Paddy's Ocean - 70 Gallon Mixed Reef **Phoenix Rebuild** - Page 18

paddyob · #**171** 02-15-2011, 05:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueTang<3

The alk is low you can get away with it for a bit but too long you can have major tissue losses. Its not good to have large swings dosing and then checking a few hrs later and it was 120 so it was probably higher and fell. I see you are using h2 ocean salt i had the same problem with that salt. It was actually some of the worst salt i had ever used.

No matter which salt I use, I always have Kh issues. At least with H2Ocean I have yet to dose calcium since this tank was set up last summer.

I am playing with dosing to see what I need to doe regularly to keep it up.

BlueTang<3 · #**172** 02-15-2011, 12:31 PM

What kind of salts are have u used. I have used reefers best, royal nature, and instant ocean and had better results than h2 ocean.

paddyob · #**173** 02-15-2011, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueTang<3

What kind of salts are have u used. I have used reefers best, royal nature, and instant ocean and had better results than h2 ocean.

I have used Instant Ocean (years ago - will never use it again), Bio-Sea, SeaChem Reef Salts and now H2Ocean. Asides from the Kh issue, H2Ocean has given me great results.

I don't foresee myself switching from it anytime soon.

BlueTang<3 · #**174** 02-15-2011, 01:42 PM

Pat my only concern for u is I see you are not even checking potassium and magnesium. From my experience with the salt all 3 levels were very low and for the price and hassle of bringing them up I could buy a different salt.

fishytime · #**175** 02-16-2011, 12:17 AM

Ive been using H2Ocean for two years....love the stuff.....so much so that I nearly had to buy it from a competitor recently because RC was in between shipments......Ive used some obscure brand that came in a bag that I cant recall the name of now, Seachem (hated it), Reefers Best (liked it but switched because of availability) and lastly H2Ocean.....

sorry to hear about the anthia mang

reefwars · #**176** 02-16-2011, 12:58 AM

ive always like reefers best as well after switching from h2ocean.......now its sea water all the way baby so well see how that works for me lol

ill ship you some if you want itttttt

BlueTang<3 · #**177** 02-16-2011, 02:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishytime

Ive been using H2Ocean for two years....love the stuff.....so much so that I nearly had to buy it from a competitor recently because RC was in between shipments......Ive used some obscure brand that came in a bag that I cant recall the name of now, Seachem (hated it), Reefers Best (liked it but switched because of availability) and lastly H2Ocean.....

sorry to hear about the anthia mang

Strange maybe i had some really bad batches, +1 on the reefers best usually buy 10-15 boxes at a time when ever i can find it.

paddyob · #**178** 02-16-2011, 05:44 AM

Just a couple pics from today.

Male Maldive Lyretail Anthias...he is doing very well. I installed a feeder on my tank and picked up some NLS Finicky Eater Pellets. The male eats anything I drop in the tank. The female is a little more frozen oriented right now.

Green Bubble Coral

paddyob · #**179** 02-19-2011, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueTang<3

Pat my only concern for u is I see you are not even checking potassium and magnesium. From my experience with the salt all 3 levels were very low and for the price and hassle of bringing them up I could buy a different salt.

I will test my magnesium today.. as I actually do have a test kit for it. I will try remember to pick up a potassium kit next week.

I really never considered testing them before.

I am working on my reservoir a bit as well. I have a 20 gallon food grade container from Zeebest and some plumbing parts. I have a relatively good size pump and a heater already running in the container. I am tired of messing around wasting time with water changes.

Soooo... to begin with, I am going to make the reservoir into a "gas tank" kinda pump system so I can simply turn a valve and fill pails with a flexible pipe. This for the time being will save me some time.

BUT... I got the go ahead from my wife to plumb the tank into the laundry room DIRECTLY BELOW!!

I am going to have two reservoirs set for water change and top up. Pump directly from the room below into the tank. I also need to do some work on my main drain (due to a recent drainage back up issue) so I am going to also set a drain from the tank up stairs directly into it so I can eliminate buckets from my daily life forever. Wohahah. I will also work with the water lines since my water tank is also directly beside my reservoir "area".

Now to find a salt system so I don't have to scoop the salt anymore. Anyone feel like coming over? I need... some help. Ha ha ha!

Anyhow. The build never ends. Planning stages right now. Once I finish renovating the bedroom... I have more time to begin this.

paddyob · #**180** 02-20-2011, 01:24 AM

So today saw a complete cleaning and water tests (that I had).

Looks fantastic!!

Tests:

Temp - 76.1 (lights off), 76.5 (lights on)

SG - 1.029 - ***Water change to lower to 1.025***

NH3 - 0
NO2 - 0
NO3 - <5

Kh - 130
Ca - 380

PO4 - 0
Mg - 1480

Cu - 0 (go figure - ha ha)

I have been dosing builder to raise my Kh and now that it is, it seems the calcium is actually dropping.

I believe the trace amount of NO3 is due to a heavier feeding regimen. I installed a feeder to give my Lyretail Anthias a couple extra feedings a day.

I also removed my foam pad from the sump. Going to go foam/filter sock free and see if it works for my system. So many people argue against the use of them "clean water through old S***" . So, removed. Why not try it out.