A week without power - Recoverable?

[brandon429]

Skimmer yes is good idea

the filter isnt altering your water change frequency it’s merely moving water, your nutrient import export sets water change variables among tanks

 

[brandon429]

To clarify above statement on why nitrification / surface area filters aren’t impacting your water change frequency: our water changes in reefing are aimed at either replenishing lost components of newly made water or exporting waste components that are well past the free ammonia stage of filtration, usually both reasons set our intervention dates.



any reef tank here handles it’s current ammonia-producing bioload just fine on the rocks alone, nobody here in display reefs are doing water changes in response to rising ammonia. Same for nitrite

having bioballs or high surface area filters isn’t changing ammonia controls in reefing, the rates of turnover are the same in the tank with or without filters (any seneye owner knows this) as long as the display has strong current and the live rocks are set in the display, directly in the contact area.

regarding nitrate, excess surface area filters sometimes trap and retain detritus in highly oxygenated canisters or HOB filters: nitrate isn’t consumed in these filters and in many cases they may produce more for the system if cleaning of the filters is less common than water changes or not very thorough when cleaned.

using pass through filters to hold GFO or specific adsorption media for nitrate may indeed affect water change frequency, just not media floss or bioballs or siporax media or any high surface area media designed for nitrification, thats a constant which runs independent of the attached filters.


Loftreef’s rebuild shot shows the power of live rock very well: does not require fifteen pounds, two good chunks will run any degree of fish and corals and cuc that can reasonably fit into the scape. The rocks are right in the middle of wastewater production, contact area, there’s strong flow. That reef could have three external filters hooked up to it right now ran for two years, instantly get disconnected plus the sandbed removed, and the rocks are still beyond what the tank needs to convert all ammonia on any seneye. These claims are in direct opposition to how we’ve been trained but that’s the night and day difference between old and new cycling science. We all have been trained to constantly assume bacteria are in insufficient numbers, so we buy more.

old cycling science would never never ever state that instantly disconnecting filters has no effect on systemic ammonia conversion rates in reefing


but we’ve got to forgive them, they’re using pre seneye data. Before seneye, every .25 reading seen in ammonia testing (all of them lol) meant a quarter of the bacteria were dead. the replacements had to come from somewhere, so bottle bac sellers met the concern.

Loftreef’s clean, restored surface area nano runs .002-.009 ppm nh3 on seneye, with or without filters, with or without sand, and so does any other display tank using common live rock in the display. Because of this linked performance in all reefs, we are free to design them uniquely or in our case here, clean them uniquely and know the outcome ability even if seneye isn’t present.

After cleaning, your reef will run the same range but only on seneye; the other kits most likely will overread and tempt the purchase of more bacteria.

 

[LauraR]

To clarify above statement on why nitrification / surface area filters aren’t impacting your water change frequency: our water changes in reefing are aimed at either replenishing lost components of newly made water or exporting waste components that are well past the free ammonia stage of filtration, usually both reasons set our intervention dates.



any reef tank here handles it’s current ammonia-producing bioload just fine on the rocks alone, nobody here in display reefs are doing water changes in response to rising ammonia. Same for nitrite

having bioballs or high surface area filters isn’t changing ammonia controls in reefing, the rates of turnover are the same in the tank with or without filters (any seneye owner knows this) as long as the display has strong current and the live rocks are set in the display, directly in the contact area.

regarding nitrate, excess surface area filters sometimes trap and retain detritus in highly oxygenated canisters or HOB filters: nitrate isn’t consumed in these filters and in many cases they may produce more for the system if cleaning of the filters is less common than water changes or not very thorough when cleaned.

using pass through filters to hold GFO or specific adsorption media for nitrate may indeed affect water change frequency, just not media floss or bioballs or siporax media or any high surface area media designed for nitrification, thats a constant which runs independent of the attached filters.


