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DeFarts' IM 50gal Lagoon Journey

ReyDeFarts said:
AF Life Source.

Unfortunately, that was my last bit of it. Now to make the decision on whether to order more, or is it just another "fad" type of product? It certainly helps as a flocculant but I definitely don't seem to have enough flow to get it all out of the tank.

Who else uses this and has some sort of empirical evidence to suggest it is a solid product? I think it helps with keeping down my dinos by improving my other microbiology. But I just don't know for certain.
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From a quick read of the product page, it appears to market as a way to add trace elements/minerals to the reef tank from mud that collects near other reefs. I am with Derek here and think it likely isn't worth it.

That being said, I definitely added the occasional product to help "diversify" the bacterial colonies in my tank, but I never made it a regular thing.
 
H2OPlayar said:
From a quick read of the product page, it appears to market as a way to add trace elements/minerals to the reef tank from mud that collects near other reefs. I am with Derek here and think it likely isn't worth it.

That being said, I definitely added the occasional product to help "diversify" the bacterial colonies in my tank, but I never made it a regular thing.
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Appreciate it. I think if it comes up in a PIF or a really good sale, I'd definitely get it. But to add it to my products of "must have", I think you guys are right. Not really necessary. The tank inhabitants do seem to enjoy it and look good for a while after I use it though. Kind of makes me want to keep using it. Haaa haaa.
 
ReyDeFarts said:
Appreciate it. I think if it comes up in a PIF or a really good sale, I'd definitely get it. But to add it to my products of "must have", I think you guys are right. Not really necessary. The tank inhabitants do seem to enjoy it and look good for a while after I use it though. Kind of makes me want to keep using it. Haaa haaa.
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Mack has been recommending AF Life source here again. But they also discussed ostreopsis a few times, but said it should be easy to remove with UV.

 
Alexander1312 said:
Mack has been recommending AF Life source here again. But they also discussed ostreopsis a few times, but said it should be easy to remove with UV.

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Sorry I missed this response until today Alexander. Much appreciated. Saved to my watch later.

It's crazy how quickly life can get in the way of journal updates. Since the end of June?! Yikes. I won't get too deep into it, but work and life have been a hurdle. Finding time to come on here to hang out, just hasn't been a priority. I do appreciate the few of you that have joined along this journal though.

Synopsis of the past 1.5 months
  • Increased alk consumption and not enough testing has led to multiple alk dips. Fixed by slowly adding CoralLife SuperBuffer and increasing kalk dosage
  • Observed Montepora eating nudis
  • Observed euphillia eating flatworm
  • Elevated phosphates - WC and recently trying PhosGuard (1/4 of the recommended amount with the plan to slowly increase over the next few weeks)
  • pH swings but getting better with increased kalk
  • Significantly reduced to zero observations of ostreopsis dinos for many weeks. 2-3x a week, I turn on the UV for 24hrs as a preventative. I would prefer to get a better in-line UV unit.
Here are a few random pics and updates since the last time I posted. Most recently (3 days ago), I finally got around to upgrading my kalk container to just over 4 gallons. This container is a test to see if it will be sealed enough to stay potent. Been testing the pH everyday to see when I start seeing the drop off. I also significantly increased my dosage. Had great pH numbers the following day and evening!
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Unknown Dipsastrea
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I believe this is a Meteor Shower Cyphastrea
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Bullseye Micromussa from AquaSD
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Unknown acropora I picked up for during the VIP night at Prime Reefing! I'm assuming Acropora bifaria??? Any thoughts from more experienced acro folks?
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Hellfire Torch also from Prime Reefing
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Walt Disney from @RelishReef ! I know all my instability issues is probably keeping it from growing much, but knowing I'm getting polyp extension and some encrusting, has me stoked!
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BC Adam Bomb is definitely growing
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Yesterday's late afternoon reading! Stoked to finally hitting 8.3. Still got a drop in the night but not nearly as much.
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So here's my slight conundrum. Yesterday's parameters has me wondering why, with the recent 48 hrs of increased kalk dosage, I saw a decrease of alk (9 to 7-7.5) and Ca (420 to 360)
Mg has been hovering below 1300 for the past couple of weeks, but I haven't tried to raise it yet. I'm trying not to focus too much on that one. I think I'd like it to be at least 1400-1500 though.

