New Year's Res for my reefs --- BETTER MAINT

[jackri]

Just a few things I did tonight.
I did a water change in my frag tank and set up a GFO/Carbon reactor from bulk reef supply as it came in today. I still need to do the main tank but I want to do another water change first. Did my first readings in months
Frag tank
Calc - 440
Alk - 4-5
pH - 8.3
Main Tank
Calc 360-380
Alk - 5 - 6
pH - 8.3
I'm starting a spreadsheet of maint, water changes, levels, doses etc and I can highlight troubled areas and make comments to track trends. Part of my new year get my hind end gear on my tanks again.
Frag tank is looking good but slow growth -- working on bringing alk up.. and magnesium is a future order.
Main tank has pretty good growth but fighing areas of hair algae and with water changes, QUALITY calcium supplement and the GFO/Carbon reactor and manual pulling I hope to win there.
Working on bring levels up -- calc in my frag tank has been good all along but slow growth and low alk. I need to stay on top of things better and I have been after just adding water basically for 3 months and having a soupy pickling lime drip in the main tank (which I'm blaming phosphates on).
I'll be making another future order for Mag tests/supplements and Part B powder and maybe more GFO pellets.
Like having a family, little kiddo, parrots and odd shifts isn't enough

 

[novahobbies]

Sounds like a good NYR! My goal this year is to get rid of this blasted red turf algae. The foxface keeps it trimmed short, but I'm tired of seeing it at all. I'm going to try building a DIY Nitrate reactor to help.
Question: have you been using Mrs. Wage's Pickling lime in place of Kalkwasser, and are you haveing problems with it?
I need to start dosing properly for calcium. I looked at the 2-part from Bulk reef, and I was tempted. I ask about the pickling lime because I was originally going to go that route for raising Alk.... if it's causing problems, I won't.

 

[meowzer]

My goal is to get away.....
BUT first I need a tank sitter

 

[novahobbies]

Man, I know the feeling!!! What am I going to do with my Blueberry gorgonian....it needs to be fed 2x daily with a very specific blend.
Maybe our new year's resolutions should be to create robot tank-sitters.
Or house elves!!

An army of house elves taking care of our tanks!

 

[jackri]

Originally Posted by novahobbies
http:///forum/post/3208196
Sounds like a good NYR! My goal this year is to get rid of this blasted red turf algae. The foxface keeps it trimmed short, but I'm tired of seeing it at all. I'm going to try building a DIY Nitrate reactor to help.
Question: have you been using Mrs. Wage's Pickling lime in place of Kalkwasser, and are you haveing problems with it?
I need to start dosing properly for calcium. I looked at the 2-part from Bulk reef, and I was tempted. I ask about the pickling lime because I was originally going to go that route for raising Alk.... if it's causing problems, I won't.
I was using Mrs Wage's and it's great for keeping calcium and alk up as I was dripping it in through my top off water.
HOWEVER --- you only really want the middle area after it's mixed. The top layer that crusts you don't want to use and the bottom builds sludge that you don't want to use. I thought I would outsmart it and put a powerhead in and keep it mixed at all times to get the concentration in the tank. Well the last 3 month shift I worked I got really lazy and well -- added phosphates at my 5g bucket for top off water was heavily sludged.
I have since gone to using ************** stuff. It's almost as cheap -- 7lbs of high quality calcium powder for 16 bucks? That's pretty darn cheap. I have part b left over from a gallon so I'll use that up and order the 7lb alk mix next time along with magnesium.
I've been a lot better on water changes but knew my calcium and alk would be low since I stopped using the limewater drip a month or more ago and just finally got around to getting some "good" stuff in.
The pickling lime isn't bad -- but you only want the middle section of the mix after it settles and then it can still contain phosphates.
I have no idea what my phosphates are as I don't have an accurate enough test so no use in bothering at this point. I am running GFO/Carbon now as well in my tanks and think I always will. It's a small expense comparitivily speaking in the hobby. The dual reactors were 60 bucks each -- buy the media in bulk and it's not that bad.