Loftreef’s rebuild shot shows the power of live rock very well: does not require fifteen pounds, two good chunks will run any degree of fish and corals and cuc that can reasonably fit into the scape. The rocks are right in the middle of wastewater production, contact area, there’s strong flow. That reef could have three external filters hooked up to it right now ran for two years, instantly get disconnected plus the sandbed removed, and the rocks are still beyond what the tank needs to convert all ammonia on any seneye. These claims are in direct opposition to how we’ve been trained but that’s the night and day difference between old and new cycling science. We all have been trained to constantly assume bacteria are in insufficient numbers, so we buy more.

old cycling science would never never ever state that instantly disconnecting filters has no effect on systemic ammonia conversion rates in reefing


but we’ve got to forgive them, they’re using pre seneye data. Before seneye, every .25 reading seen in ammonia testing (all of them lol) meant a quarter of the bacteria were dead. the replacements had to come from somewhere, so bottle bac sellers met the concern.

Loftreef’s clean, restored surface area nano runs .002-.009 ppm nh3 on seneye, with or without filters, with or without sand, and so does any other display tank using common live rock in the display. Because of this linked performance in all reefs, we are free to design them uniquely or in our case here, clean them uniquely and know the outcome ability even if seneye isn’t present.

After cleaning, your reef will run the same range but only on seneye; the other kits most likely will overread and tempt the purchase of more bacteria.

Thank you for this explanation! A couple follow-up questions: It sounds like I have more live rock than I actually need. Is there such a thing as too much? Between the filters and powerhead, I’ll have about 920 gph of flow when it’s all set up. Is this sufficient? Looking back over this thread, I see I forgot to do the peroxide burn you recommended. Is this likely to be a problem and, if so, what should I do about it at this stage? Details of everything I’ve done and a bunch of pics are in my build thread.

 

[brandon429]

You did great, I saw your thread! nice picture succession, shows complete total clarity at the end

Nano Build - Rebuild after Hurricane Ida

I set up a 20 gal saltwater tank for a couple of hermit crabs my kids brought home from the beach last summer, and have been tinkering with and adding to it ever since (live rock, mangrove trees, sps coral, two clownfish and a bubble tip anemone). As of two weeks ago, water parameters were good...

www.reef2reef.com

there can’t be too much live rock keep it all if possible for room to attach corals

the peroxide burn skip won’t hurt, and if some algae grows back here that part can be reapplied later if needed

 

[LauraR]

You did great, I saw your thread! nice picture succession, shows complete total clarity at the end

Nano Build - Rebuild after Hurricane Ida

I set up a 20 gal saltwater tank for a couple of hermit crabs my kids brought home from the beach last summer, and have been tinkering with and adding to it ever since (live rock, mangrove trees, sps coral, two clownfish and a bubble tip anemone). As of two weeks ago, water parameters were good...

www.reef2reef.com

there can’t be too much live rock keep it all if possible for room to attach corals

the peroxide burn skip won’t hurt, and if some algae grows back here that part can be reapplied later if needed

Okay, great! I’m hoping to transfer the critters soon. Any reason I shouldn’t use Purigen in this setup? I had been using it before the storm, and have some in the filter that’s now in the 10 gal, which I was going to clean and transfer to the 20 gal.

 

[brandon429]

that is completely ok to use not a problem. they will appreciate this new home and with all the clean spaces, they'll eat and the system can begin taking on waste without going eutrophic I bet the mangroves turn our fine as well

 

[Suggsreef]

No bottled bac, I also cycled my tank in May according to your 'microbiology of reef tank cycling' thread using Carribsea 'Live sand' and Carribsea 'LifeRock'

Link?
also nice save on your tank. Lost mine completely but I’m starting over.

 

[brandon429]

We can save you a huge long read on the new setup. The point of that thread is avoiding cycle issues so if you’re starting up a new reef due to storm loss of the prior, let’s just add that as our third work example for this great thread on rebuilds we can cycle your new tank live time to completion.

we can go from starting cycle to stocked with animals without testing headaches, #of days underwater is how we plan cycles in that thread about the biology of cycling it’s not about testing or test levels, this makes the new rebuild go very smoothly. You get a clear start date for animals, even if you use dry rock as a start.

ideally, get all coralline cured live rock from a pet store mine has a huge vat of it for sale and it will skip cycle into your new setup, dry rocks will need minor planning to be ready.


are you using all live rock/ wet from a pet store or are you using dry rock on the new tank

 

[Suggsreef]

We can save you a huge long read on the new setup. The point of that thread is avoiding cycle issues so if you’re starting up a new reef due to storm loss of the prior, let’s just add that as our third work example for this great thread on rebuilds we can cycle your new tank live time to completion.

