Looking to make my reef better, advice needed.

[Mrramsey]

A little history about my tank. I have a 120g in wall, 150g volume, I built about 3 and a half years ago. I have 2 clowns (that don't host the nems), A. Occelarus sp., a yellow tang and one lone blue damsel. What started out as a RBTA and 2 GBTA's have now expanded into colonies. I have mushrooms, 2 gorgonians, a cabbage leather and a few other aid bits. Stuff has come and gone. I will be 100% perfectly honest in that I haven't done any maintenance in at least a year and a half. My test kits were all expired but I tested anyway.

Nitrates - 2ppm old test
ammonia - 0ppm old kit
pH - 8
Alk - 9.1 new test kit
Ca - 420 new test kit
Mg - 1280
temp 78.6 F

Just did a water change this morning and changed out the GFO and Carbon in the reactor. Water has always been crystal clear. Recently lost a reef shrimp and a couple emerald crabs went missing a while back. Bits of algae her and there have come and gone. Some bubble algae is around but I don't obsess about it.
My light is a reef breeder photon 48 on about a 10 hour ramp up then down cycle that maxes out at 50% IIRC.

the cabbage leather has recently started shedding its branches. Not sure it this is an act of stress or just that it had gotten so large that it is thinning itself?? At any rate looking to get back on a regular schedule with my maintenance and kick this tank up a notch with some different corals and or livestock.

[rjjr1963]

I'm not a fan of GFO. Your corals need some phosphate. I started dosing nitrate and phosphate and my corals started looking much better yet algae hasn't become an issue. With higher nutrients you can increase the intensity of lighting which also improves coral growth. You have to go slowly and you nitrates look right on target of what I have. My phosphate runs around .07.

[Mrramsey]

Originally Posted by rjjr1963

I'm not a fan of GFO. Your corals need some phosphate. I started dosing nitrate and phosphate and my corals started looking much better yet algae hasn't become an issue. With higher nutrients you can increase the intensity of lighting which also improves coral growth. You have to go slowly and you nitrates look right on target of what I have. My phosphate runs around .07.

I was really shocked to see the params were as good as they are. I need to pick up a phosphate test kit as well as a new pH and nitrate test. They expired about 2 years ago and I just don't trust them. The LFS was sold out of the refill kits.

I did bump up the lighting by 5% across the board on my program. Turns out I was maxing it at 30% and not 50% not sure why I had them set that low.

[hersheyb]

For a 120gal tank you have very few fish... more fish poop = more food for corals... Your parameters are fine, just check on ur po4. Like mentioned above I don't use GFO/Carbon, but I do have it handy just incase I need them... If you can post a pic or 2 of ur tank it'll give us a better idea of what your going for. Details on filtration would also help.

[Mrramsey]

Here are some pics I took yesterday









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[oldhead]

Nice looking tank for not doing any maintenance.

[mcgyvr]

um.. so whats the problem?

Tank looks great.. parameters are great.. don't change a thing.. If you want to start doing more water changes thats just fine.. Its not going to hurt..

and Corals reproduce by splitting/tearing off new pieces.. Thats totally normal and healthy..

established systems for the most part take care of themselves.. Thanks bacteria... (but do suck down trace elements/alk/mag/cal,etc.. that may need to be replenished)

[Mrramsey]

Originally Posted by mcgyvr

um.. so whats the problem?

Tank looks great.. parameters are great.. don't change a thing.. If you want to start doing more water changes thats just fine.. Its not going to hurt..

and Corals reproduce by splitting/tearing off new pieces.. Thats totally normal and healthy..

established systems for the most part take care of themselves.. Thanks bacteria... (but do suck down trace elements/alk/mag/cal,etc.. that may need to be replenished)

Thanks, its good to hear. I've had some really nice looking corals that would flourish then just fade away. Even my mushrooms have begun to fade but that could be attributed to just not enough nourishment in the water i guess.

Had a really nice colony of green and purple clove polyps at one time that just faded away, some nice colonies of pulsing xenia same, had some red/orange monti in there that grew well for a while. The two gorgonians have done well. Zoas have all faded away.

Not sure if I should add any more fish or what type if I did. i've got some manjano's I need to get under control. Two devil's hand have been eradicated by the nems.

[mcgyvr]

sometimes corals just don't survive long..
It happens..
Your tank clearly shows that its capable of sustaining life...

[nereefpat]

That is a really nice looking softy/anemone tank, if I do say so myself.

The fading away of xenia and clove polyps is probably just lack of N & P, but you don't want that stuff anyway.

I wouldn't change anything, other than adding a couple fish. Maybe a melanurus wrasse and a flame hawk?

[Mrramsey]

Originally Posted by nereefpat

That is a really nice looking softy/anemone tank, if I do say so myself.

The fading away of xenia and clove polyps is probably just lack of N & P, but you don't want that stuff anyway.

I wouldn't change anything, other than adding a couple fish. Maybe a melanurus wrasse and a flame hawk?

Thanks! I thought about a flame hawk, I like them. I'd have to add a rock somewhere for it to perch.

[tkeracer619]

If you are looking for a phosphate test kit go with the Hanna 736ulr phosphorus checker.

It's the best hobby test kit for reef tanks.

[Mrramsey]

Originally Posted by tkeracer619

If you are looking for a phosphate test kit go with the Hanna 736ulr phosphorus checker.

It's the best hobby test kit for reef tanks.

Thanks I’ll check it out


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[rfgonzo]

Tank looks great, Also take a look at your salinity. I have found that went I go a year or two with no maintenance which I do a lot. 9 out of 10 time my salinity is low.

[Mrramsey]

Originally Posted by rfgonzo

Tank looks great, Also take a look at your salinity. I have found that went I go a year or two with no maintenance which I do a lot. 9 out of 10 time my salinity is low.

Salinity is spot on at 1.025

[Mrramsey]

Did a major overhaul today thanks to the guys at blue fish aquariums. The anemones are now gone. A little sad to see them go because it did look pretty but I was to have a go with LPS and SPS corals. My Tang is much happier as well. Managed to rid 99.5% of the majano’s as well.

Now to focus on equipment upgrades and stabilization of the water for me next couple of months.




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[Mrramsey]

Hard to tell in the pic but I also moved the powerheads both to the rear of the tank opposing each other. It really opened up the rocks and now my Tang is swimming al through out the tank.