Coralife Biocube 29 question

thehammer1985 · Sep 4, 2015

But do one or the other and allow time to adjust don't move your coral up and brighten the lights

pdiehm · Sep 4, 2015

Right now it's 12k at 100%. Maybe drop that 12k to say 70% max intensity?

pdiehm · Sep 4, 2015

But before you mentioned turning down then say something about increasing intensity.

pdiehm · Sep 4, 2015

So I am somewhat confused right about now

thehammer1985 · Sep 4, 2015

Lol can you quote it so I can fix any confusion

Rjramos · Sep 4, 2015

Make sure your return pump has a screen on it, otherwise a small shell can break your impeller! I've been running mine with the sponge and no screen on the pump. I have a Refugium in chamber 2, with lots of stomatella snails and small limpits, so I have to protect the pump.

pdiehm · Sep 4, 2015

Hah. Maybe I am misreading you are saying increase the intensity? When acclimation is done (9/10) the lights will be 12k at 100% max intensity for 4 hours. Lights on a 10 hour period

pdiehm · Sep 4, 2015

I guess I am confused as to if my lights are scheduled to run at 12k, at 100% intensity schedule how to increase light intensity. That's not making sense

thehammer1985 · Sep 4, 2015

That's what I was saying is your lights are on at full intensity because there an acclimation mode. Honestly if you're 9/10 of the way through it I would just ride it out until there at 100% and then give corals sa little bit of time to acclimate and adjust there tank positioning from there. I thought that you may be earlier in acclamation so I thought your intensity percentage was lower.

thehammer1985 · Sep 4, 2015

I was also curious how much you are feeding. This is off the subject of the lighting but I was just curious because of your phosphate and nitrate levels. I know that your tank is young but with doing two water changes a week they shouldn't be that high.

thehammer1985 · Sep 4, 2015

While most softies and some LPS enjoy more nutrients you still strive for under .035 phosphates and approximately 3 to 5 nitrate. I do not think that you should be having that large of a problem. You are on the right track and removing that sponge will definitely help. Also a protein skimmer does wonders I would also consider running Purigan it is like a protein skimmer in a bag for a nano tank

pdiehm · Sep 4, 2015

ok:

My lighting is currently set for 14k:

@100% intensity:

10k:

Red: 100
U Violet: 88
Deep Blue: 88
Violet: 88
Cool White: 100
Green: 100
Blue: 88

12K = all are maxed at 100

14k:

Red: 45
UV: 100
DB: 100
V: 100
CW: 45
G: 45
B: 100

16k:

R: 35
UV: 100
DB: 100
V: 100
CW: 35
G: 35
B: 100

thehammer1985 · Sep 4, 2015

Yeah I would definitely stick to 12 K for the time being and allow the acclimation to finish. After it finishes give your corals some time to adjust see wha they're doing and adjust their position from there

pdiehm · Sep 4, 2015

thehammer1985 said:
I was also curious how much you are feeding. This is off the subject of the lighting but I was just curious because of your phosphate and nitrate levels. I know that your tank is young but with doing two water changes a week they shouldn't be that high.

There are no fish in the tank at the moment. Once a week, I put a piece of Nori rubber banded to a piece of rock, and drop in overnight to feed the hermits and snails. I also drop in 2-3 Crab Bites pellets to feed the nassarius snails the same night I do the Nori. That's the only feeding that goes on in the tank. Was strongly advised to not feed corals, it just causes problems.

thehammer1985 said:
While most softies and some LPS enjoy more nutrients you still strive for under .035 phosphates and approximately 3 to 5 nitrate. I do not think that you should be having that large of a problem. You are on the right track and removing that sponge will definitely help. Also a protein skimmer does wonders I would also consider running Purigan it is like a protein skimmer in a bag for a nano tank

The rocks I have are Marco Rocks. I was told they do not leech PO4, so I didn't cure them the way I did the Pukani downstairs. The Marco Rocks absolutely leech PO4.

I don't know anything about Purigen or how I would even go about using it. With being new, I tend to stay away from the things that I don't know about, or that may create more work.

I am efforting to get an HOB skimmer that is rated for twice my tank. If that happens, perhaps I'll get a media rack to use in the 2nd chamber. I've really tried to stay away from cutting and stuff because I honestly don't know that much about it.

pdiehm · Sep 4, 2015

thehammer1985 said:
Yeah I would definitely stick to 12 K for the time being and allow the acclimation to finish. After it finishes give your corals some time to adjust see wha they're doing and adjust their position from there

I moved the zoanthid up. Just set up a program for 12k, and a 3 week acclimation period starting at 50%.

thehammer1985 · Sep 4, 2015

Haha yeah I almost made the same mistake. After eating plenty of Reviews I found out that Marcola rocks definitely lead phosphates but water changes and maybe some GFO should solve that. A protein skimmer will definitely help with your nitrates. And I strongly suggest doing some research on Puritan it is very simple to use you just toss it in a high flow area and every 6 months or when it starts to brown out you recharge it by bleaching it. It is a very simple and effective product especially for nano tanks.

pdiehm · Sep 4, 2015

Could I use that in the space occupied by the sponge prior to the return area?

thehammer1985 · Sep 4, 2015

Honestly I would set your acclimation back to what it was if you were going to move the coral up you do not need to turn it back down as the coral has already adjusted to the light level that it was that. Moving it up in the tank is essentially the same thing as turning the lights up higher.