TheWB’s IM Lagoon 50

[TheWB]

Ordered the Salifert Magnesium test kit from Amazon.
They sent the Salifert Nitrate test kit instead so I had to reorder.
I was hoping to test today so that was kind of a bummer. Mag test should be here tomorrow.

 

[TheWB]

Amazon did it again. Package arrives today, wife opens it, what do I see but another Salifert Nitrate Test Kit. Seriously. Two days in a row they send me the wrong test kit. I go back and look to make sure I didn’t do something stupid, this is always a definite possibility. Nope, I ordered the Mag test kit two days in a row and received the wrong kit both times. Unbelievable. At least it was only one trip to Kohls Amazon return station instead of two. I’m not sure what it’s gonna take to get the right test kit but I guess we’ll see if they get it right tomorrow.

 

[jcolliii]

YIKES!!! Hoping that the 3rd time i the charm... I forget that Kohls does Amazon returns, but hopefully that is convenient for you.

 

[TheWB]

YIKES!!! Hoping that the 3rd time i the charm... I forget that Kohls does Amazon returns, but hopefully that is convenient for you.

Can you even imagine the lack of attention to detail it would take to screw this up a 3rd time?
Kohls is roughly a 5 min drive at most so it’s very convenient for any Amazon related boomerangs.

 

[cwerner]

At this point I'm thinking the same thing will happen again. They probably mis-stocked and no one knows enough to know the difference besides the 'Salifert' on the box.

 

[TheWB]

At this point I'm thinking the same thing will happen again. They probably mis-stocked and no one knows enough to know the difference besides the 'Salifert' on the box.

You’re probably right. Who do I call to complain to down at the Amazon?
Remember when we used to be able to pick up a phone and call an actual person to take care of a problem? Now you just send an email and hope.

 

[TheWB]

Because I know everyone was hanging on the edge of their seats yesterday here’s the update. Amazon managed to get it right the third time so I’m the proud owner of one Salifert Magnesium test kit. Yay.

 

[TheWB]

Boring parameter update after testing. I did a 4.5 gallon water change on Monday I think it was. Todays testing results.
NO3 down from 7.7 on 3/15 to 7.2 today.
PO4 stayed the same from 3/15 test at 0.03.
Alk down from 8.6 on 3/15 to 8.4 today.
Cal up from 435 on 3/15 to 440 today, within the test margin of error.
So everything stayed pretty stable over the last 10 days with one roughly 12% water change in between. Have also been adding about 4ml of NeoNitro every day or every other day, sometimes I forget.
Also used the Salifert Magnesium test for the first time and that came in at 1365 so I can start tracking that now.
I’ve started to get some of that green tuft algae that I’ve had issues with before so I dosed some Flux RX to nip that in the bud. I can’t seem to find anything that will eat it so gotta go the chemical route. It’s only really on one rock I can see but it’s a rock with the red monti cap on it and I just want it gone. Flux RX does a good job and to my eyes has never affected anything else in the tank.

 

[TheWB]

Check out my phenomenal art skillz.

https://tenecoraquariums.com/products/tenecor®-hushflow™-aio-all-in-one-diy-kit-coast-to-coast-20-gallon-long

 

[Oredigger77]

Wow, that's a pretty great idea, simple like most of the best ones are.

 

[TheWB]

Wow, that's a pretty great idea, simple like most of the best ones are.

Thanks, That drawing isn’t as distorted as it looks, it was the camera angle.
I think its hilarious that they are using it, if only temporarily.

 

[TheWB]

Boring test results again.
NO3 at 5.6 with sporadic dosing of NeoNitro. Trying, but not very hard, to get this up to about 10 and keep it stable.
PO4 at 0.05
Cal at 420 down from 440 last week with 4ml of two part dosed last night.
Alk at 8.0 down from 8.4 last week with 4ml of two part dosed last night.
Mag down to 1290 from 1365. This is the only one that was surprising because I didn’t think Mag got used that quickly. If that’s actually quick, no experience with testing it until last week. Also who knows if my testing is accurate, I‘ve only done it twice.
This tells me that the tank is finally consuming things at a rate you would normally be expecting. And it only took 3 years.
l think my next move is to order some All For Reef and see if baby steps of dosing that will keep things stable.

 

[TheWB]

Look at this ridiculousness. What started out as this innocent little one inch frag.

Has become this monster. Had a power outage for about an hour and a half today which caused it to sort of droop and let me see just how large this thing has become. Apologies for the pic, even with the filter on the camera it turned out really bad.

I think it’s gotta go. I’m running out of room.

 

[tharbin]

Well it took me most of the day but I read your whole thread. Very nice tank and journey. Think you need a few more corals though...

 

[tharbin]

Keeping forgetting to tell you; love your signature quote. Truly an inspired statement.

 

[TheWB]

Keeping forgetting to tell you; love your signature quote. Truly an inspired statement.

Thanks, I enjoy the word salad stylings or Mr Berra immensely.
Congrats on making through the entire thread, that’s quite a commitment and there are no rewards when you finish lol. I agree I need more coral but since we are potentially moving pretty soon I’ve had to slow down. Been busy trying to dial in the Cal/Alk consumption and make some easy sps frags grow so getting more hasn’t been that much of a priority. I was just offered a frag of a toadstool similar to a weeping willow by a friend that I need to make time to go get, after all, it’s free, just somewhat inconveniently located. Other than that probably no new coral for a while and actually that stupid xenia and the enormous Zoa patch the clowns live in are probably getting pulled out soon so I guess I’m going the wrong way on coral.

 

[TheWB]

It’s gotta go and the LFS won’t take it. Not that that was a surprise.

If anyone asks the Xenia is upstate at my grandparents farm where it has more room to run and play with the other Xenia that are too big for their tanks. Absolutely no foul play is suspected.

Never again.

 

[cwerner]

You'll probably have your nitrates and phosphates spike heh.

 

[TheWB]

You'll probably have your nitrates and phosphates spike heh.

Yes, I am expecting that and countermeasures are in place. Skimmer is back on 24/7 now and I’m mixing up a water change for tomorrow depending on where they end up.

 

[TheWB]

I started dosing All For Reef 3 nights ago, 4ml per day, although I fell asleep on the couch and forgot to do it last night. About to do some testing and see where I’m at. Xenia monster has been out of the tank since yesterday afternoon. I know that was keeping my nitrates suppressed so that will be an interesting one to watch as well, even just a day later.