Bleigh
The best bad influence
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My Tank Thread
It’s on!!!!
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That is quite the upgrade for your corals from your current light lol.
Alk ?So, I’ve got a light program set up. I’m testing the ph and salinity to make sure they’re the same. Temps are close. Is there anything else I should do before I start moving stuff?
Here’s some pictures. I don’t know what most of the things do. I know the two bottom things are batteries. The tank also has its own battery back up.
Thank you! It’s fun! Can’t wait to do the really big one I have planned. But figured this would be good to work out all the kinks and decide what I like and don’t like.
What is the purpose of having sand in the refugium. I honestly didn’t question it when I saw it on algae barn. But now I’m wondering why they say to add it to the fuge.
That makes a lot of sense. I won’t do sand in the fuge then. My goby disturbs every corner of the sand regularly, so if here’s anything to release, he’s done it. ;SorryBack in the days when controlling nitrate and phosphate was difficult- a refugium with deep sand was an option for Nitrate to be converted to NO2 and off-gas. Also served a place for pods to grow safely, and as soil to plant caulerpa. Personally I find it becomes a mess and if ever disturbed can release a devil's brew of toxic waste.
Since Chaeto has supplanted caulerpa, and we have methods that are "too good" at lowering Nitrates and phosphates, my personal opinion is to keep it clean and not use sand. As I mentioned- I use a refugium on my Frag system and simply put a layer of pond matrix on the bottom (you could also use the brightwell bricks, live rock rubble, etc.). Pods multiply like crazy in the matrix and it stays clean. This leaves a ton of room for the Chaeto to tumble.
On my main system, I don't even have a refugium- So far I've not encountered issues maintaining nominal levels of Phosphate/Nitrate (0.02-0.1, and 10-20) and no algae problems to speak of. I have a pax bellum Chaetomorpha reactor if need be standing by, but thus far not needed.
So some advice on the new system- I would get my rock in there and keep the lights off for 2 months. Let the microfauna population really explode. Then turn on the lights at a low level (mainly blue) and ramp up slowly while you add fish. Try a few test corals and then increase your lighting to its final levels slowly over a few weeks. It's hard but going really slow will blunt much of the "uglies" and really let the ecosystem mature and stabilize.
PS. It will unfortunately lower the traffic on your build page.....at least it did for me lol! Or maybe I was just boring ;Dead
Cheers! It's all coming together phenomenally!
That makes a lot of sense. I won’t do sand in the fuge then. My goby disturbs every corner of the sand regularly, so if here’s anything to release, he’s done it. ;Sorry
My corals are all stinging each other cause they’ve grown so much. I’m not sure I have the luxury to let the tank sit for 2 months before moving any corals over. Unfortunately.
No, mines a floating mat, it’s super effective. I do flip the mat every 2 weeks or so, but unsure if that’s necessary.I don't use sand in my fuge. Not to hijack the thread but I have to ask; must chaeto tumble to be effective?
No, mines a floating mat, it’s super effective. I do flip the mat every 2 weeks or so, but unsure if that’s necessary.
Do you harvest ever? My fuge fills up and I harvest usually half of it monthly.I've let mine grow, untouched. It fills up the fuge.
Do you harvest ever? My fuge fills up and I harvest usually half of it monthly.
Hello,
Lol @Bleigh omg one day I’m going to die and I will be famous only for my nephews using my sump as a toilet.
An xr15 over a 60 cube isn’t much light. You’ll need at least 1 more if you plan on going sps.Only a smidge... ;Hilarious
I have a question about this configuration, specifically the white elbows that make 180 degrees and turn back down under the water line.
Basically, this is a siphon functioning as a hose over the side of the tank when doing a water change.
I have tried this configuration, albeit, not in an overflow box. The problem I have is that the water flows out quicker than the pump can return it to the DT.
How do you balance flow with this configuration?