Katsafado's first ever 10g SW tank(nano)
- Thread starter katsafados
- Start date
katsafados
Active Member
lol..
Most of the spots its in are hard to get to.. so cat really syphon it out... lol
Ill cut down on food even more then I have lol.. and with lighting what do you suggest?
Most of the spots its in are hard to get to.. so cat really syphon it out... lol
Ill cut down on food even more then I have lol.. and with lighting what do you suggest?
meowzer
Moderator
Originally Posted by Katsafados
http:///forum/post/3174462
lol..
Most of the spots its in are hard to get to.. so cat really syphon it out... lol
Ill cut down on food even more then I have lol.. and with lighting what do you suggest?
Maybe knock 2 hours off...an hour at start-up nad an hour at turn off....
Since they are hard to reach places, is there any way you can get some flow there????
http:///forum/post/3174462
lol..
Most of the spots its in are hard to get to.. so cat really syphon it out... lol
Ill cut down on food even more then I have lol.. and with lighting what do you suggest?
Maybe knock 2 hours off...an hour at start-up nad an hour at turn off....
Since they are hard to reach places, is there any way you can get some flow there????
katsafados
Active Member
it would cause a sand storm lol..
meowzer
Moderator
Originally Posted by Katsafados
http:///forum/post/3174467
it would cause a sand storm lol..
Not if you position it right...LOL.....Apparently stuff is collecting in those areas.....you need to get some flow there..OR remove it...
http:///forum/post/3174467
it would cause a sand storm lol..
Not if you position it right...LOL.....Apparently stuff is collecting in those areas.....you need to get some flow there..OR remove it...
katsafados
Active Member
Wont that mess up my corals? I dont rinse my food either lol.
nikesb
Active Member
2-3 days will not harm your corals at all. think about days when they have thunderstorms on reef, many zoas and mushrooms dont get light. and i found out that my phosphates were coming from my food. thaw out the food in some of your tank water and take a test, the phosphate will hit high. what i do is thaw out in some ro/di, throw the ro/di away and rinse it again in some ro/di then put throw the ro/di away again, then feed it to my fishes
spanko
Active Member
You probably know what my take on this will be Daniel but............
Are you still feeding the sun coral outside the tank or have you started to do it inside?
Are you using all of the different bottled concoctions to try to keep the gorgonian alive that you have been?
Do you have a good husbandry plan, and are you sticking to it?
Are you using something inside the tank, on the rocks, to suspend any accumulated detritus in the water column for removal by water changes and filtration?
Those are just some basics IMO. You can answer them any way you feel comfortable with but only you know if you are doing enough to prevent this outbreak and you IMO have asked enough questions and read enough to know what you have to do to maintain your system.
I am probably being a little harsh here however I do believe that, from reading your posts, you are "stretching" a bit relative to available funds and available time. In the maintenance of your 10 gallon system there is no room for this. You went in being told a 10 gallon would be more of a challenge because of the limited volume of water to absorb changes. I think you are beginning to see the validity of that now. You can keep this system up, just takes time, effort, and money to do it.
These are just my opinions based on reading this thread and other posts you have made in other threads. I may be way out in left field but somehow I believe I am pretty close. The problem with your tank is a problem that you allowed to, or even had a hand in making happen.
Now is the time to grab the bull by his goodies and get back into the aggressive maintenance of your system. Problem is you are playing catch up now instead of being out front.
Sorry but those are my observations and opinions. Take them for what you will.
Are you still feeding the sun coral outside the tank or have you started to do it inside?
Are you using all of the different bottled concoctions to try to keep the gorgonian alive that you have been?
Do you have a good husbandry plan, and are you sticking to it?
Are you using something inside the tank, on the rocks, to suspend any accumulated detritus in the water column for removal by water changes and filtration?
Those are just some basics IMO. You can answer them any way you feel comfortable with but only you know if you are doing enough to prevent this outbreak and you IMO have asked enough questions and read enough to know what you have to do to maintain your system.
