FWIW, just tested my first batch of IO since switching back to IO, here's what I got (not that you asked, but I hate testing, and I have to do it anyhow, so I'm going to tell anyone who listens now what #'s I come up with).

SG@1.025, dKH=11, Ca=340, Mg=1110. Interesting that one salt has the Alk and one has the Ca. Maybe a mixture of both is the answer? :lol:

Re-label it... Make Millions of $$$! :mrgreen:

Hey,

I couldn't send you a PM. But about that stuff we talked about yesterday. I did some research and didn't find anything else to add beyond what we chatted on.

Hope that helps.

P.S. Think I could be more cryptic?

Josh...did you ever test out a batch of new water...Im curious to know what you got?

I would but the tank is still running on half the lighting it normally has....some of my sps on the dim side of the tank are beginning to suffer.:neutral:

Actually this is the first stylo I have tried....tried poccilapora twice before with no luck.

Not yet, but after loosing my CBB, I am gonna make a batch today for a water change.. I'll let you know, I will be into the shop today.

Instant H2Ocean:question:

Ive had a bit of a run of bad luck with the tank, that has left me with a serious case of the blahs. Its gotten to where I didnt want to come home and look at the tank tonight.

It started off a couple weeks ago when one of the ballasts in my tek light died. As I posted earlier the tank has been running on half wattage since then, waiting on a new ballast. The sps on the dim side of the tank are all starting to suffer. Some color loss and browning in one or two. The ballast is in so I be be back at full wattage again tomorrow night. The whole issue has left a bad taste in my mouth regarding the tek lights. Unfortunately upgrading to two 36" ATI powermodules (first choice) would set me back over $2000 and is simply out of reach atm. Soooo tek it is....for now.

In the process of doing some pruning recently I broke my candycane from where it was epoxied in, so Friday night I decide to "stick" it back where it was. As I am pushing it in place the entire center portion of my aquascaping shifted about 3" to one side:bad-word:....I thought the whole thing was coming down but I managed to stabilize it enough to work on fixing it. So I moved a few sps colonies to the sump and tried to fix the slide. We all know what happens when you move something in a reef aquarium....It didnt go back to the way it was and I am not happy with the new look. By this point my frustration level had peaked and I figured I would just get the stuff in the sump back in the tank and fix it later when I mellowed out a bit. As I am bringing my large orange monti from the sump it slips a bit from my grip and as I try and save it from hitting the floor, I squeeze and snap it into about twenty pieces:frusty:

Then last night I had to switch my lights off manually because I changed the timer from "timer" to "manual" mode. I guess the sudden and unusual blackout spooked my male hooded fairy wrasse and he "Peter Panned" 6' out of the tank onto the hardwood floor.:surprise:... I was standing right there and if I was on the ball probably could have caught him...as it was, he wasnt out of the tank for more than 15 seconds but when I put him back in the tank he spiraled down to the bottom and disappeared in the rockwork. I looked and couldnt find him this morning when the lights were off, but found him dead this evening when I got home. I know its entirely my fault for not covering the tank which makes me feel even worse.

*takes a deep breath*

Sorry to hear about the wrasse. That's really odd that only 15 seconds did him in .. wonder if he hurt himself or somehow went into shock. :(

I've done similar things with SPS colonies. Don't laugh, but here's a suggestion (I've done this, or rather, "have had to do this", myself) .. you can glue them back together with superglue. They look a little Frankenstein at first, but they eventually grow over the seams.. FWIW..

Whoa Doug, not been a good week at all! So sorry about the wrasse. :cry: Maybe just hit the floor too hard? Best of luck on the aquascape repair. :neutral:

That sucks Doug :( I feel for ya

ugh, that sucks Doug.

Hope everything turns around for you mighty quick, I heart your tank

Sorry to hear about the Wrasse Doug. Ours did the same onto the hardwood floor. I gave him a 9.5 out of 10.0 as he did a double half twist and smacked and stuck (with no bounce).......it took him a couple of days but he recovered. I think we got very lucky.

Hard wood floor and flying 6 feet. A small fish like that could have bonked his head pretty good and caused the death.

Sorry to hear about the bad luck!

What a fascinating story, I look forward to finishing it when I get some more (steal) free time, lots to learn in this story. Thank you.

I have been reading your thread all morning, 11.45 now have to go and do some work. (may need a bigger tank!!!)

Wow...must have been bored:mrgreen:.

Thanks for the comforting words guys and gals. Ive been feeling alot better about the tank...Kevin installed the new ballast in my light for me so I can now look at the tank without noticing the lack of light. I even managed to fight off the urge to console myself with a "big ticket" splurge buy for the tank.

