Changed GFO (1 cup), blew rocks, stirred sand bed a bit, and pulled some algae which has been trying to grow. All corals look good except for the Orange Hammer which is still mostly retracted from being bumped when the Teal Acro was introduced and the Teal Acro which never colored up when it was placed. Getting good polyp extension from the Teal Acro. The rest of the Acro frags are growing or encrusting with great polyp extension and color. The Red Planet Acro lost its green underlying color but suspect because the T5s are too bright for it.

Replaced the Micro Jet 320 with an Eheim Compact 300 (80 gph) for theKalk Drip Chamber to keep the detris suspended and stir the Kalk chamber.

Using Zeo Sponge Power and Amino Acids concentrated (1 drop/day) to see what they can do to help on color and growth. Been dosing these for about two weeks. Not sure if it because of these but seeing good growth and encrusting than I was seeing before.

I am not too impressed with Vodka dosing as not seeing much from it which may be due to the deep sand bed from what I am reading. I should be dosing a maximum of 1 ml/day for my tank but I am up to 5 ml/day trying to find maintenance dosage. Not going to increase more than that and looking at discontinuing it. The nitrates are staying at 17.6 ppm with little impact on phosphate levels.

Changed as not seeing marked decrease in PO4 for some reason. Refilled with 1 cup GFO.

Replaced Granular Ferric Oxide (GFO) and Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) and cleaned reactors. Used about 1 cup of GFO and 2 cups of GAC. Will need to cut down on GFO as took a big pH hit this time.

Completed a water change by vacuuming the chamber holding the closed loop pump, cleaned the closed loop pump, and installed a Micro Jet 320 to stir the chamber the Kalk drips into from the ATO.

Performed water change and some maintenance. Cleaned the Skimmer and pump. Realized airline supplying external air to skimmer pump was disconnected when working on tank last weekend. This is suspect to have influenced the lower than normal pH this week.

Changed GFO today as PO4 creeping up.

Changed 3 gallons of water today, blew off LR, sucked out some hair algae, and replaced the MJ 600 powerhead used for the carbon reactor which is making the rattling noise with a MJ 900 powerhead.

In addition, moved the Green Bird’s Nest Acro to the bottom of tank to help it with having too much light near the top, and glued the ORA Oregon Blue Tort Acro and ORA Roscoe’s Blue Acro to their new homes on the LR. The Green Bush Acro does not look like it is going to survive for some reason.

Tank Shot 2009-03-01

Tank Shots 2009-03-01

Tank Shot as of 2-13-2009

Tank Shot as of 2-13-2009

Cleaned both the MJ 600 (Carbon Reactor) and the MJ 400 (GFO Reactor) pumps for the reactors. The MJ 600 was making a rattling nose which was driving me crazy and I was hoping this would resolve it. It did not so I ordered a new Eheim 600 Compact Pump as they are suppose to be whisper quiet.

Doing a water change trying to get salinity up to 1.026 instead of 1.024. I thought it was an anomaly last time with the Tropic Marine Pro reading Mg at 1500 ppm but found same reading again this batch of salt water. It is a new patch of Tropic Marine Pro and new Salifert Mg test kit so not sure what to blame.

Changed the GFO in the TLF Reactor as notice algae starting to increase growth rate and Hanna Meter, which started using this week, indicated 0.08 ppm PO4. Used about 3 cups.