I've been in this hobby for a year now and I just cant seem to make it work. I can you the communities advice, as I'm clearly doing something wrong.

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aquakj

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I would also try some easier corals in the beginning, mushrooms, Kenya trees, toadstools you have zoas I would avoid any torches hammer gonis, acans , make sure you’re mixing your own salt water and know the parameters, keep up with water changes and only dose what is necessary but I’m my opinion I would keep it simple so you don’t get overwhelmed
 
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rennjidk

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I misread it and deleted it as you responded. Hopefully removing the chaeto will fix your nutrient problems.
Np :) This thread is 8 pages long and I wasn't trying to pick on you. You're not the first to suggest the purigen and won't be the last. At least that could make sense theoretically. You should scroll through and count how many people have told me that my carbon was sucking out all the nutrients, lol.
 

Hermie

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Misquote. I'm not going to continue to argue with you anymore. You're pointing out typo's now as if that invalidates everything I've said. Grow up and move on.
I am grown, it's you who made this thread just to prove people wrong. And you insult a whole industry of leaders while at it.
 

thatmanMIKEson

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:) :) this tread is very entertaining thanks!!:)

It's like a book in that I read the ending, but unlike a book because I want to go back to the beginning and read the whole thing!!!!

And my input from just the ending, listen to all "OPINIONS" but trust your instincts, do your thing! the tough lessons are the best and usually only experienced once so enjoy them too, if not for the bad stuff would there be anything good?

Op, have any fts to share? Good luck, keep powering through the tuff stuff and the comments in time they won't mean anything:)
 

EugeneVan

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:) :) this tread is very entertaining thanks!!:)

It's like a book in that I read the ending, but unlike a book because I want to go back to the beginning and read the whole thing!!!!

And my input from just the ending, listen to all "OPINIONS" but trust your instincts, do your thing! the tough lessons are the best and usually only experienced once so enjoy them too, if not for the bad stuff would there be anything good?

Op, have any fts to share? Good luck, keep powering through the tuff stuff and the comments in time they won't mean anything:)
Same thought over here. I call it joke of the week. It is his money, he can do whatever he want. One thing for sure, it is very entertainning .....
 
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rennjidk

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:) :) this tread is very entertaining thanks!!:)

It's like a book in that I read the ending, but unlike a book because I want to go back to the beginning and read the whole thing!!!!

And my input from just the ending, listen to all "OPINIONS" but trust your instincts, do your thing! the tough lessons are the best and usually only experienced once so enjoy them too, if not for the bad stuff would there be anything good?

Op, have any fts to share? Good luck, keep powering through the tuff stuff and the comments in time they won't mean anything:)
Actually, Yes. Here is my Evo which I was running successfully for almost a year on AFR and minimum WCs before I upgraded tanks, moved everything over, and ran into my nutrient problem.

IMG_1618.JPEG
 

thatmanMIKEson

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Actually, Yes. Here is my Evo which I was running successfully for almost a year on AFR and minimum WCs before I upgraded tanks, moved everything over, and ran into my nutrient problem.

IMG_1618.JPEG
Looks good, I didn't like all for reef, for me it was not as good/easy as 2 part dosing, but that doesn't mean anything.

that's a classic issue with upgrades, battling nutrients, same thing happened to me with tank upgrades, I dose neonitro and Neophos, my systems drink p04 daily and n03 every few days depending on bacteria or carbon dosing at the time.
 

UnderWater1051

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Just a follow up to my previous post. When I look at the OP's original post, it is obvious that his nitrates were higher than we strive for but manageable. It was his phosphates at a continuous 0 that appeared to be a problem. AFR was being dosed and is a carbon source per Randy Holmes-Farley (link at the bottom of this thread). I'm not sure why you would carbon dose when your P04 is continuously 0 unless you were not aware this product was a form of carbon dosing which is a reasonable possibility. There are other ways to manage your nitrates. I am going to reference another article of Randy's titled 'Phosphate and the Reef Aquarium.' Again, you will find the link below. When Randy discusses phosphate export methods, the OP had been engaging in two of those methods from the beginning: Carbon dosing and macroalgae. I think he needs to pull the chaeto. It is my understanding that the use of AFR has been stopped. I think a baseline reading of his phosphate levels needs to be made and, if still low, a product such as Neophos would be appropriate. I'd be interested in knowing what test kits he's using for accuracy.

