Looking for pointers

[Sasq40]

I'll snag some good photos with my camera tonight. I've been running this tank for 4-5 years with most of the coral, I moved it from a 66 gallon with 55 fuge downstairs to what it is now about 2 years ago. In that time I've upgraded equipment,like going to the mp40ws and the radions from my old ai sol blues. I've been a lazy keeper and had things do alright, I'm just ready to start having things thrive then survive.

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[Myka]

Originally Posted by Sasq40

I do have a good refractometer and I do my w/c at 1.025. My di resin is all out so I'm sitting at 1pmm as I awhile some more resin, as again locally there's nothing. I use instant ocean reef salt as that's all I have access to

FYI, DI resin works via ionic binding, which is essentially a magnetic attraction. When DI resin is "used up" it loses this magnetic attraction and will quite suddenly let go of everything it has attracted. For this reason, it is very important to change the DI resin the moment you see 1 ppm.

Originally Posted by Sasq40

I'll snag some good photos with my camera tonight. I've been running this tank for 4-5 years with most of the coral, I moved it from a 66 gallon with 55 fuge downstairs to what it is now about 2 years ago. In that time I've upgraded equipment,like going to the mp40ws and the radions from my old ai sol blues. I've been a lazy keeper and had things do alright, I'm just ready to start having things thrive then survive.

Ok sounds good, I'll keep an eye open for the pics. The large amount of soft corals will also irritate LPS corals, so if you really want LPS to thrive, you'll want to really diminish the soft coral takeover. Don't do anything with those polyps until they are identified though. Even if they are the "bad" ones, the chance of them having high levels of Palytoxin is low, though I feel a moral obligation to warn people when I see them. Especially in such vast numbers.

[Sasq40]

Originally Posted by Myka

FYI, DI resin works via ionic binding, which is essentially a magnetic attraction. When DI resin is "used up" it loses this magnetic attraction and will quite suddenly let go of everything it has attracted. For this reason, it is very important to change the DI resin the moment you see 1 ppm.

Yeah it makes it really hard to keep up to date with everything when you have to order things in, we used to have a local couple running things from there house which was good but they stopped so now i have to stock up. I plan on doing a order next week as i want a little skimmer for my 36 bow front that ill be using as a qt till i get this tank more stocked with fish.

Originally Posted by Myka

Ok sounds good, I'll keep an eye open for the pics. The large amount of soft corals will also irritate LPS corals, so if you really want LPS to thrive, you'll want to really diminish the soft coral takeover. Don't do anything with those polyps until they are identified though. Even if they are the "bad" ones, the chance of them having high levels of Palytoxin is low, though I feel a moral obligation to warn people when I see them. Especially in such vast numbers.

My wifes favorites are all the softys ha so im trying more so to fill in the left side that's more bare, I'm some what careful when working around polyps as when i got into the hobby i read that article about the guy,his wife and the dogs getting sick from boiling the rocks. I've never gotten sick when accidentally taking a swig of water or from getting water on my cuts in my hand( My hand pretty much always have cuts and scabs on them from my other hobbies) so I've always just assumed that there safe ha.

[Sasq40]

Im gonna try the lps and softy program from ecotechs website, and try and focus on those and hopefully the little sps i have being high and right under the light well do alright. What should i set my mp40s schedule to?

[Sasq40]

[DKoKoMan]

The tank growth isn't looking bad at all!

[Myka]

Originally Posted by Sasq40

My wifes favorites are all the softys ha so im trying more so to fill in the left side that's more bare, I'm some what careful when working around polyps as when i got into the hobby i read that article about the guy,his wife and the dogs getting sick from boiling the rocks. I've never gotten sick when accidentally taking a swig of water or from getting water on my cuts in my hand( My hand pretty much always have cuts and scabs on them from my other hobbies) so I've always just assumed that there safe ha.

Yes, those pics you posted are the type of Palys that are typically associated with Palytoxin poisoning. That doesn't mean that yours have any level of Palytoxin, or it could mean they're deadly. Without lab testing, you won't know for sure unless you get sick. Since they haven't made you sick yet, the likelihood is lower, though it's also possible that you just haven't disturbed them enough. Regardless, I'd suggest you continue to be careful.

Either way, the polyps are still quite chemically aggressive to other corals in the tank - all soft corals are, but some more than others. If it was my tank, I'd be removing a bunch of rocks and bleach them to get rid of all the polyps. They just take over!

You will have a hard time making the tank thrive like you say you want to without seriously diminishing the soft coral population.

Or, you can just enjoy it for what it is. If you really want to, you could start up a second tank for LPS only (and maybe some SPS).