Andyf30's Red Sea Reefer 170

[Andyf30]

I just went through your thread, great job! very nice tank.

Thanks! It's not much yet but it is finally getting there. I appreciate you taking the time!

 

[Andyf30]

Here are the other two new members of the crew

 

[Andyf30]

My favorite water change buddy

 

[Andyf30]

Some new updates to report:

SPS continued to struggle, but after reaching out to some folks to talk about what may be going on in my tank, I decided over the last month to simplify things, stop dosing random odds and ends, and just let the tank settle. I also got my own RODI system and have started mixing my own saltwater. I will be adding a tester acro this weekend to see how it does. After a month of just letting the tank settle and find its "numbers" I will stop chasing ideal parameters and just let things flow (pun not intended).

Additionally, I dropped my bioload down and traded/sold my melanurus wrasse and my midas blenny. Sad to sea less movement in the tank, but it definitely was for the best long run. Current fish list is a yellow watchman, 2 clowns, and a purple firefish. May think of adding a sixline in a month or two once more coral are in but we will see.

I also finally got rid of that stupid Red Sea diaphragm valve. A little measuring, some ordering, googling, and gluing, and I have a beautiful SPIRS gate valve that keeps things dead silent. I love it and would recommend it to literally every Red Sea owner, especially since my tank is in the living room.

Lastly, I added a refugium to handle the nutrients instead of GFO. Last time I added GFO my phosphate went from .04 to 0 in about 3 days, which REALLY ticked off my acans and my favia. After removing, feeding a little more, and a quick dip to rule out parasites, all of the grumpy corals have stabilized and are happy again. I traded my melanurus for a torch and my zoa garden is finally starting to grow in! Additionally, got my hands on a long polyp green toadstool and green sinularia.

Bonus pics of my recently redone office nano shrimp tank, still settling after the rescape, but this layout is much more open and allows for better viewing:

 

[Andyf30]

Hi everyone!

Been a long long time since I updated. lots of updates that I will try to condense in a concise list:
- My fiancee and I moved to a new house, which necessitated moving the tank obviously. Special thanks to my friends for holding all of my coral while I was moving.
- I got an Apex! Got a great deal from a friend and it has made monitoring pH and equipment a breeze.
- I got a doser, which has made water quality stability much, much, easier.
- In the vein of the apex, I realized my pH was very low, so I got a CO2 scrubber kit from BRS and the recirculating kit from Fish of Hex. pH went from a daily swing of 7.7-7.9 to 8.1-8.3. Growth has exploded.
-I did a PAR map and got my nutrients up, realizing my nutrients were chronically low I ditched my refugium, and the PAR map revealed my lights were set much lower than I thought.

And the most important note from all of these updates:

SPS are thriving! I have restocked my tank after losing a few pieces/getting my pieces back from friends and things are flying along. Some photos:

 

[PanchoG]

How is the tank doing?

 

[Andyf30]

How is the tank doing?

Tank is doing well! Having some algae issues, but I got my nutrients straightened back out and am going to start some manual removal and an under dosed reef flux treatment to knock it out. Acro's are still flying along.

 

[Andyf30]

Some new updates! Did some more gluing, removed some larger pieces that weren't coloring up, and added reef brite bars for some extra pop and color development. Unfortunately, my nutrients bottomed out, and I had to deal with dino's for a bit. I have no kicked those with nutrient dosing and things are looking great!

Here are some of my favorite shots over the last few weeks:

WWC Heartbreaker (flipped it to glue, so the red is redeveloping on this side)

TSA Fruitypebbles

RRC Goldenrod

BC Pot'o'gold Tenuis (turning into sort of a chaotic WD)

SC Orange Passion

FTS Under just the new reef brites

OG HG Micromussa

BC High Rainbow Tenuis (one of my favorites)

TGC Cherry Bomb; the nub is finally starting to take off

BC Muthaship Table

SC OP again under blues

RRC Pink Cadillac

The crown jewel of my tank at the moment: FHC HBIC Tenuis. Got this last sale, and the colors have gotten nuts over the last few weeks

 

[willperry96]

Tank looks great! What schedule and intensity are you running on your xr30?

 

[Andyf30]

Tank looks great! What schedule and intensity are you running on your xr30?

Thanks!

Currently running the WWC SPS dominant display schedule (whites in the morning and blues in the afternoon/evening) at 65%

 

[willperry96]

Thanks!

Currently running the WWC SPS dominant display schedule (whites in the morning and blues in the afternoon/evening) at 65%

What sort of PAR are you getting throughout the tank if you don’t mind me asking? Cheers

 

[Andyf30]

What sort of PAR are you getting throughout the tank if you don’t mind me asking? Cheers

I had my PAR map done prior to adding the reef brite kit, so its probably around 30-50 higher everywhere, but the map is below:

 

[willperry96]

I had my PAR map done prior to adding the reef brite kit, so its probably around 30-50 higher everywhere, but the map is below:

thank you so much. I have the same set up was wondering what sort of par my sps would be getting this has helped a lot!!

 

[Andyf30]

thank you so much. I have the same set up was wondering what sort of par my sps would be getting this has helped a lot!!

No problem! glad to be of help!