(https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/d...ed, the formate in,formate is a carbon source).

 
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rennjidk

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Just a follow up to my previous post. When I look at the OP's original post, it is obvious that his nitrates were higher than we strive for but manageable.
Where? Other than my initial cycle, Ive been dosing nitrates to 5ppm as they bottom out each week.
It was his phosphates at a continuous 0 that appeared to be a problem.
This is correct, and again, dosing them weekly.
AFR was being dosed and is a carbon source per Randy Holmes-Farley (link at the bottom of this thread). I'm not sure why you would carbon dose when your P04 is continuously 0 unless you were not aware this product was a form of carbon dosing which is a reasonable possibility. There are other ways to manage your nitrates.
I referenced this thread myself and he goes on to say that while it is a source of organic carbon, it's a negligible amount and unlikely to drive down nutrients
I am going to reference another article of Randy's titled 'Phosphate and the Reef Aquarium.' Again, you will find the link below. When Randy discusses phosphate export methods, the OP had been engaging in two of those methods from the beginning: Carbon dosing and macroalgae. I think he needs to pull the chaeto.
I have pulled the chaeto as it was too agressive.
It is my understanding that the use of AFR has been stopped.
Nope.
I think a baseline reading of his phosphate levels needs to be made and, if still low, a product such as Neophos would be appropriate.
Again, Ive been dosing Neophos since the beginning and included it in my original post.
I'd be interested in knowing what test kits he's using for accuracy.
Hanna low and high range, respectively.
 
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rennjidk

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I am grown, it's you who made this thread just to prove people wrong.
Well, at least we can agree that you were in fact wrong.
And you insult a whole industry of leaders while at it.
My brother in Christ, if you can find a single chemist who will disagree with that statement that doing a water change with a specific brand of salt mix and acquiring the same brand of salt mix without the salt, mixing it to the proper proportions, and just adding it to the tank in anyway alters your tanks macro and micro elements outside of the original water change, I will eat my entire zoa garden on video and upload it to this forum (obvious changes in salinity, solubility, dilution, water volume, oxygenation, and precipitation of dissolved minerals/elements not included).
 
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Hermie

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Well, at least we can agree that you were in fact wrong.

My brother in Christ, if you can find a single chemist who will disagree with that statement that doing a water change with a specific brand of salt mix and acquiring the same brand of salt mix without the salt, mixing it to the proper proportions, and just adding it to the tank in anyway alters your tanks macro and micro elements outside of the original water change, I will eat my entire zoa garden on video and upload it to this forum (obvious changes in salinity, solubility, dilution, water volume, oxygenation, and precipitation of dissolved minerals/elements not included).

It's pretty clear that you will do anything and everything to prevent being wrong. Infallibility and pride are not virtues from which any reefkeeper benefits. I'll pray for your tank inhabitants.
 

thatmanMIKEson

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Who cares leave people to do their own thing advice is one thing but come on already, give someone a break, or leave it be.....good virtues go both ways
 
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rennjidk

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Who cares leave people to do their own thing advice is one thing but come on already, give someone a break, or leave it be.....good virtues go both ways
I've had plenty of pleasant conversations throughout this thread with quite a few people. The only ones I have taken issue with are the ones spouting "you did something wrong, so my way HAS to be right." My issue was solved by page 3 with the help of a few valuable members. I don't know why people want to continue arguing over reefing fundamentals such as dosing vs WCs or whether it's ok to add Neonitrate when your levels bottom out, but here we are on page 10.
 

