Brand New 8 gallon bio cube

[SashimiTurtle]

Not gonna lie, I fell in love with Scottish terriers from Lady and the Tramp. Broke my heart Jock wasn’t really in the new one and his awesome song was pulled.

 

[Magellan]

Such a good boy, but he really should buy his master better beer.

dont know if you guys can see this, I can upload to YouTube

 

[SashimiTurtle]

Something is happening to the video... it shows a gray play screen, then switches to just audio for some reason.

 

[12gallonsofhex]

I find Amazon a complete joke for anything reefing related, especially here in Canada, prices are ALWAYS higher than ordering from an online reef store. I was looking at RODI systems lastnight and Spectrapures systems are $150-600 more than getting them from even Spectrapure and paying shipping and border fees.

To be fair I hate amazon and don't typically order anything from them. The ODD item I've found and ordered but it's a great struggle to get me to hit the purchase button.

Amazon used to be the cheapest thing going because they were operating at a loss to kill their competitors. I have found that my lfs has the same to cheaper than Amazon pricing for reefing gear. Support your LFS!

 

[Magellan]

Something is happening to the video... it shows a gray play screen, then switches to just audio for some reason.

That’s more than what I can see on my phone! I have yet to be able to successfully upload a video :/

 

[12gallonsofhex]

What I'm currently drinking at the house. Uhhh, Beyond Black is the bag I have. Just Black was the last bag and it was WONDERFUL.

CAUTION!!! It may be too American for you to handle. :D

https://www.blackriflecoffee.com/?u...GnHhdK4-cKM6Xxrf4gclx632PcXEZxxhoCD-EQAvD_BwE

Heard about Black Rifle coffee on Joe Rogan. Meant to try it, never got around to it. Maybe its time to order some up

 

[LadyMac]

Four layers in to the cholla wood. I think on the left? I’ll add this, rotala walichii. One of the prettiest freshwater plants. The colors are amazing! Probably behind that, center left I’ll do mini alternatheria reinekii. The shrimp will be sitting on a piece of propped up cholla. The one in the left will be a royal blue OEBT and the one on the right an orange Sakura. Still I have a ton more to do. Anyone wanna work on it for me? Lol

 

[SashimiTurtle]

Amazon used to be the cheapest thing going because they were operating at a loss to kill their competitors. I have found that my lfs has the same to cheaper than Amazon pricing for reefing gear. Support your LFS!

I always support the brick and mortar fish guys. So much knowledge and expertise there, plus the experience of going to the store and seeing the fish... the hobby would suffer without them. Imagine if the only thing we had anymore were the retail chain stores... ;Vomit

 

[SashimiTurtle]

That's a lot of poop...

 

[living_tribunal]

I get the phosphate thing it definitely helps algae grow so it makes sense other things would grow .. which im starting to get some red in sump I'm sure because of it. I'm not sure how your getting a 20x1 ratio. That seems a much closer than thought. If phosphate is .25ppm than nitrate needs to be under 5ppm that seems like really high phosphate and low nitrate.. am I not following on something. What are your phosphate nitrate levels?

Well don’t look at it from the lens that “phosphates = growth”, that will get you into trouble.

First look at the balance and interaction of nitrate and phosphate on a corals zooanthelle.

When there is excess nitrate, it cuts the symbiotic relationship of the coral passing nitrate to the zooxanthelle, in turn the zooxanthelle passes less sugars to the coral.

Secondly, as the studies indicate, corals can tolerate very phosphate levels but they can’t tolerate high nitrate. So if you have a coral that’s bleaching and/or has low polyp extension, the most likely culprit is phosphate deficiency.

When the balance of n/p was below 20, a coral is significantly more sensitive to light and will bleach. Phosphate starvation is the cause of this, not a biproduct. So in this scenario, I’d always drop nitrates specifically, or raise phosphates.

I posted a few articles outlining how all of this works in better detail.

The nitrate levels in my tank hover at .5-1. Phosphate is typically around .015-.3.

I don’t get algae because my nitrate rarely breaks 2 so algae doesn’t get the chance to use the phosphates but the corals do.

 

[Magellan]

Here we go @Robin Haselden

 

[living_tribunal]

Corals aren’t the only form of life in our tanks though. A lot of the recommended numbers aren’t necessarily the most optimum solutions for anything specific, but rather an environment that everything can be healthy in.

