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Old 04-26-2008, 02:59 PM   #1 (permalink)
dragonflylures
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Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: North Dakota
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Default Upgraded lights -- always some new problem

Ok I've been running 260W of PC lighting for over a year -- been gone for 6 and 4 months at a time in which I did NO water changes -- wife topped it off and everything looked great. Skimmer skimmed, nitrates low etc.
Well after my being away from home I got an upgrade of lighting to 4 - t5 actinics and 2 - 250W Metal halides.
It's been 2 weeks and I have bubbles forming everyday off the bottom, I've been doing weekly water changes, nitrates are REALLY low (everything else non-existant).
The temp raises from 78 - 82 maybe 84 if im not around as I add my top off water during the day and it's been cold.

I'm looking at a chiller -- Aquarium Chillers: Current USA Prime Drop-In Chiller anyone have any feedback on this?

Nothing seems to be harmed by the temp swings but the black looking algae comes quick everyday it seems and bubbles. I dose iodine, calcium, stron, zoo and phytoplankton twice a week for my inverts fish coral ect.
The coral all looks good as everything seems to be adjusting back to the new lights except 1 piece of leather coral that has always been funny and got burnt back once in a 90+ temp heater short.

Frogspawn, xenia, zoos, star polyps, fish, clam, inverts all look good -- but with summer coming i see the heat going up more and I have the money for a chiller -- just really no room left to plump so looking at the drop in kind.

Ideas? tips? all helpful escpecially if maybe the warm water and new light is setting the algae off.

Have 3 piles of cheato (one big in sump, two small ones that tang grazes on)


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90 gallon with 26 gallon sump/refugium, 2 x 250 MH lighting, 100lbs live rock, 1 - yellow tang,1 damsel, 1 - cleaner shrimp, 1 - coral banded shrimp, 3 - emerald crabs, 2 - porcelin crabs, 6 - peppermint shrimp, 1 - green ricordia, 1 - toadstool, 1 - brittle starfish, 1 - sand sifting star, 100's baby feather dusters,Ass mushrooms, frogspawn, xenia, 1 clam,
6 - Leather coral, Green star polyps,Lime green/orange button polyps,1 huge carpet anenome,various snails/hermit crabs
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