I am probably being a little harsh here however I do believe that, from reading your posts, you are "stretching" a bit relative to available funds and available time. In the maintenance of your 10 gallon system there is no room for this. You went in being told a 10 gallon would be more of a challenge because of the limited volume of water to absorb changes. I think you are beginning to see the validity of that now. You can keep this system up, just takes time, effort, and money to do it.
These are just my opinions based on reading this thread and other posts you have made in other threads. I may be way out in left field but somehow I believe I am pretty close. The problem with your tank is a problem that you allowed to, or even had a hand in making happen.
Now is the time to grab the bull by his goodies and get back into the aggressive maintenance of your system. Problem is you are playing catch up now instead of being out front.
Sorry but those are my observations and opinions. Take them for what you will.
katsafados
Active Member
Originally Posted by nikeSB
http:///forum/post/3174785
2-3 days will not harm your corals at all. think about days when they have thunderstorms on reef, many zoas and mushrooms dont get light. and i found out that my phosphates were coming from my food. thaw out the food in some of your tank water and take a test, the phosphate will hit high. what i do is thaw out in some ro/di, throw the ro/di away and rinse it again in some ro/di then put throw the ro/di away again, then feed it to my fishes
I have no detectable phosphates.. lol
th only parameter thats out of whack is niotrates. Its only 10.. which is still not even that bad..
The cyano is comming from my fuge, I have some purple slime algae growing on the cheatto.
http:///forum/post/3174785
2-3 days will not harm your corals at all. think about days when they have thunderstorms on reef, many zoas and mushrooms dont get light. and i found out that my phosphates were coming from my food. thaw out the food in some of your tank water and take a test, the phosphate will hit high. what i do is thaw out in some ro/di, throw the ro/di away and rinse it again in some ro/di then put throw the ro/di away again, then feed it to my fishes
I have no detectable phosphates.. lol
th only parameter thats out of whack is niotrates. Its only 10.. which is still not even that bad..
The cyano is comming from my fuge, I have some purple slime algae growing on the cheatto.
katsafados
Active Member
Originally Posted by spanko
http:///forum/post/3174793
You probably know what my take on this will be Daniel but............
Are you still feeding the sun coral outside the tank or have you started to do it inside? Nope still taking it out of the tank for feedings
Are you using all of the different bottled concoctions to try to keep the gorgonian alive that you have been?Nope ran out, and have no money to buy it, im just feeding mysis shrimp
Do you have a good husbandry plan, and are you sticking to it? more than 10% water change evey week (sat/sun to be exact) plus changing media every 2 weeks
Are you using something inside the tank, on the rocks, to suspend any accumulated detritus in the water column for removal by water changes and filtration? Nope but im going to start to use the PH to blow stuff off this sunday when I do my W.C
Those are just some basics IMO. You can answer them any way you feel comfortable with but only you know if you are doing enough to prevent this outbreak and you IMO have asked enough questions and read enough to know what you have to do to maintain your system.
I am probably being a little harsh here however I do believe that, from reading your posts, you are "stretching" a bit relative to available funds and available time. In the maintenance of your 10 gallon system there is no room for this. You went in being told a 10 gallon would be more of a challenge because of the limited volume of water to absorb changes. I think you are beginning to see the validity of that now. You can keep this system up, just takes time, effort, and money to do it.
These are just my opinions based on reading this thread and other posts you have made in other threads. I may be way out in left field but somehow I believe I am pretty close. The problem with your tank is a problem that you allowed to, or even had a hand in making happen.
Now is the time to grab the bull by his goodies and get back into the aggressive maintenance of your system. Problem is you are playing catch up now instead of being out front.
Sorry but those are my observations and opinions. Take them for what you will.
My water parameters are good, tested acouplke days ago..
ammonia was 0
nitrites were 0
nitrates were 10
phosphates were 0
pH was 8.0
the others were in their acceptable ranges cant remember
I belive that its just the accumilation of detrius and nutrients on the rock's/sand that are causeing it to happen. Plus I think that its growing in my refugium..
I've been up to date with my tank maintenence, been feeding the sun coral out of the tank, been feeding the fish a lot less than I use to, not spot feeding the corals, and not feeding bottled phyto.. The only thing I add into my tank are vitamins and minerals (selcon, vitechem, zoe, zoecon)
Now when I do my w/c should I scrape the slime algae off the rocks or w.e toi suspend it in the colum before taking the water out?
