Monzer's tank restart

[scuba71]

I’ve never (that I know of) had problems with my Hannah checkers. I’ve got the same 3 it sounds like you had. How far off were they?

Hanna checkers reporter the following:

Ca 435
Alk 8.5
Po4 .02

For the salifert
Ca 340
Alk 9.6
Po4 .15.

Not too bad for the Po4. but the rest it’s an issue. Now i know why I was getting stns and rtns. [emoji2959]

By the way, someone told me the other day that I should mark the covet when I get the first reading, and then place it the same exact way when doing the second test. This is I guess due to the imperfections on each covet that may affect the readings. Haven’t tried it yet...




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[Vhuang168]

Those parameters even if they are wrong are not going to cause issues.

 

[scuba71]

Those parameters even if they are wrong are not going to cause issues.

Though true now... my alk was resorting a few months ago 11.2. I can only imagine what the real Alk was back then.

 

[RandyC]

Hanna checkers reporter the following:

Ca 435
Alk 8.5
Po4 .02

For the salifert
Ca 340
Alk 9.6
Po4 .15.

Not too bad for the Po4. but the rest it’s an issue. Now i know why I was getting stns and rtns. [emoji2959]

By the way, someone told me the other day that I should mark the covet when I get the first reading, and then place it the same exact way when doing the second test. This is I guess due to the imperfections on each covet that may affect the readings. Haven’t tried it yet...




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I always put the 10ml number label facing me when inserting the cuvettes.

I have the reference solutions for alk and phosphorous. I also have new cuvettes if you're worried about scratches.

 

[Vhuang168]

And are you using the 2 cuvette method or the single cuvette method? I use the single and align the break in the line near the top facing me, square to the face of the meter.

 

[Flagg37]

I noticed little “tricks” that I did for each test. I noticed that with the po4 test I would have tiny bubbles and so I would slowly rotate the cuvette around until they were gone.

Like @RandyC I would also use the 10ml mark as a way of orienting it but I’m not entirely sure it did much. It was good to be able to have a method that was repeatable though.

I have some of that reference solution but it’s a couple years old. I don’t think it goes bad but it’s something I’ll think about next time I try to use it. They’ve got to bring that back. It’s really a valuable tool. It’s cheap and easy to produce too.

 

[scuba71]

I noticed little “tricks” that I did for each test. I noticed that with the po4 test I would have tiny bubbles and so I would slowly rotate the cuvette around until they were gone.

Like @RandyC I would also use the 10ml mark as a way of orienting it but I’m not entirely sure it did much. It was good to be able to have a method that was repeatable though.

I have some of that reference solution but it’s a couple years old. I don’t think it goes bad but it’s something I’ll think about next time I try to use it. They’ve got to bring that back. It’s really a valuable tool. It’s cheap and easy to produce too.

So I tried this again last night... unfortunately the same results. The Alk reported was 15 points lower than Salifert’s test. The Ca result with Hanna was 110 more than the salifert.

I am going to see if I can pick up a new set of cuvettes in the new week or two.


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[scuzy]

Sounds like something wrong with your way of testing.


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[scuba71]

Sounds like something wrong with your way of testing.


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Very possible... but not sure how since I am simply following the instructions.

By the way the salifert tests are similar results when I had my water tested at Neptune’s.


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[scuba71]

It‘s been a while since the last update.... too many things have happened in 2019. Had serious health issues on and off since May 2019 through September 2020. Activity is low but getting there.

so where is the tank now you might ask. All in all it actually doing very well. Except for the pulsing xenia and aptasia outbreaks.

here are some pics of the tank now. Will write more in the coming days.

 

[scuba71]

Not proud of the pics below, but this is the aptasia outbreak I’m dealing with. Will be buying some Berghia nudibranches tomorrow from @JVU. Can hardly wait to get my tank aptasia free, or at least close to it.

a few months ago I had a friend who said he was successful in killing aptasias. He can over my place and used a slurry of kalkawser to cover some aptasias. It seemed as if it was working. He then said I take get rid of the aptasia on the crown of the clam... not knowing any better, I said sure. Unfortunately the clam started to recede the next day and continue to do so for a week before it died.

 

[scuba71]

A restart of the restart...

Long story short, I had some health issues, and then within the last two years both of my parents past away. I neglected my tank unfortunately, and this resulted in a 100% of the corals dying. Up until a couple of weeks ago, I was about to give up and just get out. However, my love for the hobby prompted me to restart again. The good news is that most of my equipment are still running and running well. Ironically my fish are still alive and doing well (I was feeding them), but I haven't done a water change in almost two years).

A week ago, I cleaned up the algae and did a 30% water change. I will be testing in a couple of days to get an idea where the parameters are. Then based on that do another % water change again and then see where things are a couple of days thereafter.


For this restart, my goal is to focus on fish, inverts and some LPS. As much as I love SPS, I'm going to shy away from them. In the meantime, this week I am checking all equipment replacing what I need to replace, etc. As of now, my refugium (Kessil H380) is dead. Anyone have a space? I am not going to replace immediately, but if I find a good deal on a used or new, I'lll pull the trigger.

 

[Srt4eric]

@nly04 has a h380 for sale.

 

[scuba71]

@nly04 has a h380 for sale.

Sweet. Thank you. Will DM.

 

[dochou]

Welcome back!

 

[scuba71]

Welcome back!

Thank you. Glad to be back.

 

[scuba71]

Been working on getting parameters adjusted that week or so.
Phosphates are at .45.
Alk 9.39.
CA 435.
Mag 1330

Nitrates .5 Doing anther water change today.

Ended up getting Gyre pumps to replace Neptune's WAV . I miss the ability to control via APEX. Oh well.

Sump light resolved, chaeto added, reactors fixed and dialed in.

I am debating if I should add Ozone to clear the water up a bit. Thoughts?

 

[scuba71]

After installing the Gyre pumps, the phosphate numbers went much higher to .9. I installed a GFO reactor to help reduce the phosphates.
Today's tests:
PO4: .14.
ALK: 8.5
CA:380
MAG: 1300
NO3: .3

 

[Darkxerox]

I'd probably take it offline for right now, there's a risk you could bottom out fast. If it starts to rise again then you can run it a bit more. Just monitor with testing the next couple days then turn it back on

 

[MichaelB]

After installing the Gyre pumps, the phosphate numbers went much higher to .9. I installed a GFO reactor to help reduce the phosphates.
Today's tests:
PO4: .14.
ALK: 8.5
CA:380
MAG: 1300
NO3: .3

Do you think the gyres just did a better job of suspending detritus so making po4 rise?

Ive seen gyres in vidoes never owned one so I would be intrested on your prospective concerning their effects on the tank in general and what specifically about them compared to other wave makers that could effect p04 as you mentioned.