jesterisdead Posted January 27, 2014 Report Share Posted January 27, 2014 Some of my older corals have brown fuze on them? Its not peeling so its not skin but they have gone from Blue and Green to brown? Is that lights to bright, not bright enough, some form of algae? I'm constantly having to scrape/brush my tank glass because of the brown "dust" on the glass so is this the same stuff that is no covering my corals? I was running a GFO but after about a week the stuff just sets in the bottom of the reactor and I shut it down. Its the dual reactor from Spectra with carbon in the other side and I shut it down this weekend and took it out till I figure out if I just run carbon only in the damn think and forget the GFO or what. Ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chopper320 Posted January 27, 2014 Report Share Posted January 27, 2014 If it were a light issue, brown in my experience is usually not enough light and paleness or whitening is too much light. They could also brown if you have too many nutrients which sounds like a possibility if you are having to scrape algae constantly. Are you testing for nitrates and phosphates? I would try to get your reactor dialed in to keep the GFO at a light tumble and keep it running if possible. Also, make sure you are rinsing your gfo before use as it will kick a lot of nasty residue into your tank if not. Maybe increase water changes for a while to get your nutrients down as well. Also, are you running an RO/DI? If so, is it functioning properly and giving you 0 tds? Just some things to look at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustin1300 Posted January 27, 2014 Report Share Posted January 27, 2014 Agreed with above, tell us your full test results? Brown is either too much nutrients or not enough light or a combination of the two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesterisdead Posted January 27, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2014 Was planning on testing again tonight so I will post them. The spectra dual reactor says to use an MJ1200 or similar pump which is about 250-300gph only. I have it setup on a 450gph generic pump. At full open the gfo just sets there after settling so just not real happy with this equipment. GFO is rinsed with RODI water. Water output of RODI unit is about 98% of the first stage TDS and 0 on the second TDS so its not water. The algae is that brown stuff that I was told is diatoms? I placed a huge CUC order and I hope that helps as well. I guess I can get the PAR meter at next meeting and ensure I've dialed these LED in right. Its brighter now than before since I've been playing with the apex and trying to set it up. So step 1 will be to test and go from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustin1300 Posted January 27, 2014 Report Share Posted January 27, 2014 If the media does not tumble it's because of the lack of flow, not the reactor. Crank up the flow and make it tumble to make the GFO more helpful. As far as the brown stuff, I'd guess Diatoms. A CUC is not going to help, just need to wait it out and let the system mature and get done with it's maturation process, no way of hurrying that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesterisdead Posted January 27, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2014 The dual reactor uses a single input and a single output as I'm sure your aware the GFO side flows thru the main chamber then up thru the media chamber to tumble it. The carbon side flows down thru the media chamber then out the main exterior. I had both sides open full blast and the only flow was coming from the carbon side as the GFO sets there like chocolate cake batter. To get it to tumble again, you need to turn the reactor upside down to break up the "batter" and then blast the chamber full bore again and after about a day it cakes up again. It could be the weight of the media, I'm not sure. I was thinking a larger more powerful pump as well. I can't mount the reactor since I have to shake the damn thing. The diatoms is a real pain as it covers the glass within an hour of cleaning it so I'm sure that is what part of my water clarity issues are. I thought the skimmer and the carbon reactor would clean that up but after three months its still a no joy. http://spectrapure.com/image/cache/data/Products/MR-DUAL-600x600.png Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesterisdead Posted January 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2014 Didn't get to test last night as I blew out my apex and still having trouble setting it all back up. I swear its always something..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesterisdead Posted January 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2014 I already told family to leave me alone tonight. Filled up my 44G Brute with 40G of water and ready. I plan on taking my Jaboe WP40 and cranking it up to full blast and hitting all my rock and trying to rid my tank of the build up I have. I have been wet skimming for two days days now and emptying cup constantly. I hooked up a tube and ran it to a bucket to catch over flow. Wife doesn't like the stink.....Who does?!! I also positioned my power heads differently to try to reduce the amount of stuff that can settle on my rocks. I skimmed down the LR I had but my pick up some pieces to add to the tank to get the volume up. I so need to get rid of this stand and go to a bigger one. Just no room to work and that sump/refugium I have in my garage would be ideal to get some mud and mangroves growing along with filter socks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chopper320 Posted January 28, 2014 Report Share Posted January 28, 2014 Sounds like a good start. Once you are able to test you'll be able to get a good idea where you're at and just keep doing the water changes and skimming and everything should start improving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesterisdead Posted January 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2014 I'm going to do a full spectrum test tonight before I do the water change just to see where I am at. I have to rebuild my Apex as the IP I loaded in it was not valid and its locked it up and only thing I know to do now is reset it. It should take me about an hour to get it set back up I hope. Then I'll focus on the water. I also need to go to LFS and get another pump for my reactors as I hope I sold the two HOB skimmers I had and was using one of the pumps for that. Selling the skimmers is funding my stand. I also just sold my calcium reactor as well. So the