Reefer 170 build
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OP
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Things have been going well, I ordered some frags from Fraghouse corals, they all came in as nice large frags, way bigger than the wwc and tsa frags i have previously purchased.
There is a little cyano in the front left of the tank so I decided to experiment with injecting the sand in that area with dr Tim’s waste away so well see what it looks like tomorrow. If it doesn’t work I’m just gonna clean the sand bed as its does have a little bit of detritus buildup.
There is a little cyano in the front left of the tank so I decided to experiment with injecting the sand in that area with dr Tim’s waste away so well see what it looks like tomorrow. If it doesn’t work I’m just gonna clean the sand bed as its does have a little bit of detritus buildup.
OP
OP
Injecting the sand in the cyano areas with dr Tim’s waste away didn’t work, so now I’m gonna try adding a power filter and see how that affects it. I have been waiting for the power filter parts for 2 weeks now Amazon hasn’t been very fast.
OP
OP
I went out of town for 3 days and came back to see my alk dropped to 7dkh and my ph got up to 8.38. My Alk was 8.7 and ph maxed at 8.21 when I left. I think my dozer was off but am not sure, maybe I should buy something better than the jebao doser3.4.
I bumped the tank 0.2dkh with bicarb today and made sure the dose is running so well see what it is tomorrow.
As for the ph I changed co2 scrubbing media brands the day before I left and that must have had a big effect. I switched from brs to two little fishies and so for I like the tlf much better, it actually changes colors, the brs never did.
Everything else in the tank is looking pretty good. The only other little issues are my pink hammer stinging my torch and a emerald crab eating my sun kissed bounce. Both off these issues I noticed before I left and regret not do anything about them but you can’t change the past.
I bumped the tank 0.2dkh with bicarb today and made sure the dose is running so well see what it is tomorrow.
As for the ph I changed co2 scrubbing media brands the day before I left and that must have had a big effect. I switched from brs to two little fishies and so for I like the tlf much better, it actually changes colors, the brs never did.
Everything else in the tank is looking pretty good. The only other little issues are my pink hammer stinging my torch and a emerald crab eating my sun kissed bounce. Both off these issues I noticed before I left and regret not do anything about them but you can’t change the past.
I was Surprised to see Alk drop and pH spike, seems counter intuitive but you are probably right, CO2 media could explain it. It could also explain the lower Alk. Higher pH results in more Alk consumption in the tank. So it might have been a pH spike then Alk drop.I went out of town for 3 days and came back to see my alk dropped to 7dkh and my ph got up to 8.38. My Alk was 8.7 and ph maxed at 8.21 when I left. I think my dozer was off but am not sure, maybe I should buy something better than the jebao doser3.4.
I bumped the tank 0.2dkh with bicarb today and made sure the dose is running so well see what it is tomorrow.
As for the ph I changed co2 scrubbing media brands the day before I left and that must have had a big effect. I switched from brs to two little fishies and so for I like the tlf much better, it actually changes colors, the brs never did.
Everything else in the tank is looking pretty good. The only other little issues are my pink hammer stinging my torch and a emerald crab eating my sun kissed bounce. Both off these issues I noticed before I left and regret not do anything about them but you can’t change the past.
Is your new light a radion? Diffuser now?
I had never heard of a witch hazel treatment. I read the write up. I am the skeptical type but I’m glad you feel it worked. Anytime someone says “leading scientists” without crediting individuals I get suspicious but it doesn’t look like the guy is selling any special potions so it could just be me being cynical.
I miss my RSR 170. I like your open rock structure.
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OP
OP
Thanks, I found my low alk odd too but after confirming it with another test kit I chalked it up to the co2 scrubber. I thought the alk drop could have been from consumption but the jebao doser’s app isn’t very clear, it has multiple pages to turn the dozer on/off and no directions to explain why. So well see what the alk consumption is over the next few days.
It is a Radion xr30 g5 blue with no diffuser and a spill shade (so it doesn’t blind me on the couch). I’m running it at a peek of 60% with a nice ramp up and down on the AB+ setting most the the day.
Upgrading to it from a AI Hydra26 made a dramatic difference in my corals color.
I did order a couple GNC Blue Ray PRO’s for my build coming up in January so stay tuned for that as it seems to have better spread than the xr30 for $100 cheaper (currently).
