What should I do??

[Perry]

I joke I joke

I just wished ppl would stop killing acros chasing some magic “stable” formula.

Yes, I know, and that humor is what I enjoy :) I also wish people wouldn't use tested nutrients for a baseline of success as well, and not refer to older proven methods as archaic, or outdated. Not you personally, but others I have seen getting heated over over the notion of keeping elavated "tested" nutrients, as if a crash of starvation is looming, or a nasty algae. Lighting, type of rock, filtration, feeding, bioload, and other variables are at play. This is a reason I prefer not testing, like how I am now thinking of lowering NO3 right now, all because I decided to test. Yeah, that and fighting every urge to dose flourish to elevate p04. Life on the reef my friend :)

 

[Cory]

There a two guys in my city that dont test anything and just do 30% water changes every week or two. Their tanks grow coral like crazy. One is a 300g with radions, a skimmer, live rock, and sand. Packed with sps. Not sure how his corals survive not dosing alk.

 

[animatedcorals]

I just tested the parameters on one of my sps qt/scrap tank for the first time in 3 months.

50% Water change - do you run any gfo or have any export systems? What’s your parameters normally?

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

50% Water change - do you run any gfo or have any export systems? What’s your parameters normally?

No gfo on any of my systems
This one just has a Nano tunze skimmer on it. I’ll be doing a parameter and WC update on it tomorrow.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

Did some testing for the first time on this system since I started the thread. I’m a little surprised but nothing too crazy. Sorry about the filthy glass

 

[Greg P]

Not end of the world readings, as you know. Low Alk only slows skeletal growth, and bacterial consumption of other elements.
With your N &P levels you could easily raise you Alk 1-2 points over time and see faster overall growth, and fuss with parameters. Or leave it alone for an easy to keep system.
Obviously you're doing nothing wrong as your critters are happy

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

Did some testing for the first time on this system since I started the thread. I’m a little surprised but nothing too crazy. Sorry about the filthy glass

The bottom is covered with bounce shrooms btw. You can see them growing up the front glass

 

[schuby]

Obviously, you need to buy a new tank! :eek: ;)

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

Obviously, you need to buy a new tank! :eek: ;)

Please don’t confuse the scrap tank with my main tank with all the Tenuis

 

[schuby]

Are the SPS in your scrap tank growing or has growth stagnated? Your low alk level probably inhibits growth, but what about the increased phosphate level of 0.58ppm? Have you found that it also inhibits growth?

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

Are the SPS in your scrap tank growing or has growth stagnated? Your low alk level probably inhibits growth, but what about the increased phosphate level of 0.58ppm? Have you found that it also inhibits growth?

Some sps grow like crazy in there and some have grown very little. I can say the same thing for my DT

 

[reefpizza]

Hi Charlie! Always impressed by your corals and your "think different" approach :)

 

[schuby]

Nice
Mine adds about 0.2
I have mine recirculating

When the CO2 media is exhausted, is the color lavender rather than purple? BTW, it's really hard to tell the color without opening the reactor because the reactor jar has a purplish tint.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

When the CO2 media is exhausted, is the color lavender rather than purple? BTW, it's really hard to tell the color without opening the reactor because the reactor jar has a purplish tint.

Yes, it turns lavender and it will go back to white if you wait too long. I usually just replace it when my ph starts dropping

 

[schuby]

Nice
Mine adds about 0.2
I have mine recirculating

Do you have a pic showing the co2 scrubber connected to skimmer lid? Is it DIY? Any issues with skimmate clogging hose?

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

Do you have a pic showing the co2 scrubber connected to skimmer lid? Is it DIY? Any issues with skimmate clogging hose?

DIY

I installed an emergency shut off sensor to prevent any moisture from back flowing into my chamber and then the sump. Learned the hard way early on.

 

[schuby]

So the regular vents in lid are still open and you added a new hole for scrubber? Is that white piece stuck in lid removable (and purchasable by others like me)?

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

So the regular vents in lid are still open and you added a new hole for scrubber? Is that white piece stuck in lid removable (and purchasable by others like me)?

I cut that hose with the plastic tip off of something I had laying around.