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

insanhai7

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I figured to go with RS equip. as they are designed for the tank. They suggest 3 of the lights but the lfs suggested we might want 4 eventually, so as my hubby will do the light fixture, if we want 4, I need 4 now.
 

blaxsun

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Don't you just wish your tank would get stable and just stay stable! At least for a few weeks lol's.
The short answer is yes. Just when things are doing great... they're not. I've got 3 leather polyps that have all retracted for some reason and a large flowerpot that's bailing on me.
 
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Susan Edwards

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The short answer is yes. Just when things are doing great... they're not. I've got 3 leather polyps that have all retracted for some reason and a large flowerpot that's bailing on me.
When I had leathers, they did this all the time. Nature of the beast I think. The goni? So sorry. They are fickle. I finally have a goni that is thriving. Hopefully the alveopora does as well. Off to work. Will see what my tank is like when I get home. Another acro partially bleaching. 2 pcs. 1 bleaching, the other not so not sure I should move down or not. It's about mid way so not high at all
 
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Susan Edwards

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Got my tank temps down to 78.9 in sump (with small fan) and 76-77 display with fans and A/C set to 74. Office has ceiling fan, one behind my desk and brought in big garage fan to generally stir the air in here. Hoping that helps the new acros.

no3 9 and po4 0 yesterday.

This seems to be a trend: nitrates between 7-13 and po 4 0-.06. Was .1 the other day after very heavy feeding of flake, and pellet and frozen. Cut neophos in half, didn't overfeed and next day back to zero.

So I will keep adding neophos 2x's a day--10-12 each time. Dropped nyos zero to 2ml in 2 dosages, and bio at 3-4 in 2 dosages. Nopox at 12. This seems to be keeping things stable. Been testing every 1 to 3 days. Think I can pretty soon go longer. What I'm doing isn't keeping the algae from continuing though. Prob. have to dose reef flux again as it is encroaching on corals. That means doing something with the macro algaes.
 
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Susan Edwards

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Okay, it is 1245. AM! And what am I doing? Not going to bed... Came in to check on the tank before going to bed--white and blue flashlights (I'm sick. I am a night voyeurs). And what do I see? A big branch of my digitata monti on the sand bed! And then I look some more and see this big "rock" on the sand. It's my big goni colony! It was plugged into a nice hole. Been there since Oct. Coral is nearly a year old come Aug.

Betting those DD's had something to do with it seeing how there were not 1 but 2 coral casualties. So I got out the putty and glue. Failed to get the plug in the hole. Rip it back out. Remove plug altogether and got it close to where it was. Hope it isn't too upset.... One of m y pride and joys!

Now to get more glue off my finger tips....
 
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Susan Edwards

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Goni seems to be alright!! A lot of polyps still retracted but most out and long. Lights just coming on so we'll see later if it is back to a nice big ball.
 
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Susan Edwards

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Quick update.... Life sometimes gets crazy! Going to Vegas on the 15th and so much to do before. Watching my granddaughters the weekend before so it will be come home Sunday and leave Monday! Nuts! I only work 2 days next week. Hopefully they don't need to ask me to work more!

Tank is in better shape this time than my last trip. Much more stable.
No3 at .8 which is too low. Didn't do the 2nd doses of nyos zero/bio but did the mb clean as I'm trying to get rid of algae. Seeing maybe some signs of it maybe being affected--a bit of white here and there. PO4 at .02 so will keep dosing 20 ml neo phos. And adding some coral powder food to water.

Still waiting to see how the new acros do. They all lost their color. 2 kept their polyps, the cyphastrea looks good. 1 more is starting to show polyps. Under a blue light at night I can see some color now. I know it can take weeks and months for them to recover color. They looked great from shipping. I can only think my higher temps affected them. Pretty sure my lights are no where near what they were used too so maybe that too. I should try upping them back to 100/40 which is approx 21k. Or go 100/50 which is 20. I'm at 90/40 now.

