Gilroy 425g Build Thread (All Apex, all the time)

[Terence]

How many WAV’s r u running now?

Six - for great sps, you put a lot of flow in the tank, and just when you think you have enough, add more.

 

[fabutahoun]

When flow, light, and chemistry are all on point, Ususally if I see someone having a successful reef tank but just with slow growth it is because the reef-fuel availability is low - in other words food available in the water column for the corals. And I am not nexesarily talking about something that comes in a jar or freezer that you get at your LFS. I am talking fish excrement. The problem is that many of these tanks are in balance for low (usually too low) of nutrients. Tanks I have seen do well have lots of fish, get fed way more than most could imagine, but have great waste export systems to handle it. So there is no build up of nutrients but there is availability for corals to take up fuel for growth.

Not to hijack or anything, but I just wanted to share the same thing I have experienced in my tank. I keep a heavy bio load with many large fish and I feed a lot to keep the angels away from my corals, good filtration and fuge, Nitrate at 5 ppm. I also run a calcium reactor and stopped dosing anything. most important my corals have good growth and coloration. The only issue is Polyp extension because of the many angels.

 

[Terence]

Not to hijack or anything, but I just wanted to share the same thing I have experienced in my tank. I keep a heavy bio load with many large fish and I feed a lot to keep the angels away from my corals, good filtration and fuge, Nitrate at 5 ppm. I also run a calcium reactor and stopped dosing anything. most important my corals have good growth and coloration. The only issue is Polyp extension because of the many angels.

You're fine. No Hijack. I think the PE issue is something I have too, and I don't know its because of the angels - as I only have one genicanthus. I think that it is more likely to do with availability of nutrients, and the excess amount of light. I do not know what it is "normal" in nature, but my hunch is that those with a lot of polyp extension are stingy feeders and have a VLN tank. Just a hunch. At night, my PE is crazy.

 

[fabutahoun]

You're fine. No Hijack. I think the PE issue is something I have too, and I don't know its because of the angels - as I only have one genicanthus. I think that it is more likely to do with availability of nutrients, and the excess amount of light. I do not know what it is "normal" in nature, but my hunch is that those with a lot of polyp extension are stingy feeders and have a VLN tank. Just a hunch. At night, my PE is crazy.

Yes maybe because there are enough nutrients and light for the corals they don't feel the need to extend their polyps at day as mush as corals in ULN tanks. We are spoiling our corals with all the extra food.

 

[SlvrZ]

and FINALLY finished catching up over three days. my eyes hurt from reading....put i'm down for a few more fish cave pix haha

 

[Panky]

Six - for great sps, you put a lot of flow in the tank, and just when you think you have enough, add more.

I have 4 and an mp40, but no wxm, so not sure if flow is right. My tank is the same dimensions as yours, but can never get above 4.2 on my flow

 

[LowLi]

snip

335IS sick choice n54 powerrrr

 

[Terence]

I have 4 and an mp40, but no wxm, so not sure if flow is right. My tank is the same dimensions as yours, but can never get above 4.2 on my flow

4 MP40 in 425g is far, far too little flow for a great SPS tank IMO. Especially when it grows in. Those MP4o wont even barely reach the center of the 8' tank when placed on the ends. Of course this will look like I am trying to pitch our product, but my suggestion would be to place all four of those MP40 along the mid back wall, evenly, and then add at least two, if not four WAV pumps. Place them in the back corner, one up high, one mid tank, all the way to the back, and angle them to hit the front glass. At that point, you would have enough flow to last you for a long time. And the best part is that two WAV is still less than one MP40 and there is no additional power supplies to mess with or control box or wireless.

 

[Terence]

335IS sick choice n54 powerrrr

Thanks. Love this car. Need to replace it soon and sadly I will have to replace it with the M4 because the M3 is a sedan only.

 

[LowLi]

Thanks. Love this car. Need to replace it soon and sadly I will have to replace it with the M4 because the M3 is a sedan only.

m2 comp do it

 

[Joshua2598]

Cool tank! I'm from nearby hollister. I'm sure you know where that id

 

[vetteguy53081]

4 MP40 in 425g is far, far too little flow for a great SPS tank IMO. Especially when it grows in. Those MP4o wont even barely reach the center of the 8' tank when placed on the ends. Of course this will look like I am trying to pitch our product, but my suggestion would be to place all four of those MP40 along the mid back wall, evenly, and then add at least two, if not four WAV pumps. Place them in the back corner, one up high, one mid tank, all the way to the back, and angle them to hit the front glass. At that point, you would have enough flow to last you for a long time. And the best part is that two WAV is still less than one MP40 and there is no additional power supplies to mess with or control box or wireless.

MP 60 is a must and the Apex WAV have almost too much power

 

[Terence]

MP 60 is a must and the Apex WAV have almost too much power

I am running six WAV right now. I am lazy cleaning them though so they probably are running like four. I like at least 30-40x turnover from powerheads in a big tank.

 

[Panky]

4 MP40 in 425g is far, far too little flow for a great SPS tank IMO. Especially when it grows in. Those MP4o wont even barely reach the center of the 8' tank when placed on the ends. Of course this will look like I am trying to pitch our product, but my suggestion would be to place all four of those MP40 along the mid back wall, evenly, and then add at least two, if not four WAV pumps. Place them in the back corner, one up high, one mid tank, all the way to the back, and angle them to hit the front glass. At that point, you would have enough flow to last you for a long time. And the best part is that two WAV is still less than one MP40 and there is no additional power supplies to mess with or control box or wireless.

Sorry, I wasn’t clear. I have 4 WAV’s and 1 MP40, in which I just changed the MP40 to an MP60. I was just trying to figure out if I needed more WAV’s

 

[Terence]

Sorry, I wasn’t clear. I have 4 WAV’s and 1 MP40, in which I just changed the MP40 to an MP60. I was just trying to figure out if I needed more WAV’s

Depends on your aquascape, how often you clean the pumps, and what you want for coral.

I could see eight WAV in my tank at some point or six WAV (3 on each back corner) and three MP40 along the back for broad front to back flow.

 

[Panky]

Sorry, I wasn’t clear. I have 4 WAV’s and 1 MP40, in which I just changed the MP40 to an MP60. I was just trying to figure out if I needed more WAV’s

 

[klipprand]

Excellent thread, thanks for sharing so much of your journey. Can't believe it took me this long to find it. Read every post over 95 pages over several days. Getting ready to set up my new tank at a new house and this gives me a lot of encouragement. Well done!

 

[Terence]

Excellent thread, thanks for sharing so much of your journey. Can't believe it took me this long to find it. Read every post over 95 pages over several days. Getting ready to set up my new tank at a new house and this gives me a lot of encouragement. Well done!

Always love to hear the feedback and know that documenting the journey helps others.

 

[Mjl714]

Great read, like many others I enjoyed reading and learning your story. Your tank is awesome, and it sounds like it is really in the fun, and stable state. Thanks for fun and educational posts.

Keep up the good work. I really enjoy my Neptune stuff.

 

[Terence]

I have been running the Trident on a separate Apex for a while now. I will update here once I integrate it into my main Apex system and get some results there.

On another front, I am sick of paying for electric heat on my tank. So, I have wanted to do a heat exchanger since the beginning and now its time. I bought a 55,000 BTU titanium heat exchanger from eBay and a 3/4" normally closed 24v electric ball valve. I already have circulating hot water in my house so it is as simple as tapping into it and connecting the valve to the Apex and have it come on and off with the tank temp needs. More to follow on this.