4 year old 120 Gallons mixed reef full of wrasse now with Radion G5 Blues

[Jstn]

Yes I made a hybrid, used a tek 8 bulb, gutted the middle 4, added the radions (gen2 pro and gen 3 pro) cut the reflectors so I had 2 bulb setups and then sorced ati balast.

Been very happy so far, I wanted an ati but the software is weak (pc only) and the price is too much for my blood. I got the tek for 100 with a toasted balast and had a radion. Add another radion along with bulbs I was under a grand, I had the legs from a 6 bulb tek I got for 150 and used initially. Much more acceptable than the 2500 albeit it is a sexy fixture.

 

[Jstn]

Well for the last few weeks my phosphates have consistently been 0.1 - 0.15, coming from 0.06-0.08. This is coming from the added fish in the last few months and the growth of the current residents. My nitrates stay at 2.5, if I increase my carbon dosing my nitrates can go down to near 0, but the phosphates will not budge. Also my acropora have been looking too dark and brown for my liking and some patches of cyano have been appearing. I tried increasing my chaeto to 24 hr and have not seen any benefits of lower phosphates so far. I haven't run GFO in years on a tank but I think I reached that point, just ordered some BRS gfo and going to start running half the recommended amount and seeing how my tank is effected.

Has anyone have experience adding GFO to a year old system?

Also I am struggling to keep my temps down, I have a sicce silent 3.5 or 4.0 (i forget), been eying up a vectra to help reduce the heat and increase the flow in my sump, anyone make a jump to DC and see a benefits of lower temps? In addition I want to install a ceiling fan above my tank since the current room fixture is ugly

Untitled by J Bolton, on Flickr

 

[metrokat]

After not liking the dimension of my 90RR (https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/new-to-this-forum-not-new-to-reefs-40b-90-gal.172384/page-4), I decided to go slightly bigger with a 120, building a custom stand out of solid oak.

Untitled by J Bolton, on Flickr

I like it!!! Reminds me of mine when I was stocking the tank.

 

[metrokat]

This collection looks fantastic

 

[revhtree]

Awesome!

 

[Jstn]

This collection looks fantastic

Thanks guys! Lmk Kat if you want to trade anytime, I'm surprised you didn't comment on dr kitty broto aka khal broto leader dathraki.

Awesome!

Thanks rev!

 

[Paul87]

Tank is looking good man. All those wrasses make me giddy.lol

 

[Jstn]

Tank is looking good man. All those wrasses make me giddy.lol

Thanks they are my favorite part!

So I pre gfo my phosphates are 0.16 , I added 200 mL (2/3 the recommndend) and 24hrs later I am at 0.15. Albeit I feed all my coral heavy on Saturday in preparation for my 10 gal water change, but I was hoping I saw an improvement. All these fish added a lot of nutrients and I need to get my butt back in gear with my 120 (stand).

I am going to test tomorrow and if they are still greater than 0.1 I'm thinking my gfo is already toast, any opinions on this or additional ideas?

 

[Jstn]

Test PO4 again, I was at 0.03 so the GFO is doing its job, the cyano began to recede and I've noticed a few SPS lightening up so I am on point.

Here are a few shots "under the hood"

Untitled by J Bolton, on Flickr

Untitled by J Bolton, on Flickr

I desperately need to organize this but also wonder if its a futile effort and just wait till I setup the 120?

 

[Jstn]

Untitled by J Bolton, on Flickr

progress on the stand

also some bleaching on one acro

Untitled by J Bolton, on Flickr

Any ideas?

 

[fragit]

Sweet! Nice start on the stand? What kind of 120 are you going with (who makes it?)? Your 90 looks wonderful! Following along.

How's your temp, salinity, PH, and Alk? Oh and phosphates?

 

[Jstn]

The standard stuff is ok, 1.026 8.2 alk po4 0.02 used to be 0.1 before GFO, I feed heavy and lots of fish.

 

[fragit]

The standard stuff is ok, 1.026 8.2 alk po4 0.02 used to be 0.1 before GFO, I feed heavy and lots of fish.

What's your temp and PH though? Do you have a controller?

 

[Jstn]

Yes I have a controller, ph is normal 7.9 8.3 temp is 77-80 (its been hot recently)

 

[fragit]

Yes I have a controller, ph is normal 7.9 8.3 temp is 77-80 (its been hot recently)

Hmmm, all your parameters look great. Not bleaching from temp, for sure. Phosphates are pretty good, what are your nitrates? Any other corals being affected? Is that piece in a shadow from the big piece above it?

 

[iLLwiLL]

This tank is magical ... how does that torch and rbta survive being so close together? Also, how do you keep an mp40 (or is it a 10?) so close to the waters surface? Next your gonna tell me you have all those amazing wrasses with no screen top ...

 

[Jstn]

This tank is magical ... how does that torch and rbta survive being so close together? Also, how do you keep an mp40 (or is it a 10?) so close to the waters surface? Next your gonna tell me you have all those amazing wrasses with no screen top ...

I haven't had any problems with the nem and torch though occasionally they are touching and stuck together, also no problems with the mp40, I keep it under 60%. Unfortunately I do have a screen on my tank I would hate to lose my wrasse!

 

[Jstn]

So my blue star is finally transitioning to male

caught a few pics of the in-between stages:

IMG_1890 by J Bolton, on Flickr

IMG_1907 by J Bolton, on Flickr

 

[bknapp]

Cool shots of the transition, hope mine stays female.

 

[Jstn]

Cool shots of the transition, hope mine stays female.

Thanks! I have two females already in addition to him, anecdotally I started using Selcon two weeks ago with my PE mysis. This wrasse has always been much larger than the other females (over a year), not sure if my late melagris male prevented him from changing and or the nutrients in selcon had anything to do with it.