Roidan's Reef (I)

[roidan]

realised that both salifert magnesium and seachem salt look the same....but seachem's one seem to dissolve better....

with regards to epson salt which is magnesium sulphate, i wonder if these 2 expensive magnesium salts are magnesium sulphate or magnesium chloride..or watever...

any bros can share information on this?

[roidan]

petmart din open today, and wanted to buy carbon, so ended up buying this rowacarbon instead of chemipure (my usual carbon), very good quality carbon....took a bit of rinsing and dumped into my sump...

reminds me of the old days when those cheap carbon will hiss when you rinse it...this one also hiss very loud....hehe

but somehow that reminds me that i din really hear any hissing sound when i used chemipure...how come ah..

[weileong]

how much is this rowacarbon?

[roidan]

how much is this rowacarbon?

about 30odd

for 1000ml

[weileong]

give some review after you use it errrm... not too sure how to do it also.

BTW noticed my algae turning pale color and the sump got a layer of green stuffs on it. I think they turning white.

Then I quickly on the light and 4 hrs later they turn back to the usual dark green again. This is the small fern. The large fern also like that.

The very dark green hair like fern is still okie.

I think I going to keep the lights on 24 hrs.

[roidan]

yeah...24 hour photoperiod can help..but this phenomenon may mean that your algae is always on the verge of giving up and crashing and you salvage the situation by turning the lights back on...

i may not be correct, but from this trend, the macroalgae may be hinting that it needs more light, otherwise it will crash....which in turn hints that the amount of light you give it during the day cycle is not enough, thats why it is only happy when you extend the lighting hours...

i would suggest you increase your lights to double the current wattage and see if there is a change, i believe there would be an improvement

what lights you using for your algae now?

[ryan]

cool...

no wonder all my chaeto started turning white...

btw do you have any macro algae to spare?

like after your next trim?

i need quite alot... to fill in a 81cm by 60 by 60 fuge...

most of mine died...

pm if you can spare some yeah?

thanks...

[roidan]

won't have alot for you to fill up...maybe just a small handful batch to see if the algae does well in your sump before taking more next time...hehehe

PM me lor

[nicky30092002]

yup....bro...good buy!!!...I am trying to get you to buy more, so all those 'uglies' can be outsted soon.....I am just waiting

good idea ... then urs those "UGLY ONE" oso can come over ... to my tank ..

[weileong]

using 2x36W PL now. You want me to go 4x36W ? Aiya one shot go 150W MH liao, in this case go with 6.5K iwaki DE MH, cheap and good and long lasting. The one victron selling (you using right) small and slim, just nice! But I need some ways to hang it and it will be pretty hot down there in the sump area. Probably need to install a fan too

[roidan]

yeah..very hot..but using the MH 150W for macroalgae will be the best...nitrates CONFIRM near zero due to the prolific algae growth...

i know the heat problems of MH, so i opted something less hot...

3x54W T5 sunpro...hehe

[roidan]

good idea ... then urs those "UGLY ONE" oso can come over ... to my tank ..

hehe..

then pray that nicer clams come along lor...hehehe..so that i can boot out some

[weileong]

my compartment for Ref is just 1ftx1.5ft so the lights I can squeeze is quite limited.

Looks like going for 150W MH, actually a bit siao to use that but already a few brothers here advise me to go with 150W MH already.

Don't think it's going to heat up the water more than what 2 80W pumps can

Or I just leave the lights on 24hrs and see how it goes for the moment.

[planetg]

for a fuge, you do not need a MH.

many people use the fuge as a frag grow-out tank which explains the use of MH.

try 2x36W PL. i'm using only 1x36W and my supposedly diff feather is growing like mad! i prune them weekly.

[weileong]

I am currently using 2x36W PL. Before that was 1x36W PL also same, turn white + green thin layer floating on the water surface while lights off and after lights on the macro algae turns back green.

Am trying 24hrs lighting now.

[roidan]

really heng suay....

last time i use 1x36 on those fern types also turn white very fast....then i scared of those fern types liao...maybe bro planetg got a more accomodating fern....hehe

but there are many reasons why macroalgae turn asexual....lighting only one of the reasons, nutrient levels, iron levels, phosphate levels....and others..like overcrowding....yes...some will turn white when they feel overcrowded hehe

sometimes they may be so efficient that no more nutrients left to absorb in the system and thus they start to die as not enough to support the algae mass....

so frequent pruning is important in finicky types so as to let them have growing space as well as enough nutrients....

they are almost as interesting as fishes themselves in a passive kind of way....

[weileong]

my PO4 is zero due to the rowaphos so that could be one reason why they turn white.

[roidan]

there will always be trace amounts that will not be picked up by the test kits that will allow algae to grow...

my phosphates also low but algae still growing...may be other factors....

and there are certain issues about organic and inorganic phosphates that testkits only can detect only 1 type of phosphates...this issue i really not sure...maybe experts on phosphates can give more info

[roidan]

an article in the net...

< There are two forms of phosphate:

a) inorganic organic. Unfortunately,

the majority of aquarium hobbyists kits marketed for testing phosphate cannot discern between inorganic and organic forms of phosphate.

Inorganic phosphate "could" be added to a synthetic seawater formulation. If that 'working solution' was destined only for use in a closed re-circulating system (salt water aquarium) that housed certain specific specimens that required some select form or forms of phosphate, or in an aquarium that was suffering from under lighting.

Inorganic phosphate can be added to a synthetic sea water preparation that is used in an aquarium that is under-lit. Phosphate foments the growth of some algae. In a marine aquarium that is properly lit, the inclusion of phosphate will result in hair algae, "plating" and/or "ring around the tank" with heavy deep green alga. In most marine aquatic applications, this is undesirable.

Healthy salt water aquariums use the best marine salts. These salts are low in phosphates and borate. Water changes reduce accumulated waste ions, like phosphate low and replenish essential elements that are metabolized by the biological filter as well as your captive marine animals.

Organic phosphate is a naturally occurring by-product of a biologically active marine aquarium. This form of phosphate should be the greatest concern of marine fish and reef aquarium keepers. The best way to reduce the natural buildup of organic phosphate and other waste ions is through routine water changes, utilizing a high quality marine salt, that is void of organic phosphate.

Regular water changes will reduce the buildup of waste ions and replenish major, minor and trace elements that are consumed by the metabolic intake of animals on display. Some elements are also depleted by the activity of a biological filter, chemical filtration and/or protein skimming.

It is essential to use a marine salt that is formulated without phosphates. A quality marine salt will contain all elements found in natural sea water (NSW), at levels comparable found in nature. Many marine salts claim to contain all elements or dozens of trace elements found in seawater. The fact is that most marine salts are basic mixtures of major or bulk salts. Some add a few low cost minor ions. Most rely on impurities as a form of 'trace elements' to make their packaging and advertising claims, colorable. These trace impurities are described as 'ions in a free form', and do not stay in solution. >

[roidan]

good article here...hehe

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/sept2002/chem.htm

[roidan]

my 2 6-liners patrolling

[roidan]

very cute fellows

[roidan]

looking at his own reflection

[AlfaRomeo]

Very cool guys.. will make an excellent addition to any tank which have clams...

Where did you buy these guys?

[roidan]

can't really recall....had them few months back...brought them over to the clam tank recently....

should be either t95 or those pasir ris farms

very easy to find, quite common...