Just a quick update, after almost a month of a lot of TLC, I think the system is staring to turn around fingers crossed. The basic issues like RTN, STN, and a lot of burnt tips is staring to subside. I have finally pulled the plug on the bio pellets after having to clean and dry them for I can't even remember how long! for the time being I will start dosing vodka again.

I think the corals are staring to adjust to the switch from the MH to T5. I've been playing around with the bulb combo almost week after week. at this point in time I have 1 14k, 1 fiji purple, 1 actinic and 3 blue or 20K bulb. The photo period is now at 6 hours and 10 hours. thanks for everyone help and input on this part!

am still having issue with keeping the PH just over 7.7 day time and 7.5 night time (Pinpoint & RKL) I've restarted dosing kalk as part of the ATO. I also have a fuge in reverse photo period. Am also battling HA due to the coral die off, this are most visible in burnt tips so am manually removing them for the time being and hope that those tips will re-grow again and choke the heck out of all the HA!

I have yet to added any new live stock to the system, but a couple of notable SPS that I lost and will be replacing once am confident that the system is 100% up and running again they are Strawberry shortcake, blue tort, ice fire, karl kadlight.

Anyways enough chit-chat for now here are a few updated pics, and just for comparison pics from last December, one day how I want the system to look again.

Aug. 22nd, 2011

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-O...rge%252529.jpg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-6...rge%252529.jpg

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-s...rge%252529.jpg

Dec. 18th, 2010

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_h...28right%29.jpg

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_h...%28left%29.jpg

Yikes, sorry to hear you are still having such a battle. I'm not up to date on what you've been up to, but I know you changed from MH to T5, and you also switched from vodka to bio-pellets?

Were you having nutrient issues? It sounds to me like you are, seeing as the low pH level. Do you use GFO? Are you seeing any cyano or just the hair algae? What skimmer are you using? Have you tested for ammonia, nitrate, and phosphate?

If it makes you feel any better it still looks good from far. ;)

oh thanks Myka! I just hope that am in the right side of the fence now! Ya I did the MH to T5 and it's actually from bio-pellets to vodka as i've also been having issue with the pellets clumping up. (this pellets have been in my system just over a year before I finally pulled them out)

As far as test kits are concern I wouldn't say that am having any nutrient issue, salifert says that I don't have any tractable nitrate, and hanna checker says zero phosphate. I also run GAC and GFO and I have always run them in my system. As far as skimmer is concern am using a euro-reef RS-180, I would say more that sufficient for my system. The only thing that I have not tested yet is the ammonia. I will be bringing a sample to one of the LFS and get them to check it for me.

Glad to hear you think you're past the worst. Hope you get the full colour back.

I certainly do hope that am out of the weeds!

If nutrients aren't an issue, why not drop the vodka too? Do you have any friends that could check phosphate with D-D or another high sensitivity kit? I had that same skimmer on my 90 and it did a good job as long as it wasn't overflowing (which it did often!). I just switched to a SWC 180 Cone. If you use any ammonia products like Prime, AmQuel, etc make sure they use a salicylate kit, not a Nessler. You can check nitrite too...will tell you if there was ammonia present recently.

I can't believe so many "numbers" are good, but there is so much havoc! Have you checked pH at all? Preferably with a meter, not a kit.

I finally had a chance to stop by the LFS and they checked the water sample that I brought, all test was done with salifert test kit. They tested the water for nitrate, nitrite & ammonia, all the test came back ok. Oh and I've never used any ammonia product.

As per the skimmer it have always worked well for me also, there was only several times that I could remember the skimmer overflowed.

The only number that am having an issue with is PH. This is monitored 24/7 via american pinpoint PH monitor and Reef Keeper Lite. The probes are calibrated on a monthly basis. I have now been adding kalk to the system for about a week and still no luck. the PH continue to hover just over 7.7 day time and 7.5 night time.

Tests ok, as in 0? Or did they carry a value?

Ah ha, I knew it would show up as pH. You have big fish in there? Some tangs maybe? How do you treat your sandbed? How deep is it? Any conchs or other stirrers/sifters? What kind of sand? You buy it new?

test all came back with zero or no value. what do you mean by "Ah ha, I knew it would show up as pH"?

Ya I have 3 tangs in the system. what do you mean by how do i treat the sandbed? The sandbed is around 1" to 1 1/2" deep. I have nassarius snails & cerith snail, I also have 3 wrasse as well as 2 clown fish that keeps the sandbed stirred up. I have sugar size and yes they were purchased new.

How do you treat it as in, what do you do with it? The sandbed is probably trapping more crud than you think. I vacuum mine with a gravel vac while doing waterchanges. Makes a big difference. I think your low pH is probably caused by a large bioload.