Lost Reef of Atlantis - 65g to 90-gallon!

[Rennurdoar]

Here are some pictures of all our sticks so you all can see them also. Let me know if you see anything that stands out I may not see.

Either way, thanks for the input and help! Just trying to figure out the cause The freebie may have just been slowing going down since we got it also. Never saw much pe on it except maybe one day.

On the sungod, it's the far left tips in the picture, not really the longes, but the two beside it. Maybe it is new growth? but I'm not sure.

 

[billyocean]

I'm just not sure on red sea testing for n03 p04..I use hanna and it seems pretty spot on with icp.

Then PE looks fine except for the sungod. The others aren't really PE monsters. I'm seeing encrusting as well on a few which is great. I'm assuming ypu have ATO and are keeping numbers stable

 

[Rennurdoar]

Lighting and Apex ss from this evening also.

 

[Rennurdoar]

I'm just not sure on red sea testing for n03 p04..I use hanna and it seems pretty spot on with icp.

Then PE looks fine except for the sungod. The others aren't really PE monsters. I'm seeing encrusting as well on a few which is great. I'm assuming ypu have ATO and are keeping numbers stable

No ato yet, just manually adding each morning and evening. I maybe add a quarter gallon a time? I have a marker and my LLS from apex to monitor my level. I just try to keep it within 1/4-1/2" on water level in the return part of the sump. When it's about a 1/2" low, I'll fill it up to my mark. I periodically check the Salinity with our TM hydrometer also. It's been staying at 1.0255 every check.

And gotcha, I'll have to invest in some hannas on my first check with the new job. Had been wanting to get some, but thought the Red sea was ok for now.

 

[Rennurdoar]

I'm just not sure on red sea testing for n03 p04..I use hanna and it seems pretty spot on with icp.

Then PE looks fine except for the sungod. The others aren't really PE monsters. I'm seeing encrusting as well on a few which is great. I'm assuming ypu have ATO and are keeping numbers stable

Yeah, almost all have started encrusting, so that always made me feel good lol. Like, ok, so they're growing, they're happy.

 

[Rennurdoar]

I think I'll continue the dosing and just hopefully everything settles down for me. I have a tendency to overreact or do more than needed. So, getting on here and getting opinions help. I'll continue to monitor everything.

Here's the other side of the Sungod also. The first side you saw above was very pale white when we got it. Like it hadn't been getting any light. So I placed it that way so it could get light on both sides. Before it was completely smooth with no polyps. The polyps have started growing in on that side since we've had it though. Not many, but some.

Good side/full side:

 

[billyocean]

I think I'll continue the dosing and just hopefully everything settles down for me. I have a tendency to overreact or do more than needed. So, getting on here and getting opinions help. I'll continue to monitor everything.

Here's the other side of the Sungod also. The first side you saw above was very pale white when we got it. Like it hadn't been getting any light. So I placed it that way so it could get light on both sides. Before it was completely smooth with no polyps. The polyps have started growing in on that side since we've had it though. Not many, but some.

Good side/full side:

Yeah man..that pic looks fine. Heavy/random/indirect flow is best. As long as you aren't blasting anything with constant direct flow the flow should be fine. I would invest in an ato before you buy ANYTHING else. It's one of the most, if not the most important pieces of equipment you can have for stability. You can DIY a gravity fed ato for cheap or buy one and use a 5 gallon bucket with a lid to save money. No matter the "fancyness" I would recommend that before the testers. If your Water volume is always changing then test results will always be changing. I have a tunze 3155 and love it but it's not low cost. People sell used ones all the time too if you look in marketplace or local club.

 

[Rennurdoar]

Yeah man..that pic looks fine. Heavy/random/indirect flow is best. As long as you aren't blasting anything with constant direct flow the flow should be fine. I would invest in an ato before you buy ANYTHING else. It's one of the most, if not the most important pieces of equipment you can have for stability. You can DIY a gravity fed ato for cheap or buy one and use a 5 gallon bucket with a lid to save money. No matter the "fancyness" I would recommend that before the testers. If your Water volume is always changing then test results will always be changing. I have a tunze 3155 and love it but it's not low cost. People sell used ones all the time too if you look in marketplace or local club.

