Jackie and Glenns 180g Reef Build

[prsnlty]

Day 1 dosing Vibrant has begun. Here is today's video for comparison later on.

 

[TimSc2013]

Hi jackie! Tank is looking great but I know how much that HA can be bothersome, particularly to the owner.
Just curious how much vodka and NOPOX were you dosing daily? I dose 16 ml of NOPOX along with running 2 cups of gfo on my 230g.

 

[prsnlty]

I've been dosing nopox at 8 ml per day since I have 0 no3 (possibly due to vodka) and since it bothers a few of my corals I split that dose into 2. I am low dosing vodka at 2ml per day, again since no3 is 0. I know it isn't much but that turned out to be my maintenance dose. Before dosing I rarely had no3 register in testing. I run 2 cups of gfo also but admit I am sometimes delinquent in changing it. One of the things I hate most about this hobby is dealing with the reactors. I despise them LOL! I need an Avast Spyglass reactor for Christmas to take care of that[emoji14]

 

[prsnlty]

I will note: after day 1 of dosing Vibrant there is 0 film algae on the glass today and the water is so clear that it doesn't look like there is water in the tank I will do a little more harvesting this morning to help keep the po4 swing as low as possible and start the waterchange water for tomorrow. I intend to do a waterchange right before each Vibrant dose to export as much po4 as I can but only 25g. That works out to around 13% and just a tad more than the 10% recommended. So, water changes twice a week for about a month if all I have read works out the same for my tank. Better get more salt....

I also read it will kill the chaeto off too Wish I had somewhere to put it in the meantime. The 45g isn't up and running yet and my grandson's sump is too small to fit my HUGE ball. Maybe a tote with a ph and light will sustain it? Hmmm

 

[ksfulk]

I'm not upto date on the current fish-stock (is that a word?) in your tank currently, but have you tried using a sea hare? Ive had some lingering hair algae issues and I couldnt get "over the hump" to knock it all the way back. I dont really have anymore available fish real estate in my tank for a rabbitfish, but I figured I would try a sea hare. And it really made a difference in the tank. Might be worth the $20-30 if you can source one locally. That coupled with the vibrant could really knock it back quickly. Still a gorgeous tank though! I looked through a lot of those recent shots thinking it looked really good, but once the algae was pointed out, thats where your eyes go - even if everything else is on the up and up! Good luck with the algae!

 

[143MPCo]

I also read it will kill the chaeto off too Wish I had somewhere to put it in the meantime.

I don't think you will see any issues with your chaeto, outside of it growing slower.

 

[143MPCo]

Jackie, I do have one question for you; do you happen to have an "iron" test that you can perform on your system?

Situations that might benefit from iron would be those where there is substantial macroalgae growth, with or without a microalgae "problem". In the case without any microalgae concern, the macroalgae may simply grow faster and thereby lower the nutrient levels in the tank that are otherwise undesirable (such as phosphate which can inhibit calcification by corals). Macroalgae growth is, in fact, one of the best phosphate export mechanisms in a reef tank, and optimizing this method may be very beneficial.

So one concern or rather the presence of iron in your water column "might" be a possible root cause as to the GHA. However identifying where it's coming from is a different story, but I would check things like magnets in your system (MP40 wetside), metal clamps, etc.

Just a thought, might not be this at all.

 

[prsnlty]

I'm not upto date on the current fish-stock (is that a word?) in your tank currently, but have you tried using a sea hare? Ive had some lingering hair algae issues and I couldnt get "over the hump" to knock it all the way back. I dont really have anymore available fish real estate in my tank for a rabbitfish, but I figured I would try a sea hare. And it really made a difference in the tank. Might be worth the $20-30 if you can source one locally. That coupled with the vibrant could really knock it back quickly. Still a gorgeous tank though! I looked through a lot of those recent shots thinking it looked really good, but once the algae was pointed out, thats where your eyes go - even if everything else is on the up and up! Good luck with the algae!

Thank you! Yes, I had a sea hare but after a month of munching he died He was quite large too.

Fish stock currently is:
5 blue chromis
Melarenus wrasse
Yellow coris wrasse
6 line wrasse
Pbt
Yt
Naso t
Yellow eye kole t
Coral beauty
Pr ocellaris clowns
5 banggai Cardinals
3 pj Cardinals

Inverts:
2 small rbta
Pincushion urchin
Tuxedo urchin
Blood red shrimp
Harlequin shrimp
Several red and blue leg crabs
6 emerald crabs
Many, many varieties of snails

 

[prsnlty]

I don't think you will see any issues with your chaeto, outside of it growing slower.

Thank you Alex I hope not

 

[prsnlty]

On another subject.... I think I need to move my purple slimer.

The story is: I purchased over a dozen frags at the same time way back when... 60% were not labeled and I got a few mixed up as to what they were long story short. I mixed up the purple slimer with a different stag and because of that it is growing too close to the purple monster, red Robin and green pocillopora. It also decided to grow wide instead of up.

 

[prsnlty]

 

[prsnlty]

Also, does anyone know of a safe way to kill off these palys? They spread like crazy and I've already removed several rocks because of them not realizing that they were babies on these other rocks

 

[prsnlty]

Check out this green slimer

 

[prsnlty]

On further investigation in regards to the purple slimer, looks like I should move the pocillopora, cut back and away the Blueberry fields tort and I'm not sure what to do about the red Robin and purple monster. The purple slimer is very well encrusted to that rock and will only grow back. Maybe if I frag off the horizontal growing branches it'll entice it to grow vertically. What do you think Alex?

 

[TimSc2013]

One of the things I hate most about this hobby is dealing with the reactors. I despise them LOL! I need an Avast Spyglass reactor for Christmas to take care of that[emoji14]

I agree that running and changing media in basic reactors is a pain. Thank you very much for introducing me to the Avast Spyglass reactors as I had not come across those before now. Unfortunately I have no room in my sump to add one...

 

[prsnlty]

I agree that running and changing media in basic reactors is a pain. Thank you very much for introducing me to the Avast Spyglass reactors as I had not come across those before now. Unfortunately I have no room in my sump to add one...

You're welcome I wish you had room... I have JUST enough room in the Cheato section in my sump. This will be my next purchase if all goes my way

 

[revhtree]

Check out this green slimer

Cool shot!

 

[prsnlty]

Thank you David ( @revhtree )[emoji1]

 

[prsnlty]

House was closed for a 3 day heat wave requiring AC so ph got real low. Ran all parameters and found dosing is way off. I brought them back up to normal now I have to see what's going on, whether the corals are sucking up the ca and ALK that fast or the doser needs recalibration. Ugh, never a dull moment [emoji14] Something to note. I haven't dosed mg in a real long time and it's quite high - hmmm.

Current parameters are:
Temp 77.9
Ph 8.14
Sg 1.027
Po4 0
No3 0
ALK 9.3
CA 450
MG 1500

Wc is tomorrow and will retest since my salt runs a little lower on some of these and due to the addition of Vibrant on Thursday. I also turned the doser off while I watch the numbers.

 

[prsnlty]

Some areas of ha are beginning to lighten up after only one dose which was yesterday. I did harvest as much as I could reach before I began dosing. The location in this picture is at the bottom and I could only grab a little.