we can go from starting cycle to stocked with animals without testing headaches, #of days underwater is how we plan cycles in that thread about the biology of cycling it’s not about testing or test levels, this makes the new rebuild go very smoothly. You get a clear start date for animals, even if you use dry rock as a start.

ideally, get all coralline cured live rock from a pet store mine has a huge vat of it for sale and it will skip cycle into your new setup, dry rocks will need minor planning to be ready.


are you using all live rock/ wet from a pet store or are you using dry rock on the new tank

I have my rock from my last tank. It sat in bleach and water for 5 days. Dumped it yesterday and rinsed it with a shower head like 5 times today then swished around in water to get anything else out. Been drying in my bathroom

 

[brandon429]

I see, well one sure fire way to cycle it and have a specific start date it will carry bioload, without testing, is this

buy either Fritz, Dr. Tims or biospira cycling bac.

put in half the bottle into the new display with the rocks all set in place, and add three pinches of very ground up flake feed (Dr. Reefs carbon assist trick) and if you have cycling ammonia give it a good squirt one time. It’s ok to omit the ammonia if you don’t have any, the feed alone (protein) degrades into ammonia anyway given the time we wait, which is two weeks.

at two weeks wait you are done cycling, and the system will carry the same bioload it did prior because the surface area is the same. **your growth dynamics will be different than the two jobs here since it’s a dry rock start. Expect more uglies work as the reflective surfaces bounce light around and prior phosphate stores if any get sorted out. I recommend studying this thread here because it shows perfect control over white dry rock cycling to completion.

Build Thread - My SPS Waterbox Peninsula Mini 15

Hi all. Long time member (I think I joined right around when R2R started or took off years ago) but got out of the hobby for about 6 years and now I am back! I don't see many build threads for the PM 15 (mostly the 25) so thought I'd share my journey here. This post will be a bit behind...

www.reef2reef.com

**his cycle was feed only, no bottle bac, it took a month. Yours is boosted with one of the bac strains listed, so we cut the time in half and even two weeks is liberal wait in the world of 24-48 hour ability water bacteria. It’s why no testing is needed: two weeks meets the ammonia drop time on a common cycling chart this was a planned and well-tested date. Hope this helps. You now have a specific start date and it’s testless, certain to be ready in two weeks prep stew.

you will not need to test for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate to complete this cycle above. Testless.

****these exact steps completely summarize the twenty pages of reading from the microbiology of cycling thread, it’s the condensed version lol


The other major point from the thread was that buying coralline cured true live rock from a pet store skipped the cycle altogether, zero wait and instant total ammonia control.

it’s ok to do dry rock starts look what he did above with one~
B

 

[loftreef]

Update: Tank went through a very small mini cycle. Lasted maybe a day. Copepods have come back in force and are covering everything. Cyano reappearing but it was there before so thats not out of the ordinary.
One thing I am monitoring for is chrysophytes, it ran rampant in the tank before the storm (confirmed via microscope).
NO3: 10ppm
Nh3: 0
pH: 8.15
dKH 8.5

Will post FTS later when I get home. I havent done a WC since the post-storm cleaning but I am planning to do one tonight.

 

[brandon429]

excellent, this will allow spot-siphoning out of the invasions as they try and regroup, and they'll be weaker than before in the cleaner system.

 

[loftreef]

Update: the cyano covered everything in the tank, I couldn't keep it under control with daily siphons. Dosed chemiclean and am now running carbon a couple of days after. Got a basket for my 1st chamber that us ready for some chaeto when I can locate some, nitrates got up to 25 at one point so looking for a natural way to export. Upgraded pump to a sicce 0.5 and tried to add a WaveMaker to combat cyano with more flow but it was way too strong even on the lowest setting, working on a way to modify it to bring it down a bit. Picked up this big hammer and torch at a ridiculous price I couldn't pass up ( 60 each) . Moved to aquaforest salt from instant ocean which had made a world of difference... never using instant ocean again. Slowly raising dKh to 9 from 7 as well which the euphyllia seem to love (at 8.5 now) . I've never had coralline so that's my goal for now, I am re stabilizing everything. Overall, everything is doing great after the rip clean and hurricane season is on the downturn. Next step is to figure out a backup power solution for next year

 

[brandon429]

it looks great I'm so happy for you, to regain control and up the coral load its back in full swing.