Decided to not use Reef Flux before my trip. I want everything to stay stable. If I cannot see the algae getting better then I'll treat. 2nd doser with the RS Trace Colors is working great. Dosing 3 ml of each, adding strodium (sp?) 2x's week. Sent off an ICP test and that will determine if I dose more of iodine (or supplement as I have a bottle) and iron.

Working on my 45 gal observation tank so I can put a bubble tip in there. Needs bit water change and retesting. Put a 2nd light (old one for my sump) and a basket of chaeto. 1st batch melted. We'l see on this one. If it does, I'll just replace as my chaeto is expanding fast! Once I get no3 down, I may not keep chaeto in there. Tank is an aio so nowhere else to put it. Might try some of my frags in there to see if they survive. I have so many broken bird's nest, digitata etc littering the ground of my tank. Makes it hard to rake the sand.

Have an issue still with the alk. Adding it to the 45 and it also turns to snow. Wondering if I should switch brands. Might start a thread and get opinions. Very frustrating.
 

Jedi1199

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Okay, I have to rant a bit. I just did another cuc order with reefcleaners. 185 bucks. I did ups overnight as the last order, via priority mail was late and had a good 50% loss. This order I had 42.00 loss. The loss was once again with the same animals I've tried before: turbo snails, prickly ceriths, chitons and a crab. I got 1 refund for 23.00 instead of 24. No biggie as when I put in after several days for the rest, I adjusted what I was owed (this wasn't the first time my "refund" was less than what it should have been--usually for a lot more than a dollar and I just went with the flow so to speak. Esp. the last order where I had a 50% loss and didn't get the refund I had calculated.

I had let John know after the chitons were refunded that I was waiting a few extra days on the snail and ceriths. Today I let him know that none of them had moved or shown life. He refunded to correct amount but now says he won't guarantee live arrival as my account has higher losses.

I'm irritated as at his suggestion I used ups overnight and the same problem animals still did not make it which to me speaks that they are shipping out inferior animals either already dead or not healthy enough to survive overnight shipping. 1 crab arrived in water brown and foul! Last order with crabs, same thing. 1 not making it. And I let him know!

It's his business, and I can't believe I'm the only one who has doa's. Maybe no one else asks for refunds but this is an expensive hobby and I can't pay for what I don't receive. And almost 200.00 order to me isn't a small order or even an small customer to just brush off. This is horrible customer service and I am not at fault here.

edit: so now john says he refunded because even with ups overnight I had losses but won't in future. I copied his alive on arrival statement on his website and told him it was his policy to guarantee live arrival, not refunding out of the goodness of his heart. That's it for me.

On a good note: I won another LA gift card
On a sad note: My diamond goby is either dead or dying. It's been losing weight. I know there is enough food in the sand as I feed super heavy. Plus I'm sure there are pods there are my mandarin is a fat little pig


So its not just me!!

I ordered a large CuC from there a couple weeks ago. I went with the 2 day shipping option. $135 order. I met the mail carrier at the door so the box never even touched the ground at my home. I could smell rot right through the box. Opened it up and at least 50% DoA. Lost a crab that had punctured his bag and arrived in a bag with no water in it. ALL of the larger snails were DoA. The smaller ones were ok, but after reading this, and the lack of a reply from the vendor, I will never purchase from them again.

Edit. One of the large snails, I got arrived in a bag of dark brown water that smelled so putrid I almost think it was dead for 3 days in the bag before they shipped it.
 
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Susan Edwards

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So its not just me!!

I ordered a large CuC from there a couple weeks ago. I went with the 2 day shipping option. $135 order. I met the mail carrier at the door so the box never even touched the ground at my home. I could smell rot right through the box. Opened it up and at least 50% DoA. Lost a crab that had punctured his bag and arrived in a bag with no water in it. ALL of the larger snails were DoA. The smaller ones were ok, but after reading this, and the lack of a reply from the vendor, I will never purchase from them again.
So sorry you went thru this. I've had multiple issues and at times, the John just goes off. On this last order he tried to say he was doing a refund only because I used UPS and his website clearly offers refunds. He was not super nice, though at the end he apologized but yeah I'm done. Esp. after he said he would not offer the live on arrival any more for me due to "heavy" loses on my account. Trying Oceans garden again. I did have a lot of doa's and didn't bother with a refund. Will try them one more time.

