Urgh seriously.

Erica-Renee · Dec 16, 2018

Sarah24! said:
Hello ,

Oh wow, I just realized my thread has 100 pages now whoa. We are gonna need a lot more cupcakes for people to read my whole thread. (For those newbies cliff notes available this one time only 50% off for Xmas).

Some call it carb 101 I call it how to get above 90 pounds just once in my life, and or well stay there also is a good thing. But oh yeah @Katrina71 @Fin @NY_Caveman and @Brew12 and (where has @Erica-Renee been hiding?) also we have to @cracker in our planning of a R2R Xmas party

Working .... Some of us have to do that kinda thing... Been tough the last few weeeeeeeeeeeekkkkkkssssssss

Sarah24! · Dec 16, 2018

Hello,

Ahhhhhh their she is @Erica-Renee lol I thought maybe you fell down a drain pipe or man cover hole thingy that the gremlins come out of. How is your tank coming along and yes definitely know what work is like. I had over 100 hours in one week it’s crazy trust me.

NY_Caveman · Dec 16, 2018

Wow, 2,000 posts Sarah! I love arbitrary milestones, as you know. Thanks for sharing all of your funny stories and sleepless moments with us. I think there was some tank stuff mixed in too. My favorite story was still when you put the milk in the cupboard. Maybe because of all your stories, that one was all on you.

Erica-Renee · Dec 16, 2018

Sarah24! said:
Hello,

Ahhhhhh their she is @Erica-Renee lol I thought maybe you fell down a drain pipe or man cover hole thingy that the gremlins come out of. How is your tank coming along and yes definitely know what work is like. I had over 100 hours in one week it’s crazy trust me.

Tank is Doing well.. Getting the hang of this 3d printing thingie as well. Still have not completed the trim or build a new Over flow box for the tank. Suppose its going to be spring before i get it all done.

Life happens ...

Sarah24! · Dec 16, 2018

Hello,

Awwww thanks @NY_Caveman i have hit the 100 page milestone lol still need about 700 posts to hit 2,000 lol. Yes I’m terrible at staying on topic lol but love sharing my stories with everyone here

@Erica-Renee i have no idea what that is lol

Sarah24! · Dec 17, 2018

Hello,

Yesterday I finally was able to get the Xmas tree up, thanks to the help my my niece and nephew, in which I’m return we went to the nutcracker ballet. It was simply amazing and they all loved it.

I also did some tank cleaning and washed the filter socks and filter pads that I have in the sump tank. They were pretty gross to be honest. I can’t believe that xmas is next week wow. Oh I finally was able to get my secret Santa’s gift off and thankfully will be there this week in time for Xmas.

it was a lot of fun doing the secret Santa

Sarah24! · Dec 17, 2018

Hello,

Oh forgot to mention that my 425 will be done and shipped before then of December. Of course I just found out, since they left me a voicemail. Now I have to actually consider doing two tanks or doing just the one or heck I don’t know. I barely have time to brush my hair not alone do another tank.

I have to strongly consider how stressing it would make my other corals and fish if I moved them. I’m still not fond of ripping that one down, as excited as I am, it’s also nerve racking.

NY_Caveman · Dec 17, 2018

Sarah24! said:
Hello,

Oh forgot to mention that my 425 will be done and shipped before then of December. Of course I just found out, since they left me a voicemail. Now I have to actually consider doing two tanks or doing just the one or heck I don’t know. I barely have time to brush my hair not alone do another tank.

I have to strongly consider how stressing it would make my other corals and fish if I moved them. I’m still not fond of ripping that one down, as excited as I am, it’s also nerve racking.

I cannot imagine, but I still think one tank is best for your current life. Going to the 400 alone doubles your water volume. Adding it more than triples it. I cannot imagine how you are even going to fill the new tank, especially without an RO/DI unit. Sorry, I am probably not helping.

Sarah24! · Dec 17, 2018

Hello,

@NY_Caveman no I totally agree with you and it’s Honest which is important. Trust me I’d love to do this but I have to be realistic as well. I will definitely keep the tank and stand etc, and will keep it sealed in the wood box it comes in. I can always set it up when I have more time etc.

But I am sooo excited lol, but not thrilled about ripping my 240 down. However, the local aquarium offered to have their team do it for me, if they get to frag some of my coral. They also asked that if I decide to not use my 240 it would work amazing for one of their new displays.

As one can see tons to do, and I still have Xmas stuff to wrap.

Fin · Dec 17, 2018

You can set the big tank up, let it mature and then gradually swap stuff over. That would be the less stressful method, I would think. Make sure you carefully inspect that tank and make sure it is in perfect condition and don't just leave it in the crate. There have just been so much bad luck lately with people getting broken tanks - some even multiple broken tanks. Did you ever tell us who is building the tank? I know you are excited. I was excited just for my little 125 and for my 7 gallon even.

