Sam's Oceanic 120 - DIY solutions

[Miami Reef]

@Projects with Sam

Are the corals growing fast with the higher alkalinity? I don’t have the guts to go that high in my tank lol.

My alk is only 8dkh.

 

[Projects with Sam]

Great looking build all the way

Thank you!

 

[Projects with Sam]

@Projects with Sam

Are the corals growing fast with the higher alkalinity? I don’t have the guts to go that high in my tank lol.

My alk is only 8dkh.

sometimes the guts are thrust upon you! When I installed my DIY Kalk reactor I accidentally spilled a bunch of Kalkwasser slurry in my sump; The Ph went up to 8.35 from 8.11; I quickly dumped in about 12oz of soda water and 100ml vinegar to bring it down again.
So that raised the alk a bit but also the kalk stirrer kalk is way more potent... dropped my dosing from 90ml/hr to 70ml/hr to stay level; there was some lag in my adjustments thus the high alk.

I'm trying to get it down slowly.

the corals that are not paused are growing fast; I've been all over the place though so there are a lot of stalled frags.

edit ** Though, I look back at my alk measurements and I guess its been steadily rising since early August.

 

[Projects with Sam]

2022-09-10 9:58 PM	Alkalinity	12.3
2022-09-10 10:01 PM	Calcium	485
2022-09-10 10:04 PM	Magnesium	1335

*most of the measurements are at 10pmish right after lights out.
dropping more hourly dosing down to 60ml/hr
I agree 10+ is too high for my comfort level.
stirrer was added the 5th-6th.

 

[Projects with Sam]

Timmy accidentally bit me when I was hand feeding him today. it didn't hurt too much. didn't draw blood. was more of a scrape. It surprised him as much as it did me. The Larger of the Blue Hippo Tangs ate from my hand today too which was cool. I think he realized yesterday that he was theoretically the tank boss after Timmy now.
View attachment 2821211

 

[tbrown3589]

Timmy accidentally bit me when I was hand feeding him today. it didn't hurt too much. didn't draw blood. was more of a scrape. It surprised him as much as it did me. The Larger of the Blue Hippo Tangs ate from my hand today too which was cool. I think he realized yesterday that he was theoretically the tank boss after Timmy now.

I had my clown bite me one day when I was doing maintenance on the 5 gallon. It scared her so much she jumped out of the tank. After that, she hasn't bit me again until yesterday. She must have finally forgot she doesn't like the ground.

 

[Projects with Sam]

I am starting my post-fluconazole water changes ~ 35 gallons @ 10 alk.

I don't think my LPS are enjoying the high alk...

2022-09-11 11:45 PM	Alkalinity	12.3
2022-09-11 11:50 PM	Calcium	495
2022-09-11 11:54 PM	Magnesium	1425

 

[rmorris_14]

Timmy accidentally bit me when I was hand feeding him today. it didn't hurt too much. didn't draw blood. was more of a scrape. It surprised him as much as it did me. The Larger of the Blue Hippo Tangs ate from my hand today too which was cool. I think he realized yesterday that he was theoretically the tank boss after Timmy now.
View attachment 2821211

 

[Projects with Sam]

I have no idea what is going on. I've changed over 40 gallons of water @10dkh and my tanks dkh went from 12.3 to 12.5. I've re-measured both numbers... lowered my kalk dosing to 50ml/hr.

Over the weekend:
Setup DIY overflow for the QT tank so I can do two auto water changes at once.


Added second tier to the 'off the Timmy menu tank' (but the clam attached to the egg crate not a frag :/)


Installed saltwater mixing bucket water tap and float switch:


Weird gloop from heated tank water with no flow:


FTS:


Caught a chromis in the clear trap... no 6-line yet though.

 

[Miami Reef]

Why don’t you stop kalk dosing until it comes down to your target range?

Wait, what is your target range?

 

[powers2001]

I have no idea what is going on. I've changed over 40 gallons of water @10dkh and my tanks dkh went from 12.3 to 12.5. I've re-measured both numbers... lowered my kalk dosing to 50ml/hr.

Over the weekend:
Setup DIY overflow for the QT tank so I can do two auto water changes at once.
View attachment 2825324View attachment 2825321

Added second tier to the 'off the Timmy menu tank' (but the clam attached to the egg crate not a frag :/)
View attachment 2825323

Installed saltwater mixing bucket water tap and float switch:
View attachment 2825319View attachment 2825320

Weird gloop from heated tank water with no flow:
View attachment 2825318View attachment 2825317

FTS:
View attachment 2825322

Caught a chromis in the clear trap... no 6-line yet though.

@Projects with Sam so you’re trying to catch the Sixline? Is it being aggressive?

 

[Projects with Sam]

@Projects with Sam so you’re trying to catch the Sixline? Is it being aggressive?

I think its responsible for killing my 4 Anthias, a canary blenny, a striped blenny, a cleaner shrimp and a coral banded shrimp, and injuring another coral banded shrimp and another cleaner shrimp. Pretty expensive death toll.

 

[Projects with Sam]

Why don’t you stop kalk dosing until it comes down to your target range?

Wait, what is your target range?

haha I'd be happy anywhere between 8 and 10.

 

[Mschmidt]

missed the notifications. I'm back now.

 

[powers2001]

I think its responsible for killing my 4 Anthias, a canary blenny, a striped blenny, a cleaner shrimp and a coral banded shrimp, and injuring another coral banded shrimp and another cleaner shrimp. Pretty expensive death toll.

@Projects with Sam wow that is quite a toll. You must have had a male, I've heard they're more aggressive. I must have had a female for 3 months before tearing down my tank. It was a model citizen and didn't bother anything!!

 

[Projects with Sam]

@Projects with Sam wow that is quite a toll. You must have had a male, I've heard they're more aggressive. I must have had a female for 3 months before tearing down my tank. It was a model citizen and didn't bother anything!!

I didn't see mine for a few months after I put it in. One morning I checked my tank an an anthias had jumped into a tank 2 feet away and a little higher. I put it back in the DT. The next day all the anthias were toast. The two blennies were acting sketched-out for a few days till they were ended.
Now I see the 6-line out and about like he owns the place. Even the bigger fish (& Timmy) give him a wide birth.

 

[Projects with Sam]

clam moved! I think he is still on the plastic... rest lookin ok too.


Fish in QT are doing great! I tried introducing the two angelfish... went wonderfully... divider back up.


I hope these are baby nasarius snails. I got two from a Petco way back when. Came down one morning a week or two later and the tank was all cloudy in the morning. It cleared up and I was hoping they spawned...
or a bunch of flatworms hitched in on the clam... all the flatworm images I've seen have two little tails at the end; these are rounded.


Corals! seem ok despite the astronomical alk... just fed bbs and reef chili

 

[rmorris_14]

clam moved! I think he is still on the plastic... rest lookin ok too.


I hope these are baby nasarius snails. I got two from a Petco way back when. Came down one morning a week or two later and the tank was all cloudy in the morning. It cleared up and I was hoping they spawned...
or a bunch of flatworms hitched in on the clam... all the flatworm images I've seen have two little tails at the end; these are rounded.
View attachment 2826483

I googled around. This almost look like Nerites.

 

[tbrown3589]

I googled around. This almost look like Nerites.

That would be great!

 

[Projects with Sam]

sooo much better then flatworms!