A quick update on the tank. It seems that when I do major cleaning to a piece of equipment it dies shortly there after! I cleaned my skimmer in a vinegar bath and when I put it back on the tank--boom, barely skims. Get a new no name from the LFS, which is working very well aside from the fact that the acrylic work could have definitely been better (poor seams). I decide to clean my return pump (first time in over a year) and boy did it need it. I had noticed that when I turned the pumps off, sometimes the pump would either make a hellacious noise or not start. When I pulled it I sure knew why. Almost everything had some degree of encrusting on it. It was so bad that vinegar wouldn't clean it, so I used a diluted HCL mixture**--worked wonderfully. Only took a few seconds and the pieces looked brand new. A few days later, odd sounds coming from the tank, and I also notice very little water coming from the return. Realize the pump is not putting out like it is supposed to be. Luckily a good friend had a spare pump and is letting me borrow it until I can get a new one. I was using a pump by Reef Octopus but it is huge. The borrowed pump is a Danner Mag 9.5--awesome pump. I can not even hear it running. Only sounds from the tank are return and skimmer. Very nice! As such, I am going with a Mag 7.
I've been fighting hard to reduce nitrates and phosphates through water changes and changing GFO and I really believe it's working. My SPS seem to finally be developing color, and the DREADED RED HAIR ALGAE (aka wire algae) is dying off. I've also been supplementing magnesium and that may be helping as well. I just ran out of regular GFO but am going to try a new product my LFS has. For lack of a better description, it is GFO croûtons. They supposedly absorb 500x more phosphate than regular GFO--and for the same price. When I get some we'll see.
Coral growth is going very well. Some things are better than others, but isn't that always the case?! My LPS are adding heads left and right and most of my SPS are growing very well also. For some reason though, my Acros have stopped growing (or slowed significantly). Almost all of them have very good PE, but they just seems to have stunted. Maybe this is what they do. Since I've never had them, I really don't know. They ARE still alive and seem generally happy, so maybe they will take off.
Until next time, happy reefing and welcome to the addiction!!!
**A few words of caution--if you have severe encrustation on a piece of equipment and want to use diluted HCL (muriatic acid) remember 1) HCL is VERY caustic. It has a pH of 1. It WILL BURN SKIN and especially EYES. Use protection such as gloves and goggles. 2) Dilute the acid at a 2:1 ratio--water to acid. ALWAYS add acid to water; never the other way around. Water and acid mixed together is very exothermic (gives off heat) and by adding water to acid, it can literally bubble (explode) in your face. 3) Acid LOVES metal, so be very cautious using a strong acid (HCL) on any metal parts. It will eat it, so use good judgment.**
I've been fighting hard to reduce nitrates and phosphates through water changes and changing GFO and I really believe it's working. My SPS seem to finally be developing color, and the DREADED RED HAIR ALGAE (aka wire algae) is dying off. I've also been supplementing magnesium and that may be helping as well. I just ran out of regular GFO but am going to try a new product my LFS has. For lack of a better description, it is GFO croûtons. They supposedly absorb 500x more phosphate than regular GFO--and for the same price. When I get some we'll see.
Coral growth is going very well. Some things are better than others, but isn't that always the case?! My LPS are adding heads left and right and most of my SPS are growing very well also. For some reason though, my Acros have stopped growing (or slowed significantly). Almost all of them have very good PE, but they just seems to have stunted. Maybe this is what they do. Since I've never had them, I really don't know. They ARE still alive and seem generally happy, so maybe they will take off.
Until next time, happy reefing and welcome to the addiction!!!
**A few words of caution--if you have severe encrustation on a piece of equipment and want to use diluted HCL (muriatic acid) remember 1) HCL is VERY caustic. It has a pH of 1. It WILL BURN SKIN and especially EYES. Use protection such as gloves and goggles. 2) Dilute the acid at a 2:1 ratio--water to acid. ALWAYS add acid to water; never the other way around. Water and acid mixed together is very exothermic (gives off heat) and by adding water to acid, it can literally bubble (explode) in your face. 3) Acid LOVES metal, so be very cautious using a strong acid (HCL) on any metal parts. It will eat it, so use good judgment.**