Did the increased kalk/pH trigger the corals to consume more? Would that mean to increase the dosage even more? I don't actually think I have room for more. I must admit though, that my evaporation rate has been a bit of a moving target. Not consistent lately with the temp swings.
 
Very lovely coral pictures.


How long have you had the walt disney?
What par are you estimating its getting?

I have one similar size also growing looking nice. Just curious as to what gives your the various colors like in online images.

Mine is the solid yellowish green color.
 
MichaelB said:
Very lovely coral pictures.
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Thanks brotha! Much appreciated.
MichaelB said:
How long have you had the walt disney?
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I've had this one cooking for a few months now. Id have to look back in my pics to find the first day pic, but I would guess late April.
MichaelB said:
What par are you estimating its getting?
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oh man... it's getting quite a bit! I don't have my PAR chart from my recent testing, but if memory serves me right, during peak hours, it is now upward of 400+ for a couple hours. Gets 300+ for at least 4 hrs.
MichaelB said:
I have one similar size also growing looking nice. Just curious as to what gives your the various colors like in online images.

Mine is the solid yellowish green color.
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FYI, not sure if you remember but your frag is from the same colony as mine. So the color potential is there. This beauty has fought off dinos, high nutrients, alk swings, and pH swings.
 
ReyDeFarts said:
Thanks brotha! Much appreciated.

I've had this one cooking for a few months now. Id have to look back in my pics to find the first day pic, but I would guess late April.

oh man... it's getting quite a bit! I don't have my PAR chart from my recent testing, but if memory serves me right, during peak hours, it is now upward of 400+ for a couple hours. Gets 300+ for at least 4 hrs.

FYI, not sure if you remember but your frag is from the same colony as mine. So the color potential is there. This beauty has fought off dinos, high nutrients, alk swings, and pH swings.
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Lol i remember now, seeing the colors in yours made me brain dead for a min. Mine gets around 340-360 max par mostly probably in the 260s.

I don't like running whites longer than 2 hours a day. So limits max par exposure to that narrow window.

I may consider adding one or two more blue reef bars under the hood when I have the funds, and decide to actually shift the euphyllia to the other tank. - mostly waiting on par meter for fresh par readings so I know where to place them.
 
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Nov 1st, 2023 was when I entered this hobby! It has been a fun and fruitful journey. Black Friday of last year, and only being in this club for a couple weeks, I was fortunate enough to get this tank and some gear for an amazing deal!

I must admit, I'm not good at being disciplined about updating this journal. Work has been stupid lately. Stupid is the kindest word I could think of at the moment. Unfortunately, this tank is showing signs of my absence and lack of attention.

Thankfully some of my favorite pieces are doing ok. My Walt Disney is growing! The Shortcake seems to be happier, encrusting, and appears to be growing at a faster rate.

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Overall, the health of most of my coral has been ok to good. But my testing routine has gone out the window for the last month and no water changes in weeks (doing one today). For the past few months, I've been purposely doing less water changes due to dinos and attempting to let the microbiology improve. I'm on the winning side of that battle for now, but I've got other issues to contend with now.

Bryopsis has taken hold and spreading. It started with small strands of it in a couple spots. Now, I think my nutrients have got out of control and it's just taking off. I have a few spots of GHA that are trying to take off too, but some of cuc keep it relatively under control.
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As much as I don't want to do it, I am about to do a fluconazole treatment in an attempt to eradicate the bryopsis. I'm thinking of doing a half dose treatment to start and in a few days hit it again. Then do the 30%+ WC in a couple weeks.

I know biological controls are better, but what in your experience have you used (herbivores) to get rid of it?

