BWV
Active Member
I began the ugly stage about 3 weeks ago, with brownish hairy algae and diatoms. (looked like em under the scope) It got pretty ugly...
The hair seemed to die down a lot, and diatoms mostly gone, I got excited that I had navigated that well.. but then cyano began and there's lots now.
(I have had Dinoflagellates Since July 14th.. they died down mid November.. I wont say gone yet.. but I think so)
I noticed my 2 of my three hammers looking less colorful this week (much.. I'd say "bleaching"), and the other hammer and torch seem to extend a little less (not clamped.. but not all out). All my coral has looked great from placing each in the tank 'til last week. Most still seem ok 'cept the hammers.
I tested (Tank chemistry was stable for a while.. so I got a little lazy.. weekly instead of daily, then bi weekly) and I see zero Phosphates and some increase in Nitrite now.(0.1 now) My thinking is the hair algae consumed the Phosphate. No idea why the nitrite increase.
--- My main concern is saving my Hammers... what is my next best step? ---
I began feeding more, in the hopes to get measurable Phosphate (pellet food).. but I just drove the Nitrates and Nitrites up instead.
I do 10% water changes every week, and usually a 20% once a month when I do the deep clean (filter sponge, gravel vac, etc..)
Tank was new July 5th, it's a Fluval Evo 13.5 gallon.
Data below (I have more data points, trying to be "breif")
Notes:
New light on Nov 9th - 3 hours at 85% blues, 70% white, 10% red with 2 hour ramp up, 2hr ramp down. (Aquaticlife Reef LED)
The tank was Fallow from Sept 20 to Dec 4 (ick.. maybe velvet, dunno.. gone now though..)
I dose 1ML of fuel a week, Reef Roids once a week (1/16th tsp, direct fed) since Nov 11th
I added Copepods and Phyto(10ml) Dec 11th
I add 1/2 dropper of Rhodo Feast once a week since Dec 11th and now Alternate the Reef Roids and Coral Feast since then as well (still only once a week)
Life in the tank...
3 Hammers(2X1 head and 5 head), a Torch(1 head), 2 leptoseris frags, 2 Cyphostrea, a 6 head Duncan, a Toadstool, some GSP, a Ricordia florida, 2 heads of Goniastrea, 3 hermits, an emerald mithrax, 7 snails (3 Astrea, 2 Nas, 1 Marg, 1 Cerith, 2 Nerite), and a Goniopora
All appear well except the now pale hammer, and the torch not extending quite as much.
Again... I just want to keep my Hammers and other coral healthy (and the fish) .. I'm not a vain tank person, and am ok with the ugly stage (felt like an accomplishment to get to it). I also don't "chase numbers", but I am aware, and do have goals once the tank is established (the commonly accepted/published "good" levels)
Can anyone point out a next step, or things to add, stop, or continue?
Thanks is advance.
The hair seemed to die down a lot, and diatoms mostly gone, I got excited that I had navigated that well.. but then cyano began and there's lots now.
(I have had Dinoflagellates Since July 14th.. they died down mid November.. I wont say gone yet.. but I think so)
I noticed my 2 of my three hammers looking less colorful this week (much.. I'd say "bleaching"), and the other hammer and torch seem to extend a little less (not clamped.. but not all out). All my coral has looked great from placing each in the tank 'til last week. Most still seem ok 'cept the hammers.
I tested (Tank chemistry was stable for a while.. so I got a little lazy.. weekly instead of daily, then bi weekly) and I see zero Phosphates and some increase in Nitrite now.(0.1 now) My thinking is the hair algae consumed the Phosphate. No idea why the nitrite increase.
--- My main concern is saving my Hammers... what is my next best step? ---
I began feeding more, in the hopes to get measurable Phosphate (pellet food).. but I just drove the Nitrates and Nitrites up instead.
I do 10% water changes every week, and usually a 20% once a month when I do the deep clean (filter sponge, gravel vac, etc..)
Tank was new July 5th, it's a Fluval Evo 13.5 gallon.
Data below (I have more data points, trying to be "breif")
Notes:
New light on Nov 9th - 3 hours at 85% blues, 70% white, 10% red with 2 hour ramp up, 2hr ramp down. (Aquaticlife Reef LED)
The tank was Fallow from Sept 20 to Dec 4 (ick.. maybe velvet, dunno.. gone now though..)
I dose 1ML of fuel a week, Reef Roids once a week (1/16th tsp, direct fed) since Nov 11th
I added Copepods and Phyto(10ml) Dec 11th
I add 1/2 dropper of Rhodo Feast once a week since Dec 11th and now Alternate the Reef Roids and Coral Feast since then as well (still only once a week)
Life in the tank...
3 Hammers(2X1 head and 5 head), a Torch(1 head), 2 leptoseris frags, 2 Cyphostrea, a 6 head Duncan, a Toadstool, some GSP, a Ricordia florida, 2 heads of Goniastrea, 3 hermits, an emerald mithrax, 7 snails (3 Astrea, 2 Nas, 1 Marg, 1 Cerith, 2 Nerite), and a Goniopora
All appear well except the now pale hammer, and the torch not extending quite as much.
Again... I just want to keep my Hammers and other coral healthy (and the fish) .. I'm not a vain tank person, and am ok with the ugly stage (felt like an accomplishment to get to it). I also don't "chase numbers", but I am aware, and do have goals once the tank is established (the commonly accepted/published "good" levels)
Can anyone point out a next step, or things to add, stop, or continue?
Thanks is advance.
