Tank Parameters all over the place

[spuri87]

In all honesty, an easier and potentially cheaper way would be to replace all the rocks.

Hmm, interesting perspective.. didn’t think about it until you said it.. not sure if it’s easier and cheaper though, but certainly worthy of being a great suggestion.. will think about it, thanks for sharing

 

[Alexander1312]

Hmm, interesting perspective.. didn’t think about it until you said it.. not sure if it’s easier and cheaper though, but certainly worthy of being a great suggestion.. will think about it, thanks for sharing

It is actually not as uncommon to do this as you think, and solves larger nutrient issues as yours much better. Also, I worry what else is in the rocks.

Working with LC at this early stage is not a great idea but working with gfo type media will take a very long time (and expensive). I am not in full agreement with Michael on how strong gfo is in a media reactor, but agree with not mixing it with LC for now.

LC is the cheapest way to remove the phosphates, but you need to make sure it fully precipitates into the skimmer, and does not reach the tank. I do not like the risk of misusing LC and decided that this is not the method for me. In the recent video from Tidal Gardens on nutrient management, LC was also not mentioned but GFO and carbon dosing, my preferred methods.

 

[Slingfox]

Hmm, interesting perspective.. didn’t think about it until you said it.. not sure if it’s easier and cheaper though, but certainly worthy of being a great suggestion.. will think about it, thanks for sharing

Definitely easier but likely not cheaper. Such is the reefing life!

I have been through one complete rockscape swap. It was the single best thing I have done for my tank since it’s been relatively smooth sailing since I put in 100% rock from the ocean. I am comparing to the 100% mined Marko Rock as a first time reef keeper where I made nearly every mistake possible during the initial two years The second time around I had diatoms, dinos, cyano, hair algae, and bubble algae at various times but never panicked and got through each stage without significant challenge since I had been through much worse!

 

[spuri87]

Do you have a picture of your skimmer in action?

Cleaned it on Saturday

 

[Alexander1312]

Cleaned it on Saturday
View attachment 78700

Looks good. Is this the Elite 200 INT? Which settings do you have it running? Pump speed / water level?

 

[spuri87]

Looks good. Is this the Elite 200 INT? Which settings do you have it running? Pump speed / water level?

yes.. 8" water level, pump running at 4 (max is 5)

 

[spuri87]

About 4 days later, dosing 2ml (less than half the recommended dose) Lanthanum Chloride directly in Skimmer, I tested Phosphates again and they are sitting pretty at 1.88 (slightly up from 1.85 measured on Monday).. one of the hammers dont really like whatever is happening in my tank.. ricordea, CC 21 tail torch and GSP dont seem to care and are looking good.. Bill Murray is hunkered down (in words of the great @tribbitt) but hopefully will recover once things get back on track - which honestly speaking, I dont even know how will that ever happen, without changing the rocks as Alexander suggested above.. I dont want to spend money on the rocks again, I spent $900 on these suckers I dont know why there is no impact seen despite dosing LC (expected to show at least something on the Hanna tester)

Shall I lose hope of having a beautiful reef one day and stay FOWLR for life? or just keep changing water and dosing 2ml LC every day (or maybe increase it to 5ml) hoping things get better one day? I am out of Nitrates reagents, so didnt get to test those today.. Alk was at 8.0 (all tested around noon)

 

[MichaelB]

How are you dosing this? Dosing pump or by hand? You definitely want a dosing pump so dose can be spilt up into multiple doses in a single day. Verse one dose done at same time. Possibly skimmed out before having it's full effect.

When I was researching it I saw smaller doses are more effective.

If 2 doesn't work over a week. Go up by maybe 2.5.

 

[Alexander1312]

happen, without changing the rocks as Alexander suggested above.. I dont want to spend money on the rocks again, I spent $900 on these suckers

They were suckers at one point, but seem to become leechers now….

Thats really outragoeus to charge 900 USD for these.

If you look at Thomas's tank / @Darkxerox , you do not need to add too many rocks in the beginning. So this might not be sooo expensive, specifically if not all is live rock, more like 70% dry and 30 % live rock.

 

[spuri87]

How are you dosing this? Dosing pump or by hand? You definitely want a dosing pump so dose can be spilt up into multiple doses in a single day. Verse one dose done at same time. Possibly skimmed out before having it's full effect.

When I was researching it I saw smaller doses are more effective.

