I started a 180 gallon mixed reef tank in February of 2012. Now in Jan 2014 I am facing many challenges. In the beginning I done tons of research. Talked to everyone I could, asking all the questions I could think of. I eventually took what I was told, and what I thought I could do without and started up. Things looked great for a year or so. Then I noticed a patch of a turf like algae. Was no big deal. Just a little tuft. Over the course of a few months it spread and spread, until it was over all the rock work. on 3-28-13 my PO4 was .08 ppm.
These pictures where taken 4-28-13
No ro/di unit. All my water came from the hose.
Started doing small water changes to suck some of it out. Would look better for a few days.
The right side of the tank wasn't real bad. But it was spreading.
At this point all my corals looked good. Everything was growing good. So I just went with it. Corals look good so cant be all that bad. But it was time to start taking this seriously. I wanted this algae gone. So 4-28-13 I added a gfo reactor.in June I installed a Ro/Di unit, mixing barrels and built me a small fish room/closet. In about July of 2013 I added a skimmer. Yes before that point I was not running a skimmer. I was using an Algae Turf Scrubber only. I have nothing against using an ATS. But there is no substitute for a good quality skimmer. Over the next several months I did weekly 30-50 gallon water changes. Puling out the gha every week. I can remember thinking, I can beat this! I have taken all these steps! This will be gone in no time.
Then I had a tank crash. Coral started dying. My anemones started looking bad. Lost some snails. And started to get very frustrated. The first thing to do in this case is check my parameters.
9-21-13 Alk 7.7, Cal 350, Mag 1100. Started dosing by just pouring a little 2 part in everyone in awhile. Then at the beginning of Dec things went down hill in a big way.
12-6-13 Alk 7.7, Cal 415, Mag 1000
Started checking these same levels every day and dosing accordingly. Not knowing that my mag test kit was wrong.
12-23-13 Alk 8.8, Cal 435, Mag 1670 off the charts. PO4 .11
So I am ready to quit. I have lost most of my prize corals. Hair algae, slime algae, and all kinds of nasties all over the tank.
1-14-14
As of 1-14-14 I have gotten rid of most of the coral in the tank. 3 Anenamies and had 1 fish casualty. RIP dottyback. I'm sorry.
Next step is to get rid of a few more pieces. then pull the clams and rest of the coral.