JHunt's 30x30x18 SPS Shallow Cube

[jhuntstl]

This will be one big coral pic spam post.

Had a local friend cut me some nubs off some recently imported maricultured acros about a month ago. About 20 total. All still alive! This is very speculative, but I think the stable 8.3 pH I've achieved has greatly reduced instances of RTN and STN. Some shots of the ones that are encrusting.

Sun God Millie I got from SBB that's been encrusting very quickly.

Polleti Yellow Tip. I got this a while ago, but it recently starting send out lots of new branch growth.

On the flip side, I have noticed LESS polyp extension on quite a few acros. Not sure what to make of that. They're growing faster than ever. That has been an issue for some months now. I know PE isn't the end all factor in acro health, but it's still concerning.

I am wondering if increased growth on certain acros can come at the expense of polyp extension? Pests are an obvious concern too.

This stag rarely shows polyps. It used to many months ago.

This has lightened up a lot and used to be one of my shaggiest acros.

No name acro that also has lost quite a bit of PE, but growing much faster.

I had an order from @SBB Corals recently. I basically hit the jackpot snagging their $1-5 coral. I won A LOT of gift cards too. I doubt I'll ever pay so little for so much coral again. Thank you SHANE AND RALPH!

Too many to post, but here's some.

No Name Tenuis

Volcano Milli

Treasure Chest Goni

Scooby Doo Tenuis

Ultra New York Knicks

Buyon, Mojave, Super Saiyan, No Name Mushroom

Sugar Daddy

Creature Milli

 

[jhuntstl]

As suspected, I have dipped down into the 9s. Alk consumption is up, but I'm still maintaining 8.3pH.

Eventually, when I'm in the 7-8dkh range, I will need to supplement the kalkwasser. My plan atm is to stall and increase evaporation as much as I can(so I can dose more kalk). I have a co2 scrubber setup as well. Removing that would actually be beneficial moving forward, I think? Lower pH would mean more kalkwasser dosed = more alk. Assuming it doesn't put me over my evaporation limit.

I got a free dual chamber calcium reactor a while back. I would still need to find a regulator and co2 canister. This is a possible supplement. I could go back to All-for-Reef. I like the idea of either of these as they only require a single doser and also provide trace elements.

This pH chasing method is no doubt going to become more complex. Hopefully I can find a way to keep it simple that doesn't require me to watch alk like a hawk.

 

[Projects with Sam]

Checkout this build. @blaxsun runs counter daylight tanks to normalize pH then doses kalk based on maintaining a level ph. Alkalinity fluctuates a little but no drastic swings. He uses a Brute can for kalk... great way to automate kalk dosing.

 

[Gedxin]

Eventually, when I'm in the 7-8dkh range, I will need to supplement the kalkwasser. My plan atm is to stall and increase evaporation as much as I can(so I can dose more kalk).

I've been down the rabbit hole here, and one additional option is to mix up your brute and start dosing kalk slurry. This video was a pretty good watch/promotion of the practice, though there are a lot of 'must haves' to make it work right. If you screw up any thing though, it could easily crash your tank. Maybe too risky?

I got a free dual chamber calcium reactor a while back. I would still need to find a regulator and co2 canister. This is a possible supplement. I could go back to All-for-Reef. I like the idea of either of these as they only require a single doser and also provide trace elements.

Both good options, agreed. I think the calc reactor has a few cons to it though. 1) it will lower your pH. And 2) it's a PITA to refill co2!

Checkout this build. @blaxsun runs counter daylight tanks to normalize pH then doses kalk based on maintaining a level ph. Alkalinity fluctuates a little but no drastic swings. He uses a Brute can for kalk... great way to automate kalk dosing.

@jhuntstl already has a reverse lit tank in his basement. He also uses a brute for kalk.

 

[jhuntstl]

Kalk slurry is an option I had not seriously considered yet. Definitely riskier, but very doable.

