SPS Dominated 60 Gal Cube

MHG · 03/29/2014, 05:13 PM

Here is a quick video and a link for the build thread...

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2007490

2 Years and 6 months.... The first 1.5 years was crazy slow growth. once I started feeding the fish heavily to get my nitrates detectable, it took off....

Gundo5000 · 03/29/2014, 05:14 PM

Really good looking cube you got, great job!

MHG · 03/29/2014, 05:25 PM

top down

MHG · 03/29/2014, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gundo5000

Really good looking cube you got, great job!

Thanks... here it was back in the day...

GTboosted · 03/30/2014, 10:51 PM

Looks good! What are you're parameters like and water change schedule?

MHG · 03/31/2014, 05:40 AM

PO4 undetectable
Nitrates are .1to.3...Its hard to keep them that high with so much rock and so little fish. at zero everything loses color and stops growing...
Alk 7-8dkh
Calcium 450 ish
Salinity 35

water changes are maybe 10% once a month. but if my nitrates are zero I don't do any...

Bulldog357 · 03/31/2014, 08:13 AM

Nice tank! Is that a Kole Tang?

MHG · 03/31/2014, 10:23 AM

yes...

Bulldog357 · 03/31/2014, 05:09 PM

How is it working out? I wanted to add one to my 60 cube but I was talked out of it.

MHG · 03/31/2014, 05:34 PM

He is a bit of a bully to the lawnmower blenny. Other than that he is good..

Bulldog357 · 03/31/2014, 05:40 PM

Good to hear that. Maybe one day I'll reconsider.

MHG · 04/11/2014, 04:26 PM

Battling a little STN .... Not sure what's causing it. Tank has been stable and on point for a long time....

tdb320reef · 04/11/2014, 05:28 PM

Looks awesome... nice job.

MHG · 04/12/2014, 05:10 AM

Thanks

MHG · 04/17/2014, 06:08 AM

well I lost 3 large frags or small colonies to stn.... They were the least healthy looking in the batch. This morning looks like the beginning of the end.... RTN took a branch and some of the base of my "ultimate Stag" colony. This is a huge show piece bigger than my hand. I have no idea on that going on. Alk is still rock solid at 7.4 on my hanna (6.5 on the elos backup kit). Everything is right on.

This could be the beginning of the end...

When mu shades of fall started receding, I bragged a bunch of pieces and threw it in my frag system independent system) It still died... Obviously stressed. I am gonna frag this ultimates colony... It is melting fast so I doubt I can save it...

jackson6745 · 04/17/2014, 07:35 AM

Sorry to hear about these coral looses. Your tank was looking awesome.

Did you make any recent changes to lighting, media, or anything else? Your colors are on the light side (lower zoox population). IME an overdose (or normal dose) of GFO can cause STN/RTN in this situation. Do you have detectable po4?

MHG · 04/17/2014, 08:29 AM

Yes colors are on light side and have been for 2 years... low nitrates..... i have a hard time keeping them up... no detectable po4.... i only change my gfo when my hanna registers gfo..i did recently change my gfo.... but i lost my strawberry short cake before then... i forget if i ever used the gfo from this batch or not.....i think i did because the measuring cup was in it....

MHG · 04/22/2014, 10:30 AM

Lost a coloty in about 24 hours. The others all gave great PE but are receding slowly from the base...

sahin · 04/22/2014, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MHG

Lost a coloty in about 24 hours. The others all gave great PE but are receding slowly from the base...

Sorry about the issues...

Are you able to check all the parameters (including the S.G.) with different set of test kits etc? My buddy recently had coral issues and we found out both his new and old Refractometers were faulty and his S.G. was something like 1.030!

The colony that died, did you check for pests/eggs etc?

MHG · 04/23/2014, 05:04 PM

I have a backup for everything but that. But I usually break out the old hydrometer when unsure... just to see if I am ballpark. I guess I should bring a sample to a friends.

The tank looks fine except for the colonies that started to lose tissue. They are still getting worse...

sahin · 04/23/2014, 05:29 PM

I would take the GFO and GAC offline and carry out 20% weekly water changes.

Are you also able to check out the PO4 level with someone else who has a different photometer and reagent batches?

I lost corals some years back due to a bad batch of Hanna reagents...was always registering the same...when I had my LFS test with their kit and a buddy test with a Merck test kit, my PO4 was much lower than the Hanna was reporting.

MHG · 04/23/2014, 05:45 PM

Thanks... i did a 20% over the weekend and a 10% today with another 20% planned for satuday. I am gonna keep this up for a while.

My gfo has been offline for a week. I have redsea kits as backups for my hannas. I have had undetectable po4 since day 1...

Sulcata102 · 04/24/2014, 10:49 AM

nice tank

sahin · 04/24/2014, 12:31 PM

How are the corals doing today? Has the situation stabilised or still losing coral tissue?

MHG · 04/30/2014, 05:54 PM

Seems Stable. Good growth and the battle lines look the same. Although I noticed one branch on my avengers frag is white but with full PE...