I did another bulb swap though:biggrin:... so here is the new spread.
front giesemann actinic+
KZ new gen
aquascience blue
giesemann blue+
kz new gen
back giesemann actinic+

Heres how it looks

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...e/IMGP2979.jpg

and some shots of the tank etc.
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...e/IMGP3007.jpg
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...e/IMGP3013.jpg
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...e/IMGP3012.jpg
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...e/IMGP3009.jpg
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...e/IMGP2980.jpg
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...e/IMGP2981.jpg
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...e/IMGP2982.jpg
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...e/IMGP2985.jpg

That blonde naso is larger than I expected... :lol: but looks great! How come there is a dark spot on that one bulb?

Um... mild camera glitch? I was having a heck of a time getting it to focus.

Looking awesome Doug!!!... Sit back and enjoy it now and quit stressing out!!

Cheers
Lawrence

Camera you got from me?

My, my, what a cute little Naso you have there!

I think the tank looks great! Are you finding the tang is helping you out?

You should understand:biggrin: So much time and effort invested...its hard not to stress about it.:lol:
No....twas mine olde one:mrgreen: Keep forgetting I have the new one:neutral:
Catherine Ive been telling him about his future home...how he has to grow up a bit before he can go live with you.:wink: He is like the stay puff marshmallow man ....he is soooo fat. So, not sorry I added him.

More pics:becky:
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...e/IMGP2990.jpg
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...e/IMGP2991.jpg
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...e/IMGP2992.jpg
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...e/IMGP2993.jpg
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...e/IMGP2994.jpg
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...e/IMGP2995.jpg

And still....more pics.

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...e/IMGP2996.jpg
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...e/IMGP2998.jpg
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...e/IMGP3000.jpg
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...e/IMGP3002.jpg
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...e/IMGP3005.jpg
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...e/IMGP3006.jpg

looks awesome Doug, but in person its just exquisite

Of all the interesting things I've seen and read today, I think this one takes the cake, and requires in the very least an explanation, although a photo explanation would be much more fitting methinks.

What...why...where is that quote from??? If you want interesting pics all you have to do is ask:wink::mrgreen:

Thanks John:redface:

Hahah, it was from another thread here about TA glue I believe.

Show me them photos!

I must have totally missed that one...

You show me yours and ....:Banane28:

Well I figured 6700gph wasnt quite enough so......

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...e/IMGP3014.jpg

So at full throttle that would be 9100 gph......Notice to fish: you are officially on a new exercise program....Notice to lps and softies: hold on to your polyps.:biggrin:

It sure kicked of a storm of detrius and crap when I fired it up:lol:

Oh, how I want one of these!

Nice purchase Doug... I got one of those going in my 187.. :mrgreen:

But you would have to re-stable your ponies...:lol:

Like I said at the store mang.....your gonna need/want two......maybe three:mrgreen:

Im quite impressed so far with the vortech. Second thing I had to do when I cranked it up (after adjusting the overflowing skimmer) was, I had to adjust the gate valve on the left side drain (the side that I placed the vortech on, I wanted to put it on the right side of the tank but my frogspawn it right there), as the vortech created a void in the water column and the water level fell inside the overflow. It says in the manual that an undertow will form and they wernt kidding. The vortech is 1' directly above where my nems are and the undertow from it caused them both to shift positions on the island that they are on. I hope they dont "jump ship" and let go.I really wish they would devise a way to point these things....probably the only shortcoming of the pump.

I have a big decision to make....My previously mentioned frogspawn has been becoming increasingly un-happy with the increases in flow Ive been making. This was one of my first corals and in the course of a couple years its gone from being a small fist sized piece, to the human head sized showpiece(IMHO) it is today. I dont really want to part with it (and my g/f would kill me) but, Im afraid if I leave it in the tank, I may loose it. Its not as full as it was before I added the tunze powerheads and now it is gonna have to deal with the vortech. My biggest fear is, if I do decide to sell it, the buyer may frag it up and re-sell it. That would suck.....not sure what Im gonna do.:neutral:

New Tank? I know a guy at Red Coral that may be able to help you out. Hah!

hmmmm.....sell the frogspawn= POed g/f....upgrade the tank = no g/f....I have a strict "no new tank" policy that is presently being enforced. Besides I hear those guys at RC are jerks:p

vortech.... sell out lol

Perhaps you could enter the 2nd Nano contest and get a custom size tank and move the Frogspawn into that tank... No need to sell= Happy g/f... No upgraded tank = g/f stays... :mrgreen:

Aw...that hurts man....cant a guy have the best of both worlds.....The pointabillity of the tunze and the sheer power of the vortech?

The policy clearly states..."no new tanks" so a new nano would be a blatant violation of the policy. It wouldnt be much of a nano with just the frogspawn in it anyway:lol:

Policies were meant to be broken...