ones don't pick up stuff. These 2 are in my ext 50.
I just took these.

 

[Rhetoric]

Thank you I appreciate it but I am goal oriented and I want to be able to get this to look my tank and not see gha and enjoy it.

I'm in sales, goals are important.

Both ideas can exist at the same time. Have fun, learn, and goals for a beautiful reef.

I like this post as you're in action with the goals. Im highlight a potential blind spot (that I've encountered) The other part of success is between the ears, and also requires action, often daily for myself.

Happy reefing!

 

[saltysailor]

I'm in sales, goals are important.

Both ideas can exist at the same time. Have fun, learn, and goals for a beautiful reef.

I like this post as you're in action with the goals. Im highlight a potential blind spot (that I've encountered) The other part of success is between the ears, and also requires action, often daily for myself.

Happy reefing!

Totally agree. I think part of the reason why I like it is solving the problem. Thank you for your help! Having fun just wanting improvement!

 

[saltysailor]

At the moment my only clean up crew is about 12-15 hermit crabs because all the snails keep dying. I just got my phos down to .02 but Im going to let the tank try to balance itself out without the media reactor per previous advice.

 

[exnisstech]

IMO one mistake made early on is trying to control too much. It creates instability by having parameters going up and down. I like to let N and P settle in naturally and see where it lands without intervention.
IME there is more to cause gha than just elevated N and P. I wish I knew the other causes lol. I have a tank that runs NO3 10- 15 and PO4 as high as 0.7 and I have zero nuisance algae. I have another tank that runs at or near zero N and P and has been a gha factory for over a year now.

 

[Idech]

At the moment my only clean up crew is about 12-15 hermit crabs because all the snails keep dying. I just got my phos down to .02 but Im going to let the tank try to balance itself out without the media reactor per previous advice.

Are you sure the hermits aren’t killing the snails for their shells ? If the hermits stay alive, there is no reason the snails are dying, except for the presence of predators.

 

[saltysailor]

Are you sure the hermits aren’t killing the snails for their shells ? If the hermits stay alive, there is no reason the snails are dying, except for the presence of predators.

It doesn’t look like it. Snails keep flipping and dying even the ones that are supposed to self fight

 

[saltysailor]

IMO one mistake made early on is trying to control too much. It creates instability by having parameters going up and down. I like to let N and P settle in naturally and see where it lands without intervention.
IME there is more to cause gha than just elevated N and P. I wish I knew the other causes lol. I have a tank that runs NO3 10- 15 and PO4 as high as 0.7 and I have zero nuisance algae. I have another tank that runs at or near zero N and P and has been a gha factory for over a year now.

How long does it take to have them settle would you say?? Just keep measuring it until it stays in 1 spot? Measuring what?

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

Thank you I appreciate it but I am goal oriented and I want to be able to get this to look my tank and not see gha and enjoy it.

This post I did a few years back may help you feel better.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/what-gha-has-taught-me.927980/

 

[saltysailor]

This post I did a few years back may help you feel better.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/what-gha-has-taught-me.927980/

Algae waving lol

 

[exnisstech]

How long does it take to have them settle would you say?? Just keep measuring it until it stays in 1 spot? Measuring what?

For me I don't really have an actually length of time. I'm a simple kind of reefer and have found, at least for me there is no actual number I target. My latest tank has been up for about 10 months and I've done nothing to reduce my PO4 or NO3 because the tank looks good.
Since you mention being goal oriented my method may not be for you. I'm more of a let's see what happens kind of reefer. Whenever people at work used to complaint about not reaching their goals I would laugh and tell them I'm never disappointed because I don't set goals. The tank in my tank thread is my latest but the thread isn't strictly focused the tank and has a lot of random jibberish and non reef related content ;)

 

[saltysailor]

I ordered some macro algae to put in the tank figure it might help with the phos and nitrate control if I’m not going to run the media reactor.

 

[X-37B]

I have traveling algae snails, lol.
I remove them from time to time and scrape it off. It's the only hair algae in my system except for the ext overflow.

 

[saltysailor]

I have traveling algae snails, lol.
I remove them from time to time and scrape it off. It's the only hair algae in my system except for the ext overflow.

Lol!

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

I think if u keep the system stable within tolerances ( for now ) practice good husbandry and maintenance, do the water changes, using rodi to 1.026 ( pls calibrate tools), buffer the fw off, reduce lighting if no corals and add an urchin, lawn mower. Ur no3 if it’s like 10-15 didn’t see it and po4 .18 isn’t bad. Don’t wanna show ya where I was living. The addition of some pods may help w the biome too.

 

[saltysailor]

I think if u keep the system stable within tolerances ( for now ) practice good husbandry and maintenance, do the water changes, using rodi to 1.026 ( pls calibrate tools), buffer the fw off, reduce lighting if no corals and add an urchin, lawn mower. Ur no3 if it’s like 10-15 didn’t see it and po4 .18 isn’t bad. Don’t wanna show ya where I was living. The addition of some pods may help w the biome too.

I’m going to try to keep the parameters stable as I can. Phos and nitrates will go up throughout the week but then it’s time for water change I guess.