The wifes tank update new pics 4/4/16

Good grief, that is called having it dialed in, wow. Great growth.

It's beautiful.

 

Thanks DSC and Corailline. I think I am a little OCD right now on the tank but it is looking the best it has. Will be nice to get Tax returns next month. There are so many nice acros out there.

 

a few more shots

 

Blasto is so pretty. How do you like the Pavona? What deep water acro is that?

 

ya the blasto are a bit happier since I moved them from the middle to the left. Probably a bit less light and a bit less flow.

The Pavona is cool because it is different. Seeing a lot of growth in it lately. Both encrusting and girth wise. Should be a real eye catcher once larger.

Echinata - Orange Crush / Acanthastrea echinata.

 

Like that spongodes, fast grower

 

So a couple weeks back I ran some tests on a batch of water I made up for my WC. I use Reef Crystals. Well the tests I ran were on the end of a box of salt. So I wanted to run the tests on the new batch of salt and was actually surprised with 1 result which was the SG.

I make up 5gal buckets
Test 1 old batch salt was SG 1.021 for 2.5 cups. This is what should be expected based on what they mark on the box. I brought it up to 1.024 to match tank. I think I had to add another 1/4 cup and tablespoon.

Test 2 new salt 2 bags mixed together SG is 1.0245.
I was surprised so I went and checked to make sure refractometer was calibrated. Double checked reading again and checked my tanks so the 1.0245 is correct
I did not bother testing calcium or Mag on this 1.
Alk was in 8 to 9 range.

Corals doing well.

Tank levels
calcium 430
dkh 10.36
Mag 1640 really would like to see this drop. Doing WC today and tomorrow so suspect another slight drop
Temp average 78.3
PH average is only 8.06 but I am letting that settle where it may
Still confused by my small patches of cyano that come and go daily.

 

Man I missed those last shots.Very nice!What camera are you using?
I believe Cyano patches occur when Phosphates leach from rocks/sand.Phosphate seeks an equilibrium in the tank so if the concentrations are higher in the rock/sand then the surrounding water, phosphates leach out;and in lower flow areas this is taken advantage of by cyano.JME

 

Thanks Vinny

It is a Cannon EOS Rebel XSI with EFS 18-55mm lens usually on Macro setting

 

My MAg dropped from 1640 to 1500 in couple days, and I tested it twice. This is a new Red Sea test kit which I know is good.. however will test with my salifert later... Wonder what effect that will have.
Nothing else really out of whack parameter wise

Wondering what actually caused such a drastic reduction.
I did have a couple slight changes to the norm.

Did my 5GAL weekly WC(normal)

A couple things that are not the norm for the tank

Setup my shady calcium drip from a measuring cup which balances on the corner of my tank screen(ya just have not had the extra cash to buy proper dossing stuff). Wife hit it with her elbow and it got dumped in. Luckily it was only a TSP(mixed in cup ro/di) which will only increase ppm 12.5. So don't think that caused that drop in Mag

Ran out of my seachem reef buffer(for PH/alk) so had to use seachem reef builder which is just alk. Only used TSP of this so can't imagine that caused drop either. Basically equates to same amount alk added as if I used the buffer. This was dripped overnight.

So anyone ever experienced that drastic a drop in MAG?

Any thoughts?