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Looking great! I know exactly what you're talking about with the API test kit. It helps to do exactly what you are doing, look from different angles. What I do is hold the tube against the card at a 45 degree angle from horizontal a foot or so under a light like the kitchen table, then stand it up on the card on the counter, and you can usually gauge the reading that way. If there is any hint of red, you're more towards 40 than 20. 20 is pretty much orange however you look at it.
Its making progress! Mine looks darker out of the lights as well. As long as you dont get algae growing on the rock then breaking off and rotting you should be ok. That API kit is tricky if its past 10PPM and worse when you get to 20PPM. Usually dark growth means you need more light or a smaller screen. I to also built mine old ones to meet future needs but found the screen staying like yours. So now I build them to what I feed and get great growth now.
Good info, maybe I will try to feed more and see if it grows greener. I figured since my numbers are high I would feed less at first so it uses the N and P already in the water. Maybe that isn't the best logic and feedingmore will grow more algae and thus filter out more N and P. I also think my flow could benefit by being a little higher. I do notice an odor in the house since hooking up the ATS. Not unpleasant, more of a fresh ocean type smell, not the disguting sewer like by the ocean smell.Quote:
Originally Posted by kerry
Current using a Maxijet 1200 on a 5" wide screen. However the one I am using is modded for use with a protein skimmer so doesn't have the standard impeller. I have a new return pump to hook up this weekend, so will be able to use my current return pump (maxijet 1200 without mod) on the ATS. I think the flow will be increased by a fair margin which could help for both growth and odor.
I am just waiting for the day when that test stays yellowish instead or orange!
Its nice after a few cleanings to always see yellow. When I do not feed up to the screen capacity I do not get the super thick growth. I know its scary to feed that much!! Just keep an eye on the nitrates, thats what I did when I started feeding heavier and it did go up just a bit but then it came down fast when the screen started to get good green growth.
That is my worry as my nitrates and phosphates are already high. I wanted to get them under control before amping up the feedings.
I would improve the light then, maybe move closer but watch for burning, its yellow slimy algae. Even like it is there will be a reduction of nutrients in a couple more cleanings.
Nitrates are still hanging around 20ppm. I tested Ca today and it's at 400ppm, so good to see the system is starting to use some again. Most of my corals seems to be looking decent. However, I do have 1 blue acro that someone has been surviving all along. Now it appears to be started to STN or maybe even RTN depending on the definition of that, lol. I can't say I ever expected it to survive anyway, it was more of a test piece....so I am not too worried about it.
Screen is of course filling up quickly, maybe a bit more yellow instead of brown this week, so progress is being made.
Whatever smells it was making are now gone, perhaps it was totally unrelated to the ATS. Keeping my fingers crossed for that yellow Nitrate test!
http://i1207.photobucket.com/albums/...TS/April17.jpg
For some reason this picture is only showing the top half at the moment.....but last time it all showed up after a while. Regardless, although you can't see it well in this picture, I have a few green strands of algae this week.
I want to test my nitrates every 5 minutes, but it seems wasteful....so I will give it a couple more days before testing it out again.
I really feel it's on the upswing now.
Its filling in for you.
Hi all, can you take a look at this picture and tell me what you think. It seems that the algae on the bottom has either let go, become lighter, or pods are eating it? I don't know why photobucket continues to not properly upload my pictures. If you look closely you can see the lighter color in the bottom 20% or so of the screen. I am not convinved it is pods, maybe my screen isn't rough enough? It seems like it shouldn't be falling off that easy. Or maybe it didn't fall off and just becomes lighter in color through the week making it more transparent?
http://i1207.photobucket.com/albums/.../ATS/Apr19.jpg