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

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Susan Edwards

Susan Edwards

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You should see the five black ones roaming my tank. Two are the size of dill pickles (if one was green I'd call him Pickle Rick!), one is about 6" in length and the two large ones are full on turd size at this point.

Those two like to constantly stretch up and clean the sides of the tank. I think the two smaller ones find it tough to compete food-wise with the other three.
I will be searching for black...
 
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Susan Edwards

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alk is being used more and more, water changes are adding cal but not enough alk.
so cal is rising/holding ,alk is dropping faster,
sorry hope this makes sense to you.
i am manual doser ,3 decades of 0 automation... :rolleyes: ;) :)
So do you think my small awc are doing more harm for stability or should I continue to try to bring down ca
 

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alk is being used more and more, water changes are adding cal but not enough alk.
so cal is rising/holding ,alk is dropping faster,
sorry hope this makes sense to you.
i am manual doser ,3 decades of 0 automation... :rolleyes: ;) :)
I abhor water changes - and so far the bare minimum seems to be working out. I'm seriously contemplating an Ozone system as a permanent nitrate/waste reduction method.
 

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So do you think my small awc are doing more harm for stability or should I continue to try to bring down ca
yes...monitor ,keep in check ,less messing with the better... :)
"let it ride" find its groove .
 
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Susan Edwards

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I abhor water changes - and so far the bare minimum seems to be working out. I'm seriously contemplating an Ozone system as a permanent nitrate/waste reduction method.
I do as well, as well as believing that without keeps things stable--if there are no issues. Not to mention the cost with a big tank lol's. i used to do them mainly to vacuum the sand bed, but this tank, that is nearly impossible so I just rake weekly, esp the areas I know have issues.

I'll see what my numbers via trident are in the morning.
 
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Susan Edwards

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Happy 9 months old Tank day. Celebrated by buying a ton of nice corals from gws3 here on R2R! So excited. Ordered from his cut to order. Here is the list and some pics. I'm giddy-excited lol's. These will add some super nice colors and hey, I'm a pastel kind of gal! So in 2 weeks, I'll add frags of these beauties

Tyree Purple Dragon Eyes
Vivid’s Rainbow Delight
Tyree Pinky the Bear
RR Starfire
Chaos Cyphastrea
Oregon Blue Tort
Darth Maul Porites
Red Robin Stag
WWC Pantera Rose
UC Strawberry Shortcake

Here are some of the pics-either his or from the web.
download.jpg
Jq4bfSm.jpg
Oregon-Blue-Tort-SPS-pic-1-June-13-2019.jpg
q0o1Rxh.jpg
RR-Starfire-480x480.jpg
TVqoxdE.jpg
 
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Susan Edwards

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So mad at those DD fish (danged damsels). Hubby and I were checking corals tonight and I noticed a big empty spot! My tenius was gone. Poof! After much searching, found it. dang fish knocked it off the frag! Found some old putty and super glue and put it back. Got to figure out a way to get those fish out. Why oh why did I put them in there...

Came home from work and heard the awc DOS going (can hear at the front door as it is in garage) and thought Dang, forgot to turn off! So another 5 gal water change. Making 12 for the week or 5%

Parameters doing well.
No3 15
PO4 .05
Alk 8.1 via hanna, 8.2 trident
CA 480
Mg 1503

Trident testing now.
alk 8 manually dosing 15 ml now
ca 470 Will turn dosing back on when it hits 460--and low amts
mg 1469 Up just a bit as I took it down a bit

Still better.
 
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I love hearing stories about your damsels! I've managed to find 2/4 of the "hidey holes" for mine (they've been quite creative - finding recesses where I never thought any existed).

I've decided to nickname my pack bull sharks - as minus the blue color that's what they're starting to resemble. I'll try to get you a head on shot one of these days.
 
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Susan Edwards

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I love hearing stories about your damsels! I've managed to find 2/4 of the "hidey holes" for mine (they've been quite creative - finding recesses where I never thought any existed).