Also will turing out the light for 3 days beharmful for my corals?
http:///forum/post/3174793
You probably know what my take on this will be Daniel but............
Are you still feeding the sun coral outside the tank or have you started to do it inside? Nope still taking it out of the tank for feedings
Are you using all of the different bottled concoctions to try to keep the gorgonian alive that you have been?Nope ran out, and have no money to buy it, im just feeding mysis shrimp
Do you have a good husbandry plan, and are you sticking to it? more than 10% water change evey week (sat/sun to be exact) plus changing media every 2 weeks
Are you using something inside the tank, on the rocks, to suspend any accumulated detritus in the water column for removal by water changes and filtration? Nope but im going to start to use the PH to blow stuff off this sunday when I do my W.C
Those are just some basics IMO. You can answer them any way you feel comfortable with but only you know if you are doing enough to prevent this outbreak and you IMO have asked enough questions and read enough to know what you have to do to maintain your system.
I am probably being a little harsh here however I do believe that, from reading your posts, you are "stretching" a bit relative to available funds and available time. In the maintenance of your 10 gallon system there is no room for this. You went in being told a 10 gallon would be more of a challenge because of the limited volume of water to absorb changes. I think you are beginning to see the validity of that now. You can keep this system up, just takes time, effort, and money to do it.
These are just my opinions based on reading this thread and other posts you have made in other threads. I may be way out in left field but somehow I believe I am pretty close. The problem with your tank is a problem that you allowed to, or even had a hand in making happen.
Now is the time to grab the bull by his goodies and get back into the aggressive maintenance of your system. Problem is you are playing catch up now instead of being out front.
Sorry but those are my observations and opinions. Take them for what you will.
My water parameters are good, tested acouplke days ago..
ammonia was 0
nitrites were 0
nitrates were 10
phosphates were 0
pH was 8.0
the others were in their acceptable ranges cant remember
I belive that its just the accumilation of detrius and nutrients on the rock's/sand that are causeing it to happen. Plus I think that its growing in my refugium..
I've been up to date with my tank maintenence, been feeding the sun coral out of the tank, been feeding the fish a lot less than I use to, not spot feeding the corals, and not feeding bottled phyto.. The only thing I add into my tank are vitamins and minerals (selcon, vitechem, zoe, zoecon)
Now when I do my w/c should I scrape the slime algae off the rocks or w.e toi suspend it in the colum before taking the water out?
Also will turing out the light for 3 days beharmful for my corals?
spanko
Active Member
Okay then I think what you have is a husbandry issue related to all of the additional things you were adding and not exporting out. Your statement "I believe that its just the accumulation of detritus and nutrients on the rock's/sand that are causing it to happen." is IMO correct.
Also "Plus I think that its growing in my refugium" points to additional husbandry issues.
Yes blowing your rock work off with a power head (be careful here power heads are power-full) will help just immediately prior to a water change. I would rather see you use a new (can get at the $1.00 store if they have them in Canada) turkey baster. On the cyano in the tank it should not be blown up into the water column but rather sucked out with the siphon you use for the water change. If you are not siphoning but using some other method to get the old water out of the tank then I suggest you get some airline tubing and use it to siphon. With it you can direct the end of the tube in the tank at the cyano and it will come up in a nice mat and go out with the water. Stay just above the cyano so you don't get any substrate into and blocking the tube. Takes a little practice but can be done.
You don't mention cleaning of your filter materials (pads floss etc) but this needs to be done on almost a daily basis. I change out the Polyester fiber fill that I purchase very inexpensively at the craft or fabric store daily.
On having the cyano in the fuge this is a flow nutrient problem there also. Seems that perhaps you don't have anything to catch the detritus coming into the fuge from the tank perhaps? Some floss at the end of the intake would take care of the larger particles of detritus going into the fuge also. If you have something there you need to clean it more often. The cyano is growing on your chaeto? Is the chaeto tumbling in the fuge? Are you harvesting (is it growing) any out at least once per month if not more often? If it is not tumbling it needs to. This will help to get light and water flowing through the whole ball so that it can use those nutrients to grow. Then as it grows you need to harvest it to remove the nutrients it has absorbed and to allow it room to grow again.
