kmacc05

Do feather dusters and other tube worms do anything? I would like some for aesthetics but they seem to be kind of pricey from the ones ive seen at lfs. Beautiful setup by the way! Looks amazing

I've been dosing Vitamin C and have had excellent results. The brand that the threads I have read are referring to and the one I have been using is this one http://www.nutribiot...rbate-16oz.html. I put about 2/3 of a teaspoon per day in Belinda's 34 gallon zoa tank.

Don't expect overnight results but after 3 weeks I started noticing stronger, more vibrant zoas. No melt downs in the 3 months we have been using it.

+1 on this! I dont do it right now. But over the past two days I have been reading a lot about vitamin c dosing. I was fixing to start a thread to see other opinions. It seems to not only be good for zoas, but everything in the tank. I have read positive reviews on the kent marine c or whatever its called. I might buy some on the way home to try it

That's nice to know! I have been wanting a Duncan frag for quite some time. Now that I know they are so hardy, it just might be one of the next additions.

I use the Caribsea Fiji Pink. This is my first tank. Have not noticed any problems with it. For a while in the beginning stages it was a little light and would fog up the display while cleaning etc. But it settled fast. Now that the tank is maturing, I notice that it doesn't get disturbed quite like it used to.

Thanks for stopping by. I will keep an eye on that skimmer cup and test the ro water from AT. It hasnt come back like it was the other day so hopefully it has passed.

lucky! That's awesome. What kind of coral is that? my guess is a duncan, but I can't really tell. It looks awesome

I can swing by tomorrow at 1 if your available.

Sent pm with address. Im off today so Im around all day

Yeah! I have been looking every day. Then all of a sudden over night, growth everywhere. I started using coral frenzy, I wonder if that is the reason in all the sudden growth?

So I just got home from work and I noticed my first 4 little spots of purple coraline growing on the back glass! Along with 4 new mohawk zoas, 1 new purple death zoa, 3 new dragonfly zoas, 5 new tubbs blues zoas and nice white growth tips on my birdsnest which has great polyp extension! My green monti has great polyp extension too! Despite the diatoms or dinos that are on the sand bed, it seems like everything is doing great! Just thought I would share with everyone. The first sign of growth is exciting. I have been looking for it every night.

I hope I can get it under control. It looks nasty.

That should be fine. Let me talk to my girlfriend and make sure there wont be any suprise plans made. Ill pm you my address

Im at lakecreek and 183

Thanks Robb!

Technically speaking any increase in light has the potential of increasing algae growth but I'm with the others and would look at other possibilities. Keep in mind even after the various algae cycles that occur in the first 6,8 or 12 months a tank is maturing those algaes don not die off completely and changes in environmental conditions can cause one or more to reappear. I'm under the impression Boyd's Chemipure has carbon in it also. I've opened the bags and it looks like a mix of carbon and ion exchange beads to pull out a wide range of polutants from the water.

Does this mean that multiple diatom blooms during the first year of the tank's life would be normal? I know it takes a while for the tank to mature.

During my first diatom bloom, the stuff grew everywhere like mad. Now this stuff is only growing on the sand and within the area that is hit by light. So I am confused to what it is and how to deal with it.

If I were to put bio balls or some other source of biological filtration into the flow of the HOB fuge, would that help with any excess nutrients I may be dealing with?

And how can I test for these nutrients?

Sorry to hear about that. Got to be rough!

Good luck on the restart!

I was told the bag of chemipure had carbon along with another resin that will do the same thing as carbon along with other filtration? Was told carbon is mainly ran as a water polisher and the chemipure will help more...

I agree with Juiceman, the antinics/moon lights are just supplimental and will not affect algea growth. How long has your tank been up? Fully stocked CUC? Filter Media?

I didn't think the actinics/moon lights would cause it. But just threw that out there since I keep mine on longer than most people I have talked to. Tanks has been setup for about 2 months after cycling period. CUC consists of, 5 turbos, 1 emerald, 6 hermits, 1 cleaner shrimp and 2 peppermint shrimps. Not sure if the shrimps do anything for CUC?

