Wow nice pic

Thanks Bill :D

I still remember when you first started that newbie saltwater tank thread, Raied. As Sheena mentioned, you are now stripped of that title! :biggrin: you're an expert!

Thanks for such high compliment :D :D But I am far from being an expert; I have just learnt how to deal with things in a better way, thanks to all the great reefers over here :)

It's been a while.....
 

Well its been a while since I have updated this thread. To be honest, I don't feel like taking photograph (possibly due to the fact that I am battling with cyano for a long time).

I have no clue regarding why the cyano is so persistent. I am running ULNS so no issue with nutrients. To me, it seems like the water source (4-5 TDS which I have been using for a year without any problem) or the H2ocean itself (have seen a LOT of reviews regarding this salt being famous for causing cyano outbreaks). I might change this salt...and will probably introduce a DI unit to my RO. I have cyanoclean from zeovit (chemiclean works but I am too pessimistic about putting antibiotics in my tank; its just me...) coming and will give that a try and see whether I see any improvement. Or else, I will be taking the drastic measures.

I have introduced the following fishes after the last velvet/ich/whatever outbreak:
A pair of clown
A female leopard wrasse
A kole tang
A copperband butterfly

The copperband was eating brine back in the store and was there for a month so I grabbed it and it started eating brine from 3rd day. It is looking nice and fat (well atleast for now). Had a few spots of ich here and there but went away. The leopard didn't hide even for a bit in the tank. It just started roaming around (with occasionally being chased by the hawk) and would hide (possibly under the sand) at night. Feeding it is proving to be a bit challenging since its too small. It is taking brine and mysis but would occasionally spit out and take it back in. Kole had a voracious appetite and got few spots on the body (hopefully for now).

Corals are doing great (knock on the wood). Most of them are growing crazy and I occasionally become sad due to the fact that I can just barely squeeze in few more frags/colonies. I am still struggling with bonsai! I don't know why but I really can't seem to bring the color out of this particular species. Some says keep it high and some says keep it low. I have tried both but doesn't seem to be working. Any idea? Pink, green, blue, red, orange and more green seems to be fine but this bonsai is just too much of a trouble for me!

Alongside, the speedwave failed (check mark!) a little over the warranty period but proline aquatics have dispatched a new pump to me. Since the return pump is just too important to not have and I didn't want to wait for the pump to come, I bought an ehime 1200. Yes, it doesn't have that strong of a flow and I am probably getting about 200gph at the output in the tank but I am going to use it. I have been reading that low flow through the sump is good for the skimmer (and possibly for the zeolite too) due to more contact time + I don't have chaeto to worry about. I will probably sell the speedwave.

So that's about it. Time for some pics :D

http://i1304.photobucket.com/albums/...ps173cc828.jpg
http://i1304.photobucket.com/albums/...psa53cc95e.jpg
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Looks good

Geez, another one with cyano. Have talked here many times about sure fire way of beating cyano for good. Haven't seen any for 2 1/2 years in my tank and almost 3 years now since the last time I had to use ChemiClean.

Your corals are looking good, though. And your camera skills are great.

Cyano is a great consumer of tank nutrients. Just sayin' :biggrin:

Thanks Catherine :D

Thanks :)

I know :biggrin: I had that doubt too months back but if nutrient was the primary concern (not saying that its not a concern but I think there's something else playing a role) over here, I would have tanks filled with brownaporas isinit? Last time I had an outbreak, my nitrate was off the roof but not this time. I will be checking phosphate as soon as the reagent shows up in the mail. Hopefully the cyanoclean will help.

Actually, what I was suggesting is that the reason you don't have brownapora and that your tank otherwise looks so good is because the cyanobacteria is in fact acting as a nutrient sink taking nutrients OUT of your tank before they become a concern. Not unlike the bacteria that some people add in other methods like Zeovit, for BioPellets, etc. :biggrin:

Seriously though, I don't recall anyone using Chemiclean and not getting results out of it. Cyano is such an easy thing to get rid of (with chemiclean) :biggrin: If it comes back after Chemiclean, then ya, either you do have a real problem or you just simply re-introduced the bacteria by adding new livestock that had the bacteria in the water or you just simply need to do a second treatment.