Smite's Stout CDA - 205G

[Smite]

Tore into my calcium reactor today. While I don’t really see any rust this impeller shaft seems super worn out. Probably from sucking co2 all day. I wonder if that’s somehow contributing? That shaft is normally one uniform thickness. There is no step down on a new one.

also the color of the reactor seems way off to me but it’s also the first time running ARM.

I’m going to change to dosing for a bit and see if I see improvement. My demand is so low I should be fine

 

[OGFrenchHorn]

Wow man! That impeller shaft doesn’t look right. Neither does the carx media.


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[drexel]

Totally agree, you might’ve just found the culprit? You should have a little discoloration in the reactor, but not that much. There could’ve been some debris from the media that got lodged inside the shaft and started to chew away at the impeller shaft? What pump? I know Sicce has a pretty good warranty, but you need to register the pump. I had to replace mine on my Geo after 3 years, it was just too loud to be working properly and didn’t want to risk it breaking down.


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[Smite]

Wow man! That impeller shaft doesn’t look right. Neither does the carx media.


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That's what I was thinking too. Once I saw it in daylight I was like, damn wtf is that

 

[Smite]

Totally agree, you might’ve just found the culprit? You should have a little discoloration in the reactor, but not that much. There could’ve been some debris from the media that got lodged inside the shaft and started to chew away at the impeller shaft? What pump? I know Sicce has a pretty good warranty, but you need to register the pump. I had to replace mine on my Geo after 3 years, it was just too loud to be working properly and didn’t want to risk it breaking down.


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I sure hope so. Honestly this pump is probably about that old and I pretty neglectful about the reactor in general.

I'm gonna try to source some Reborne media for it.


I did a water change yesterday and added a polyfitler, cuprisorb and GAC. Woke up to a lot more death in the tank. I'm not sure if it was the water change, temp and alk matched , or the media. Maybe both, I've probably over stripped the water at this point I'm not sure?

 

[drexel]

I've totally given up on Reborn and ARM (didn't really like ARM) as reactor media to gain better control over phosphates. I bought some Tunze calcium carbonate directly from Roger (TunzeUSA) and will try that out when I set up the reactor again. Figured since I'm already dosing trace elements individually, then this gives me even more control. I landed on the Tunze media because it doesn't require super low pH like the other media that is (so called "pure"). I really hope you this gets you cleared up.

 

[Smite]

I've totally given up on Reborn and ARM (didn't really like ARM) as reactor media to gain better control over phosphates. I bought some Tunze calcium carbonate directly from Roger (TunzeUSA) and will try that out when I set up the reactor again. Figured since I'm already dosing trace elements individually, then this gives me even more control. I landed on the Tunze media because it doesn't require super low pH like the other media that is (so called "pure"). I really hope you this gets you cleared up.

Appreciate that, me too!

I have a bit of ESV 2 part I hooked up to an old bubble magus I dug out of storage. I'm going to leave it like this and see how the tank reacts. What are you dosing with now?

I've loved everything tunze I've tried so I'll look into that media when I got to set back up for sure. Higher ph value would be awesome. That was my one gripe about the ARM media, I had to bring my reactors ph down to 6.4 on my UNS to get it to keep up where reborn melted at 6.6-6.7

 

[drexel]

I’m actually dosing TM all for reef in my nano and the temp tank, which is working out nicely. My alk is running a little lower now, but I’m adding soda ash at night, but will be switching over to kalkwasser when I run out. I’m only going to dose at night until 9 or 10am. The Tunze media seems nice, about the size of crushed coral, so I’m hoping it doesn’t fall through the mesh on the bottom of my reactor when I put it in? Might have to use some nylon mesh/window screen? I’m still doing my dailies, plus I’m adding rubidium as part of my dailies now. I’m sending off another ICP this week, but the last one came back at 92% or 94% with dosing AFR. So we’ll see? Man, I really hope things turn around for you soon.


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[Smite]

I’m actually dosing TM all for reef in my nano and the temp tank, which is working out nicely. My alk is running a little lower now, but I’m adding soda ash at night, but will be switching over to kalkwasser when I run out. I’m only going to dose at night until 9 or 10am. The Tunze media seems nice, about the size of crushed coral, so I’m hoping it doesn’t fall through the mesh on the bottom of my reactor when I put it in? Might have to use some nylon mesh/window screen? I’m still doing my dailies, plus I’m adding rubidium as part of my dailies now. I’m sending off another ICP this week, but the last one came back at 92% or 94% with dosing AFR. So we’ll see? Man, I really hope things turn around for you soon.


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I'll have to look into that. You've mention all for reef before and I meant to look into it.

That is a smaller grain size but maybe it'll get better co2 absorption/dwell time? Let me know how it goes. I feel like with the xtra course ARM that sicce was sucking co2 all day and I could just watch bubbles flow right through the chamber.