As for filtration, HOB skimmer/refugium rated up to 90 gallons made by CPR. In last section of fuge just before gravity return is a ball of chaeto and 1 bag of chemipure.

For flow, 1 mp10 and 1 korlia 450 gph.

Edit: I have also added a 40 watt clip on light for the chaeto to grow in the fuge and it stays on about 12 hours a day. Not sure if that has anything to do with it.

No food settling that I can see. I only feed once every two days and I make sure to feed in very small amounts so all food in consumed in a short period. And what falls to the bottom usually gets snagged by the goby. I have siphoned out twice and just disposed of the sand since not much comes out. But when I look at it, it is exactly within the parameter of light spread. Since I only have one AI SOL mounted in the center of a 55g it is easy to see where the light hits and where it doesn't. Everything else is thriving in the tank so that only leads me to believe it could be because of the light since it is only where the light seems to hit. I only have test kits for nitrite, calcium and alkalinity. So if nitrate and/or ph is not where it should be, that could be a reason for the algae? But then again, wouldn't it spread? Any other ideas to what could be causing it?

I have been dealing with a type of algae that looks really close to the diatom bloom I had when the tank was newly setup. I have thought it might be dino or cyano. But it only seems to be right under where the main portion of lighting hits the sand bed. From what I have been reading, dinos and cyano will tend to spread. Correct me if I'm wrong on that (still new and trying to learn all I can before coming to the forums asking a question that has been asked several times)

I have recently turned up the percentage on my AI SOL due to two sps pieces added to the system. And I have a longer actinic or night lighting period compared to others. My main question is, do moon lights and/or actinics cause algae to grow?

I figured they are at such a low percentage compared to the rest of the lighting throughout the day, that they couldn't be reaching the sand bed for the algae to grow. I don't know, I may be totally off on how algae depends on light to grow, but I thought it was similar to PAR with corals. I'm sure the sand isn't being hit by any light if much at all. So, is my day time lighting schedule too long? Or, should I only have my actinics and moon lights on for an hour or two instead of 4-5? Day time lights start at 9:30am and ramp up over two hours to 75% white, blue and royal blue, and stay there until 7:30pm with a 90min ramp down period to 10% blue and 15% royal blue for actinics. Actinic stays on until 11pm. Then royal blue goes to 10% until 3am for moon light and at 3am lights shut off for complete dark.

Thanks in advance and sorry if this has been covered several times in the past. I try and do all the research I can before coming here.

Awesome, I was able to figure out how to post. Finally able to figure out the camera to get a shot worth posting. Good luck to all!

Give me some feedback please. I have been trying to figure out white balance for a while now. Then the other night, it kind of just dawned on me and I felt like a derp when I finally got an understanding on the white balance grid (or so I think). So I decided to post a few of the good shots from a little set after tweaking the WB. Now I just need to get some other colors in the tank. Everything seems to be green. I have some pinks and blues, but they are small ATM and in a hard place to get a good angle on. Anyway, let me know what yall think of the progress in photog skills. Finally glad all pics aren't washed out and blue!

<iframe class="imgur-album" width="100%" height="550" frameborder="0" src="http://imgur.com/a/TKetj/embed"></iframe>

This sounds like fun! Too bad I cant have anymore tanks setup. Unless I change/sell my fluval. What qualifies it as a "pico"? What size and anything else? I would consider using the fluval if it is appropriate size. Unless all tanks have to be the same...

Thats crazy. The last one was in there this morning. But we just got back from eating and he seems to be missing as well. I guess my blue spot rules the tank too.

So I just put a pair of firefish into my tank. havent been in for more than 10 mins and my blue spot goby has eaten one! Is this normal behavior?! My fish are well fed so this has got me stumped. The other one is still alive, but keeps hanging out by the fallen one while he is being consumed. So i dont want him to go next. This is a bummer