I've decided to nickname my pack bull sharks - as minus the blue color that's what they're starting to resemble. I'll try to get you a head on shot one of these days.
that would be great. Mine are very boring in coloration. I call my pack the DA's or DD's. 1 guess as to meaning lol's
 
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Susan Edwards

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Trident:
alk 8.3 Will see if it goes up today without manually adding. Will see what the noon and 6pm tests show
ca 470 good!!
mg 1469.

work this morning. Will clean glass and take pics when I get home
 

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that would be great. Mine are very boring in coloration. I call my pack the DA's or DD's. 1 guess as to meaning lol's
Here's one of my pet "bull sharks". This is either Huey, Louie or Dewie (can't tell them apart anymore).

bull-shark 2.jpg
 

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Here's one of my pet "bull sharks". This is either Huey, Louie or Dewie (can't tell them apart anymore).

bull-shark 2.jpg
Love the Huey, louie or Dewie. Donald Duck comics and cartoons rock!! What kind of damsels?
 

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Love the Huey, louie or Dewie. Donald Duck comics and cartoons rock!! What kind of damsels?
This one is a Blue Devil (3 in total) and "Donald" is an Azure blue/yellow mix. It's funny - I've been watching them for the last 15 minutes and they've divided the tank into 4 quadrants that each takes turns patrolling, lol.
 
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This one is a Blue Devil (3 in total) and "Donald" is an Azure blue/yellow mix. It's funny - I've been watching them for the last 15 minutes and they've divided the tank into 4 quadrants that each takes turns patrolling, lol.
that's hilarious
 
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So what to do about the start of algae again. Dosed Reef Flux back in May, got most of it. Now I'm seeing more of it. With those higher end acros coming in a couple weeks, i"m debating dosing again. I notice the urchin I got doesn't seem to eat any of the spots near it so maybe bryopsis (think I had a mix before of hair and bry).

My no3 and po4 are now good. They were in the 20 range and that prob. started the current algae but last 3 weeks or so, no3 has been 15 or under. Not ultra low. I'm aiming for 10, as it probably helps the lps corals to have what I have.

No3--8-15--dosing nyos zero and bio last month which has brought it down.
PO4 .05--dosing to keep po

I keep adding more hermits, crabs and snails. I can add more. I do want to add another 1 or 2 urchins, as well.

My dilemma is, if I dose, Reef Flux will kill my ulva lettuce and chaeto. I have a ton of ulva and my chaeto is about 4-5 inches around and almost a foot long. I don't want to lose my macro algae, esp if it is helping my no3

Should I just wait and see if the algae will die off on its own now that no3 is coming down? I really do not want to dose but I also do not want the algae to take over again and threaten my new acros. If I need to dose I'd rather do it now before the new frags arrive.

I do have the 40gal aio observation tank, but it is so neglected. I don't dose or even water change. Last time I checked, high no3. Once in a while I toss in some ca/alk/mg. I could float the chaeto in there under regular lighting and keep the ulva in a basket and float. Not sure the macro algae would survive in a neglected tank.

What would you do? Wait and see or take action sooner rather than later. If you look at the photo you can see the problem areas.

9 month tank picture
20220708_153437.jpg
 

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wait and see, jmo... :)
 

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I'd get a pair of lawnmower blennies. Mine is absolutely addicted to chewing on algae. Completely ignores any and all food except what he can scrape off rocks. He was even grazing on "Fat B a s t a r d" (one of the black sea cucumbers) today. I'll try to get you a video of that sometime... :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:

Plan "B" is "B" for blenny. Hopefully they'll be able to get things in-check before your algae goes wild and you have to entertain the nuclear option.
 
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I'd get a pair of lawnmower blennies. Mine is absolutely addicted to chewing on algae. Completely ignores any and all food except what he can scrape off rocks. He was even grazing on "Fat B a s t a r d" (one of the black sea cucumbers) today. I'll try to get you a video of that sometime... :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:
I have 1 lawnmower. He's more interested in the algae on the glass, back and front. Never see him hitting the chunks/turfs of it. Never see anyone at those. Hope it is not bryopsis or game over.
 

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I have 1 lawnmower. He's more interested in the algae on the glass, back and front. Never see him hitting the chunks/turfs of it. Never see anyone at those. Hope it is not bryopsis or game over.
Maybe I should "loan" you mine, lol. He's becoming comically fat gorging on all the coralline algae.
 

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