So jumping on for another update. As you can see from the previous picture, the hair algae has gotten a bit out of control. Whatever was growing on my sandbed before is now gone and was only a minor irritant. Went away by itself.
Now the hair algae is exploding. So with the philosophy of "heavy in heavy out", I maxed my fish load (or close to) pretty quickly with nothing but my roller mat and skimmer taking things out. I guess that translated into algae going nuts. So since the prior pic, it grew probably twice as long in one week (eek). It was so long the clownfish started hosting in it ! So I set about going after it. I turned down my feedings and swapped to frozen food for the evening fish meal. I started becoming more careful about removing the nori feeder grid things from the water after the fish were done, instead of letting it decompose. I also cranked my skimmer to wet skim. I also started dosing Microbacter Clean and Razer. Wow.. That stuff is incredible. Within 5 days, the hair algae is literally melting away. It's almost completely gone by today. Unbelievably effective.
On another note, from my first batch of corals only about half survived. None of the SPS or montis lived. In addition to my messed up parameters from my incorrect pH readings, I think the CoralRx in addition to Bayer in addition to peroxide was too much. No more coralRX in addition to Bayer. The fact I also QT'd some inverts with the corals did not help, as there was an ammonia spike when a snail died. Basically, a learning experience, which is what I assumed it would be. Both my small gonis lived, as well as some micromusa. They are now in my main tank on egg crate.
I ordered 'wave 2' of coral, mostly easy SPS, and dipped and QT'd them last week. Looks like I bleached the acro again, I am guessing it was too long in the peroxide. Frankly, Im just going to stop peroxide dipping the acros.. Its pointless since I clip them off the base anyway. Currently, I am doing the following:
SPS
10 mins Bayer
multiple rinses
LPS
10 mins Bayer
10 mins Brightwell Medicoral Rx
10 mins peroxide (depending on type of LPS)
My favia is happy as can be in the QT, my montis survived pretty well (a little bleaching on one), my green slimer is ok, oregeon tort is 50/50, and my smooth skin blue acro is completely bleached. I may have lost it as I don't think I see polyp extension.
What else has happened?
I added a Red Hawkfish and Midas blenny. Never thought I would love the Midas blenny so much.. he is so different than the other fish in how he swims and behaves. Awesome fish, so happy I got him. Unfortunately my Melanarus wrasse died several days after going in the acclimation box. It sounds like there was a problem with the supplier they were using, since they had many unexplained Melanarus losses couple days after getting them to the QT facility. This must just have been a delayed response.
In terms of fishroom/background things going on.
Avast kalk stirrer K2 is working well now that I figured out I need to add half a cup of kalk every 2 weeks to keep it charged up.
Parameters are doing much better since I figured out what had happened with my pH probe calibration. Slowly elevating my alk to 9, ca at 450, ph 8.3
After this algae situation is completely beat back, I think I need to cruise control the tank for a while and let things just calm down for a while.
Elliot from Marine Collectors says the Anthias are doing well in QT so hopefully those will be inbound soon ! Next update will be with more pics hopefully with the new fish
Now the hair algae is exploding. So with the philosophy of "heavy in heavy out", I maxed my fish load (or close to) pretty quickly with nothing but my roller mat and skimmer taking things out. I guess that translated into algae going nuts. So since the prior pic, it grew probably twice as long in one week (eek). It was so long the clownfish started hosting in it ! So I set about going after it. I turned down my feedings and swapped to frozen food for the evening fish meal. I started becoming more careful about removing the nori feeder grid things from the water after the fish were done, instead of letting it decompose. I also cranked my skimmer to wet skim. I also started dosing Microbacter Clean and Razer. Wow.. That stuff is incredible. Within 5 days, the hair algae is literally melting away. It's almost completely gone by today. Unbelievably effective.
On another note, from my first batch of corals only about half survived. None of the SPS or montis lived. In addition to my messed up parameters from my incorrect pH readings, I think the CoralRx in addition to Bayer in addition to peroxide was too much. No more coralRX in addition to Bayer. The fact I also QT'd some inverts with the corals did not help, as there was an ammonia spike when a snail died. Basically, a learning experience, which is what I assumed it would be. Both my small gonis lived, as well as some micromusa. They are now in my main tank on egg crate.
I ordered 'wave 2' of coral, mostly easy SPS, and dipped and QT'd them last week. Looks like I bleached the acro again, I am guessing it was too long in the peroxide. Frankly, Im just going to stop peroxide dipping the acros.. Its pointless since I clip them off the base anyway. Currently, I am doing the following:
SPS
10 mins Bayer
multiple rinses
LPS
10 mins Bayer
10 mins Brightwell Medicoral Rx
10 mins peroxide (depending on type of LPS)
My favia is happy as can be in the QT, my montis survived pretty well (a little bleaching on one), my green slimer is ok, oregeon tort is 50/50, and my smooth skin blue acro is completely bleached. I may have lost it as I don't think I see polyp extension.
What else has happened?
I added a Red Hawkfish and Midas blenny. Never thought I would love the Midas blenny so much.. he is so different than the other fish in how he swims and behaves. Awesome fish, so happy I got him. Unfortunately my Melanarus wrasse died several days after going in the acclimation box. It sounds like there was a problem with the supplier they were using, since they had many unexplained Melanarus losses couple days after getting them to the QT facility. This must just have been a delayed response.
In terms of fishroom/background things going on.
Avast kalk stirrer K2 is working well now that I figured out I need to add half a cup of kalk every 2 weeks to keep it charged up.
Parameters are doing much better since I figured out what had happened with my pH probe calibration. Slowly elevating my alk to 9, ca at 450, ph 8.3
After this algae situation is completely beat back, I think I need to cruise control the tank for a while and let things just calm down for a while.
Elliot from Marine Collectors says the Anthias are doing well in QT so hopefully those will be inbound soon ! Next update will be with more pics hopefully with the new fish