Firereefer's 168g

[Fire_Reefer]

December '24

We were winning again!

Had a mass spawning of these little things, they all got trapped in the filter sock though

January '25

Went to the Palisades fire

 

[Galoot]

Good to see you back on here!

 

[Adauqua]

I guess it's time to update this tank build. It's almost been 2 years since the last update. This is where we're at right now:

View attachment 79309

I think we're in a good place to be active in BAR again... I did end up getting burnt out mainly because of my battle with cyano.

Tank is looking great. BAR is always here for better or worse - lol
What is your current light? How does it compare to your Kessil AP7x/9x?
I really like Kessil's shimmering and want to try it out (vs. my current Radion XR30)

 

[Fire_Reefer]

Tank is looking great. BAR is always here for better or worse - lol
What is your current light? How does it compare to your Kessil AP7x/9x?
I really like Kessil's shimmering and want to try it out (vs. my current Radion XR30)

Decided to try the a8se. They are the radion xr30 knockoff. So far I like them a lot. I can't really tell too much of a difference in the shimmer.

 

[Alexander1312]

How did you get rid of the cyano?

 

[Fire_Reefer]

How did you get rid of the cyano?

Hahahaha

Sorry I haven't updated more. There's definitely a not winning again portion that's coming soon.

I've been battling it this whole time. I spent 5 hours siphoning the tank last week. Straight back into the filter socks to capture the cyano and export out of the tank. Then doing a water change. There will be more water changes in the near future. I've been trying to avoid using chemiclean but I might end up going that route.

I've heard it's maybe an imbalance between nitrates and phosphates, which has been happening in my tank. My nitrates hang around 10 and my phosphates around .3-.4 which I know is really high.

 

[MichaelB]

How is your flow in the tank? Is your cyano in certain areas or everywhere?

 

[Alexander1312]

Hahahaha

Sorry I haven't updated more. There's definitely a not winning again portion that's coming soon.

I've been battling it this whole time. I spent 5 hours siphoning the tank last week. Straight back into the filter socks to capture the cyano and export out of the tank. Then doing a water change. There will be more water changes in the near future. I've been trying to avoid using chemiclean but I might end up going that route.

I've heard it's maybe an imbalance between nitrates and phosphates, which has been happening in my tank. My nitrates hang around 10 and my phosphates around .3-.4 which I know is really high.

Great approach not using chemiclean as most others immediately seem to gravitate to.

Looking at your flow, it seems as if you have enough equipment to get this right. Which gyres are these and what speed did you set them too?

Regarding nutrient ratio, generally yes, but I would be more worried if the ratio leans more towards nitrate, vs in your case too much phosphate.

Any recent ICP results? What are you dosing? You do not happen to dose Kalkwasser, are you?

 

[Fire_Reefer]

Cyano shows up pretty much everywhere.

I had 2 maxspect xf350s, but one of them froze up and the magnet expanded and rusted into the pump. So now it's one on the far end of the peninsula maxing out at 70%. I have 2 octopulse 4s on the overflow end that max out at 70% as well.

Most recent icp is from last July. I'm planning to do another one soon. Not dosing kalk and I don't have a dosing plan as of yet.

Current tank parameters as of this Wed @1:30:
76.5° F
8.16 ph
7.6 dKh
8.9 no3
0.35 po4
535 calcium (I may have done the test wrong)
? Mag didn't have the test kit

 

[Alexander1312]

Cyano shows up pretty much everywhere.

I had 2 maxspect xf350s, but one of them froze up and the magnet expanded and rusted into the pump. So now it's one on the far end of the peninsula maxing out at 70%. I have 2 octopulse 4s on the overflow end that max out at 70% as well.

Most recent icp is from last July. I'm planning to do another one soon. Not dosing kalk and I don't have a dosing plan as of yet.

Current tank parameters as of this Wed @1:30:
76.5° F
8.16 ph
7.6 dKh
8.9 no3
0.35 po4
535 calcium (I may have done the test wrong)
? Mag didn't have the test kit

Your flow seems strong enough. I would still add back a second gyre but the octos might be fine.

I would definitely recommend an ICP.

This is what FMs own data shows leads to cyano frequently (charts are my tank), and they seem to have a high success rate with fixing cyano issues if folks stay in the green range for each of the 4 parameters. Make sure your ICP tests for fluoride.

 

[Fire_Reefer]

Your flow seems strong enough. I would still add back a second gyre but the octos might be fine.

I would definitely recommend an ICP.

This is what FMs own data shows leads to cyano frequently (charts are my tank), and they seem to have a high success rate with fixing cyano issues if folks stay in the green range for each of the 4 parameters. Make sure your ICP tests for fluoride.

View attachment 79349

Thanks a bunch! I realize now that you were also one of the ones giving me great input on my last thread about my cyano and my parameters in August of last year.