On your water changes perhaps you need to go to 20% weekly to help to export more nutrient out.
Do you have skimmer? If so run it a little wetter for a while. (wetter means you will have to empty the cup more often, maybe daily)
Changes in this volume of water cause a problem more quickly. You are seeing that now.
Those are just a few things. You need more flow in the tank, or at least redirect the flow you have, to keep the detritus suspended for removal by your mechanical filtration.
I am not an advocate of tank blackouts for the purpose of controlling an outbreak of cyano as i view it as a band aid, not an attack at the root cause of the problem. Will it hurt the coral, probably not but it is a roll of the dice IMO. Many do it and have success at it. Many also use chemical means to attack a cyano problem. Again IMO a band aid if you do not correct the root cause.
Phew I am tired now!!!!!
Also "Plus I think that its growing in my refugium" points to additional husbandry issues.
Yes blowing your rock work off with a power head (be careful here power heads are power-full) will help just immediately prior to a water change. I would rather see you use a new (can get at the $1.00 store if they have them in Canada) turkey baster. On the cyano in the tank it should not be blown up into the water column but rather sucked out with the siphon you use for the water change. If you are not siphoning but using some other method to get the old water out of the tank then I suggest you get some airline tubing and use it to siphon. With it you can direct the end of the tube in the tank at the cyano and it will come up in a nice mat and go out with the water. Stay just above the cyano so you don't get any substrate into and blocking the tube. Takes a little practice but can be done.
You don't mention cleaning of your filter materials (pads floss etc) but this needs to be done on almost a daily basis. I change out the Polyester fiber fill that I purchase very inexpensively at the craft or fabric store daily.
On having the cyano in the fuge this is a flow nutrient problem there also. Seems that perhaps you don't have anything to catch the detritus coming into the fuge from the tank perhaps? Some floss at the end of the intake would take care of the larger particles of detritus going into the fuge also. If you have something there you need to clean it more often. The cyano is growing on your chaeto? Is the chaeto tumbling in the fuge? Are you harvesting (is it growing) any out at least once per month if not more often? If it is not tumbling it needs to. This will help to get light and water flowing through the whole ball so that it can use those nutrients to grow. Then as it grows you need to harvest it to remove the nutrients it has absorbed and to allow it room to grow again.
On your water changes perhaps you need to go to 20% weekly to help to export more nutrient out.
Do you have skimmer? If so run it a little wetter for a while. (wetter means you will have to empty the cup more often, maybe daily)
Changes in this volume of water cause a problem more quickly. You are seeing that now.
Those are just a few things. You need more flow in the tank, or at least redirect the flow you have, to keep the detritus suspended for removal by your mechanical filtration.
I am not an advocate of tank blackouts for the purpose of controlling an outbreak of cyano as i view it as a band aid, not an attack at the root cause of the problem. Will it hurt the coral, probably not but it is a roll of the dice IMO. Many do it and have success at it. Many also use chemical means to attack a cyano problem. Again IMO a band aid if you do not correct the root cause.
Phew I am tired now!!!!!
meowzer
Moderator
katsafados
Active Member
hahah.
Okay now this is some wierd cyano. Its growing on the PH where IMO there shouldnt be a lot of nutrients there since its constantly getting blown off:S
I also never knew you had to harvest cheatto, so I will start doing that. I also have a phosphate remover filterpad on the first wall of the intake to my refugium which filters out the water comming into the refuge. My cheato isnt tumbling because its grown so much that its packed in there.
Like I sais before I've been doing more than 10-20% water changes weekly, due to the fact I go through 10-15g of water a week from W/C feeding the suncoral in a 2g tank(dont fill it all the way maybe .5 to 1g), and my topoffs.
I just repossitioned my PH to point down at the sand and rocks more, and once I did it I had a storm of nutrient buildup(detrius looks to be) come off my rocks.
