Michika's 28g long nano-esque tank!

[michika]

Thanks Tony!

I'm thinking mostly of doing zeo/polyp labs as a last resort before complete tear down. As well my problems aside I've seen some really nice sps systems using these products, and it does add to the draw.

I'm measuring PO4 with a Hanna Phosmeter, but I agree with you about verifying everything. Its nice to have the meter, but its frustrating not to know if what you're getting for a result is correct.

The tank has what I estimate to be 60 to 65lbs, with 25lbs being in the sump. Thinking back this tank has never produced any coraline algae. That rock that you are referring to is new to the tank from December.

As for the Ca & dkH, I didn't see any better growth (in the sps and coraline) then I was getting measurements of 500ppm and 10dKH. I think I need a more happy medium like what I was getting two weeks ago. The dKH is up to 6 (cusp of 7) now that I topped off for the day. I'm looking at changing how I top off, and how my Ca reactor is working within the system.

I guess my next steps are to get out some of the "bad" rocks and replace them with newer ones. I am also going to tweak my reactors, I think I've turned them down too much trying to fix the 500/10 problem. Does that sound right to you?

[Delphinus]

Yeah, I have this whole idea that it's offensive to buy the Merck/D-D test kit (it's not cheap) after spending the big money on the meter to begin with, but the lack of consistency in my results is something that really troubles/puzzles me. Have you tried taking 3 tests in a row with yours? When I do this I get three different numbers. I've finally figured out that at least one of my cuvets is suspect - if I zero out the meter, then immediately take a reading - I get an "underrange" error. (Consistently.. I tried it about 20 times.) I would expect it to be zero, or at the very least, "not always" underrange. With the other cuvet I can zero it, and get a zero reading. I wonder if the sensor or the LED emitter might have dust on it too but it would be impossible to clean those I think so I kind of hope that's not the case.

Yikes, 500ppm seems for sure too high, I would have backed off the reactors as well! Might need to be upped just ever-so-slightly now just to find the happy medium..

Wow, 65lbs of rock, that's a lot more than I thought there was in there.

[Delphinus]

Speaking of boiling water, have you tried the boiling water trick of GHA removal? I did this in a few spots in my cube tank and it worked like a charm. If only I could do that next to my clams since the clams are now the biggest areas of GHA (their shells). But yeah, hoo yeah, did the boiling water work great in the spots where I did dare to try it

[michika]

After we had a conversation last time about the meters I did go home and did 3 tests in a row with each culvet. I've gotten consistent results every time. Did you want me to bring my meter to your place and you can see if its the meters?

When I set everything back up I dialed in everything like I still had a stocked tank. It wasn't until January when I realized my error and I was slowly backing it down. I guess I backed it down too quick, or just a bit to far. Maybe by next week it will be back where it should be. When I got 500 the first time, I tested it a second time with another test kit, and at one point I had 580ppm.

I'm just waiting on some water right now, but tonight I'm going to take out a rock, maybe two and start the cooking process. I'm also going to change the aquascape, I need change to keep me thinking that the tank will pull through.

Any thoughts on my lack of coraline growth, both on that rock in the front left of the tank and on the glass?

[Delphinus]

If you had some time at some point I would like to take you up on that offer

Not sure about the coraline. Maybe it's just being outcompeted?

[michika]

You have PM about the meter.

I'll go with the rock method for now, see what happens, and I guess go from there. Photos tonight of the before/after.

As for adding more rock to my sump, its too full already. I'm going to see if I can't rearrange it to fit some more in.

[adidas]

ya if you have room it wouldn't hurt to add more biological filtration.

[michika]

The deed is done!
Negative things;
- lights went out before I could do the water change
- lights out before I could clean the debris from the bottom

Positive things:
- I changed the overflow from two strainers to a strainer and an emergency overflow, I would say it cut the water noise by about 75%
- New aquascape
- more rock in the sump
- cleaned out more dead skeletons
- hand picked off the GHA
- confirmed that there is truly no more cyano! Hurray
- I changed the position of most everything in the tank, clams etc to hopefully fit better with my lighting set up.
- There are photos, although they are for tomorrow, when the water change is done.
- I removed one large rock plus the ugly rock from the left side.
- I added more rock to the sump/refugium, its now so full it looks painful
- I also have more extra ugly dry rock to add to the system in the future

So far I think the change is a success visually, and I hope that helps with everything else.