NeverlosT's 140g Cube in Paradise
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OP
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NeverlosT
SPS nut
I continue to be plagued by ALK issues. It is infuriating!
1. I plumbed the CARX output into the skimmer intake, seemed like a good idea to raise pH. Was a bad idea because I could no longer see the effluent and if the line gets clogged I can't tell. This happened and Alk dipped.
2. Put the effluent line back onto the return pipe so it pours into the filter sock bubble-mess. Put it back to its normal slow stream. Corals were ****** from the alk dip so not growing, and the stream was an increase (obviously) over the clog, so Alk rises.
3. I watch the alk rise, and keep raising the CARX pH to try to get it to level off. Over four days it goes from 8.5-10.5 dKh. Not good. SPS tips burn.
4. Reduce the flow since just raising the CARX pH is not leveling off the alk. Alk reduces now because the corals growth tips are all burned. Back down to 8.5 dKh.
5. Now I have a ton of burned tips and have the CARX pH at 6.76 which is higher than I usually run it, and a steady stream of effluent so that it reduces clogging. If I can get the darn ALK to stabilize at 9 dKh, I will be happy and the corals will stop freaking out. Then they will start to heal and grow again, and I will slowly reduce the CARX pH to compensate for the increased ALK consumption.
I am considering designing a solenoid drip system that will control effluent flow reliably without clogging. I'll post if I make something.
Stuff happens so slowly! I hate waiting for the alk to stabilize so that things start healing! Ack!
Ok. Fishtank rant over.
1. I plumbed the CARX output into the skimmer intake, seemed like a good idea to raise pH. Was a bad idea because I could no longer see the effluent and if the line gets clogged I can't tell. This happened and Alk dipped.
2. Put the effluent line back onto the return pipe so it pours into the filter sock bubble-mess. Put it back to its normal slow stream. Corals were ****** from the alk dip so not growing, and the stream was an increase (obviously) over the clog, so Alk rises.
3. I watch the alk rise, and keep raising the CARX pH to try to get it to level off. Over four days it goes from 8.5-10.5 dKh. Not good. SPS tips burn.
4. Reduce the flow since just raising the CARX pH is not leveling off the alk. Alk reduces now because the corals growth tips are all burned. Back down to 8.5 dKh.
5. Now I have a ton of burned tips and have the CARX pH at 6.76 which is higher than I usually run it, and a steady stream of effluent so that it reduces clogging. If I can get the darn ALK to stabilize at 9 dKh, I will be happy and the corals will stop freaking out. Then they will start to heal and grow again, and I will slowly reduce the CARX pH to compensate for the increased ALK consumption.
I am considering designing a solenoid drip system that will control effluent flow reliably without clogging. I'll post if I make something.
Stuff happens so slowly! I hate waiting for the alk to stabilize so that things start healing! Ack!
Ok. Fishtank rant over.
OP
OP
NeverlosT
SPS nut
Thanks all! Cubes are the best.
I have added a second chamber to my calcium reactor and have managed to stop the SPS failure, now to keep it stable for a quick recovery...
Ill add some pics soon.
I have added a second chamber to my calcium reactor and have managed to stop the SPS failure, now to keep it stable for a quick recovery...
Ill add some pics soon.
OP
OP
NeverlosT
SPS nut
Bad news all. I am heartbroken to report that the tank has continued to experience SPS loss, to the point where the chain reaction began and the tank was crashing. I rescued all of the remaining SPS that I could and transferred them to a friends system, but losses have been terrible.
The fish are fine, the ritteri anemone is doing fine. The SPS took it hardest and some of the LPS had some tissue recession.
What is worse, I need to head east for my grandmother's funeral this weekend, so I will not be attending to the tank until next week. Honestly, I am searching for the motivation to rebuild at this point.
Watching something that you slaved over for years die in a matter of weeks is no fun. Was it the CaribSea CARX media that had lots of foreign bodies in it? Was it something else? All that I know is that all of my tests have showed parameters that are just fine, and the decline continued, so it was something that I wasn't detecting.
Ugh. I will do everyone a favor and not post any pictures of how the system looks now. I'll post back up when I have something to report.
The fish are fine, the ritteri anemone is doing fine. The SPS took it hardest and some of the LPS had some tissue recession.
