EXT 170 Build

[lubeck]

Still trying to catch the mantis.
It hit my chalk bass again in the same eye. I almost caught it with my hemostat but I really need to get it out.
Alk 7.3
Po4 .043
No3 8
I will speed up my no3 reactor as effluent measured zero. Below 5 is my high end target for no3.

How big is the mantis.

 

[X-37B]

How big is the mantis.

About 3".

 

[X-37B]

Glued down a few frags today.
Bumped my Birdsnest and it snapped off.
The whole growth was on a stick smaller than a pencil.
Anyway it's laying down, mid pic, in a good spot for now. It was in 200 par now 400 so we will see if I keep it there.
10 months growth from the first pic.
Small piece left as it was 2 small pieces I glued down.

 

[X-37B]

My 3 color digi, lol.

 

[X-37B]

Tomorrow I receive my 3 frags for the BC Clown growout contest.
Looking forward to this. I was 6 months in on my last BC contest and had to move and shut down all 5 systems.
Got the frag rack in position.
About 250 to 300 par at the rack on the bottom depending on the probes position.

 

[X-37B]

Had the 3 in for a week. Took 2 out and mounted. Waiting for the other to encrust.
Also a pic of the system.

 

[X-37B]

So I received my icp back.
Strontium was still elevated at 16 down from 24. I do not dose it anymore and it's comming back in range, 8-10.
Flourine was normal and not low this time. Bringing the level up from last icp worked.
Sulfer was elevated but lower than last time and close to normal
Sulfer is from my no3 reactor.

Only weird result was Ca, at 548, I measured 480, @ alk of 7.35.
Last icp it was 480, with 460 measured by me.
no3-3.7 me 4.2
P04 .06 me .055
I checked 2 different solutions for ca and they were close enough that I think the icp was off, imo.
I run a carx so I can't adjust ca without turning off co2.

The odd thing is everything is is range except what was mentioned.

No plan to change anything. I will try another brand of ca test. Currently use red sea and salifert and they have performed well.

 

[Dj City]

I'm all caught up!

Fantastic build.
Watching from planning to production has been a ride.

I hope to have results similar to yours. Thanks to your help and generosity, I just might.

My reef will more than likely be lps dominant.
I'll be starting an official build thread once I get most of the pieces in place.

You have been a help and inspiration.

 

[X-37B]

A pic today of my algae eating snail, lol.
And a pic of my chalk bass in its spot and a shot of it's good side.
Got popped in the eye twice by a Mantis I can't seem to catch.

 

[Reefering1]

A pic today of my algae eating snail, lol.
And a pic of my chalk bass in its spot and a shot of it's good side.
Got popped in the eye twice by a Mantis I can't seem to catch.

Do you think you have the mantis located to a certain rock or 2? If so,hypersalinty dip?

 

[X-37B]

Do you think you have the mantis located to a certain rock or 2? If so,hypersalinty dip?

No it's a very sneaky one, lol.
Plus there are coral on every rock. I had one in a system with no fish and added a grouper that ate it. I then trapped the fish and returned it to the store.

 

[Reefering1]

No it's a very sneaky one, lol.
Plus there are coral on every rock. I had one in a system with no fish and added a grouper that ate it. I then trapped the fish and returned it to the store.

That's clever,I like your style ;-)

 

[LiquidSpace]

I love the sea sweeps but figured it wouldn’t work because of a eurobrace, then I remembered…you have an IM too! So it looks like it’s not an issue.

 

[X-37B]

I love the sea sweeps but figured it wouldn’t work because of a eurobrace, then I remembered…you have an IM too! So it looks like it’s not an issue.

I really like the 2 sweeps. I am putting one on an im 112. It will be all I need for a growout system.

 

[X-37B]

7 months growth on this digi.
It was 2 pieces Jan 9th.

 

[reef’r]

Quick question about your bare bottom. In my new build I’m going BB and tank came with a cut to size piece of starboard. You go straight to the glass, any reason why? I thought I was going to use the starboard but am nervous about siliconing it around all the seams as I don’t want to make a mess out of the viewing panes.

 

[X-37B]

Quick question about your bare bottom. In my new build I’m going BB and tank came with a cut to size piece of starboard. You go straight to the glass, any reason why? I thought I was going to use the starboard but am nervous about siliconing it around all the seams as I don’t want to make a mess out of the viewing panes.

I have always done BB on the glass even when creating the great rock wall of the past.
I just never saw a need for the starboard but many like it.
It's really there to protect the glass if your scape falls or gets knocked over somehow. If you set up your scape correctly there is no need to worry, imo.
My first reef tank was a BB 55g in 1988.

 

[X-37B]

Took this today at feeding time.
I'm standing outside for the FTS today.

 

[Reefering1]

2 questions, if you will...
Any theory or update on the rising Ca? Iirc, you slowed the carx and are dosing alk while the calcium drops(?), is it that simple to move back and forth- the tank doesn't skip a beat?
And what is your growth/ pruning strategy? I assume you like old school big colonies.. do you let them fight it out for space or do you maintain nuetral zones?

 

[X-37B]

I asked Randy the question on another thread and he said this.
"Coral skeleton media may contain more calcium per unit of alk than is being consumed in your tank".

So that's what's going on with the calcium.

No it's actually very simple.
Before I turned down the co2 to 3bpm I checked alk. Slowed it down and test alk. Test alk again 12hrs later to determine usage.
Use brs calculator and add amount of esv 1 and retest 12hrs.
So I test at 6-7 am and 6-7pm and adjust amounts if needed.
My daily dkh usage 2.5 units.
There is a calculator to.determine ca usage and.mine is 17-20 daily.
So Ca was 345 by icp and 330 on my test.
I want to.bring it to 420-430.
So using 20 per day it will take 5-6 days for it to come down to my level.
Once its 420-430 I just speed up the co2 and adjust kamoer back to 24mlm test and adjust if needed.

Growing strategy currently is to grow the back 7 Stags to the surface. All coral need to be trimmed. I have already done it and need to trim again.

Coral growing into each other I have done before. It depends on the coral.
It will look similar to my old 120.