Blog Comments

Originally Posted by melev

I've seen small ones hanging on the side of aquariums before, and I think one was made by Eheim. I've seen giant ones at places like Extreme Corals. Everything you've said is spot on. Let us know how it works out for you.

I will definitely keep everyone updated. Unfortunately Avast Marine is currently out of stock on the unit and they are not expecting to get the materials in for another 2 to 3 weeks. Which make me sad.

I've seen small ones hanging on the side of aquariums before, and I think one was made by Eheim. I've seen giant ones at places like Extreme Corals. Everything you've said is spot on. Let us know how it works out for you.

Originally Posted by melev

I would suggest something else that is much easier and you can do it as frequently as you see fit. Get some sheets of paper out of your printer, and lay one on the oily spot completely. Peel the paper off the surface and all that stuff will stick to the paper. Repeat with another sheet, until it is gone. Just do this from time to time, as needed.

I may have to give this a try. Thanks for the recommendation.

I would suggest something else that is much easier and you can do it as frequently as you see fit. Get some sheets of paper out of your printer, and lay one on the oily spot completely. Peel the paper off the surface and all that stuff will stick to the paper. Repeat with another sheet, until it is gone. Just do this from time to time, as needed.

Originally Posted by melev

Very nice write up. Thanks for sharing.

Thank you Melev.

Very nice write up. Thanks for sharing.

Originally Posted by melev

I've had friends use Zeovit, including the local fish store nearest me. Everyone tells me the same: It's expensive, and you have to keep up with your dosing very carefully. A couple of them stopped using it, and their tanks suffered as they rebounded from change in direction.

Thank you Melev. Well at this point in my life I don't think I have the schedule to accommodate the dosing regimen so I might just use Prodibio solely.

Originally Posted by melev

To break up the surface more, move the vortech closer to the surface.

You can blot off the slime with some white paper from your computer's printer. Lay the sheet on the water, and peel up. Repeat with another sheet of paper until you've removed it all.

Your corals are getting used to a new system. Phosphates are up slightly, but not enough to explain burning. Perhaps you need to reduce the lighting intensity or the lighting duration per day to let the corals adjust.

Bring up your alkalinity to 8 dKH.

When are you going to add fish? Their waste feeds the corals, and corals without fish often bleach out.

I just actually installed the RF Module in the EcoTech Marine Vortech MP10 ES so I could sync the two pumps together to see if that would improve the water flow and resolve the issue with the residue on the surface of the water. I have to wait until the lights come on today to see the outcome. But from what I can tell it looks like the flow is slighty better. I am actually just going to purchase a timer to keep the lighting period to 9 hours. I just finished up a contract so I have to behave with spending before I can purchase my Apex unit. Currently I just plug in the light and when I ever get home I unplug it. So the lighting period various greatly which I know is not the best thing. I just recently starting dosing Brightwell Aquatics Reef Code A & Brightwell Aquatics Reef Code B. So I will be testing later this morning to see what affects it has been having on the water. I'm actually going to take a look at the pet store today to see what they have in stock. I convinced my wife that even though I am currently not working I should at least purchase 1 fish to feed the coral.

I've had friends use Zeovit, including the local fish store nearest me. Everyone tells me the same: It's expensive, and you have to keep up with your dosing very carefully. A couple of them stopped using it, and their tanks suffered as they rebounded from change in direction.

well I have only had experience with biopellets but considering that I am still not sold on biopellets myself i thought it best to leave it to a pro :P

To break up the surface more, move the vortech closer to the surface.

You can blot off the slime with some white paper from your computer's printer. Lay the sheet on the water, and peel up. Repeat with another sheet of paper until you've removed it all.

Your corals are getting used to a new system. Phosphates are up slightly, but not enough to explain burning. Perhaps you need to reduce the lighting intensity or the lighting duration per day to let the corals adjust.

Bring up your alkalinity to 8 dKH.

When are you going to add fish? Their waste feeds the corals, and corals without fish often bleach out.

Looks good and muddy.

I'm surprised no-one has answered this by now. Where are all the reef addicts?

If your parameters are in check, you don't need to use anything. If you are seeing the numbers get harder to control, then you may opt to employ an additional system. I like running biopellets in combination with Prodibio dosing. I haven't used GFO since 2005.

Some of the coralline algae encrusting the aquascaping rather quickly.

Another Acropora Coral. I'm not sure if the white areas are signs of growth.



My Purple Tipped Acropora Coral. Not entirely happy with the color and the poly extension on this one.




My Green Acropora Coral. I'm happy with the poly extension but I am not sure if the white areas are signs of growth.

One of my Teal Acropora Corals. Not sure if that is growth or a burn tipped on the right hand branch.



My Derasa Clam enjoying itself as usual.

Here are a few photographs of the current state of my aquarium and the corals. I'm not entirely please with the coloration of the corals but their polyp extension is acceptable. My clam on the other hand has no issues. I'm concerned about the slime coat on the water since I don't have a surface skimmer and I cannot ramp up the vortechs without creating a sandstorm.




My aquarium as of Monday, September 23, 2013. See the film on the surface of the water.

Originally Posted by melev

It looks much better already. That didn't take long at all.

It was actually quicker than I thought. I wonder why people always resort to raising Magnesium levels when Bryopsis Algae appears. Maybe I just got lucky.

Originally Posted by melev

Looks good.

Thank you!

It looks much better already. That didn't take long at all.