 

[Fire_Reefer]

Next battle after the cyano... Purple cloves

 

[Alexander1312]

Thanks a bunch! I realize now that you were also one of the ones giving me great input on my last thread about my cyano and my parameters in August of last year.

And while not connected to your cyano issue, you need to lower your CA significantly - if correctly measured. Ideal parameter are debatable but I would not go higher than 440 mg/L or lower than 425 mg/L. Use Salifert CA for testing, most others are too difficult to get right. Getting CA correctly dialed in is important. I would also measure Magnesium (Salifert) or wait for the ICP.

 

[Fire_Reefer]

And while not connected to your cyano issue, you need to lower your CA significantly - if correctly measured. Ideal parameter are debatable but I would not go higher than 440 mg/L or lower than 425 mg/L. Use Salifert CA for testing, most others are too difficult to get right. Getting CA correctly dialed in is important. I would also measure Magnesium (Salifert) or wait for the ICP.

I think I mave have done the hanna calcium test incorrectly. I can't imagine my calcium is that high with no dosing and no other way of calcium getting into the tank.

I do have the magnesium test in the basement. I just didn't have a chance when testing last time.

 

[Fire_Reefer]

Has anyone had any luck getting rid of these purple clove polyps? They are everywhere! I read that some have had luck applying boiling rodi water to the polyps. Some said nuke the rock there's no way to get rid of it. Some said fluconazole, but again I'm hoping to do things as natural as possible.

 

[RandyC]

Has anyone had any luck getting rid of these purple clove polyps? They are everywhere! I read that some have had luck applying boiling rodi water to the polyps. Some said nuke the rock there's no way to get rid of it. Some said fluconazole, but again I'm hoping to do things as natural as possible.

Not fluconazol. Fenbendazole.

Thread 'What would you do? Blue Clove Polyps'
https://bareefers.org/forum/threads/what-would-you-do-blue-clove-polyps.39516/

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/my-battle-with-blue-clove-polyps-bcp-using-fenbendazole-success.968986/

Fenbendazole – eliminate invasive soft corals (Blue Cloves Polyps, Xenia, Aiptasia, Hydriods, etc.)

For those wanting to eliminate invasive soft corals from their tanks; I can report that I successfully eradicated Blue Clove Polyps and Xenia from my tank. I used the canine de-wormer medication Fe…

maxdraco.wordpress.com

 

[Alexander1312]

I think I mave have done the hanna calcium test incorrectly. I can't imagine my calcium is that high with no dosing and no other way of calcium getting into the tank.

I do have the magnesium test in the basement. I just didn't have a chance when testing last time.

I see. Yes, the Hanna CA testing is easy to get overstated parameters.

 

[Kensington Reefer]

Has anyone had any luck getting rid of these purple clove polyps? They are everywhere! I read that some have had luck applying boiling rodi water to the polyps. Some said nuke the rock there's no way to get rid of it. Some said fluconazole, but again I'm hoping to do things as natural as possible.

Yes, remove the rock and let it dry out!
Or
A wire brush is your friend (outside the tank)

 

[PjFish]

Had a softball or bigger rock with them cloves plus a large leather on top.. Scrubbed numerous times in rodi on separate occasions but they just kept returning!! Couple months back took the rock outside put on a respirator the ones with duel canisters plus goggles. Then hit it with a Dirt Devil hand held steamer I had laying around filled with rodi water. Followed pouring hydrogen peroxide on it ! Rock turned completely white and looked bleached but leather didn’t skip a beat nor any signs of returning cloves!! If you have no other corals on the rocks save yourself trouble and just replace and toss them out or take them to a self service car wash giving them a good power wash then dry out. Plus I was 100% sure there were no zoas etc on rocks but if so I would have pulled leather coral off and just disposed of the rock..Side note one huge bristle worm popped out out while steam cleaning but then quickly retreated back in rock never saw the whole worm only about ten inches of it so not sure how big total it was. I run bare bottom and haven’t seen one in a couple years since adding an Halichoeres melanurus so was kinda impressed which I think are good for the tank in general. Had a small six line wrasse disappear couple months ago hmmm?

 

[Fire_Reefer]

Updated parameters:

Temp - 76.5°F (hydros)
pH - 8.02 (hydros)
Alk - 7.4 (hanna)
NO3 - 9.3 (hanna)
PO4 - 0.26 (hanna)
Ca - 410 (salifert)
Mg - 1275 (salifert)

@Alexander1312
Salifert much easier to test and I think more accurate results.

@RandyC
Yes, that's right fenbendazole, not fluconazole.

@Kensington Reefer & @PjFish
Okay I think I'll have to systematically do a rock at a time and dry it out/boil it. It's literally all over my tank. I feel bad for all the fauna living on each one.

Does anyone know if it spreads by contact only or spawns into the water column as well?