Susan's RS Reefer 3xl 900 Fantasy-Dream Build

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Susan Edwards

Susan Edwards

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Leaving tomorrow for a few days with grandkids. back Sunday, then leaving Monday and back sat. So anxious leaving my tank!!

No3 6 today and po4 2!!! Added some phosguard. Good to have some numbers here as I have been bottoming out. Not sure why po4 jumped so high though. haven't dosed neophos in 2-3 days.

There is so much algae. Even with low or almost bottomed out numbers which tells me that the algae is sucking up nutrients. I should dose reef flux while I'm gone but my chaeto.... Harvested half of it today. Put some in other tank. It doesn't thrive there as it is just a basket in the display and lights are not on 16 hrs. I have a separate light on the chaeto though. When I get back, I'll add another basket of chaeto and ulva to that tank and dose the big tank. Will leave some chaeto to see if it survives. If I shut the UV pump off, I could block the inlet and outlet flows of that 2nd sump and just keep the flow going in there while I dose. Guessing the tank can go a week or 2 without UV

Did some upkeep on the 45g aio. Discovered both powerheads were so clogged with algae neither were working! First time I tried citric acid. Hands down much better than vinegar! Both powerheads working. Got an old jebao wavemaker working and put that in. Have a spare low power PH for that tank now.

Did the sandbed on the big tank and then the diy snow. Sunday when I'm back, I'll dose MB clean. Wondering if I can mix mb clean and 7 at same time.

Harvesting phyto tomorrow. Will let it sit and start new batch monday morning. Been harvesting at 4-5 days. Cultures were crashing--I think due to heat as 3 jars with led strips around them got the area too hot. Fan seems to help so we'll see if it can go mon to sat. Need to harvest lots of pods as well to make room for adding phyto while I'm gone.

At night seeing tons of pods in display. Good as I want a scooter blenny again.

Nothing new, good or bad with tank. Pretty stable. Just algae. Oh, the DD's laid more eggs.... And Dave still hangs in his "spot". With the goby gone, I need to add another one or 2 sand sifting gobies. And find a couple black cucumbers.

fingers crossed.... Hubby in charge of tank Fri-Sun am, my non-reefing friend Mon-Sat. Thank god for Apex, mobius app, red sea reef beat app. I can control just about everything except my skimmer
 
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Susan Edwards

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I think there is probably some bryopsis in there. Hard to tell. Regardless, it is taking over again. Nothing I have is eating any of it. Last time I treated, it didn't get it all. The majority but not all. I figured the UV would help with algae! Might turn up the pump. I'm also rather surprised with my very low nutrients that it is thriving. Ugh. Always something...
 

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I think there is probably some bryopsis in there. Hard to tell. Regardless, it is taking over again. Nothing I have is eating any of it. Last time I treated, it didn't get it all. The majority but not all. I figured the UV would help with algae! Might turn up the pump. I'm also rather surprised with my very low nutrients that it is thriving. Ugh. Always something...
When you get back from holidays feel free to drop me a line. Maybe we can figure out a solution to get rid of it once and for all... Have a great trip!
 
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Susan Edwards

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thanks! Here is what I have. Not good pics but best I can do. Some white on some but that might just be stuff I blasted from sand maybe.

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Having a good time on our trip. Glad I can check all my equipment from afar except skimmer. ATO decided to go nuts before we left. 1 inch higher. Thought it was due to me adding a 2nd powerhead in 2nd sump--maybe pushing water out faster. But the ato brute in garage had gone down several inches!!! Filled it back up and it still went down. Sensor is completely under water so not sure what is going on. Have sitter watching. Turned the ato off. When the level is right I can turn it back on. That seems to be the only issue.

Got my laptop out last night and discovered it had bulged! The lith battery was going. Just had this happen to my tablet last month. So we ran around vegas, found a best buy and had them remove the battery as it was now a fire hazard. Lucky it still works with the power cord! Cost 40 bucks plus a new battery when I get home, and cost to install...

In the last month I've had to replace:
tablet--battery going, case bulging, ready to pop off
Lap top--bulging so bad, couldn't shut
fitbit watch--wouldn't sync, lost time, couldn't sync to correct time

A crazy and expensive month!

One more day here. Tempted to go check out fish stores. But it is so hot, I'm not sure I can keep corals cool enough on way home. Maybe with ice chest We shall see!