Yeah, one thing I always do is make sure I top it off to my mark before testing. I usually wait an hour after I top it off also. I've thought about rigging up a gravity one out of my 5-gallon bucket I use. I have a 'cheap' ato, I just use the pump for topping off manually though. Not sure on the sensor if it is good or bad. I had been looking at the Tunze, or rigging my own ATO up. I am an electrical engineer, I'm just a little lazy sometimes. Haha

 

[billyocean]

Yeah, one thing I always do is make sure I top it off to my mark before testing. I usually wait an hour after I top it off also. I've thought about rigging up a gravity one out of my 5-gallon bucket I use. I have a 'cheap' ato, I just use the pump for topping off manually though. Not sure on the sensor if it is good or bad. I had been looking at the Tunze, or rigging my own ATO up. I am an electrical engineer, I'm just a little lazy sometimes. Haha

Think about it like this...is it better to drink a gallon of water once per day or over the course of a day? In essence your letting it slowly change salinity over the course of a day then immediately going all the way back to were it was quickly. $150-$200 to help thousands of dollars in coral. It's not the sexy purchase but a necessary purchase IMO. On the lights..Have you used a par meter on anything yet? The schedule and intensities and or what the eye can see don't mean a thing. I know this from experience...lol..it can be quite surprising. Not as much where I thought and way more where I thought wasn't much.

 

[Rennurdoar]

Think about it like this...is it better to drink a gallon of water once per day or over the course of a day? In essence your letting it slowly change salinity over the course of a day then immediately going all the way back to were it was quickly. $150-$200 to help thousands of dollars in coral. It's not the sexy purchase but a necessary purchase IMO. On the lights..Have you used a par meter on anything yet? The schedule and intensities and or what the eye can see don't mean a thing. I know this from experience...lol..it can be quite surprising. Not as much where I thought and way more where I thought wasn't much.

Definitely makes sense on the ato.

No par meter yet, hopefully borrowing one from an LFS tomorrow if they got it back in. I've just put photone and used it on my new phone. Showed around 470 at the top of the water. Most are 3" to 12" under the top of the water.

 

[billyocean]

Definitely makes sense on the ato.

No par meter yet, hopefully borrowing one from an LFS tomorrow if they got it back in. I've just put photone and used it on my new phone. Showed around 470 at the top of the water. Most are 3" to 12" under the top of the water.

I tried that. Par meter will let you know for sure. There's no reason to "chase l" numbers with it but it will definately illuminate any Hotspots or dead spots

 

[tbrown]

What's the Alk?

 

[Rennurdoar]

What's the Alk?

10.5 last time I checked. Checking again this morning also would like it to be around 9

 

[billyocean]

10.5 last time I checked. Checking again this morning also would like it to be around 9

10.5 and low phosphate and nitrate will apparently burn tips from everything I've read. High alk/low nutrients is rough on acros.

 

[Rennurdoar]

10.5 and low phosphate and nitrate will apparently burn tips from everything I've read. High alk/low nutrients is rough on acros.

I was reading that earlier also. Hopefully get our alk back to around 9. Get phos up some and hopefully see things turn around. After lights were out, looking at the frags, everything looked ok/better. Didn't look like tissue was missing or anything.

 

[tbrown]

10.5 last time I checked. Checking again this morning also would like it to be around 9

That was my problem... Alk over 10 (10.8-10.9) and phosphates non-detect. I had a couple STN from the tips and the base.

Do you use R/O for top off?

 

[Rennurdoar]

That was my problem... Alk over 10 (10.8-10.9) and phosphates non-detect. I had a couple STN from the tips and the base.

Do you use R/O for top off?

Yup, I usually make a new 5-gallon batch each week so far. Seems to use about 5 gallons over 7 days.

 

[tbrown]

Also, after talking with @billyocean originally for the same problems, I was dosing 20ml a day in my 125+30 sump for almost a month. Gotta check those numbers though and watch. My Salifert was still showing just barely above 0, Hanna said I was at 0.25 when I finally started getting a reading. I stopped that day for 4 days and tested again for my daily dose. I'm currently dosing 5 ml every day and a second dose of 5 ml twice a week.

Are you struggling with Cyano at all? Even in small amounts on the sand and rock?

 

[Rennurdoar]

I'm going to check water parameters here shortly. Fiance wanted to do a garage sale, so that's what we're doing currently haha. I'm hoping it's used some alk, and it's dropped some when I check today. Going to also just start adding in small doses every hour or two of no3/po4 instead of all at once. Definitely need to get a couple kamoer going

 

[tbrown]

Yup, I usually make a new 5-gallon batch each week so far. Seems to use about 5 gallons over 7 days.

What's the Alk on the top off water? Have you tested that?