Brew's 187g slice of the ocean

[Brew12]

I've been looking to do something similar. Came out awesome! Even better its actual rock. Is your process of making it in this thread somewhere?

I have a picture or two somewhere. I used a masonry saw to make some flat surfaces, some acrylic rods, and lots of 2 part epoxy and super glue. It is 5 or 6 rocks all joined together. Getting the 22" shelf rock that makes up the top seems to be much more challenging now.

 

[Brew12]

I've been looking to do something similar. Came out awesome! Even better its actual rock. Is your process of making it in this thread somewhere?

Some of my rock construction starts here.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/brews-187g-slice-of-the-ocean.334401/page-5#post-4261527

 

[mta_morrow]

I feel NoPox is a bit deceptive. Most bacteria that it will cause to bloom have a nitrogen to phosphorous ratio of around 50:1. Ideally we want to export nutrients around 16:1. This means that over time we are likely to need some additional form of phosphorus remover like GFO or lanthium chloride. So, it does remove some PO4, but not enough imo.

Maybe I misled. I use for nitrate control and saw someone here in your thread tried it and may switch to plain vodka.

I use rowaphos when needed for phosphates

 

[Brew12]

Maybe I misled. I use for nitrate control and saw someone here in your thread tried it and may switch to plain vodka.

I use rowaphos when needed for phosphates

That makes sense.

Not sure why but Vodka or vinegar may cause cyano outbreaks in some systems where using the opposite doesn't. If your system does fine with the mix, no reason I can think of why it wouldn't do just as well using either of them instead of both of them.

 

[reacclimating 2 the hobby]

Wow I didnt even notice the base until reading through that. It looks like a magnetic frag rack from my phone. Awesome!

 

[anit77]

That makes sense.

Not sure why but Vodka or vinegar may cause cyano outbreaks in some systems where using the opposite doesn't. If your system does fine with the mix, no reason I can think of why it wouldn't do just as well using either of them instead of both of them.

My theory is that when there are elevated phosphates and low to no nitrate the carbon is all that's needed for a cyano outbreak.
In the 1st year of my system, cyano would start up even after putting ROX in a reactor. Now I've been good with it for several months and when I was getting it over the last 18 months, it was primarily in the ATS or Frag tank. The cheap LEDs on the ATS was the reason there. But I've also got a good bit of RTA that may be using up organics.

I have 4 tangs. A Purple, Yellow, Kole and Yellow belly Regal. I haven't seen even the slightest issue with them using lanthem. Maybe some of the other species are more sensitive to it. When I dose it I only use 25ml right into the inlet of the skimmer and I don't use socks at all.

 

[Brew12]

My theory is that when there are elevated phosphates and low to no nitrate the carbon is all that's needed for a cyano outbreak.
In the 1st year of my system, cyano would start up even after putting ROX in a reactor. Now I've been good with it for several months and when I was getting it over the last 18 months, it was primarily in the ATS or Frag tank. The cheap LEDs on the ATS was the reason there. But I've also got a good bit of RTA that may be using up organics.

I have 4 tangs. A Purple, Yellow, Kole and Yellow belly Regal. I haven't seen even the slightest issue with them using lanthem. Maybe some of the other species are more sensitive to it. When I dose it I only use 25ml right into the inlet of the skimmer and I don't use socks at all.

Being nitrate or phosphate deficient can lead to all sorts of problems. Cyano being the major one I worry about when nitrate deficient. I still don't understand why some people with higher nitrates get a cyano break out when using vodka but can use vinegar just fine. Others get cyano from using vinegar but can use vodka without issues. That doesn't make sense to me but it does seem to be repeatable.

I'm not sure which tangs are supposed to be vulnerable but I also suspect it is highly system dependent. I'm sure even sensitive tangs can do just fine in some systems that use lanthium. I wouldn't be opposed to trying it some time, I just haven't felt the need since I use so little GFO. Once I get my fuge back online I expect that PO4 will go back to being controlled that way.

 

[Brew12]

If coral poo is this nasty I’d hate to see or smell unicorn poo!

 

[Brew12]

Skimmer and skimmate locker are clean. GFO reactor is cleaned out and refilled. And @Victoria M it looks like you were correct about the flow being too high. I'm sure the age of the GFO didn't help but it does look like flow was an issue. I haven't changed anything in the very simple system. It's just a cobalt MJ1200, BRS reactor, some tubing, and a small throttle valve, but I am getting a lot more flow now. No way I could run it wide open like I could before. Makes me wonder if I had an obstruction from the time it was new that recently came free and allowed more water flow.
Otherwise, I have one of my gyres soaking in vinegar which will complete the maintenance side of what I wanted to accomplish today. Oh, and I replaced the lighting under my tank yesterday so that is good to go now, too.

