My slice of nature

[SubzeroLT]

Magnesium levels have been consistently low & dropping. Brought it up close to 1400ppm with Brightwell Magnesion powder over the last week then added some magnesium medium into the calcium reactor to maintain it.

Added a T joint to the calcium reactor to bleed off air trapped inside. Helps minimize the swishing sound when it re-circulates too.

The skimz calcium reactor comes with a secondary chamber....in theory to raise the PH of the effluent.

The incoming water to the reactor is about 26.5degC, 8.2pH. The pH probe in the reactor reads 6.6pH.

The outgoing water from the reactor reads 7.4pH (the effect of the secondary chamber). Not that it makes a difference considering the volume of the tank, but just FYI

[SubzeroLT]

I've also been turning up the lighting slowly over the past 2 weeks.

Most of the corals have a positive effect but some seems to have crossed a threshold.

This is a pink pocci. The polyps started to retract when the Violet channel is tuned to about 80%.

Tuned it down & moved the coral to a lower location. Hope it recovers.

[SubzeroLT]

Flame scallop decided to make a journey from within the rocks on the right side of the tank to the left side of the tank. At least now I get to see it

Acropora Valida

Sand sifting star stacking up.... I don't understand why

[SubzeroLT]

Some green algae / bryopsis appeared among the zoa in the past month.

It was just in this 2" patch & decided to stop it before it spread further.

Used hydrogen peroxide (from Guardian Pharmacy) & syringe from Daiso.

Turned off all my pumps. Squirted about 10ml worth of hydrogen peroxide directly among the zoa.

Waited a couple of minutes, turned the pump back on. Then did my regular 20% water change half an hour later.

2 days later, the algae / bryopsis started to fade..

Its been 5 days since. Confirmed that the bryopsis is gone.

[redsuns]

The anemone finally split into 3 parts. All 3 are recovering well. I gave it some market prawns yesterday (5th day) & it gobbled it up.

A view of the porcelain crab. Shed its shell once so far.

Regarding the calcium reactor. One reads about folks in the US forums using a pinch valve instead of this valve it came with which I found to be difficult to fine tune.

I got rid of it & used a spare Skimz tube holder instead. The plastic screws were great for pinching the tubes for relatively precise drip rate control.

I looped it twice as a precaution to use 2 pinch points instead of one.

Hey bro, maybe this one will work too?

"Controller" used for IV drips.

[SubzeroLT]

This would definitely work. I wasn't able to find it at the local pharmacy

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[redsuns]

This would definitely work. I wasn't able to find it at the local pharmacy

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Try hospital pharmacy bro, I got mine from TTSH.

[SubzeroLT]

I managed to get the drip control thingy from SGH pharmacy (Thanks Redsuns)

Its called the "IV administration set" @ S$1.80 per pack. I'll be using it for drip control for acclimatizing livestock.

Link to the product : http://www.bbraun.com/cps/rde/xchg/bbraun-com/hs.xsl/products.html?prid=PRID00001142

Some recent photos :

Yellow watchman Goby from some time back.

Necklace Fromia Starfish

Other things done recently :

- Gave my skimmer a quick vinegar wash as it wasn't skimming much recently. Man...that made a difference.

[leejwa]

Did the magnesium pro help you to maintain the mg level? I notice that although I follow the recommended dosage , my mg level is still low.

[SubzeroLT]

Did the magnesium pro help you to maintain the mg level? I notice that although I follow the recommended dosage , my mg level is still low.

It does bring up the Mg levels a little, though its still below target at the moment.

It used to be ~ 1150ppm before adding Grotech Mg Pro. Its hovering around 1250ppm now.

CO2 / pH is set between 6.65 - 6.8 at moment. I'm told i should go slightly lower but struggling with maintaining low kH.

What's your setting & Mg/CA/kH levels like?

[SubzeroLT]

Wanted to add some diversity in food source for the reef tank.

Got one of these brine shrimp hatcheries from a fellow reefer.

Fill up with salt water. Sprinkle some eggs on the outside section. Within 20 hours, you'll find baby brine shrimps in the middle section.

Quite impressed with the convenience. No air stone, electrical light source or mess of separating the empty shells from the brine shrimps with mesh filters

Not a single egg shell where the brine shrimps are.

[hansolo]

Wow, where can we buy this retail?

[SubzeroLT]

Fresh & Marine brings this in.

Recall its not cheap ..... around the $50 range

[sulpherx]

Fresh & Marine brings this in.

Recall its not cheap ..... around the $50 range

u used aquarium salt water to hatch the brine shrimps? Do u re-cycle the salt water after the 1st round? Just curious........

[SubzeroLT]

I typically make a few extra liters of salt water as standby during my weekly water change. I'm using this for the brine shrimp. This also helps keep the salinity the same.

I would not advise recycling the water to maximize brine shrimp hatch rate/quality. Anyway, this hatchery uses so little water anyway.

[sulpherx]

I typically make a few extra liters of salt water as standby during my weekly water change. I'm using this for the brine shrimp. This also helps keep the salinity the same.

I would not advise recycling the water to maximize brine shrimp hatch rate/quality. Anyway, this hatchery uses so little water anyway.

Thanks bro.

[ReDDeviLs]

Hey bro, maybe this one will work too?

"Controller" used for IV drips.

bros hows the review of this? isit good enough?

[redsuns]

Hey bro, been using for about 3 weeks now. So far so good, very precise control.

[SubzeroLT]

I used it for a couple of days. I agree with redsuns.

....more precise than the skimz probe holder screw or the original John Guest valve.

[SubzeroLT]

Did the magnesium pro help you to maintain the mg level? I notice that although I follow the recommended dosage , my mg level is still low.

Managed to get the calcium reactor drip rate properly controlled.

Parameters have been holding steady for the past 2 weeks.

Calcium ~440, Magnesium ~ 1440, Alkalinity ~ 7

Did you correct the levels first before letting the CR 'take over'?

(i.e bring it up to the required level with Magnesium chloride/sulphate)

[SubzeroLT]

Some photos :

Hermit crab.

Watchman Goby seem to venture out only when its hungry

Goniopora with polyps retracted

New weekly routine of prepping baby brine shrimp & pods to supplement feeding.

[picoreef]

Hi,

What brand of brine shrimp egg u use for hatching?

I waited for nearly 2 days but unable to hatch.

[SubzeroLT]

Hi,

What brand of brine shrimp egg u use for hatching?

I waited for nearly 2 days but unable to hatch.

Mine hatch after 20hrs. Where did you get yours from?

Silly question but you use salt water right?

I'm using those purchased from ebay seller from Thailand. Just search Baby Brine Shrimp (with free international shipping) on Ebay. They are repackaged 50g packs.

Cysts originate from Utah salt lakes. These seem to have good hatch rates.

Sent you a PM

[sharonleong]

NIce write up so had this tank been decom?

[SubzeroLT]

3 minutes ago, sharonleong said:

NIce write up so had this tank been decom?

Its still running at this time. Will transfer to new tank once its ready.