new stand fund just got a large influx of cash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesterisdead Posted January 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2014 Ok test showed to much waste in my tank so I looked in overflows and it was nasty. I scrubbed them and drained them. I then cleaned my skimmer and got the slime layer out. I looked in sump and same thing. I used a power head blasted it and then drained it. I blasted the rocks with a power head and scrubbed the two sides and the front glass as well as the stirred the sand. I then drained out about 10g from the main display. I know it doesnt sound like a lot but my sump is about 20g and each over flow is 10g so 50g of salt water is all I had made. Im filling another 40g tonight and will do it tomorrow night and scrub the back of the glass while draining it.down. I figure I will do another 40g on friday and then let it set for a week and retest. Ill post the first test later and then this weekend to see what happens. My apex is up again but still can't get it to show outside my LAN so has to be port issues still. I hope the lights are ok as im not sure what the beat setting would be without a par. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryansweet Posted January 29, 2014 Report Share Posted January 29, 2014 Leonard, I know you're trying to get things back to good but just remember that doing to much, to quickly can also be detrimental to the inhabitants(especially the corals). Make sure your source water is as close as possible to your tank water in parameters in every way except the nutrient overload too. And good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesterisdead Posted January 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2014 I've matched salinity to a t so no issues there. What you also said about stirring up to much is bad and I agree as well but my corals turning brown and others dying is really pissing me off. I see tanks that look like swamps and corals growing like crazy and its frustrating..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
db1317 Posted January 29, 2014 Report Share Posted January 29, 2014 Like Ryan said, match those parameters including Ca and Alk. Check your source water for phosphates. A few years ago, on my 75, I was battling turf algae. Couldn't figure out why because I had 0 phosphate readings, my skimmer was oversized for my tank and I did weekly 10G water changes. Finally, I tested my source water and even though it was reading 0TDS, I had a .16 phos reading. I replaced my membrane and filters and started reading 0 again. Even after I replaced those, it still took a while for the algae to die off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HighCurrent Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 Just my 2 cents on the reactor. I have a BRS bio pellet reactor with a Cobalt Aquatics MJ1200. I have the reactor half full. It's just ENOUGH to keep it tumbling well. I have to take it apart every few weeks to clean the strainers on each end. So, if you have a dual reactor, you probably need something more like a mag 3 or larger (with a ball valve inline) to push that water through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesterisdead Posted January 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 I had it running on a mag3 and didn't need a valve as it just would not push water thru it. I got new filter ends to replace the old ones and a 450gph pump and will see what happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesterisdead Posted February 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2014 Did full spectrum test and needless to say I'm pretty happy all test levels were great. I do have a higher than normal nitrate level but that has been coming down since my cleaning and water changes. My calcium on the other hand is super high. By high I mean its above 600. This was due to my screw up with my coder so I am going to keep doing 10% water changes every other day just to dilute it some. I'm watching everything and so far fish and stuff are showing no ill effects yet. I still have to test magnesium. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesterisdead Posted February 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 Well magnesium is off the chart as well. So this leads me to another question..... What are the potential side effects or calcium and magnesium being to high? Considering I was dowsing so much alkalinity as well I'm surprised nothing is dead. Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Djw67185 Posted February 4, 2014 Report Share Posted February 4, 2014 I've got nothing. This has been a hot topic though, so I am definitely tagging along. Sent from my XT910 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chopper320 Posted February 5, 2014 Report Share Posted February 5, 2014 I'm not sure of the side effects but I would think the best thing to do would be to bring the numbers down SLOWLY. If they've acclimated to those levels then it would be even more stressful to change it rapidly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesterisdead Posted February 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2014 I DoD another water change tonight and calcium is still 600+ but the salt in the water is adding calcium and magnesium. I turned off the doser (out of chems anyway) and will just have to let the tank settle out on its own. I figure evaperation and the corals will absorb the extra calcium and maknesium and I have been buffering to cut down the alkaline but its still seems to not be adversly affecting the tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesterisdead Posted February 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2014 Test tonight nitrate is 40 but coming down. Nitrite is 0 Alkalinity is 350 Ph is 8.7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefer82 Posted February 5, 2014 Report Share Posted February 5, 2014 I would just let it wind down naturally. They'll use it fast enough if you have lps/sps in there. That or let some coraline grow for a few. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chopper320 Posted February 5, 2014 Report Share Posted February 5, 2014 The calcium and mg in the new water on a water change should be much lower than the water you are removing from the system at this point so that will help. I would just keep doing what you are doing. Water changes and no dosing until the numbers get back in line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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