Thanks man & hopefully. I did lose some smooth skins over the last few days. I would have thought they would be the first to go but for some reason stayed strong but now all went at once. Hawkins, TGC hells highlighter and another granulosa after midnight went up in smoke. JF flame is a beast and actually showing signs of encrusting, so that's good to see. Some how my stubborn ass Vivid's 4 loko that hasn't done squat over the last 3+ years is encrusting (looks like dog crap) and holding out. 2 of my 3 millepora are up in smoke too. Those are making me wonder about nutrients, but then I have a bbg digitata and montis that look great.

We will see what makes it and what doesn't . I wanted to have a few pieces and give them room to grow into true show size colonies...careful what I wish for next time, ha! Decisions are being made for me.

Oregon tort and frogskin haven't missed a beat. Same goes for that very blue piece of yours which is great to see.

 

[drexel]

I'll have to look into that. You've mention all for reef before and I meant to look into it.

That is a smaller grain size but maybe it'll get better co2 absorption/dwell time? Let me know how it goes. I feel like with the xtra course ARM that sicce was sucking co2 all day and I could just watch bubbles flow right through the chamber.

Thanks man & hopefully. I did lose some smooth skins over the last few days. I would have thought they would be the first to go but for some reason stayed strong but now all went at once. Hawkins, TGC hells highlighter and another granulosa after midnight went up in smoke. JF flame is a beast and actually showing signs of encrusting, so that's good to see. Some how my stubborn ass Vivid's 4 loko that hasn't done squat over the last 3+ years is encrusting (looks like dog crap) and holding out. 2 of my 3 millepora are up in smoke too. Those are making me wonder about nutrients, but then I have a bbg digitata and montis that look great.

We will see what makes it and what doesn't . I wanted to have a few pieces and give them room to grow into true show size colonies...careful what I wish for next time, ha! Decisions are being made for me.

Oregon tort and frogskin haven't missed a beat. Same goes for that very blue piece of yours which is great to see.

That's crazy thing about sps, especially acropora, the ones you think are hardy go up in smoke, while others go on as if nothing has happened at all. Fox flame, frogskin and others don't seem to skip a beat and kinda prove there hardiness. I though for sure that I would lose my confetti colony (mini colony), but that thing is bouncing back and I'm getting PE, not the crazy PE as before, but they're yellow and you can see them, so I'll take it. Oregon tort is a beast and has been around for a long time, which helps. Once I started dosing EasyBooster and SpsEvo again, it really helped turn things around. A little phyto/zooplankton goes a long way. Fingers crossed my friend.

 

[Smite]

 

[Smite]

Big thanks to @mattyzang for this gentle giant. His colors are unreal man!

 

[Smite]

LPS and anemones seem unaffected so far
CSB

Forgot the name

White/pink tip green torch. Depends on lighting. Not sure if it's indo or not but the tentacles stay short for me so far.

 

[mattyzang]

Big thanks to @mattyzang for this gentle giant. His colors are unreal man!

View attachment 95347

nice! how's he behaving? lol

 

[Smite]

nice! how's he behaving? lol

perfect so far! It's funny the only feeling out size each other up was the ornate leopard. But it was quick and they were over it.

 

[mattyzang]

perfect so far! It's funny the only feeling out size each other up was the ornate leopard. But it was quick and they were over it.

awesome, he does seem to think he's a benthic wrasse for some reason

 

[Smite]

So my latest ICP has some improvement in the metal department. Copper is undetectable and tin is down to 26.

barium is crazy high for some reason at 63 not sure if that’s a testing error or what?

bromine, iodine and flouride are bottomed pretty low too.

I’m gonna bring my SG down today and tomorrow. I’ll probably remove a gallon at a time and let my ATO replenish the freshwater.

I feel like I’m getting there slowly. Hopefully what’s left will show me some positive signs here shortly.

 

[deaclauderdale]

So my latest ICP has some improvement in the metal department. Copper is undetectable and tin is down to 26.

barium is crazy high for some reason at 63 not sure if that’s a testing error or what?

bromine, iodine and flouride are bottomed pretty low too.

I’m gonna bring my SG down today and tomorrow. I’ll probably remove a gallon at a time and let my ATO replenish the freshwater.

I feel like I’m getting there slowly. Hopefully what’s left will show me some positive signs here shortly.

Glad to finally hear some good news Matt. Why are you dropping your SG?

 

[Smite]

Glad to finally hear some good news Matt. Why are you dropping your SG?

My Hanna pen was off. iCP showed 1.029. I calibrated and got 1.028. I’m gonna bring it down to 1.026 maybe even 1.025 to give a cushion going forward.

 

[drexel]

It's crazy your barium shot up. Maybe it was part of an additive? Slow and steady should get you there.