Sarah24! · Dec 17, 2018

Hello,

@Fin hkw would I do that etc this would be my first. I would need to have the tank setup basically to check for leaks etc. cracks I am sure I could see. It’s being made by custom aquariums which have been amazing. I think I have but lol who knows I am never on topic half the time. I’m soooooo excited to see this new tank.

Trying to figure out how much more live rock and sand I will need. With that said I will need to cycle the new one first which makes this hard:

Sarah24! · Dec 18, 2018

Hello,

So this is a flow question lol. So in two sections I have lost acros which I have always thought of something else causing. However it seems to be in the exact same spot as other corals. On the left side I didn’t realize the return pump was directly hitting said acros. On the right side the wave maker was on pulse but, when it went to stream two other acros were in the path of the wave maker. Would this cause then to slowly cause them to rtn?

I know that two of them are still alive because the Polps are still there. Their color is terribe but curious if that’s the issue? All water parameters are in line

Foothill Corals · Dec 18, 2018

No. Too much flow on an Acro results in distorted growth and or the tissue being ripped off the skeleton all while the acro is seeming to be happy the whole time. It does not cause STN.

I would look at instability. Unfortunately if you are still dosing Alk/Cal and topping off fresh water by hand I would not expect any real long term success with Acros.

Sarah24! · Dec 18, 2018

Hello,

Thanks for the input @Foothill Corals which I do dose and top off by hand everyday. With that said I still test my alk and calcium etc daily so I know where it is. Wouldn’t this be more accurate than a dosing pump (s) since they have failed or dosed too much of Too little? Granted yes it may not be all but if I’m doing it, I know exactly where water level is.

Was told by lfs that alk should range between 7-8 yet others say 8-11

Foothill Corals · Dec 18, 2018

Ya there is all ways the possibility of equip failure but if you buy a quality doser that shouldn’t happen. The advantage is you can split the doses up to keep things more stable. For example mine doses 150 times of each alk,cal and top off water over 24 hours. That is a little excessive but you get the idea. I like 7-8 for Alk and test a few times a week. One thing to keep in mind is when you see stn or rtn on sps is it may be from something that happened a few weeks ago. Acros are fussy things and not as easy to keep happy in a mixed reef as they are in tanks that are dedicated to sps.

Looking forward to seeing your new tank

Sarah24! · Dec 18, 2018

Hello,

Yes, you can thank my lfs for causing me chaos. They originally told me that most people prefer a mixed reef, it was harder but ideal. Now they say it’s not a good thing to have a mixed reef like I have. (Could they have made their mind up any later?)

I have noticed that some of my acros do really really well, and others great for awhile then just crash and burn. Figuring out why or what seems to be the issue. Specially when other acros are not even affected, or just some acans or some softies or who knows what (pick one on any given day). 90% of the time the tank does fine, other times it drives me where I lose the plot. Then after I have lost the plot I end up being labeled a daft cow).

So from what I have gathered acros love tons of flow which I have, but do not like it to be direct flow. I ask this because again in two spots, everything around them grows, great, but always those two spots. One again is in front of my left return pump nozzle, and other is the top wave maker. Since moving them, I have seen better polyp extension from those ones that look rough.

However also, I don’t really feed my acros or corals. Yes I feed pretty good to my fish, but they gobble it all up. My nitrates are close to 2-5ppm now all the time and phosphates pretty much undetectable and I average 7-8 on my alk, and cal is at 440-450, and Mag is 1450, and salt is 1.025. So I have had a few times where for example my nephew topped off with salt instead of ro and wow that was painful. The other was when I had a small alk swing from 7-8 to 6. But, what’s odd is the only corals that died were the ones in that flow section. In addition I also (when I dose) i pour it directly into the return pump section. So maybe them getting blasted by the return pumps (with the dosage in is causing it). I can’t say it’s lights simple because my Maximus clam that takes way more light is doing amazing. Plus other higher light sps corals are doing just fine.

But for another example my pc rainbow, was doing amazing, it then started to go south, the tissue looked ripped off. I fragged a piece before it was too bad. That piece is doing great but it’s in the same spot but not directly in the flow, and no issues. The other one however is struggling still, and I have moved the wave maker.

