I give up

[brandon429]

Chevy

You did such a good job I'm going to add you to my top 7 rip clean thread


You truly did not hesitate bro. Earned results legit, well done

We are now using your tank as a work example to fix another similar nano. Well done man

B

 

[brandon429]

The exact course this reef will take through spring break:

Of course some algae will grow, it's new white rock. It means your system is healthy, not harmed. We would simply lift out a rock, do magic voodoo on it lol, then set it back in the tank clean.

100% of algae management is done outside the tank in the air, not via altering water params and for darn sure not by testing for and altering nitrate or phosphate. Use no media designed to bind those, use no meds in the tank whatsoever

Some cyano matting might form on the sandbed, as reefs do, vacuum it up it'll only be a thin top layer.

Guide the reef into full coralline coverage then you can go cruise control for a few years, upcoming months are expected manual gardening time and one more rip clean in March or Feb would be ideal but not required.

 

[Chevyyeet]

The exact course this reef will take through spring break:

Of course some algae will grow, it's new white rock. It means your system is healthy, not harmed. We would simply lift out a rock, do magic voodoo on it lol, then set it back in the tank clean.

100% of algae management is done outside the tank in the air, not via altering water params and for darn sure not by testing for and altering nitrate or phosphate. Use no media designed to bind those, use no meds in the tank whatsoever

Some cyano matting might form on the sandbed, as reefs do, vacuum it up it'll only be a thin top layer.

Guide the reef into full coralline coverage then you can go cruise control for a few years, upcoming months are expected manual gardening time and one more rip clean in March or Feb would be ideal but not required.

The corals are doing well but today disaster has struck, my small tang has come down with sick, it’s too late in the night to get anything to treat him from the store so he likely won’t make it through the night, not sure what to do wit’s the others, they aren’t showing signs yet but I fear for them, I haven’t added anything in nearly a month and I’m just deeply saddened by what could have caused this.

 

[Chevyyeet]

The exact course this reef will take through spring break:

Of course some algae will grow, it's new white rock. It means your system is healthy, not harmed. We would simply lift out a rock, do magic voodoo on it lol, then set it back in the tank clean.

100% of algae management is done outside the tank in the air, not via altering water params and for darn sure not by testing for and altering nitrate or phosphate. Use no media designed to bind those, use no meds in the tank whatsoever

Some cyano matting might form on the sandbed, as reefs do, vacuum it up it'll only be a thin top layer.

Guide the reef into full coralline coverage then you can go cruise control for a few years, upcoming months are expected manual gardening time and one more rip clean in March or Feb would be ideal but not required.

Update I have a hospital tank and am setting it up

 

[brandon429]

It’s ok and thank you for the update. I’ve enjoyed linking your clean works to our best of the best. Truly good job bro.

this is the nature of fish disease. We’d discussed how it’s not in the parameters of your tank it’s simply the fun of 2006 has left the hobby. In 2006 you’d buy a healthy tang and it’d live pretty much


nowadays we must do Jays disease preps. Fish challenges are unrelated to your tank turnaround. What we deliver is working reefs able to grow coral without loss and without wrecked invasions. Fish retention is a completely separate science, nothing you can test for or measure impacts your fish carry ability. Tangs are so expected to get disease theyre pre treated using certain meds that many other fish wouldn’t be getting during the holding and observation period. You just happened to select the #1 most likely to die of disease fish of the ones you could have picked. Two clownfish is a safer no prep move.

 

[brandon429]

**excellent on hospital tank, this is perfect refocus to get the high level aspects of your reef back in line. Fallow may be required as well.

 

[brandon429]

I have appreciated working with you for sure Chevy


you stayed busy updating, cleaning, feeding / we wish they’d all be as dedicated

 

[Chevyyeet]

**excellent on hospital tank, this is perfect refocus to get the high level aspects of your reef back in line. Fallow may be required as well.

Yeah unfortunately the hospital tank is only big enough for the tang, tomorrow I’m gonna do my best to get my hands on a 20 gallon to keep the fish treated in there for a bit

 

[Chevyyeet]

I have appreciated working with you for sure Chevy

I appreciate all the help and support, I’m still very happy with my tank and as more income becomes available to me I will be adding more exciting corals!

 

[Mark Gray]

I have been reefing for almost a year and after countless kinds of coral I can’t seem to get anything to live. I have had SPS, LPS, softies and everything in between. Nothing I do seems to work. I religiously check my parameters and have them as close as I can to the optimal parameters of whatever I was trying to grow. I have 4 fish and non of them are picking or causing issues, I don’t see any pests. So at this point I think I’m just gonna have to settle for fish only.

may tank is a 29g with a hang on the back filter unfortunately but I change the cartridge often so that I don’t have a bunch of nitrate growing in it.

I have an app that I input all my test info into so that it gives me a graph over a certain period of time.
My parameters are:
Nitrate: 5ppm
Phosphate: 0ppm
Calcium: 380-400 ppm(for softies)
Mag: 1400
Ammonia: 0
Ph: 8.1
Alkalinity: 11-12DKH

if y’all have any suggestions feel free. I honestly am just thinking about selling the tank because it makes me a little sad to think about all the time effort and money I have lost.

