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Tank Journal

M

mickeysreef <*))))<

NJRC Member
tank running approximately 6 months
no fish or inverts were QT in this tank
29G Biocube
100w Nicrew (2 channels - keep blue on 2nd highest setting and whites off)
refugium in the first chamber, return in last chamber, heater and biomedia in middle chamber - was running uv there but dosing bacteria now
4 Pieces of rock with cave like structure in the center
barebottom
copepods
assorted zoa
2 lps
1 squamosa clam
1 green BTA
1 rose BTA (tiny nub from last tank crash)
2 blue linckia starfish (tourists)
2 naked cinnamon clowns
1 lawnmower blenny
1 banggai cardinal

04/09/2021
API
ph 8.2-8.4
no3 0-5ppm
po4 0-.25 ppm
kh 7-8
ca 440-460

carbon added 04/02/2021 - no other chemicals
daily dose 3 caps of stability

problems:
algae growth
excessive bubbles
scum on surface of water (lack of meaningful mechanical filtration)
 
M

mickeysreef <*))))<

NJRC Member
idk bubbles on the glass and everything in the tank. just started happening along with the excessive surface scum. could be from shutting off the uv or maybe because I started dosing stability. going to order low range no3 and po4 test kits see if can tweak it further.

john90009 said:
What do you mean excessive bubbles?? I have a 29 as well and I promise you it can be a showstopping tank once it’s established and following the right routine.
Click to expand...
 
J

john90009

NJRC Member
Did you happen to upgrade the back pump to the maxijet? That’s what I have on my tank because it’s stronger then the original pump it comes with. Maybe try different angles with the return to push the top scum more towards the overflow.
 
J

john90009

NJRC Member
Happen to have any pictures of the tank? With smaller systems I find it takes longer for bare bottoms to fully sustain them selfs. Without sand you remove so much surface area on each grain of sand that houses the bacteria so although there is biomedia, it will take awhile for the tank to settle, plus the bacteria being added is like throwing a new variable into the mix. I have had dinos twice in my feeding past and if I remember right since it was many years ago, I reduced the photo period of my white lights alittle, did my normal water change but I did it at the end of the white light photoperiod, then it switched to actinics. I feel the white is when they reproduce like crazy, so I turned the flow off and let them spread like they seem to do and took a tiny air hose and sucked as much out each water change. Then I would feed alittle heavier, I always feed with frozen so I don’t know the impact of pellet foods and reefroids would do. Eventually they became less and less.
 
M

mickeysreef <*))))<

NJRC Member
super interesting re: dinos. 99% of the bubbles are gone today - though i just turned on the lights an hour ago. lets see if they return this evening. i do not run any white lights in the tank.
 

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J

john90009

NJRC Member
Some snails would help clean the rocks atleast that’s a start, and hopefully not too much detritus is sitting in between all that eggcrate. Egg rate can end up causing spots for detritus to settle and not get removed from the tank.
 
M

mickeysreef <*))))<

NJRC Member
john90009 said:
Interesting, how often do you do waterchanges sand your sure your rodi water is clean?
Click to expand...
i was doing 10g every week until i installed the refugium because my nitrates were running between 20 and 40ppm, and now i am doing 5g every 2 weeks. tds meter.
john90009 said:
Some snails would help clean the rocks atleast that’s a start, and hopefully not too much detritus is sitting in between all that eggcrate. Egg rate can end up causing spots for detritus to settle and not get removed from the tank.
Click to expand...
i have a mexican turbo in there and he is more trouble than he is worth tbh - i wont move him as he'd have to go into qt. i have a large assortment of crabs though. all of the egg crate is elevated so there isnt any large detritus pockets - there were before i elevated them. all of the corals will get moved out of this tank once i get my frag tank running. i plan on just keeping nems and the clowns in here. maybe i can get a tailspot blenny in there as well
 
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M

mickeysreef <*))))<

NJRC Member
04/11/2021
5 gallon water change
temp 81.9
31 ppt
ph 8.2-8.4
no3 0-5ppm
po4 0-.25 ppm
kh 8-9
ca 440-460

carbon exhausted (yellow in bucket) and replaced
dinos return daily
 
M

mickeysreef <*))))<

NJRC Member
Temp 79.5
PO4 0-0.25
Unable to meaningfully test PO4, will order LR test kit.
Have an inkbird to install later today or this week.
Green BTA has emerged from rockwork and wrapped around rose BTA.
Begin dosing 15ml/daily of phytoplankton
Continue dosing 3 caps/daily of stability
 
M

mickeysreef <*))))<

NJRC Member
john90009 said:
I am curious as to why you are dosing phytoplankton?
Click to expand...

Hockeynut said:
I was going To ask the same question in that photo plankton that you were dosing you have fertilizer in it don’t you.
Click to expand...

yeah all phytoplankton that you buy is grown with fertilizer. they use something called F2 - its basically miracle grow. i'm dosing phyto because i have pods, corals, 2 star fish and anemones in there. im keeping the biodiversity up.
 
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