In terms of my 425 it’s Being shipped to me at the end of this month it’s finally competed yay. However, I have been so busy with work that I can’t even comb my hair. I’m not certain what I’ll do to be honest. I was going to have two tanks and the 425 be sps only. With my schedule it’s hard because I come home on my food breaks to dose and top my tank off now. The money per say isn’t such an issue it’s the time deduction. Plus if I move my 240, I have a whole set of other problems. I don’t want stress my system now, the corals or fish. I can’t use any of my live rock now or sand because that new tank will need to cycle. So even if I have one tank how am I gonna move my corals? It’s not like they are still confined to a plug, then have taken over their rocks as a whole. What use to be four rocks is now well one lol.

So more than likely I will pause on my 425 just until I have somewhat of a life again.

Brew12 · Dec 19, 2018

Sarah24! said:
Hello,

Yes, you can thank my lfs for causing me chaos. They originally told me that most people prefer a mixed reef, it was harder but ideal. Now they say it’s not a good thing to have a mixed reef like I have. (Could they have made their mind up any later?)

I have noticed that some of my acros do really really well, and others great for awhile then just crash and burn. Figuring out why or what seems to be the issue. Specially when other acros are not even affected, or just some acans or some softies or who knows what (pick one on any given day). 90% of the time the tank does fine, other times it drives me where I lose the plot. Then after I have lost the plot I end up being labeled a daft cow).

So from what I have gathered acros love tons of flow which I have, but do not like it to be direct flow. I ask this because again in two spots, everything around them grows, great, but always those two spots. One again is in front of my left return pump nozzle, and other is the top wave maker. Since moving them, I have seen better polyp extension from those ones that look rough.

However also, I don’t really feed my acros or corals. Yes I feed pretty good to my fish, but they gobble it all up. My nitrates are close to 2-5ppm now all the time and phosphates pretty much undetectable and I average 7-8 on my alk, and cal is at 440-450, and Mag is 1450, and salt is 1.025. So I have had a few times where for example my nephew topped off with salt instead of ro and wow that was painful. The other was when I had a small alk swing from 7-8 to 6. But, what’s odd is the only corals that died were the ones in that flow section. In addition I also (when I dose) i pour it directly into the return pump section. So maybe them getting blasted by the return pumps (with the dosage in is causing it). I can’t say it’s lights simple because my Maximus clam that takes way more light is doing amazing. Plus other higher light sps corals are doing just fine.

But for another example my pc rainbow, was doing amazing, it then started to go south, the tissue looked ripped off. I fragged a piece before it was too bad. That piece is doing great but it’s in the same spot but not directly in the flow, and no issues. The other one however is struggling still, and I have moved the wave maker.

In terms of my 425 it’s Being shipped to me at the end of this month it’s finally competed yay. However, I have been so busy with work that I can’t even comb my hair. I’m not certain what I’ll do to be honest. I was going to have two tanks and the 425 be sps only. With my schedule it’s hard because I come home on my food breaks to dose and top my tank off now. The money per say isn’t such an issue it’s the time deduction. Plus if I move my 240, I have a whole set of other problems. I don’t want stress my system now, the corals or fish. I can’t use any of my live rock now or sand because that new tank will need to cycle. So even if I have one tank how am I gonna move my corals? It’s not like they are still confined to a plug, then have taken over their rocks as a whole. What use to be four rocks is now well one lol.

So more than likely I will pause on my 425 just until I have somewhat of a life again.

I agree with putting the 425 on hold. It will still be there ready and waiting for when you do want it.

I would look at adding tank automation. An Apex or GHL Profilux with automatic dosers and an Automatic Top Off system would make your life much easier. The only thing I do daily is feed. Skimmer gets cleaned and filter socks get changed every 3 to 4 days. Chemistry checks are done weekly. ATO and dosing containers are refilled as needed. I think this would be a major quality of life improvement for you and help keep your tank more stable.

Bronc · Dec 19, 2018

Brew12 said:
I agree with putting the 425 on hold. It will still be there ready and waiting for when you do want it.

I would look at adding tank automation. An Apex or GHL Profilux with automatic dosers and an Automatic Top Off system would make your life much easier. The only thing I do daily is feed. Skimmer gets cleaned and filter socks get changed every 3 to 4 days. Chemistry checks are done weekly. ATO and dosing containers are refilled as needed. I think this would be a major quality of life improvement for you and help keep your tank more stable.

I agree 1000%.

Also, if you do decide to have both tanks running, I’d make the 240 your SPS tank and setup the 450 to have a bunch of different fish. I LOVE Angels but can’t have them in my SPS dominant tank, so I’d have a ton of Angels and softies in the 450.

Erica-Renee · Dec 19, 2018

I say Full speed ahead with the 450 gallon tank , I have the perfect spot in my basement for you to put it..

Lets make this happen and happen now..... you can even use my 200 GPD RO/DI System to fill it...

Good things happen when you apply pressure in the Right locations while putting enough effort into the Situation.......

Please use the side door..