Devoted Reefer 250

[pelphrey]

Hey @pelphrey i noticed you changed the gyres on your last video and you said it goes up to 80% isn't that a lot? i just got my second gyre and not sure of the placement

I had my left one on the back wall, I could only go up to 20%. So they are now both on the sides running random mode at 80-90%. Can't go 100% until I update the firmware and see if the controller still shuts down. In random mode they don't run at the highest setting all the time and it's worked out well. @Berlibee is running 2 pumps in random mode so I figured I'd try it out!

 

[Berlibee]

I've changed the placement of them and it's so much better now and corals are much happier now. On the left I have it now on the back wall VERTICAL somewhere in the middle of the tank directed to the front glass and on the right I have on the side like before horizontal on top on the side of the tank. I really love this turbulent flow now. Vertical - 50% Random, Horizontal 70% Random.

 

[FLG]

Artfully Acrylic Reefer 250 Top. Little pricey but great product.

 

[pelphrey]

Good looking top! I prefer my cheap screen top!

Artfully Acrylic Reefer 250 Top. Little pricey but great product.

 

[M4rtin]

What salt are you using currently, and are you happy with it ?
Did you change from any other, or is this the salt you always stick to ?

 

[pelphrey]

What salt are you using currently, and are you happy with it ?
Did you change from any other, or is this the salt you always stick to ?

I started the tank with Reef Crystals that I had left over from my last tank. I switched to Red Sea Coral Pro because I got a nearly full bucket locally cheap. I like how the Coral Pro mixes, parameters may be a little high. A 5 gallon water change shouldn't change much of my water chemistry! I still have half a bucket of the Coral Pro left, I may re-visit salts when I get closer to the bottom! I need to test my water, this weekend will be my 3rd week in a row without any water change. I am attempting to raise my nitrates. My calcium and dkh will let me know if it is water change time or not.

 

[powers2001]

pelphrey, wondering why you went with the COR 20 as opposed to the COR 15? Was it the requirement of a 1link module? Or are you needing the extra flow?

 

[pelphrey]

pelphrey, wondering why you went with the COR 20 as opposed to the COR 15? Was it the requirement of a 1link module? Or are you needing the extra flow?

We didn't have a choice which pump we received! I would suspect I got the 20 because it will connect to the classic with an aqua bus cable.

 

[pelphrey]

Going on 3 weeks, maybe 4 I lost count with no water changes. Surprisingly alk is at 9.2 I would have suspected a bigger decline considering the coral I added last week!

Nitrates are still zero and phosphates now reporting 0. I am running 2 lights of the 4 on my ATS and the lights run 24/7. I've noticed I don't have to clean the glass nearly as often as I was. Also put the Neptune AFS on my tank and feed at noon, 240 minutes later - 1 rotation each feeding. I'm feeding either pellets or frozen in the evening.

This chemistry is strange! Everything looks good, the acros are so so but that is expected. The birdsnest colony is looking good.

For fun I've been reading about the aqua forest salt and their "balling method". I'm not intending to run a low nitrient system.

 

[Branespikin]

Going on 3 weeks, maybe 4 I lost count with no water changes. Surprisingly alk is at 9.2 I would have suspected a bigger decline considering the coral I added last week!

Nitrates are still zero and phosphates now reporting 0. I am running 2 lights of the 4 on my ATS and the lights run 24/7. I've noticed I don't have to clean the glass nearly as often as I was. Also put the Neptune AFS on my tank and feed at noon, 240 minutes later - 1 rotation each feeding. I'm feeding either pellets or frozen in the evening.

This chemistry is strange! Everything looks good, the acros are so so but that is expected. The birdsnest colony is looking good.

For fun I've been reading about the aqua forest salt and their "balling method". I'm not intending to run a low nitrient system.

I love the AF salt. My corals love it. I use the balling method. Once dialed in set and forget. Equal 3 part dosing. When i add few corals calibrate a bit thats it. If you use the probiotic salt then you are going for ULNS but just plain reef salt and probio s and np pro ever other day to control nitrates and phosphates you are good to go man. I got their entire line up and its great

 

[pelphrey]

I love the AF salt. My corals love it. I use the balling method. Once dialed in set and forget. Equal 3 part dosing. When i add few corals calibrate a bit thats it. If you use the probiotic salt then you are going for ULNS but just plain reef salt and probio s and np pro ever other day to control nitrates and phosphates you are good to go man. I got their entire line up and its great

I'm actually 20-21 pages into the AF thread that has like 85 pages! I saw your post! I may very well PM you and ask some questions.

 

[Branespikin]

I'm actually 20-21 pages into the AF thread that has like 85 pages! I saw your post! I may very well PM you and ask some questions.

Read it thats what i did. Alot of knowledgeable people here on that salt. I just asked bunch of questions. Now i just figured some things out for myself. Basically look how my tank reacts. But honestly have not seen polyp extension like this when i was using other salts. I switched over from red sea coral pro.

 

[pelphrey]

The good. The bad. The ugly....

Actually sat and watched the tank earlier for 20-30 minutes, all fish were accounted for and everything looked happy. Lights went out at 9pm, before I came upstairs I turned the light on my phone and looked into the tank. Yellow tang was laying behind the rock work not moving. Okay, he is sleeping! I tapped on the glass and nothing. Got my net to get him out. I've had this guy for months, always ate well and very active. Crossing my fingers the other fish don't come to the same sudden death. I think it's time for a water change! Really wish I had an ammonia test kit, but it is hard for me to believe ammonia got to him. Maybe one of the wrasses?

 

[Branespikin]

The good. The bad. The ugly....

Actually sat and watched the tank earlier for 20-30 minutes, all fish were accounted for and everything looked happy. Lights went out at 9pm, before I came upstairs I turned the light on my phone and looked into the tank. Yellow tang was laying behind the rock work not moving. Okay, he is sleeping! I tapped on the glass and nothing. Got my net to get him out. I've had this guy for months, always ate well and very active. Crossing my fingers the other fish don't come to the same sudden death. I think it's time for a water change! Really wish I had an ammonia test kit, but it is hard for me to believe ammonia got to him. Maybe one of the wrasses?

Oh man sorry to hear that. Didn't notice white dots like velvet or anything did you? Same thing happened to me few months ago. Wiped out all my fish in few days. Hope its not that!!

 

[pelphrey]

Oh man sorry to hear that. Didn't notice white dots like velvet or anything did you? Same thing happened to me few months ago. Wiped out all my fish in few days. Hope its not that!!

Didn't notice anything. Haven't added a fish in well over a month. Added a bunch of coral last week. Crossing my fingers that everyone is swimming in the morning!

 

[powers2001]

Oh man sorry to hear that. Didn't notice white dots like velvet or anything did you? Same thing happened to me few months ago. Wiped out all my fish in few days. Hope its not that!!

I've heard viruses can do that then I heard viruses don't exist in the ocean! Who knows what causes that. :-(

 

[pelphrey]

I've heard viruses can do that then I heard viruses don't exist in the ocean! Who knows what causes that. :-(

This morning all was accounted for. Anxiously waiting to get home and make sure the rest of my little friends are swimming around. Neptune AFS spun a turn at noon so they had lunch, it is fixing to turn again at 4 for an appetizer before I get home!

 

[pelphrey]

With all these unions I won't need any pvc! Hope to get the pump on the tank this weekend, flow sensor will have to wait until the FMM module comes in!

 

[pelphrey]

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[jasonamyers]

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That 8020 does look really nice