Missing my tank, and really want to test!! Testing is beyond my friend/sitter. hoping my phyto doesn't crash before I get home on Saturday. And pods...

good news tonight--actually won 100 bucks on slots. Vegas is just not as good as it used to be. Used to be able to play a 20 dollar bill for an hour. Or longer. Not anymore. The slots are bigger, fancier and there are not nearly as many. Not as many people either. So rather disappointed in that aspect of trip.
 

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good news tonight--actually won 100 bucks on slots. Vegas is just not as good as it used to be. Used to be able to play a 20 dollar bill for an hour. Or longer. Not anymore. The slots are bigger, fancier and there are not nearly as many. Not as many people either. So rather disappointed in that aspect of trip.
The last time I was in Vegas (has to be at least 15 years now) I played an entire afternoon with the slots for $20 - so I can definitely relate.

My aunt's husband worked for the casinos for many years - back when Sinatra, etc. frequented (and when they were under "different" management). I remember some of the interesting stories he shared about Bobby Darin and some of the other celebrities he got to know. I really got the impression it was the golden age back then.
 
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Susan Edwards

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Home tomorrow! Whoo hoo. Nice to get away but I miss my fur babies (6 cats, 2 dogs) and my tank! Esp. when the stupid ATO isn't working. That ATK has been a thorn in my side since day 1. The return area is still an inch over 6", ato is off still. Sitter says brute can goes down an inch or 2 but that has to be evaporation as the garage is hot. Will have to address this tomorrow and sunday to figure out what is going on. Hoping my new frags have survived without my ever watchful eye on them or being able to ck salinity or the other numbers.

But it was good to get away. Didn't even gamble as much as I had allowed!!! Had a great dinner to celebrate our 44th anniversary early (26th). Black Angus. Lobster and steak. Doesn't get much better than that!

battery for my laptop should arrive Sunday. Another trip to best buy to install.
20220819_171129.jpg
 
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Home Sweet Home or Tank Sweet Tank!!

All survived. I think I was a bit lucky this time as my friend was totally distracted when I went over things with her. I left a schedule AM and PM and figured she'd be okay as she's done this for me before. Ugh. No. Never checked the overflow. and kept topping off the ATO Brute even though I texted to let it go so I could see how much water was dropping. She refilled it twice... ATO was off as return area high. I just got lucky nothing was off. 2 of the cats who can't jump to get food elsewhere had no food... A lot not done this time. No going away for a while unless it is to my daughter's and hubby stays with house.

All that said, things look good. No idea why my return area is 1.5 inches too high with no ato on. You'd think there'd be evaporation but I do have things cooler in the house and no fans in sump area (did not want her to mess with fan and saltwater!) So I just need to watch and see.

Did 80 ml MB clean. Algae so bad I treated with Reef Flux. I think most of it is bryopsis, so no point in trying to wait. It's starting to smother some corals now. I know my no3 will climb as it dies off. It is at 1 today so will watch that closely. PO4 at .04. Left the 1 bag of phosguard in my reactor--took out everything else except the zero media. If I need I'll add another bag to the first section where water comes in.

Removed some more chaeto to the observation tank. Hoping I don't lose what is in my refugium. But at least I have some. Should be able to keep some going to add back in. Might up the lights for it.

My darth maul porite has colored up really nice. The cinnimon palys are looking bleached. Not sure if it is the low nutrients or too much light. A couple of the other new acros are showing some color. 1 has green on base. The RR Starfire. I'll be using my blue light later to see what is coloring up and has PE.

Looks like an explosion of snails on my back wall.

Tomorrow plan to soak all powerheads and gyres in citric acid. I have a ton of coraline now.

bleached payls
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snails galore
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fox coral not happy. Plan to move tomorrow
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The 3 to the right of the elegance were not doing well except the mi ddle lobo. The one to the left was nearly dead--all skeleton and a faint bit of color. It is coming back nicely. The other lobo is getting some more color. it was all brown when I got it and no orange. The pictinia waas also nearly gone and it has made a come back. Even the elegance is looking much better.
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The porite has a nice showing of red.
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Susan Edwards

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Leaving skimmer on but turned all the way down so my co2 scrubber still works. If I get skimmate in cup I'll open drain back into tank.

Ugh. Off for tonight at least. It's foaming. Will try again tomorrow as I want my ph to stay stable.

Got some nice coloring under blues on the new acros that turned brown. Hopeful...
 
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Wow! Cleaned my 2 RS 45's and 2 mp 40's yesterday and my flow is waaaaayyyy up! My poor elegance, bottom center, was getting totally blown. Moved it back toward the rock a bit and turned the gyres down from 60 to 50% and played with how and where they pointed. Left the mp's at 40 and 45%. Used citric acid and love it better than vinegar.