I was unsure about the treatment too but things weren’t doing well so i gave it a shot. I will say the most important part of the treatment is to figure out what started the issue. I have talked to people who have used the treatment but started to see decline when stopping it. I believe multiple issues contributed to my stn/rtn the main one being large alk swing and not enough light.
The structure was pretty easy to make I just used a hammer, Marco rock, and brs thick super glue (it is the thickest I could find).
The Radion xr30 g5 is a TON of light for a reefer 170. You should be very happy with results. I use an old Hydra26HD but would get a radion if I had to replace it.
I am not familiar with GNC lights but I think Radions are best in class for spred. I look forward to seeing your new build and your comparison of those lights.
OP
OP
The cyano continued to slowly spread even with increased flow so I decided to feed it some chemiclean and as you would expect it did the trick. I also used this as a chance to give the tank and sump a good cleaning.
After the chemiclean treatment I added a temporary UV sterilizer to help with a little bit of ick.
My firefish had a couple ick spots after beginning introduced to this tank that were overcome with a little selcon in its food; so when my hippo tang arrived with a little ick I just added it to the tank. Most of the ick on the hippo went away but there have been a few lingering spots so I figured a little uv would be an easy fix. No other fish have caught ick since I added the hippo.
Yes, I should have quarantined all of my fish as I got them but I didn't.
After the chemiclean treatment I added a temporary UV sterilizer to help with a little bit of ick.
My firefish had a couple ick spots after beginning introduced to this tank that were overcome with a little selcon in its food; so when my hippo tang arrived with a little ick I just added it to the tank. Most of the ick on the hippo went away but there have been a few lingering spots so I figured a little uv would be an easy fix. No other fish have caught ick since I added the hippo.
Yes, I should have quarantined all of my fish as I got them but I didn't.
It’s never really gone, in my experience. You might think about a more permanent UV set up. Very effective and keeping ich at bay when combined with good nutrition, etc. Or you may find yourself running your temporary set up periodically, which is ok too.Ick on the hippo was gone after 2 days of UV, but I’m gonna leave it on for a while to be sure.
OP
OP
Tanks been great, I started dosing saturated kalk (along with tmy current brs soda ash 2 part) to help keep the ph up and have noticed lots of growth at the bases of the frags. I can see a noticeable difference from day to day.
Ph has been between 8.06-8.25
Also not a sign of ick since I took off my up steralizer.
I switched one of my nero3’s for a jebao scp-90 and I gotta say the gyre is way better for my tank, it just moves so much more water without hitting corals like a jet.
I ordered some sodium hydroxide and plan on trying Randy’s ”Second New DIY Two Part Recipe with Higher pH Boost” next week and hopefully I can get rid of the co2 scrubber, but well see.
Ph has been between 8.06-8.25
Also not a sign of ick since I took off my up steralizer.
I switched one of my nero3’s for a jebao scp-90 and I gotta say the gyre is way better for my tank, it just moves so much more water without hitting corals like a jet.
I ordered some sodium hydroxide and plan on trying Randy’s ”Second New DIY Two Part Recipe with Higher pH Boost” next week and hopefully I can get rid of the co2 scrubber, but well see.
OP
OP
I set up a mastertronic today, so far so good.
My Hanna nitrate checker tends to read a couple points lower than my icp tests so I’m pretty happy with the mastertronics first test results.
I am also going to add trisodium phosphate to my doser tonight as dosing 0.03ppm 3 times a day is getting old.
My ph has been great staying between 8.2 - 8.4 with my current sodium hydroxide dosing so I am now adding sodium carbonate to keep up with the alkalinity consumption (inorder to not push the ph up too high).
I can’t wait to get my bigger tank set up and clean up this one, as I am starting to run out of room.
My Hanna nitrate checker tends to read a couple points lower than my icp tests so I’m pretty happy with the mastertronics first test results.
I am also going to add trisodium phosphate to my doser tonight as dosing 0.03ppm 3 times a day is getting old.
My ph has been great staying between 8.2 - 8.4 with my current sodium hydroxide dosing so I am now adding sodium carbonate to keep up with the alkalinity consumption (inorder to not push the ph up too high).
I can’t wait to get my bigger tank set up and clean up this one, as I am starting to run out of room.
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