Once I get a car sinc emy parents took them, I'm goignto buy some water and do a W/C tonight, plus I'm goign to do a W/C on sunday. I;m also going to change my filterfloss(in my canister) more often. Right now I change my filter media every 2 weeks, didnt seem to be that muched up after 2 weeks but enough to have a change.
I'm in the middle of changing my light schedual to 10hours a day, I read a post that you commented on someone elses issus. To clearify when you said change it to 10hours of daylight, does that mean just the white?
Would a schedual somewhat like this work?
10am actinics on
11am daylights on
7pm daylights off
8pm actinics off
8pm - 10am - moonlights on
If not can you tell me a schedual, and I'll modify it to fit my needs?
Okay now this is some wierd cyano. Its growing on the PH where IMO there shouldnt be a lot of nutrients there since its constantly getting blown off:S
I also never knew you had to harvest cheatto, so I will start doing that. I also have a phosphate remover filterpad on the first wall of the intake to my refugium which filters out the water comming into the refuge. My cheato isnt tumbling because its grown so much that its packed in there.
Like I sais before I've been doing more than 10-20% water changes weekly, due to the fact I go through 10-15g of water a week from W/C feeding the suncoral in a 2g tank(dont fill it all the way maybe .5 to 1g), and my topoffs.
I just repossitioned my PH to point down at the sand and rocks more, and once I did it I had a storm of nutrient buildup(detrius looks to be) come off my rocks.
Once I get a car sinc emy parents took them, I'm goignto buy some water and do a W/C tonight, plus I'm goign to do a W/C on sunday. I;m also going to change my filterfloss(in my canister) more often. Right now I change my filter media every 2 weeks, didnt seem to be that muched up after 2 weeks but enough to have a change.
I'm in the middle of changing my light schedual to 10hours a day, I read a post that you commented on someone elses issus. To clearify when you said change it to 10hours of daylight, does that mean just the white?
Would a schedual somewhat like this work?
10am actinics on
11am daylights on
7pm daylights off
8pm actinics off
8pm - 10am - moonlights on
If not can you tell me a schedual, and I'll modify it to fit my needs?
katsafados
Active Member
Not my car.. they took their car.. lol I'm second driver.. lol
Okay well. I harvested a poop load of cheato out of the fuge! Pissed off all my corals because I didnt think it out before hand, so I had a lot of cheato pieces floating around i nthe dt and had to scoop them up with a net.
I have a handfull of cheatto in my fuge again.. and I put filterfloss in the return chamber of the fuge, and put filterfloss in the first chamber (right after the intake pvc). I also manually scooped up most of the cyano with the cheato that was growing in my fuge. I have some growing on the walls of the fuge, but I'm going to deal with that when I get a chnce to do a waterchange.
I'm also going to start the lighting schedual change..
I'll post before and after test readings when I do my W/C.
So far so good?
Now I have to study microbiology(how ironic) and inorganic chemistry! lol
I'll be on and off so feel free to write! I need more ideas!
Okay well. I harvested a poop load of cheato out of the fuge! Pissed off all my corals because I didnt think it out before hand, so I had a lot of cheato pieces floating around i nthe dt and had to scoop them up with a net.
I have a handfull of cheatto in my fuge again.. and I put filterfloss in the return chamber of the fuge, and put filterfloss in the first chamber (right after the intake pvc). I also manually scooped up most of the cyano with the cheato that was growing in my fuge. I have some growing on the walls of the fuge, but I'm going to deal with that when I get a chnce to do a waterchange.
I'm also going to start the lighting schedual change..
I'll post before and after test readings when I do my W/C.
So far so good?
Now I have to study microbiology(how ironic) and inorganic chemistry! lol
I'll be on and off so feel free to write! I need more ideas!
spanko
Active Member
Look around at some pictures of peoples tanks where you can see the power heads and you will see algae growth is a normal occurrence. However with cyano growing on there it would seem that you total flow in the tank is not high enough. You will also need to be careful with pointing the power head down more if you are sacrificing surface turbulence as this could cause a gas exchange problem as well as build up scum if you don't have adequate surface skimming.