Couple of my new corals are showing some color at the bases and a bit more color, mostly seen under blue flashlight with lights out. Very hopeful that they will recover and turn pretty again.

Keeping a close eye on numbers. No3 is zero and po4 .07. Took nopox off line. Will feed heavy today

Also this am, alk is higher, so is ca. took each of them down a bit. not sure if the reef flux had any affect. I added to my dosing bottles yesterday but that can't have any affect. Strange.

alk 8.86
ca 503
mg 1529

Edit: figured out why higher. I've been adding in concentrated saltwater as salinity dropped. Will prob. have to cut dosing even more. Still adding in some new saltwater.
 
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realized I dosed reef flux for 200 gal and prob. have closer to 220. Ordered some more. Will add another 2 capules, maybe 3 or 4 depending on how it does.
 
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So I finally witnessed Dave, the brown/white sea cucumber moving. He's always a slug haha, lounging under the main arch. I see that he's moved an inch here or 2 inches there. But no big movement. Today he gave me a heart attack as he was on the sand. Away from "his" rock. Thought he was dead. Then saw him inching along. He disappeared shortly after. Tonight he is up on the rhodactis rock which is toward the back.
 
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Seeing some algae die off which means most of what I have is bryopsis. The algae is loosening and breaking off, strings, and starting in spots to whiten. Prob. will have to do a 2nd dose. Tomorrow will see what I can pull out. Prob. should add 2-3 more capsules as I dosed for 200g not 220g. But will wait.

Testing on day 3 of treatment. Skimmer on but draining into socks.

PO4 .23 (wow) Addiing in more phosguard!!
NO3 .8 Figured it would be higher. Will leave skimmer drain in socks for now. No nitrate dosing (nyos and nopox)

Will feed pellets tonight but no broadcasting coral powder as that raises po4
 
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Coral report. I check these guys at night with a blue flashlight.
Strawberry shortcake-seeing a tiny bit of color during day and more under blues at night
Vivids Rainbow--Color at base under blue flashlight. Also some growth at base
Purple Dragon Eyes.. Still brown
Red Robin Stag. 1 frag white, 1 brown
Pinky the Bear--some color under blue at night
Tenius Pantera Rose looks good. Never browned. Good Pe
Darth Maul Porite-getting a nice red base color. Great Pe
RR Starfire has some green during day and more color at night under blue
Cyphastrea chaos has always looked good.
Blue Tort showing green tips under blue light and some PE now at night

A couple frags may not make it. And I expect months before I get good color
 
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Doing a bit of a coral update. Had no3 at 3 and po4 at .08 so that is good. Bryopsis algae is melting away which confirms that it was indeed bryopsis. Again. ATO and return area still being finicky. It goes along good for a couple of weeks then seems to need tweaking!

Saw lots of PE (small but there) on many of the new frags. Like watching a pot of water boil lol's. But I really want them to not only survive but thrive!

I call this sea cucumber Dave and he is a "Dud" as all he does is hang on rocks. Never see him in the sand. So I give you Dudly Dave. This is btw a new rock for him

POST 1
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Duncans. The larger one is now a year old. Started off as one small head in my old tank. One of the 1st LPS to survive once I got rid of the nasty toadstool.
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Plate coral. Not sure if it is happy. Not as many tentacles extended and has had mouth partially open since I got back from my vacation
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Elegance
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New frag. UC Strawberry Shortcake. Starting to see color and polyps on tips
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Tenius
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Yellow tip tort. Was a couple of nubs in January
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Oregon Blue Tort. Getting some PE during day now and looks to have some growth starting
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WWC Panera rose Tenius. Never lost its color. Been doing great. Getting more color now. Good PE.
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Browned Tyree Purple Dragon Eyes. Might be getting some color on tips
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Micromusa
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Lobophyllia. One on left was dead. Or nearly so. Down to skeleton with 1 ring of color
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Vivids Rainbow Delight. Color coming in at base and there is pe and there is hope!!
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RR Starfire. Kept its PE. Starting to color back up under blues
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Tyree Pinky the Bear. One of the ones I really want to survive! Today there was PE. bad pic. Also seeing color under blues. Blue Monti digitata frag next to it. It's a give away frag I wanted off the sand
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galaxia. First time I spotted stinging tentacles on this piece. Might have to shift rock
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