Lucas's Rimless Shallow Reef - Long overdue update!

A little overdue for an update...

After another few months of trial and research, I've finally found the (two) sources of my issues with coral growth and coloration, and so the problems are being remedied. The first problem has plagued me from day one with my old 90 gal... turned out the old garden hose I was using to feed the RODI was leeching something into the water... no joke, I replaced with a drinking safe hose, and saw improvements in coral color, and especially growth, within a week. The other problem is getting my alk down to acceptable levels for a system with biopellets. Currently it is at 10.5, and thats after going 2 1/2 weeks without a water change... used to be at 11.5-12. Anyway, I'm pretty sure the garden hose was affecting growth, and the high alk combined with a LNS was fading/bleaching corals...

Coral/FTS will come when things are looking presentable, but in the meantime, a few pics of the current tank's inhabitants.

I've managed to do something I always wanted, but considered almost impossible: co-habitating two dwarf angels in a 30 gal... Neither has shown any nipping on corals (knock on wood) and the CB eats almost any algae off the rocks!

Flame:


Coral Beauty:


McCosker's Wrasse:




Clown:


Red Banded Goby (shrimp was being shy):


Fire Shrimp:


Fromia Star:


The blue chromis was feeling shy, no pics of him today.

Pics of coral and FTS to come shortly. Thanks for viewing!

 

Congrats on finding the problems. Hope your alk drops down a little faster to the zone you need.

Looking forward to seeing happy corals.

 

All the fish look pretty and happy! Congrats on the McCosker's as well!

Man, the PO4 leaching rocks in your old 90, the chemical (?) leaching garden hose, what's next? No more weird issues, Lucas! Im glad you found the source

 

I've done a lot of research, Randy Holmes and advanced aquarist have both recommended in the past to use muratic acid to lower the alkalinity in WC water. My problem is fresh saltwater mixes at 12 dKH, and I need to be down at 8, but dont have enough demand yet to drive it that low. Muratic acid will lower dKH and ph, but ph will raise again as the saltwater mixes and aerates.

Thoughts John?

Its funny, because I work with a guy who used to own a fish store. One day I was talking out loud about my problem, and he was like "oh yeah, old garden hoses will leech all sorts of nasties into the water...". Duh...:

 

Great up date.

Love the Angels, they both look well feed and healthy.

 

Thanks Cheryl. The CB was tricky... Wouldn't eat anything but algae off the LR for a week, thought he was a goner. Finally found a flake food it would eat... Now it takes frozen and dried.

The flame on the other hand, is just one chubby hog. You can't tell in the pic, but head on he's 1/3 as round as he is tall.

And thanks for the kick in the butt.

 

Truly a dream tank for me.

 

Is there anything you did that you attribute to the two angels getting along, or just getting lucky with the two individuals?

 

oooo very nice clown, is it the light giving it that color effect or is it really an ocellaris with unique orange fading? it seems darker on its back and brighter near the belly

 

how long have you had the star? I think pghsteeler has one as well. I would really like to get one but am watching and listening about their long-term survival.....