Hello!
I recently bought and took over a 1 year old tank!
The tank is a red sea reefer 250 with an upgraded sump, previous owner estimated that the system is about 264 litres, i have 15 colonies of Acropora in varying sizes, they don´t show any signs of not thriving in my opinion.
The person before me used FM Zeolight system and Balling light. He instructed me and made a schedule with dosing and etc, he was very helpful.
He mentioned that he also had trouble with high nitrates in the tank.
My latest test results was as follows:
Salinity: 33.9 psu
Kh: 7.2 (this has dipped as of this week, i usually try to be around 8)
Ca: 400 (try to be on 420-440)
Mg: 1300 (try to be on 1320-1350)
PO4: 0,0684 mg/liter. I test with hanna checker ULR and i thought it had been on 0 for a while before i understood how to use it so PO4 is higher than usual i assume, because it was at 0,18 a week ago when i did the test right for the first time. (trying to be around 0,02-0,03, i don´t think that will be an issue though.)
Nitrate/No3: 32ppm (want to be around 0,25-3 ppm)
I have activated carbon 2,5 dl in a filter bag in my sump
2,5 dl phosphate remover also in a filter bag, i swap between aluminium based and iron based remover
i Have 3,5 dl of FMs Zeolight stones, a little more than recommended, previous owner had it that way. The Zeolight stones are in a Vertex Z 1.5 reactor.
I follow the Zeolight system except i don´t dose Coral Sprint and i don not as of yet test Potassium, i have dosed 30ml of triton potassium/kalium since i got the tank.
I got a bare bottom if that is something that matters.
My dosing schedule now is:
Monday: coral balance 4ml
Tuesday: color elements 1,5 ml each
Wednesday: Reef Vitality 1/4 capsule
Thursday: Coral balance 4ml
Friday: color elements 1,5 ml each
Saturday: in combination of water change, 5ml of Bacto reef blend and 5ml of Bacto reef therapy
Sunday: Reef vitality 1/4 capsule
Organic: 1ml every day
MinS: 1ml every other day
Carbon source: 10 drops every day
I dose a carbon source in the form of a blend of vodka, vinegar and sugar.
The recipe of the carbon source is 4dl vodka, 1 dl Vinegar and 5 teaspoons of sugar.
My livestock of fish is:
2 clowns
1 Yellow Tang
1 Regal Angelfish
1 Potters Angelfish
1 Yellow Wrasse
I do 10% water change each week and previous owner did that aswell but he did recommend that i do bigger water change (50-100 liters) once a month or something because of the nitrate levels, he did that atleast.
I also wonder about the zeolite reactor, i found out yesterday that i am supposed to shake or clean the stones every other day. I have not been doing that, i started now atleast. I am thinking of buying a Zeomatic Zeolite reactor, is there any benefit of that except not having to shake the reactor every day or every other day? Can that have an effect on the nitrates?
I am thinking of maybe adding Bacto Balls to counter the nitrates, do you have any other suggestions?
Is there any improvements you can find overall? Is Coral sprint something you would recommend in my system? I want to improve on my tank husbandry.
I recently bought and took over a 1 year old tank!
The tank is a red sea reefer 250 with an upgraded sump, previous owner estimated that the system is about 264 litres, i have 15 colonies of Acropora in varying sizes, they don´t show any signs of not thriving in my opinion.
The person before me used FM Zeolight system and Balling light. He instructed me and made a schedule with dosing and etc, he was very helpful.
He mentioned that he also had trouble with high nitrates in the tank.
My latest test results was as follows:
Salinity: 33.9 psu
Kh: 7.2 (this has dipped as of this week, i usually try to be around 8)
Ca: 400 (try to be on 420-440)
Mg: 1300 (try to be on 1320-1350)
PO4: 0,0684 mg/liter. I test with hanna checker ULR and i thought it had been on 0 for a while before i understood how to use it so PO4 is higher than usual i assume, because it was at 0,18 a week ago when i did the test right for the first time. (trying to be around 0,02-0,03, i don´t think that will be an issue though.)
Nitrate/No3: 32ppm (want to be around 0,25-3 ppm)
I have activated carbon 2,5 dl in a filter bag in my sump
2,5 dl phosphate remover also in a filter bag, i swap between aluminium based and iron based remover
i Have 3,5 dl of FMs Zeolight stones, a little more than recommended, previous owner had it that way. The Zeolight stones are in a Vertex Z 1.5 reactor.
I follow the Zeolight system except i don´t dose Coral Sprint and i don not as of yet test Potassium, i have dosed 30ml of triton potassium/kalium since i got the tank.
I got a bare bottom if that is something that matters.
My dosing schedule now is:
Monday: coral balance 4ml
Tuesday: color elements 1,5 ml each
Wednesday: Reef Vitality 1/4 capsule
Thursday: Coral balance 4ml
Friday: color elements 1,5 ml each
Saturday: in combination of water change, 5ml of Bacto reef blend and 5ml of Bacto reef therapy
Sunday: Reef vitality 1/4 capsule
Organic: 1ml every day
MinS: 1ml every other day
Carbon source: 10 drops every day
I dose a carbon source in the form of a blend of vodka, vinegar and sugar.
The recipe of the carbon source is 4dl vodka, 1 dl Vinegar and 5 teaspoons of sugar.
My livestock of fish is:
2 clowns
1 Yellow Tang
1 Regal Angelfish
1 Potters Angelfish
1 Yellow Wrasse
I do 10% water change each week and previous owner did that aswell but he did recommend that i do bigger water change (50-100 liters) once a month or something because of the nitrate levels, he did that atleast.
I also wonder about the zeolite reactor, i found out yesterday that i am supposed to shake or clean the stones every other day. I have not been doing that, i started now atleast. I am thinking of buying a Zeomatic Zeolite reactor, is there any benefit of that except not having to shake the reactor every day or every other day? Can that have an effect on the nitrates?
I am thinking of maybe adding Bacto Balls to counter the nitrates, do you have any other suggestions?
Is there any improvements you can find overall? Is Coral sprint something you would recommend in my system? I want to improve on my tank husbandry.
