melev

Over the past couple of days, I got some things done.

• Blowhole pump replaced with another one for an upcoming product review.
• Water tests completed, and the numbers look good.
• The 265g poly tank was cleaned out again, and refilled
  with RO/DI water to mix up new saltwater.
• A few majanos and aiptasias were zapped.

Still having fish losses. I saw another dead Sherbert Anthias blowing around in the tank, which means I only have one left of the three. A few dots appeared on Crown Royal (the purple tang) over the past couple of days, but doesn't resemble ich. It might be the same stuff that killed the clownfish. I definitely need to be better prepared for new fish additions, with a cycled QT capable of keeping the bioload.

This is one of the reasons I think many of us don't keep too many fish because of the frustration of acquiring healthy specimens. It's easier to enjoy the ones you have. Adding new ones leads to aggression issues, possibility of death (unknown causes more often than not), and if you don't quarantine then the possibility of sharing diseases to your healthy fish.

Here's the water parameters for this year, along with the target guidelines: http://www.melevsreef.com/parms.html

I have to say that I'm very impressed with how biopellets are keeping the NO3 and PO4 under control. Since MACNA Des Moines, I've been using Biospheres and only one liter's worth for my system. With all the feedings, the fish I keep as well as the fish I was holding for a week, I didn't think they'd be able to keep up. The tank gets food several times a day, twice from an Auto Feeder, my own nightly frozen food dinner, and then Nori and some occasional banana for the tangs and Anthias -- the Mystery Wrasse likes it as well. I expected to see some Phosphate and Nitrate this time, but it seems to be holding at zero. Since I don't do regular water changes and rely on the refugium's macro algae and the skimmer to export waste, the biopellets and infrequent dosing of Microbacter 7 is working out well.

I know people try them out and then pull them back offline when things get "interesting" but for me they are worthwhile and reliable. I'll have to gather up my thoughts and put out an article at some point.