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I'm really struggling to keep corals alive, and though I've followed all the steps to success, everything seems to just slowly die. I'll post as much relevant information as I can starting with my reef journal:

Screenshot_20221017-125650_Samsung_Notes_4_250x300.jpg


The tank is 3 months old Nuvo 30L (30g) and started completely sterile with the exception of Ocean Direct sand and Aqua Forest reef mud. Salinity has been kept consistent at 34.5ppt using 2 different test methods and a Tunze ATO. Temperature is a constant 77.1F. PH is 7.9. The sump consists of filter floss pads, a chaeto fuge on 8 hours at night, Rox 0.8 carbon, and Purigen. Lighting is provided by 2 AI Primes running 11 hours a day (with 4 hours total ramp) at 8" off the water tuned to UV80/V80/RB72/B100/R10/G10/W10 which should be giving around 100 par based on other people's testing.

Dosing:
3ml All for Reef daily
3ml Cheato Gro weekly
2ml AB+ daily
5ml Microbactor 7 & Clean weekly
No3 and PO4 as needed

Feeding is a blend of Reef Frenzy Nano, Reef Roids, AB+, and Frozen Mysis in homemade cubes.

Source water is RODI with tested TDS 0.0 using 2 different meters. Salt is IO Reef Crystals. I do a 10% water change monthly.

Stocking: 2 Clowns, 1 Royal Gramma, 1 Lawnmower Blenny, 1 Yellow Watchman Goby and Tiger PIstol Shrimp, 1 Banngai Cardinal, 1 Peppermint shrimp, 10 Astrea Turbo, 30 Dwarf Ceriths, 4 Red Legs, 10 Blue legs, 1 Trochus, 10 Nassarius.

I'm positive I'm not introducing anything into the tank. I always wear gloves and keep my hands out as much as possible. So far I've had 1 hammer die, 3 others that are very unhappy, acans receding, zoas constantly stressed/changing color/partially open, and 4 dead gonies.

I've convinced myself that I need more flow despite running 900gph through the return with 1/2" RFG's. I've ordered 2 600gph powerheads to combat this and I also made a video of the normal flow here:


That's about all I can think to add at this point. Any Ideas?
Try lowering the temperature a few degrees
 
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rennjidk

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For anyone interested and still following this tread, I've retested again today after not dosing anything other than AFR for the past 2 days. My Alk (8.6) and phosphate (0.06) are climbing again, however my nitrates are still dropping (5.5). I'm assuming this is due to the excess AFR which may have built in the system, or the residual carbon. It could also be that my frags are now consuming more than my available bioload. I'll have to monitor this closely over the next few weeks and make adjustments to stocking accordingly. For the mean time, I have dosed an extra (5ppm) NeoNitrate bringing me to (10.5), giving myself a buffer. I am a little concerned about the excess micros which may have built up in the system due to using chaetogro alongside AFR, especially iron. I ordered an ATI test to send out and see where I stand. I have also ordered a DC tunable skimmer (tunze 9004) for long term controllable nutrient export and to hopefully raise my ph. The plan of attack otherwise remains the same (stopping MBR, AB+, & CG, but continuing with AFR and monthly 10% WC's pending ICP results). This is reefing to me. Theorizing the source of a problem, following the best available scientific information, formulating a solution, and following through with a method of correction. I will give an update in a month or two along with (hopefully) some awesome new FTS.
 
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rennjidk

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My god dude, this is who I've been arguing with? You've run a 23g BRACKISH FOWLER tank with a single puffer for the past 2 years, with 500 GALLONS worth of purigen in a media reactor. You just added corals a few months ago (GSP, Leathers, and a full tanks worth of SPS frags for some reason), decided to raise your salinity months after, dosed your dKH to 14.5 with kalkwasser and killed almost everything. Not to mention that you're testing with an API Reef Master kit. :rolling-on-the-floor-laughing::rolling-on-the-floor-laughing::rolling-on-the-floor-laughing: You're in no position to be arguing with anyone, let alone posting "my first fish tank" videos in threads where people are discussing actual reef chemistry. You seriously can't make this up. God I love reef2reef.
 
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