Yuppers if your chaeto is packed in there you are not using it for what you intended it for, nutrient export. Just because it is up taking nutrient doesn't mean it is gone from the tank. You want it gone, and to do that you harvest the ball down by ripping out a bunch of it and allowing it to regrow. What you tank out, takes out the nutrient that it has absorbed and new will grow in its place absorbing more nutrient. What you harvest you may be able to sell to other reefers or back to the fish store for credit.
To save on water I would put the sun coral in a container just big enough to cover it with water and still allow you to feed each head. Just a suggestion.
Your suggested light schedule looks good. 8 hours daylight and 10 hours actinic is more than sufficient. ( I have read articles that the photosynthetic up take of zooxanthellae happens within the first 6 hours. But that is a whole nuther discussion!!
Yuppers if your chaeto is packed in there you are not using it for what you intended it for, nutrient export. Just because it is up taking nutrient doesn't mean it is gone from the tank. You want it gone, and to do that you harvest the ball down by ripping out a bunch of it and allowing it to regrow. What you tank out, takes out the nutrient that it has absorbed and new will grow in its place absorbing more nutrient. What you harvest you may be able to sell to other reefers or back to the fish store for credit.
To save on water I would put the sun coral in a container just big enough to cover it with water and still allow you to feed each head. Just a suggestion.
Your suggested light schedule looks good. 8 hours daylight and 10 hours actinic is more than sufficient. ( I have read articles that the photosynthetic up take of zooxanthellae happens within the first 6 hours. But that is a whole nuther discussion!!
katsafados
Active Member
Okie dokie!
Do you think I should scrap the nano pumps and buy a stage 1 then? I htought I had decent enough flow since I have 2 nano PH'S and the flow fro mthe return pvc from my fuge. I'll admit that the nanos dont push out much when it comes towards the surface of the sand, but how much flow can a 10g tank handel? Know what I mean. So if I read correctly youd advise me to keep one of the PH's pointed towarss the surface to break the water rather than worry about the flow for the cyano at the moment?
I just tossed out the huge amount of cheato I harvested, since I doubt big als would buy it back, because they have a 10g tank full of cheato, and they sold it to me for like 3$ for a nice size ball.
Do you think I should scrap the nano pumps and buy a stage 1 then? I htought I had decent enough flow since I have 2 nano PH'S and the flow fro mthe return pvc from my fuge. I'll admit that the nanos dont push out much when it comes towards the surface of the sand, but how much flow can a 10g tank handel? Know what I mean. So if I read correctly youd advise me to keep one of the PH's pointed towarss the surface to break the water rather than worry about the flow for the cyano at the moment?
I just tossed out the huge amount of cheato I harvested, since I doubt big als would buy it back, because they have a 10g tank full of cheato, and they sold it to me for like 3$ for a nice size ball.
spanko
Active Member
Actually both are important in regards to the flow. I have 359 gallons per hour from my sump return and an MP10 at about 80% capacity that = about 1260 gallons per hour in tank. Total volume of the display area is about 25 gallons. so 1260+350=1610 gallons per hour. Divided by 25 = about 65 times turnover in my tank. Just you Koralia nanos, if that is what you have, are producing at 52 times turnove in your display. That plus whatever else you have from outside filtration should be plenty in your tank. You just have to figure out how to direct it all for the maximum benefit. I am glad you saw the gunk blow up from your rock work. That has to be kept clean. Some of it goes to your CUC but most of it goes to breaking down. If you are not getting it out of the tank fast enough, it is available to things like nuisance algae.
katsafados
Active Member
I'm trying to but everythings against me lol.
I went to buy ro/di water just now for a W/C but big als is out of it
Nowhere else to go lol.. The guy tried to sell me ultralife reef products red slime remover lol, but I said no thanks just want to try to do it naturally first lol. He kept saying I use it it takes it out within days blah blah blah and im like it always comes back too I bet lol, then he said yeah so you use a little more and I laughed and left lol.
On a bad note, I cant do the W/C today =(
I went to buy ro/di water just now for a W/C but big als is out of it
On a bad note, I cant do the W/C today =(