Ex: it’s recommended that nems need Nitrates of 5 or less.

another ex: my Goni comes from Indonesia, and would be happy in 82 degree water. Do I keep my tank at 82? Absolutely not lol, because I also have fish and inverts that most definitely would not agree with that decision!

ex #3: high alk, coupled with high Ca can grow SPS faster. But that’s a difficult path to walk, and easier to have a crash.

conclusion: recommendations aren’t natural laws, but are usually a good idea for most people in most situations.

You’re once again seeing this as me making a recommendation on levels, I’ve never done such a thing.

Simply providing data that shows what the cause of coral bleaching and low polyp extension is in the majority of cases.

After reading all night essentially, the vast majority of coral bleaching is from phosphate deficiency and something people need to take more seriously.

The more you know, the better your reef tank will be.

 

[living_tribunal]

I get the phosphate thing it definitely helps algae grow so it makes sense other things would grow .. which im starting to get some red in sump I'm sure because of it. I'm not sure how your getting a 20x1 ratio. That seems a much closer than thought. If phosphate is .25ppm than nitrate needs to be under 5ppm that seems like really high phosphate and low nitrate.. am I not following on something. What are your phosphate nitrate levels?

Also as I stated last night, this is the consideration in the absence of algae. Simply nutrient levels tested on corals, ceteris paribus.

 

[Magellan]

You’re once again seeing this as me making a recommendation on levels, I’ve never done such a thing.

Simply providing data that shows what the cause of coral bleaching and low polyp extension is in the majority of cases.

After reading all night essentially, the vast majority of coral bleaching is from phosphate deficiency and something people need to take more seriously.

The more you know, the better your reef tank will be.

I was actually responding to your comment that you were dispelling ‘myths’ recommended by BRS. I agree that it initially appeared to me (for much of our discussion last night) that you were recommending an increase in phosphate levels, and I was responding accordingly. I’ll also freely admit to not having personally tested my phosphates a single time. Don’t own a test for them, except my eyes. Algae grows in my tank, and I know what sort of filtration I’m using...definitely not concerned about zero nutrient levels!

However, after all those fantastic articles, I’m very curious about where I’m at (my corals put out new growth almost every day it seems) and am about to take some water to my LFS.

 

[Magellan]

I mean, just look at this guy! I haven’t even fed the tank yet today. The little heads on the edges were just specks 2 days ago and didn’t exist a week ago.

 

[living_tribunal]

I was actually responding to your comment that you were dispelling ‘myths’ recommended by BRS. I agree that it initially appeared to me (for much of our discussion last night) that you were recommending an increase in phosphate levels, and I was responding accordingly. I’ll also freely admit to not having personally tested my phosphates a single time. Don’t own a test for them, except my eyes. Algae grows in my tank, and I know what sort of filtration I’m using...definitely not concerned about zero nutrient levels!

However, after all those fantastic articles, I’m very curious about where I’m at (my corals put out new growth almost every day it seems) and am about to take some water to my LFS.

If anything, just reduce nitrate. The articles go on to mention that it’s when that balance of 16-20 is disrupted that algae can utilize the phosphate. Algae utilizes higher nitrate though so even at higher phosphate levels algae are unable to use the phosphate since there isn’t enough nitrate.

So high phosphate levels are alright, as long as nitrate doesn’t break that 20x which arguably makes the situation much worse than if the balance was disrupted in nitrates favor at lower levels.

.5 nitrate is fine as long as phosphate is around .02-.03.

It’s a balance thing more than a absolute level thing.

 

[Magellan]

If anything, just reduce nitrate. The articles go on to mention that it’s when that balance of 16-20 is disrupted that algae can utilize the phosphate. Algae utilizes higher nitrate though so even at higher phosphate levels algae are unable to use the phosphate since there isn’t enough nitrate.

So high phosphate levels are alright, as long as nitrate doesn’t break that 20x which arguably makes the situation much worse.

.5 nitrate is fine as long as phosphate is around .02-.03.

It’s a balance thing more than a absolute level thing.

With my API test I can’t detect nitrates in my tank. When I fragged these zoas and put them on the side of the rock, there were 3 heads about 1.5 months ago. They have gotten used to my tank, light and flow and grown this much since then.

 

[living_tribunal]

With my API test I can’t detect nitrates in my tank. When I fragged these zoas and put them on the side of the rock, there were 3 heads about 1.5 months ago. They have gotten used to my tank, light and flow and grown this much since then.

It’s looking great!

 

[Magellan]

It’s looking great!

I need something blue! ;Cyclops

edit: besides a fish!

 

[anon9896]

I iust bought a 47 gallon biocube
;Wacky