We need a new cuc vendor...
 

Jedi1199

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So sorry you went thru this. I've had multiple issues and at times, the John just goes off. On this last order he tried to say he was doing a refund only because I used UPS and his website clearly offers refunds. He was not super nice, though at the end he apologized but yeah I'm done. Esp. after he said he would not offer the live on arrival any more for me due to "heavy" loses on my account. Trying Oceans garden again. I did have a lot of doa's and didn't bother with a refund. Will try them one more time.

We need a new cuc vendor...


The first batch of CuC I got for my 55g I ordered off of Ebay. Same 2 day delivery but everything arrived alive and well. Not nearly as elaborate of a mix of stuff... but at least they were alive when I got them.
 
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Susan Edwards

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Nearing month 10 in 2 days and couldn't be happier with the tank. Well, okay, I wish there was no algae and my new acros get their color back, but overall, pleased.

since starting to dose the Red Sea Trace elements I'm noticing some nice coloring. My plate coral now has bright green flesh starting. Also, my left for dead Lobo is making a come back. I'm also, at night with a blue flashlight seeing some coloring on my brown acros and my original duncan seems to be exploding with growth.

also came up with a solution to the clearview feed doors that often fall into the tank. I'll be leaving the tank for 2 days for my hubby next weekend and then leaving for a week with my girl friend in charge. Neither one likes sticking hands in tank. This doesn't look very nice but I can always remove for pictures or redo them later. The doors now float instead of sinking like a rock

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lubeck

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So sorry you went thru this. I've had multiple issues and at times, the John just goes off. On this last order he tried to say he was doing a refund only because I used UPS and his website clearly offers refunds. He was not super nice, though at the end he apologized but yeah I'm done. Esp. after he said he would not offer the live on arrival any more for me due to "heavy" loses on my account. Trying Oceans garden again. I did have a lot of doa's and didn't bother with a refund. Will try them one more time.

We need a new cuc vendor...
Not sure I saw where you got your cuc but I got mine from reeftopia and was very happy. I did purchase in January though so weather Was pleasant.
 
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Susan Edwards

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Just cut my nopox from 12 to 8 as no3 is 1.2. Down from yesterday even! Po4 is at .06. Will keep dosing neophos at 20 ml a day. If it goes up I'll cut to 15. Been feeding flake and pellets plus 2 feedings of frozen.

Today:
alk 8.83
ca 453
mg 1481
No3 1.2
Po4 .06

Staying pretty stable. Even the apex atk is holding pretty good. As long as the overflow doesn't mess up, my ro is reliable! Going a good week and more without having to adjust.
 
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Susan Edwards

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Your fungia tentacle plates are looking just awesome - keep up the great work! Enjoy your vacation! :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:
Going to take care of my 2 granddaughters on friday, back on Sunday. Then leaving Monday for vegas. Home Sat. Hoping everything stays stable for my house sitter!
 
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Susan Edwards

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Cut nopox down to 4ml. PO4 jumped to .11. Will retest tonight. NO3 .8.

Some good news with my new acros. Checked them with both blue and white flashlights after lights out and room lights out.

Blue tort finally had polyps. My other tort also only has PE after lights out. Wonder if that is a tort thing.
Red Robin Stag has 1 or 2 polyps.
Panera rose looks good. Pinky in color and has pe even during day. Hope it gets better color
branching Chaos cyphastrea looks good. Maybe some growth even
Purple Dragon eyes still looks dead
Vivids Rainbow showing some PE
Strawberry shortcake not doing much. Possible some tiny pe . hard to tell
RR Starfire has 1 green tentacle in most nodes.
Pinky teddy bear might be getting some pe

so am hopeful that these are recovering
 
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