If I feel ambitious I may move some coral around later.

 

[bigcheese]

I still don't understand why some people with higher nitrates get a cyano break out when using vodka but can use vinegar just fine. Others get cyano from using vinegar but can use vodka without issues.

I have a theory there.. two different strains that look and act very similarly, both nitrogen fixing, one pH dependent and carbon limited, one Fe2+ limited.

Adding vodka to the first strain fuels it, does nothing to the second. Adding vinegar to the first might not do anything, but the acid reduces stable Fe3+ to bioavailable Fe2+ for the second strain, fueling it.

Let me line up the (non-paywalled) links to the research I pulled in and yous guys (all y'all) can make the conclusions.

 

[Brew12]

I have a theory there.. two different strains that look and act very similarly, both nitrogen fixing, one pH dependent and carbon limited, one Fe2+ limited.

Adding vodka to the first strain fuels it, does nothing to the second. Adding vinegar to the first might not do anything, but the acid reduces stable Fe3+ to bioavailable Fe2+ for the second strain, fueling it.

Let me line up the (non-paywalled) links to the research I pulled in and yous guys (all y'all) can make the conclusions.

Very interesting! I did assume that each would trigger a different strain of cyano but never considered the possible impact of pH.

 

[Fudsey]

I get tons of sponge in my GFO reactor tubing. So much so that my cobalt mj1200 just trickles through it after a couple months. I have to take the whole thing to the sink and run a bottle brush through it all to clear it.

 

[Brew12]

I get tons of sponge in my GFO reactor tubing. So much so that my cobalt mj1200 just trickles through it after a couple months. I have to take the whole thing to the sink and run a bottle brush through it all to clear it.

I see that with my GAC reactor, but this reactor is fairly new and has been like it since day 1. One of these days I'm going to clean both reactors out at the same time and compare flow.

 

[RobW]

Nice tank build! In the process of a build myself. Pictures of your tank look great!

 

[Brew12]

Ok, time to play with the coral. Sorry I didn't et better pictures, but I didn't want to spend much time on it. So on to the plans.

As I mentioned earlier, this one doesn't work for me where it is at so it's getting moved. Not to mention that it is self shading too much. Will try to clean it up and relocate it to the back right corner.

I'm going to pull this from where it is currently located on the shelf and put it where the birdsnest moved from.

To replace it, I'm going to cut a frag from this little guy. Such an amazing coral but I want to see what it can do with more flow and light. Hopefully it will be easier to get a good picture of.

And finally, I'm going to cut the main section of this gorgorian off of the frag plug and attach it to the rock right next to it where the nub sticks out. My conchs are constantly knocking it over and I'm tired of dealing with it. So, a more permanent location.

 

[Sarah24!]

Hello,

Wow your @Brew12 your tank is looking amazing nice job. Sorry I’m still catching up on a few threads yours being one of them. I noticed the same thing with cyano as well, there is also something else im working on with cyano. Recently my lfs changed salt mix, the afterMath has been not good. They are losing 90% of their tanks and now they all have massive cyano break outs. Not only did this happen but most of the sps started to rtn and lps was not happy either. Now to make this more fun, customers that also bought the water are having the same probelms. I was called and warned to not use any of their salt water (which I was lucky I was actually out but went to the other lfs because they were closer and I was so tired), but I had only bought rodi. Even that water I dumped and went to another source just to make sure.
Based on the info provided to me , it’s interesting to see and find out what caused this. Most say the water since it affected all the tanks, but what was in the water?.

More pics please

 

[Brew12]

Nice tank build! In the process of a build myself. Pictures of your tank look great!

Wow your @Brew12 your tank is looking amazing nice job.

Thanks!

I was called and warned to not use any of their salt water (which I was lucky I was actually out but went to the other lfs because they were closer and I was so tired), but I had only bought rodi. Even that water I dumped and went to another source just to make sure.

I saw your post on that. It's a horrible thing to have happen but I'm glad you weren't impacted. It still blows my mind that you don't mix your own salt considering the size of your system.

More pics please

Will do! If the tank clears out enough I will try to get a few pics yet tonight.

All my work went fairly well today. The one that that did go wrong was that blue frag with green polyps. I tried cutting it close to the base with bone cutters but it shattered. I took 2 small pieces and tried to glue them where I wanted them. Will see what happens. The 2 pieces are only around 3/8" but since they are acclimated to my tank I'm hoping they make it.

 

[Brew12]

Another quick cell phone picture. I love the changes. Opened up the right side nicely.

 

[Why-Me]

That looks great @Brew12

 

[Fudsey]

I like it