03/29/2014, 05:13 PM	#1
MHG Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 2,919	SPS Dominated 60 Gal Cube Here is a quick video and a link for the build thread... http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2007490 2 Years and 6 months.... The first 1.5 years was crazy slow growth. once I started feeding the fish heavily to get my nitrates detectable, it took off.... __________________ MHG (LIRA Member) 60G Cube, Kessil 360's

03/29/2014, 05:14 PM	#2
Gundo5000 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Kansas Posts: 1,534	Really good looking cube you got, great job! __________________ GUNDO

03/29/2014, 05:25 PM	#3
MHG Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 2,919	top down __________________ MHG (LIRA Member) 60G Cube, Kessil 360's

03/31/2014, 05:40 AM	#6
MHG Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 2,919	PO4 undetectable Nitrates are .1to.3...Its hard to keep them that high with so much rock and so little fish. at zero everything loses color and stops growing... Alk 7-8dkh Calcium 450 ish Salinity 35 water changes are maybe 10% once a month. but if my nitrates are zero I don't do any... __________________ MHG (LIRA Member) 60G Cube, Kessil 360's

03/31/2014, 10:23 AM	#8
MHG Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 2,919	yes... __________________ MHG (LIRA Member) 60G Cube, Kessil 360's

03/30/2014, 10:51 PM	#5
GTboosted Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Van Nuys, CA Posts: 140	Looks good! What are you're parameters like and water change schedule?

03/31/2014, 08:13 AM	#7
Bulldog357 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Michigan Posts: 49	Nice tank! Is that a Kole Tang?

03/31/2014, 05:09 PM	#9
Bulldog357 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Michigan Posts: 49	How is it working out? I wanted to add one to my 60 cube but I was talked out of it.

03/31/2014, 05:34 PM	#10
MHG Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 2,919	He is a bit of a bully to the lawnmower blenny. Other than that he is good.. __________________ MHG (LIRA Member) 60G Cube, Kessil 360's

03/31/2014, 05:40 PM	#11
Bulldog357 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Michigan Posts: 49	Good to hear that. Maybe one day I'll reconsider.

04/11/2014, 04:26 PM	#12
MHG Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 2,919	Battling a little STN .... Not sure what's causing it. Tank has been stable and on point for a long time.... __________________ MHG (LIRA Member) 60G Cube, Kessil 360's

04/11/2014, 05:28 PM	#13
tdb320reef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Chesterfield, MI Posts: 1,209	Looks awesome... nice job.

04/12/2014, 05:10 AM	#14
MHG Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 2,919	Thanks __________________ MHG (LIRA Member) 60G Cube, Kessil 360's

04/17/2014, 06:08 AM	#15
MHG Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 2,919	well I lost 3 large frags or small colonies to stn.... They were the least healthy looking in the batch. This morning looks like the beginning of the end.... RTN took a branch and some of the base of my "ultimate Stag" colony. This is a huge show piece bigger than my hand. I have no idea on that going on. Alk is still rock solid at 7.4 on my hanna (6.5 on the elos backup kit). Everything is right on. This could be the beginning of the end... When mu shades of fall started receding, I bragged a bunch of pieces and threw it in my frag system independent system) It still died... Obviously stressed. I am gonna frag this ultimates colony... It is melting fast so I doubt I can save it... __________________ MHG (LIRA Member) 60G Cube, Kessil 360's

04/17/2014, 07:35 AM	#16
jackson6745 Yeah Yeah Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Rockaway Park, NY Posts: 5,822	Sorry to hear about these coral looses. Your tank was looking awesome. Did you make any recent changes to lighting, media, or anything else? Your colors are on the light side (lower zoox population). IME an overdose (or normal dose) of GFO can cause STN/RTN in this situation. Do you have detectable po4? __________________ Richard - Officially done shipping coral. Don't ask! http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2357196"]http://www.reefcentralcom/forums/showthread.php?t=2357196 Officially Done Shipping Last edited by jackson6745; 04/17/2014 at 07:43 AM.

04/17/2014, 08:29 AM	#17
MHG Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 2,919	Yes colors are on light side and have been for 2 years... low nitrates..... i have a hard time keeping them up... no detectable po4.... i only change my gfo when my hanna registers gfo..i did recently change my gfo.... but i lost my strawberry short cake before then... i forget if i ever used the gfo from this batch or not.....i think i did because the measuring cup was in it.... __________________ MHG (LIRA Member) 60G Cube, Kessil 360's

04/22/2014, 10:30 AM	#18
MHG Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 2,919	Lost a coloty in about 24 hours. The others all gave great PE but are receding slowly from the base... __________________ MHG (LIRA Member) 60G Cube, Kessil 360's

04/23/2014, 05:04 PM	#20
MHG Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 2,919	I have a backup for everything but that. But I usually break out the old hydrometer when unsure... just to see if I am ballpark. I guess I should bring a sample to a friends. The tank looks fine except for the colonies that started to lose tissue. They are still getting worse... __________________ MHG (LIRA Member) 60G Cube, Kessil 360's

04/23/2014, 05:29 PM	#21
sahin Ultimate Reefer Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: London, UK Posts: 8,540	I would take the GFO and GAC offline and carry out 20% weekly water changes. Are you also able to check out the PO4 level with someone else who has a different photometer and reagent batches? I lost corals some years back due to a bad batch of Hanna reagents...was always registering the same...when I had my LFS test with their kit and a buddy test with a Merck test kit, my PO4 was much lower than the Hanna was reporting.

04/23/2014, 05:45 PM	#22
MHG Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 2,919	Thanks... i did a 20% over the weekend and a 10% today with another 20% planned for satuday. I am gonna keep this up for a while. My gfo has been offline for a week. I have redsea kits as backups for my hannas. I have had undetectable po4 since day 1... __________________ MHG (LIRA Member) 60G Cube, Kessil 360's

04/24/2014, 10:49 AM	#23
Sulcata102 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Kingston, NY Posts: 25	nice tank

04/24/2014, 12:31 PM	#24
sahin Ultimate Reefer Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: London, UK Posts: 8,540	How are the corals doing today? Has the situation stabilised or still losing coral tissue?