Back to basics- 29g adventure

[pegasus]

No... I didn't know that your were mixing your alk @ 2x strength. Still a bit confused how 2x equals 3x - 4x lower dosage. My feeble mind thinks if a solution is 2x, then a 1/2 dose would equal a full dose of 1x. I'll have to get with Imformbis on that one...

Aren't you concerned with elevated Sulphate levels from using Epson salt? I only ask because I know you don't like doing water changes, and it takes a minimum of 1% daily (30% monthly) water changes to keep Sulfate levels in a tolerable range.You can see what Randy says about Epson salt and sulphate rise in this article... just scroll down to DIY Recipes: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-07/rhf/index.php

 

[snakeblitz33]

I read the article a long time ago. I'm not concerned, since I am using Kent tech M for magnesium.

I'd use magnesium chloride or more commonly known as mag flake road salt.... But its not commonly sold in Louisiana. That's OK though, a little Kent tech M is cheap as well.

So, I get home and my hydnophora is starting to encrust onto the epoxy. That wasn't happening until recently. So I know I am doing something right.

I'm going to do a water change tomorrow, before I go back to the doctors office and have to lay up for the weekend. Woo hoo!

 

[pegasus]

I read the article a long time ago. I'm not concerned, since I am using Kent tech M for magnesium.

I'd use magnesium chloride or more commonly known as mag flake road salt.... But its not commonly sold in Louisiana. That's OK though, a little Kent tech M is cheap as well.

So, I get home and my hydnophora is starting to encrust onto the epoxy. That wasn't happening until recently. So I know I am doing something right.

I'm going to do a water change tomorrow, before I go back to the doctors office and have to lay up for the weekend. Woo hoo!

Okay, now I'm really lost! In post #200 you said, "For magnesium, I use magnesium sulphate- or Epsom salt. It's cheap. Four pounds is about three dollars. I take a funnel and add in four pounds in a water jug and then pour RO water over it and shake it to mix." Now... two posts later... you're using Kent TechM??? Wow, Seth... I'll have some of whatever you're on!!! Seriously, dude... you just confused the hell out of me!

 

[pegasus]

On a side note, I'm glad the hydnophora is starting to encrust onto the epoxy. Growth is always a welcome sight!

 

[snakeblitz33]

Lol, sorry for the confusion. I thought I clearly stated I was currently using Kent Tech M.

If I made up a DIY mix of magnesium, I'd use a 50/50 mix of epsom salt and mag flake and then do a mandatory monthly water change of 30%. But I'm not using a DIY magnesium supplement, I'm using Kent Tech M.

Once I recover from the doc bills and some extraneous expenses when my son is born this next Thursday, if I have anything left, I might buy some corals.

For now, its all kinda up in the air. But I'm glad I am seeing growth and improvement since buying test kits and doing the two part dosing on a regular basis.

 

[eric b 125]

Post some updated pics when you get a chance?

 

[snakeblitz33]

Sure will. Maybe this evening when the lights have been on a while.

 

[snakeblitz33]

This is what it looked like the day I got the Monti cap home... Poor condition.



This is it this morning, its grown about an inch or more in all directions and has nearly completely healed itself underneath, growing over the old dead skeleton.

 

[bang guy]

That's great!

 

[snakeblitz33]

Blue ridge when I got it. It's really a nothing special coral. It was free, and if it ever grows on the glass, you get to see a beautiful blue skeleton.



Blue ridge starting to encrust since increasing my calcium and alkalinity...



It's grown that much around the base in the last four or five days. So I know its healthy and staying a good color and entrusting, so something is doing right.

 

[snakeblitz33]

This is the hydnophora when I got it. It was looking sickly and white in spots when I bought it.



Then after being in my tank it went brown for a bit to recover and now that my parameters are in line, and phosphate is low, it seems to have perked up a bit and started encrusting on the plug and growing green tips. You can't see it in the photo because I took these at "night."

 

[snakeblitz33]

As of this morning,... With API test kits...

Calcium: 440mg/L
Alkalinity: 10dKH
ph8.1 "night time"
Temp: 78F
SG: 1.024
Nitrate/phosphate undetectable with API kits.

