Ancient Reef Tank

[Bob Bennett]

Hello everyone, been wanting to post for a long time, today is the day! My reef tank build has been in progress for almost 25 years, any one remember FishNet from way back in the day! Reef keeping sure has come a long way since then, but life can also get in the way of things, jobs, moving, children and of course the spouse, so tank has spent some years in storage, currently on its third incarnation, been set up for 3.5 yrs now and has been a savior after loosing my wife of 30 years to cancer.

Tank is a modified Sea Clear 100gal. acrylic aquarium with internal overflow using the herbie system
Lighting is a diy aluminum hood with 48" BML led lights, 1 actinic, 1 1400k and one 10000k.
RKL controller, BRS dosing pumps for 2 part, BRS dual reactor for carbon and Rowa plus, sump ia a diy 40 gal. breeder, very large refugium with Cheato and Miracle Mud, Avast pegleg skimmer in second 20 gal sump, keep RKL in a separate cabinet too. BRS 6 Stage RO system and 2 20gal reservoirs in utility room and added a spectra pure silica buster, water kind of sucks here in Florida, had silica levels though the roof.

Livestock is a mostly sps with a few softies. and six fish, several kind of snails and hermit crabs, 2 serpent star fish

 

[JaimeAdams]

Sounds pretty good. I'm sorry to hear about your wife. DO you have any pictures of the tank setup?

 

[Bob Bennett]

Sounds pretty good. I'm sorry to hear about your wife. DO you have any pictures of the tank setup?

Just added terrible photo, after few cuss words, not a big tech guy

 

[najer]

Sorry for your loss, sounds very minimal, love that.
How are the sps under those lights, sounds interesting?

 

[Bob Bennett]

Just added terrible photo, after few cuss words, not a big tech guy

Sorry for your loss, sounds very minimal, love that.
How are the sps under those lights, sounds interesting?

Seem to be very happy, only at about 50%, was wanting to add one more, but they are not building aquarium lights any more, to busy making lamps for growing weed!!

 

[najer]

Seem to be very happy, only at about 50%, was wanting to add one more, but they are not building aquarium lights any more, to busy making lamps for growing weed!!

Lol, be good to see pics of the sps when you have time.

 

[Paul B]

I remember Fish Net.

 

[Bob Bennett]

I remember Fish Net.

FishNet and dial modems, and a computer with built modem cost like 4500.00

 

[jsker]

12" floppies. Looks like the third time is the charm. I look forward to see more of your adventure.

 

[mcarroll]

Hello everyone, been wanting to post for a long time, today is the day!

Glad you made it!

Was FishNET the CompuServe fish forum?

(It's been so long that even though I worked at CompuServe I forget! )

I was on Usenet's *aquaria groups as well as the CompuServe fish forum A LOT back in the day.

 

[CenlaReefer]

Bob, sorry to hear the news about your wife.

I do love the setup you have. What is that machine on top of the cabinet to the right of the tank? It looks like an interesting antique. The upload file option is rather easy when using a tablet computer or smart phone. Using a laptop is a pain in my opinion. I am sure that I speak for everyone when I say that we would love to see some close-ups of various corals in your tank. BTW, I just got a Kalk stirrer from Avast. I really like that company.

 

[Bob Bennett]

Glad you made it!

Was FishNET the CompuServe fish forum?

(It's been so long that even though I worked at CompuServe I forget! )

I was on Usenet's *aquaria groups as well as the CompuServe fish forum A LOT back in the day.

I believe it was on CompuServe, you guys got me addicted to the reef hobby, such a good addiction to have! and thanks again for your blog, will be spending more time there, what I found most helpful for my tank will be your method for raising the nitrate levels , might there be a thread you could point me too?

 

[Bob Bennett]

Lol, be good to see pics of the sps when you have time.

Will do tomorrow, doing serious tank maintenance to start long weekend, green bubble algae is the Bain of my existence, have to get in there about ever 3 months to do battle!!!

 

[Bob Bennett]

Bob, sorry to hear the news about your wife.

I do love the setup you have. What is that machine on top of the cabinet to the right of the tank? It looks like an interesting antique. The upload file option is rather easy when using a tablet computer or smart phone. Using a laptop is a pain in my opinion. I am sure that I speak for everyone when I say that we would love to see some close-ups of various corals in your tank. BTW, I just got a Kalk stirrer from Avast. I really like that company.

Wish it was a interesting antique, is a 3d printer my son and I built from a kit, having driver issues . The Avast skimmer we build from the kit was much more fun, great skimmer, been wanting to add kalk stirrer with the ATO and peristaltic pump soon. Will ad some pictures after tank maintenance to start the long weekend

 

[Bob Bennett]

Glad you made it!

Was FishNET the CompuServe fish forum?

(It's been so long that even though I worked at CompuServe I forget! )

I was on Usenet's *aquaria groups as well as the CompuServe fish forum A LOT back in the day.

I believe it was on CompuServe, that's where my addiction began, such a good addiction to have! Want to say thanks again for all that work you put into your blog, will need to spend more time reading, what I found most useful was your work on adding nitrate to our systems, my system is so good at removing it, and have tried shutting down skimmer for couple hrs. but skimmer doesn't do well on startup, and shortening hours on fuge light has not helped, going to try your method, might there be a thread you could point me too!

 

[najer]

Do you have mithrax / emerald crabs in there?

Will do tomorrow, doing serious tank maintenance to start long weekend, green bubble algae is the Bain of my existence, have to get in there about ever 3 months to do battle!!!

 

[Bigfishy1]

Sorry to hear about your wife. Sounds like yo have a great setup. Would be great to see some close up pictures

 

[Ponraj A]

Sorry to hear about your loss man, very nice tank.

 

[mcarroll]

I believe it was on CompuServe, you guys got me addicted to the reef hobby, such a good addiction to have! and thanks again for your blog, will be spending more time there

I loved CompuServe back in the day tooThanks for saying so!!! It's a work in progress.

my system is so good at removing it, and have tried shutting down skimmer for couple hrs. but skimmer doesn't do well on startup, and shortening hours on fuge light has not helped, going to try your method,

With caveats, here's the guide you're looking for:
A Nitrate Dosing Calculator For Better Tank Health (And Better Coral Color!)

If your tank isn't having problematic algae blooms or any other nutrient related issues (pale corals, macro algae that won't grow, etc), then I'm not sure I'd suggest gettting into it.

If you do anyway, keep in mind that your tank isn't starving and this is essentially plant fertilizer – so keep your dose very, very small and very regular. Watch the tank for changes – it's possible to go too far and to create problems you never had. Corals tissue getting dark is a sign to throttle back or stop...or at least to stand pat and not increase doses.

Will do tomorrow, doing serious tank maintenance to start long weekend, green bubble algae is the Bain of my existence, have to get in there about ever 3 months to do battle!!!

You know bubble algae hasn't always been viewed as a problem....I've never lifted a finger against it and it has simply come and left on it's own.....and I honestly think it's amazing looking.

Once again, if the algae is blooming out of control that's a different story and a sign that something isn't quite right with the tank.

Under normal conditions, it shouldn't be a problem....one of the best micro-algae to have around IMO. I have a german saltwater manual that calls bubble algae the "jewel of the reef" or something like that. I agree!

 

[KJ]

Sorry to hear about your loss. Nice looking tank.