Another Rebirth?

So far that's exactly the case. Nothing's really budging yet. With the readings I'm getting these 3 days thus far, the variation is probably more due to human error or test kit accuracy, than it is to coral consumption.

I think I'll probably decrease freqency of testing to every 2 or 3 days for the next couple of weeks. I'll keep at it until I can determine the consuption rate of these three items.

 

good luck sparky.

 

sounds like a plan to me
I found that Alk or DKH drop was the primary change over the week between water changes
I found that my mag hardly shifted and my numbers where always somewhere between 1440 and 1470 and I also attributed some of that to test kit variations ( user error)
I found that my calc - was always between 420 and 460 and again interpreted this mostly to the Steve factor
but DKH would certainly drop from 9 to 8 over a week period
and it was Alk buffer that was the 1st of the big 3 that I started dosing regular

my weekly regime at present, still manual dosing is
Alk buffer nightly -
Calc addition twice per week ( enough to raise Ca by 20ppm over the 2 days)
Mag - I have only dosed once in 3 weeks ( when I was sure after 2 weeks testing that my mag was at 1440 so dosed enough to go back to 1470 for the experience of having done it more than because 1440 was a problem )


Steve

 

I'm still trying to get it down to what my usage is. I tried bumping up my alk and calc at the same time because my salt isn't at NSW and add like crazy and cannot get it to where I want. So I have decided to change my tack and get calc where I want it and the bring my alk up. I'll see how this works. I was adding 40+ ml a day of Seachem Complete and 3 tablespoons of Seachem reefbuilder. Mag is no problem it stays pretty steady or increases a little because both additives have it in it and my corals don't use it much.

Best of luck Sparky.

 

Thanks for the input, everyone. It's encouraging. I know it's only been a few days now, but not only are things "holding on," but I dare say things are looking better each day. I've never had an acro before. The satiny "finish" on the coral branches is only something I've seen in pictures. Now I'm seeing it in my tank.

At night when all lights are out, if I turn on my moonlights, there are hundreds of tiny specs that luminesce on the acros under the blue. It's magnificent.

It would be a really good thing if I can tell my friends I know how to keep corals.

 

Holy huge score Batman! You made out like a bandit didn't you? Tank's looking great!!! Let's hope it does better for you from hereon out!

 

Bittersweet report. The bitter: all SPS are dead. The acros, milli's, monti-cap's all took the slow demise route--as has been the case since I started out. Nothing dies quickly, but nothing thrives.

As I said in the very first post on this thread, I've never had a euphyllia sprout a new head or branch. Well, that's changed.

With my APEX controller, I've been able for the first time to monitor pH accurately. I had to run a tube from my skimmer's air inlet to outside--but I now have between 8.1 and 8-3 consistently. I think this might have been my issue. Also, I've begun to run Purigen. I have it in a micro-bag between my sump baffles.

Here are the pics of the frogspawn that's sporting 4 new heads. I used to think these things just split heads to reproduce, but I find now that they are capable of sprouting new heads towards the base of the branches. Go figure.

Since 2008 this is the first coral growth I've experienced. Bittersweet.

You have to look pretty hard, but the 4 heads are on the branch between the palys and the existing heads. They're tiny, but discernable.

 

ReefSparky,

I am very sorry to hear of your SPS loss, I too struggle with SPS and quite honestly, I don't care for them all that much. Hubby, on the other hand, would love to have more "colored sticks".

I really appreciate you stepping up and sharing your story. Hopefully someone will recognize their own tank and problems in your story and will hit on that A-ha moment.

How is the turf algae issue? BTW, not sure if you identified it or not but it sounds a lot like cyano to me.

Congrats on the baby frogspawn and the Apex controller.

 

I can see them clearly ReefSparky
3 in a cluster at the top and the 4th and what seems to be the largest one
down the base on the left of the picture

congrats dude

Steve

 

Thanks for the kind words. I think it was cyano too. I'm going to attack this methodically--first by keeping up with my water changes, second by diligently replacing Purigen, carbon and Rowa, and lastly by minding my parameters.

I think I'll beat this--I'm forever the optimist. I'm not going to give up after the time I put into this.

Thanks, Steve!