Ancient Reef Tank

[Bob Bennett]

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



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.



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!

 

[Bob Bennett]

Thanks so much for your reply, will heed your warning, and let things be, I did have a raging , out of control bubble algae problem after setting up this tank compared to what I've experience before, had sent out water samples for testing and silica levels were thru the roof, added a silica buster to RO system, cut back feeding, lots of water changes and it took almost 2 years to get levels under control , but in the process almost nothing grew, not even cheato, things seem to be growing nicely now. Still have some bubble algae, just have to get with the "jewel of the reef" frame of mind, love those German Reefers! Professional water testing is such a great new tool, been doing 2 times per year and would suggest to all new reefers to have RO water tested, a little tweak to your RO system could save a lot of headaches ! Thanks again mcarrol

 

[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

Thank you all so much for your kind words, mentioning my late wife is not so much for me as it is to maybe reach out to others , most heartbreaking thing for me now is knowing their are so many others out there that have been left behind, was fortunate to have 30 years with Donna!

Here are a few bad pictures for you to see, huge empty spot is where a beautiful Red Planet use to be, tank recovering from a huge disaster, but that's a story for a stupid plumbing mistake thread!