B1N4RY's 8 Gallon Reef Aquarium.

Im going to say this in the nicest way possible. I dont think it was the reef keeping gods. I think it was over stocking, and not properly cycling a tank. This is what will happen when you dont follow the rules and go at your own pace.
According to this thread your tank has been running for about 3 weeks, youve changed tanks 3 times, and had a handful of things die. most people are barely even seeing a cycle at this point.
Just curious, what are your parameters? I have a feeling that those nudis wont last to long.

 

Reply to Dboshobby.

The nudis are doing just fine. ;D

 

Bryopsis Algae Control Update.

So it has been a few weeks since I have had some time to update everyone on my Bryopsis Algae issues that popped in up about 3 weeks ago. But I am happy to report that within a week of adding my team of three Mexican Turbo Snails and two Lettuce Nudibrachs their is no trace of the Bryopsis Algae at all and I have had to start supplementing my cleanup crews diet with dried seaweed sheets almost nightly because their appetite is so voracious. But I would rather than then further algae problems.






Bryiopsis algae issue which begin approximately 3 weeks ago in my aquarium.







A Mexican Turbo Snail eating some of the bryopsis algae within my aquarium.



A Lettuce Nudibranch eating some of the bryopsis algae within my aquarium.




Bryiopsis algae issue 3 days after introducing the three Mexican Turbo Snail and two Lettuce Nudibranchs into my aquarium.



My aquarium with no visible sight of Bryopsis Algae after 1 week of introduction of the three Mexican Turbo Snails and two Lettuce Nudibranchs.




One of the Mexican Turbo Snails within my aquarium enjoying a sheet of dried seaweed as its supplemental diet.

 

Water General 150 GPD 6-Stage RO/DI Water Filtration System.

Up until this point I have been utilizing Poland Spring water as top off freshwater for my aquarium. This probably has brought on most of the algae issues as I use Nutri-Seawater for my regular salt mix. It utilizes an Aquatec 8800 Booster Pump since the main water pressure is only 35 PSI. This unit requires a minimum 60 PSI to function properly. I am pretty happy with the system so far. I made my first batch of top off freshwater and I'm hoping to see some phosphate levels drop in the next few weeks.


My new Water General 150 GPD RO/DI Water Filtration Unit. Some Assembly required.




Aquatec 8800 Booster Pump which pulls water from the kitchen sinks main cold water source.




Plumbing split from the kitchen sink main cold water source. One goes to the Aquatec 8800 Booster Pump and the other goes to my refrigerator.




My new Water General 150 GPD RO/DI Water Filtration Unit installed under the kitchen sink.

 

EcoTech Marine Vortech MP10w ES.

I purchased an additional EcoTech Marine Vortech MP10w ES pump for my aquarium to most address the issue of additional surface agitation/water flow in the aquarium. I have been unable to raise the first Vortech I purchased without stirring up the sand bed to get the required flow I wanted. So the second Vortech was purchased and placed on the right of the aquarium just offset to the rear slightly. The pumps are not synchronized wirelessly since I still have to purchase the RF Card for the first Vortech I purchased so I am having a little trouble getting them to play nicely to make the flow I want. But the clams an corals seem happy so who am I to complain? The only real issue I am having it that I'm getting this sandstorm tornado on the right side of my rockwork which is annoying me. I guess I will have to play around where they are mounted and see if it makes a difference.



My second EcoTech Marine Vortech MP10w ES Pump for additional water flow.



EcoTech Marine Vortech MP10w ES mounted on the right side of my aquarium offset slightly to the rear of the pane.




EcoTech marine Vortech MP10w ES and MP10 ES control units.



Sandstorm issue on the lower right hand side of the aquarium.

 

very nice little set up! Aquascape looks awesome. Hope you have better luck this time!

 

Reply to Fishflakes.

Thank you. I am hoping so this time around.

 

Super Reef Octopus LX-1000S Hang On Back Protein Skimmer Update.

My system has been doing very well in terms of overall water quality. But since my last outbreak I don't have any fish. Just a bunch of inverts running around my aquarium. Since that I only feed the corals and the few inverts I have once a week with a single cube of Hikari Baby Brine Shrimp and a few drops Reef Nutrition Oyster Feast. The skimmer seems to be doing well.





One weeks worth of skimmate collection from my aquarium.

 

Biopellets, Prodibio or Zeovit Nano???

So I have hit the stage where all my water parameters are within normal ranges and stable and I have added a few SPS Corals to my aquarium along with a Clam. But I would like to implement something to address the phosphates and nitrates within the water column without having to run two separate GFO and Carbon Reactors. So have been thinking about a Biopellet Reactor, Prodibio dosing, Zeovit Nano dosing or a combination of the above. Does anyone have any experience with this or could make any type of recommendation. I have heard such great things about the Zeovit system in general but I don't have the space to run the equipment necessary in my aquarium without adding a sump for a full blown Zeovit aquarium. However from my reading the Zeovit Nano is just the additives without the use of the Zeolites. Any food for thought from anyone?

 

Slowly Dropping pH, Calcium & Alkalinity Levels.

So I have added a about 7 small mini Acropora colonies (more like large frags about 1.5 inches x 1.5 inches into my aquarium since the water parameters seemed stable enough and over the past three weeks my water parameters have started to take a dive. I've also noticed that a few of the Acropora colonies seem to be suffering from burned tips. No I have a very minimum bioload as there are no fish in my aquarium and I feed only twice a week. But I am curious what could be causing the drop in pH, Calcium and Alkalinity. The only thing I can think of it that I don't have enough surface agitation to break up the slime film on top of the water. I don't have any accurate means of measure but I do believe it getting worse. I can't get enough flow on the Vortechs to break up the surface without causing a sandstorm. Would this build really have a profound effect on my levels dropping (obviously the calcium would be in relation to the alkalinity)? I do not have a sump and if I need more surface agitation I was considering placing in to Tunze Nano Streams Aimed constantly at the surface. Any thought?