I am also thinking it may be your water, maybe send off your water for an ICP. After that maybe try Leathers most are very hardy

 

[PeterEde]

I have been reefing for almost a year and after countless kinds of coral I can’t seem to get anything to live. I have had SPS, LPS, softies and everything in between. Nothing I do seems to work. I religiously check my parameters and have them as close as I can to the optimal parameters of whatever I was trying to grow. I have 4 fish and non of them are picking or causing issues, I don’t see any pests. So at this point I think I’m just gonna have to settle for fish only.

may tank is a 29g with a hang on the back filter unfortunately but I change the cartridge often so that I don’t have a bunch of nitrate growing in it.

I have an app that I input all my test info into so that it gives me a graph over a certain period of time.
My parameters are:
Nitrate: 5ppm
Phosphate: 0ppm
Calcium: 380-400 ppm(for softies)
Mag: 1400
Ammonia: 0
Ph: 8.1
Alkalinity: 11-12DKH

if y’all have any suggestions feel free. I honestly am just thinking about selling the tank because it makes me a little sad to think about all the time effort and money I have lost.

Nevermind. I saw just a few post up.

Without reading through the whole thread. What are you using to WC. NSW or mixed salts. If mixed salt what fresh water? RODI, RO. What is the TDS level of the RO if using?

 

[PeterEde]

Salinity is 1.025
Reef Crystals is all they had at my LFS when I started so it’s what I went with
Unfortunately no RODI water but I use declorinator and test the water for chlorine and ammonia before using any water.
Yes I am using API test kits except for magnesium which is Salifert

You could call your local water supply company and ask if you can get the ICP of the tap water in WACO.
At least then you can see what else is in the water mineral wise.

 

[elcapitan1993]

I have been reefing for almost a year and after countless kinds of coral I can’t seem to get anything to live. I have had SPS, LPS, softies and everything in between. Nothing I do seems to work. I religiously check my parameters and have them as close as I can to the optimal parameters of whatever I was trying to grow. I have 4 fish and non of them are picking or causing issues, I don’t see any pests. So at this point I think I’m just gonna have to settle for fish only.

may tank is a 29g with a hang on the back filter unfortunately but I change the cartridge often so that I don’t have a bunch of nitrate growing in it.

I have an app that I input all my test info into so that it gives me a graph over a certain period of time.
My parameters are:
Nitrate: 5ppm
Phosphate: 0ppm
Calcium: 380-400 ppm(for softies)
Mag: 1400
Ammonia: 0
Ph: 8.1
Alkalinity: 11-12DKH

if y’all have any suggestions feel free. I honestly am just thinking about selling the tank because it makes me a little sad to think about all the time effort and money I have lost.

What lights are you running? This same exact thing happened to me, literally the same thing!!!
I found out it was because of the cheap China lights, some people on here swear by them but I never had any luck with any of them, I went and bought a kessil Ap9x and my tank flourished ever since

 

[LPS Bum]

I have been reefing for almost a year and after countless kinds of coral I can’t seem to get anything to live. I have had SPS, LPS, softies and everything in between. Nothing I do seems to work. I religiously check my parameters and have them as close as I can to the optimal parameters of whatever I was trying to grow. I have 4 fish and non of them are picking or causing issues, I don’t see any pests. So at this point I think I’m just gonna have to settle for fish only.

may tank is a 29g with a hang on the back filter unfortunately but I change the cartridge often so that I don’t have a bunch of nitrate growing in it.

I have an app that I input all my test info into so that it gives me a graph over a certain period of time.
My parameters are:
Nitrate: 5ppm
Phosphate: 0ppm
Calcium: 380-400 ppm(for softies)
Mag: 1400
Ammonia: 0
Ph: 8.1
Alkalinity: 11-12DKH

if y’all have any suggestions feel free. I honestly am just thinking about selling the tank because it makes me a little sad to think about all the time effort and money I have lost.

Sorry to hear that. It’s definitely a frustrating hobby at times. Your parameters don’t look too bad.

For non SPS systems, and especially for softies, I’ve found that if you start with clean RODI water and use a decent quality salt mix, that solves most of your problems. A weekly 10% water change and an ATO that supplies RODI water to the tank regularly will solve most of the rest of the problems.

Are you using RODI water and a good salt mix? Are you changing water frequently? Are you buying healthy and well
adjusted corals?

Those are good places to start.

 

[Chevyyeet]

unfortunately I was unsuccessful in capturing him, I am unsure of what to do, he is acting erratic due to the Ick and at this point I’m afraid I’m gonna have to wait until he is sick enough he can’t hide swim away as easily

 

[brandon429]

This is one of the benefits of a rip clean

you can take rocks out

catch him, put rocks back, with no systemic clouding. It’s exactly the reason we rinse all sand to perfect cloudlessness

 

[Chevyyeet]

This is one of the benefits of a rip clean

you can take rocks out

catch him, put rocks back, with no systemic clouding. It’s exactly the reason we rinse all sand to perfect cloudlessness

He’s caught!

 

[Chevyyeet]

This is one of the benefits of a rip clean

you can take rocks out

catch him, put rocks back, with no systemic clouding. It’s exactly the reason we rinse all sand to perfect cloudlessness

And the only thing floating in the water is a touch of sand I stirred up as I put rocks back in moments ago!

 

[Chevyyeet]

Here it is

 

[brandon429]

Agreed that’s clear, most would be totally clouded —well done