Another poor decision of mine was placement of these two pieces. The Key Lime Pie has really started to take off and now it's growing a branch straight up into the branch of my unknown (maybe Pikachu). I'm probably going to snip off the branch that's growing toward the right.
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PC Rainbow (BC Adam Bomb impersonator) is still growing.
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I have been so bad about keeping track of my pieces when I put them into my tank. I want to believe I will remember what they are and I am simply too scatter brained for that to be a reality. Anybody else lie to themselves like this...over and over?!

Could someone help me confirm what this is? I picked it up at the frag swap in June.
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And one of my favorite pieces from the last swap! The way that it looks like a hand, I wish it could stay like this.
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derek_SR said:
I wouldn’t feel too bad about anything, those acros look pretty happy to me!
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Appreciate it. Some are doing so-so. Not getting a lot of pe to the extent that I would like to see. And with some of them, their growth seems slow. I just want to see the tank thriving, but the tank is definitely a reflection of its keeper. LOL

ReeferRey said:
Great photography skills
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Thanks Rey! I've been getting tips from Derek

Turkeysammich said:
You do know those corals are too close to each other. 6” is normal distance for growth. . Although everyone plants them closer.
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Uhhh... I take it you didn't read my post... :p ;)

"Another poor decision of mine was placement of these two pieces."

So I wasn't expecting the Key Lime to encrust the way it has. But also, I likely won't be giving corals 6" of space. They can fight it out! Some species I give more space for obvious reasons of having long sweepers.
MarcosDelgado0 said:
Andy what kind of dinos are you struggling. You mention UV, how do you have that plumbed?
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I have ostreopsis a while back. It's mostly taken care of now thankfully. Not really an issue anymore. It's been kept at bay for at least 3 months now. I used a smaller Green Killing Machine, which is a self contained unit. It was undersized for what I needed, but it did help get rid of them.
 
ReyDeFarts said:
Appreciate it. Some are doing so-so. Not getting a lot of pe to the extent that I would like to see. And with some of them, their growth seems slow. I just want to see the tank thriving, but the tank is definitely a reflection of its keeper. LOL


Thanks Rey! I've been getting tips from Derek


Uhhh... I take it you didn't read my post... :p ;)

"Another poor decision of mine was placement of these two pieces."

So I wasn't expecting the Key Lime to encrust the way it has. But also, I likely won't be giving corals 6" of space. They can fight it out! Some species I give more space for obvious reasons of having long sweepers.

I have ostreopsis a while back. It's mostly taken care of now thankfully. Not really an issue anymore. It's been kept at bay for at least 3 months now. I used a smaller Green Killing Machine, which is a self contained unit. It was undersized for what I needed, but it did help get rid of them.
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Nah. I’m old. Short term memory.
 
Acros look pretty good for being “so-so” lol. And photos are great as always

With fluconazole, you can try using a lower dose, entirely. I recall reading a thread that claimed bryopsis would die at 1/10 dose just the same as a full dose. I used 1/3 dose and stayed there when I treated my tank, and my bryopsis turned white and disappeared after 2 weeks. Your mileage may vary though

Corals growing into each other is better than them not growing at all lol. It’s a problem I’ll have to contend with too :p
 
tribbitt said:
Acros look pretty good for being “so-so” lol. And photos are great as always
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Thanks bud! Appreciate it.
tribbitt said:
With fluconazole, you can try using a lower dose, entirely. I recall reading a thread that claimed bryopsis would die at 1/10 dose just the same as a full dose. I used 1/3 dose and stayed there when I treated my tank, and my bryopsis turned white and disappeared after 2 weeks. Your mileage may vary though
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I did my first treatment last night. Crossing my fingers and toes everything does ok, except the bryopsis. I ended up going with a 1/2 dose.

tribbitt said:
Corals growing into each other is better than them not growing at all lol. It’s a problem I’ll have to contend with too :p
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True! I am stoked to see them growing. That Key Lime Pie is super happy in that spot. Fastest growing stick I have in my tank.
 
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