Ash's 400 Gallon Reef

[Ashish Patel]

So debating how I should supply Ca/Alk to this system the most cost effective and simple way possible. With recent inflation i am kind of sticker shocked seeing BRS 2part prices going up alot.


Originally was planning on Kalk, however that will only take me so far as I evaporate 8 gallons per day. Not sure how much that would equate to in relation to 2 part. But even then its a pretty affordable start since I only need one good dosing pump.


I've never used a Calcium reactor but not a fan knowing they reduce PH, especially since I want to try running this systems PH 8.4+. also, its one piece of equipment that can fail and be dangerous but honestly if consumption becomes insane I could see myself using it for the first time in my life.

For now I can lean toward Kalk, if I reach my evaporation point then I can easily get 2part on a doser and go from there. I wonder what the cost benefit for randys 2 part in relation to buying BRS 2 part is.

 

[Ashish Patel]

System is about 3 month old now and I will have to say it is a truly Low maintenance system.

- Do not have to siphon any detritus. No poop stays on the bottom and eventually finds it way to the overflow (probably do not need any clean up crew bc the tangs are savages and keep the algae down.

- If needed I can easily remove things from the bottom of the tank and drain it to a stationary filter sock in the sump. Maybe useful in the future when I want to blow the rock clean and have a siphon going to make sure rock stays clean.

- Only maintenance right now beside feeding is cleaning glass, skimmer, and filter socks.

 

[Ashish Patel]

Never had good grass but determined to have the best yard.

Learning everyday.. I think it's harder then keeping sps or similar level of patients and timing

 

[Ashish Patel]

Did some wire management

 

[Ashish Patel]

Nothing really new besides still running hyposalinity for past 6 weeks. It took about 1 months in to stop seeing spots and last few weeks have been no signs of spots, flashing or scratching

I added a hydro controll
I added mp60
Made a sponge tray for mechanical (love this over filter socks) cleaning required maybe 1-2 weeks instead of 2 days with socks

 

[Ashish Patel]

I am going on vacation for 8 days next week so trying to get my system Self sufficient. I got a wifi feeder which I am testing right now. I got a skimmer sensor and ato all from hydro. This wifi device never seems to be responding so not so confident in it. The controller is always good. Issue is the new wifi strip combo was out of stock so I got the 4 outlet that came with it

 

[Ashish Patel]

 

[Ashish Patel]

This wifi feeder stopped working once it went offline. Zero confidence in this feeder to feed my fish when I am gone for 8 days. My understanding is it should save the programs and run even without wifi

 

[Ashish Patel]

...

 

[Ashish Patel]

So got back from vacation and lost one purple tang. It got Popeye once I left and the other purple tang must have gone for the kill. Another crazy thing that happened is one of my yellow tangs got bullied so much that it lost nearly half it's body mass and hanging on for life.

I had enough pellets going into the tank but I think lack of fatty mysis shrimp and just the fish not seeing my face constantly give them assurance food was coming could have resulted in additional stress.

I am trying to catch the yellow tang and move him to the sump to nurse it back to health. I don't think it will survive more than few days

 

[Ashish Patel]

Sad to see no stony corals in st Thomas. I doubt corals will survive more than 20 years in the wild

 

[Ashish Patel]

My yellow tang was stuck on my closed loop intake and was able to remove him.

Added him to a container with nori flakes. He is eating some but not much. Hope he survives

 

[Ashish Patel]

Lost the Yellow tang. still on Hyposalinity, my gut tells me Hypo is not 100% working and its just Ich management via UV sterilizer. Too much scratching from time to time so may find a new home for the Healthy Achilles and powder before they go down. Tank is very low maintenance right now, only need to do physical work every 2 weeks like fill ATO, clean skimmer, and rinse large foam used for mechanical. Fish do require a good amount of food so that is the main thing, sheet of nori every other day and frozen food every other day, beside that pellets drop 3 times a day.

reefapalozza is this week, so want to get a QT setup ASAP, and look for deals on nice soft corals and LPS corals. May consider getting few SPS but rather test my QT with my existing SPS.

 

[Ashish Patel]

Made good process on my QT. I now have to use this small rimless tank as a sump bc I destroyed my sump when i tried to drill a hole

 

[Ashish Patel]

But made an epic mistake that cost me a $600 sump. Trying to rush getting QT done before Reefapalooza and made a bonehead play. Thinking back I feel so dump bc ive drilled rubber maid garbage cans and poly sumps with this drill bit so had it in my head for years that I could drill a hole for a float valve in this sump.

Too bad bc I will NEVER spend the new retail price of $600 for this sump for a coral QT.

SAD day and to make it worst I did it at 1AM, right before bed so couldnt sleep

 

[Ashish Patel]

Frag tank done but bulkheads are so cheap and don't hold water. So have to get silicone bc I'm not trying to cutt the plumbing

 

[Ashish Patel]

RAP was nice. Got 6 zoas, favias and Alan's. Only 1 acro (bleeding tree abro)

Rainbow splice. $5k for the big frag

 

[Ashish Patel]

 

[Ashish Patel]

I am looking for a cheap 1 head dosing pump for my QT to dose kalk. Originally was going to just do it via top of but then I'd have to be more precise with my water and rather not make it more complicated then just being able to adjust a doser head.


Any suggestions? Prefer something not with an app

 

[GBRsouth]

Can't think off hand anything that doesn't have an app, but check out Parkers Reef youtube channel. He has heaps of doser reviews on there you can check out if they're suitable for you. Off the top of my head one of the several kamoer dosers he reviews might be suitable for you.