If 2 doesn't work over a week. Go up by maybe 2.5.

using a pipette.. I just want to see something manually first before starting a dosing pump.. I am all for automation, but guess not at that state just yet.. But to your point, I can split it across 2 doses (manual).. yeah I guess I should go upto the recommended dose of 5 ml, maybe will try 2 2ml manual doses starting next week, but just mind boggling that the number didnt move even a little after dosing about 8ml in 4 days

They were suckers at one point, but seem to become leechers now….

good one haha

If you look at Thomas's tank / @Darkxerox , you do not need to add too many rocks in the beginning. So this might not be sooo expensive, specifically if not all is live rock, more like 70% dry and 30 % live rock.

I will probably stopby my LFS and see if they have an option for me to maybe swap out these? or some other option.. I have like 150-180g (all supposedly 'live' rock which as I mentioned before definitely helped cycle the tank almost instantly, but also gave a very nutritious (pun intended) gift!

 

[Royce023]

And if you really wanted to confirm the rocks leech phosphate, you can put rock in a bucket with fresh salt water and mix the water. Test the water for phos.

 

[spuri87]

And if you really wanted to confirm the rocks leech phosphate, you can put rock in a bucket with fresh salt water and mix the water. Test the water for phos.

thanks for the reminder, yeah I planned to do that, but somehow forgot.. that will certainly confirm things.. how long shall I leave the rock in there? a week?

 

[Royce023]

I would leave it in for a day and test it. You can always test it everyday for a couple of days to see if there are any changes.

 

[Alexander1312]

I would leave it in for a day and test it. You can always test it everyday for a couple of days to see if there are any changes.

He would need to do this for all rocks, I assume? By just picking one rock for the test, that tells you only if this rock has an issue? I do not think anyone knows where these rocks were before, to assume one rock represents all rocks. But still worthwhile doing for confirmation, maybe.

On this note, @spuri87 , did you mention already if you have sand in the tank and where you got the sand from?

 

[spuri87]

He would need to do this for all rocks, I assume? By just picking one rock for the test, that tells you only if this rock has an issue? I do not think anyone ones where these rocks were before, to assume one rock represents all rocks. But still worthwhile doing for confirmation, maybe.

hmm fair point

On this note, did you mention already if you have sand in the tank and where you got the sand from?

Yes, mix of Caribsea live sand and caribsea crushed coral

 

[Alexander1312]

Yes, mix of Caribsea live sand and caribsea crushed coral

Both new, I assume, not taken from somewhere?

Do you have a log of what you are adding to the tank on a daily and weekly basis? Like a food log when you are trying to lose weight , so needs to include EVERYTHING that goes into the tank.

 

[MichaelB]

Manual dosing it won't have the intended effect same as gfo not in a reactor. Seriously consider doing one in the proper meaning efficent way. Before thinking they aren't working. You have the needed tools proven to work by many people but they are only efficient used correctly. Like hitting a nail with side of a hammer instead of the head would it work yes just not very well.

 

[spuri87]

Both new, I assume, not taken from somewhere?

Yes both new

Do you have a log of what you are adding to the tank on a daily and weekly basis? Like a food log when you are trying to lose weight , so needs to include EVERYTHING that goes into the tank.

hmm.. I have only been adding 125g each of Carbon 0.8 rox and Rowaphos in bags, changing about once every 30-45 days before I started using LC.. Now I am adding LC 2ml per day for about a week.. nothing else

Manual dosing it won't have the intended effect same as gfo not in a reactor. Seriously consider doing one in the proper meaning efficent way. Before thinking they aren't working. You have the needed tools proven to work by many people but they are only efficient used correctly. Like hitting a nail with side of a hammer instead of the head would it work yes just not very well.

Can you help me understand how manual dosing wont be as efficient as using a dosing pump? I understand why Rowaphos works better in a reactor, since all of tank water goes through it, but I always thought dosing pumps were basically an automated way of adding something to the tank.. For something like LC, where I just need to dose 'x' ml 'y' times a day, it should ideally be the same manually or automatically.. I feel I do need to see things working manually before I turn automation on.. Plenty of folks suggested not to dose things un-necessarily and with hand, I understand what I am doing a little better (speaking as of today) than how a dosing pump would dose things in the tank.

 

[Alexander1312]

hmm.. I have only been adding 125g each of Carbon 0.8 rox and Rowaphos in bags, changing about once every 30-45 days before I started using LC.. Now I am adding LC 2ml per day for about a week.. nothing else

I was referring to food etc.

 

[spuri87]

I was referring to food etc.

oh yeah..

I pick 3 of these randomly every day and mix them together:

• Mix of 1 frozen cube (brine or mysis shrimp)
• pinch of flakes
• pinch of TDO pellets
• pinch of dried worms
• pinch of dried mysis

above is soaked in Selcon or Vitachem (alternate day).. I feed them 1.5 times (alternating between 1 and 2 feedings per day) and 1 Nori sheet for the tangs every day