 

[pegasus]

The monti cap is looking very good, the blue ridge is growing... maybe just on the epoxy... but that's growth, and the hydnophora looks super-healthy with it's polyp extension after dark. Very nice! Pictures often tell the story much better than words, no matter how well we describe things, and it's quite obvious that your corals are doing well. Keep up the good work!!!

 

[snakeblitz33]

Thanks Pegasus.

I got home and all is still well.

Makes me want to order corals so bad..(

 

[pegasus]

Thanks Pegasus.(

You're welcome!

I got home and all is still well.(

Awesome... again!!!

Makes me want to order corals so bad..(

NO... you have to buy diapers and formula. It's time to pay the piper, pal!

Just kidding!!! Sorry, I couldn't resist... lol!!! Okay, but only a few more!

 

[snakeblitz33]

Jeez, I can't believe what one day of growth looks like when you have the proper parameters.

Everything is looking great. If I were to make any changes at this point, I would get a different, higher quality LED light and an MP10.

 

[pegasus]

Jeez, I can't believe what one day of growth looks like when you have the proper parameters.

Don't you just love it when everything starts to fall into place? Happy for you, bro!

Everything is looking great. If I were to make any changes at this point, I would get a different, higher quality LED light and an MP10.

Oh man, you'd have to get a bigger tank to handle all the new growth! LOL!!!

 

[snakeblitz33]

Ugh. We have house ants. I have been trying to stay away from using spray poisons. I'm gonna use vinegar on them and then sprinkle grits to see if that works. Just another day on this Earth. I'm hoping that spraying the vinegar around won't disturb the tank. But now my house smells like a pickle factory. Lol

My surgery went well. Gotta lay up for a couple of days, but I have too much to do. I hope I don't overdo it.

I checked my parameters again last night and calcium and alkalinity hasn't dropped at all. So I'm going to test again tomorrow.

Testing is an important part of the hobby... I feel like the more you test, the more you know and the better you can maintain it. I used to not really care for the last few years, but since starting this small tank and getting back to basics, I think it is more necessary than ever.

I am hoping that if my LFS has an order come in, he will have ordered a few SPS frags. I can swing $5-20 here and there, but an online order for $100-200 is always a big stretch. I just want one at a time, and Ithink I have really specific corals in mind.

Blue Montipora digitata, green M. palawenensis, rose millipora, green birdsnest, pink birdsnest, and a wild card.

 

[pegasus]

Use Bengal Gold Roach Spray. It'll get rid of anything that bugs you (pun inteneded! lol!!!). It doesn't take much at all to be effective, lasts forever, and won't stink up the place. I made my wife a firm believer in the stuff. Just a tiny bit around the tank if needed, and you should be fine.

Take it easy, buddy. How you heal will have a direct impact on how you feel the rest of your life. It's more important to recover correctly than to feel the effects from now on.

Agree 101%... testing is very important. Your critters are only as healthy as the environment they live in. There may be a few folks out there that can look at their tanks and tell what it needs. The other 99.9% need to test. Funny, when I first started, I tested all the time. It was mostly for things like Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate. When those were no longer an issue, I slowed down on my testing. Waaaaaay down. Then I started getting corals, and suddenly testing became a regular routine again. While I don't enjoy the process, I know it's vital to the health of my system. And... it always makes me smile when things are where they're supposed to be.

I wish I had an LFS that sold frags close by. It's roughly 90 miles to the nearest coral-carrying LFS for me. GRRRR!!!!

That's a very nice looking coral wish list you have. Those should do very well in your tank. I've got to figure out what's going on with my system. I lost my strawberry shortcake to RTN, and it looks like both my Pocilloporas and my green birdsnest have a slight case of STN, as well as both my Pavonas. I'm going to do two or three water changes in rapid succession to see if it's an element deficiency. Hopefully they'll recover. Fingers crossed...

 

[snakeblitz33]

In the hospital now, fixing to have our new baby boy arrive. They are holding my wife here until we have a crying, eating, pooping machine for us to take home.