What is worse, I need to head east for my grandmother's funeral this weekend, so I will not be attending to the tank until next week. Honestly, I am searching for the motivation to rebuild at this point.
Watching something that you slaved over for years die in a matter of weeks is no fun. Was it the CaribSea CARX media that had lots of foreign bodies in it? Was it something else? All that I know is that all of my tests have showed parameters that are just fine, and the decline continued, so it was something that I wasn't detecting.
Ugh. I will do everyone a favor and not post any pictures of how the system looks now. I'll post back up when I have something to report.
mic209
Active Member
Hey there, sorry to hear everything you have going on right now. Your tank was looking good when I was there and looked like things were gonna start taking off again, crazy that it went the opposite way. The frags I got from you are doing well, so when you're ready to put SPS back in, let me know and I'll give you some frags.
Daniel@R2R
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Ladies and Gentlemen... I give you... Gus the Japanese Elegance Blenny. Probably the coolest fish I've ever had. Tons of personality. Oh and a very happy Mummy Eye Chalice.
Cool fish for sure! That chalice is hot too!
OP
OP
NeverlosT
SPS nut
Still marching along. I wont lie, I almost got out. Seeing your beautiful tank reduced to mostly skeletons and having to transfer away most of your remaining SPS to save it is pretty hard. The tank is now barebottom (mostly) and the media that started the whole fiasco is back with CaribSea for analysis. We will see what they say.
I am slowly bringing the system back, the alk is at about 7 right now and I am slowly creeping it up to a stable 8. The SPS that survived is showing PE again. It appears that something of a recovery is at hand. What took two years to grow took two months to go.
I am still not feeling good enough to post recovery pictures, but one of these days soon. The good news is that the fish are doing great and the Ritteri anemone is doing awesome. The rumors that they are very finicky are (in my experience) false. When I first got it and shredded it, it recovered, when the poison was killing everything, it hung in there, when the alk swung and the SPS death was all around it, it was fine, and it continues to thrive. That anemone is a tough one.
I am slowly bringing the system back, the alk is at about 7 right now and I am slowly creeping it up to a stable 8. The SPS that survived is showing PE again. It appears that something of a recovery is at hand. What took two years to grow took two months to go.
I am still not feeling good enough to post recovery pictures, but one of these days soon. The good news is that the fish are doing great and the Ritteri anemone is doing awesome. The rumors that they are very finicky are (in my experience) false. When I first got it and shredded it, it recovered, when the poison was killing everything, it hung in there, when the alk swung and the SPS death was all around it, it was fine, and it continues to thrive. That anemone is a tough one.
OP
OP
NeverlosT
SPS nut
This may not look like much to you, but this is the first PE that the tank has seen in three months. The turnaround has been difficult and long, but the tank is very slowly rebounding. That is Pink Lemonade Acropora.
LPS and soft corals were harmed much less extensively in our tank crash. Here are some Zoas with a Rock Blenny. I highly suggest these fish to others, they are a riot to watch and look like they wear makeup.
Luckily, the fish were not affected by the crash, here is luigi, our Radiant Wrasse
Some more SPS rebounding:
But it is not so fast for others, here is a Setosa all but dead, still, slowly, and with stability, it returns now...
LPS and soft corals were harmed much less extensively in our tank crash. Here are some Zoas with a Rock Blenny. I highly suggest these fish to others, they are a riot to watch and look like they wear makeup.
Luckily, the fish were not affected by the crash, here is luigi, our Radiant Wrasse
Some more SPS rebounding:
But it is not so fast for others, here is a Setosa all but dead, still, slowly, and with stability, it returns now...
OP
OP
NeverlosT
SPS nut
The next step is to visit my buddy where I moved most of my SPS in desperation and get some of it back to restart the growth of my reef... thank goodness for reefing friends.
reefsponge
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Way to stick with it man.
OP
OP
NeverlosT
SPS nut
Awesome! Good luck and an early welcome to the central coast! We need more SPS folks here, they have been dropping like flies!
The tank continues to improve, I got my corals back from their temporary home and most are improving. Slow and steady... Ill post up some more pictures soon.
The tank continues to improve, I got my corals back from their temporary home and most are improving. Slow and steady... Ill post up some more pictures soon.
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