I'll check out that build! Thanks @Projects with Sam

 

[Gedxin]

How quickly did you raise your alk to it's highest point? Possibly are you willing to share your alk testing records please? I'm really debating on how slow I should be pushing my alk to fight low pH. Your anecdotal evidence with good results is ideal too

 

[jhuntstl]

How quickly did you raise your alk to it's highest point? Possibly are you willing to share your alk testing records please? I'm really debating on how slow I should be pushing my alk to fight low pH. Your anecdotal evidence with good results is ideal too

Not crazy fast, I don't think. And just to clarify(for anyone else reading), I wasn't intentionally raising my alkalinity. It was the result of maintaining 8.3pH 24/7.

6/21 - 7.4
6/27 - 9.4
6/29- 10
7/3- 11.8
7/6- 12.5
7/10- 11.8
7/14- 10.9
7/19- 11.7
7/20 - 11.5
7/28 - 10
7/30 - 11.5
8/8 - 11.4
8/14 - 10.4
8/21 - 9.7

What's your pH now? I think you'd be best to shoot for a goal and work towards it slowly. Whether that is simply higher pH, minimizing swings, or both.

 

[KevinC]

Not crazy fast, I don't think. And just to clarify(for anyone else reading), I wasn't intentionally raising my alkalinity. It was the result of maintaining 8.3pH 24/7.

6/21 - 7.4
6/27 - 9.4
6/29- 10
7/3- 11.8
7/6- 12.5
7/10- 11.8
7/14- 10.9
7/19- 11.7
7/20 - 11.5
7/28 - 10
7/30 - 11.5
8/8 - 11.4
8/14 - 10.4
8/21 - 9.7

What's your pH now? I think you'd be best to shoot for a goal and work towards it slowly. Whether that is simply higher pH, minimizing swings, or both.

hmm this is a new approach, I know there is many ideas out there regarding the whole ph swing and alk swing. Ideally these two should both be constant, but its easier said then to be done.

Im sorta skeptic about using alk to boost ph just to stay at a constant 8.3. What if something went wrong and your acros stop consuming/consume less Alk? That would potentially be a even bigger spike in alk.

I too, use kalk and a co2 scrubber. I wonder if a extra skimmer can help lol

 

[jhuntstl]

hmm this is a new approach, I know there is many ideas out there regarding the whole ph swing and alk swing. Ideally these two should both be constant, but its easier said then to be done.

Im sorta skeptic about using alk to boost ph just to stay at a constant 8.3. What if something went wrong and your acros stop consuming/consume less Alk? That would potentially be a even bigger spike in alk.

I too, use kalk and a co2 scrubber. I wonder if a extra skimmer can help lol

I think I'm on the right track to stabilize both alk and pH. That is the ultimate goal. Alkalinity is trending down now due to consumption. PH has remained stable. Eventually I will have to supplement the kalkwasser to keep alk from getting too low. This will be the time I focus on alk stability. I run an opposite light cycle frag tank on the same system. So I'm not dosing much more at night. This should make it possible to keep daily alk swings to a minimum.

I see your point. I would maybe reduce pH to 8.2 and ride out whatever was going on. The same situation applies to just about any other dosing method though. If consumption stops, it's just a matter of how quickly you catch on to the alk spike. If you're using something like sodium carbonate, lowering the dose(to stabilize alk) would also lower your average pH. Is that worse or better than keeping pH stable and letting alk rise?

 

[KevinC]

I think I'm on the right track to stabilize both alk and pH. That is the ultimate goal. Alkalinity is trending down now due to consumption. PH has remained stable. Eventually I will have to supplement the kalkwasser to keep alk from getting too low. This will be the time I focus on alk stability. I run an opposite light cycle frag tank on the same system. So I'm not dosing much more at night. This should make it possible to keep daily alk swings to a minimum.

I see your point. I would maybe reduce pH to 8.2 and ride out whatever was going on. The same situation applies to just about any other dosing method though. If consumption stops, it's just a matter of how quickly you catch on to the alk spike. If you're using something like sodium carbonate, lowering the dose(to stabilize alk) would also lower your average pH. Is that worse or better than keeping pH stable and letting alk rise?

yea thats what im thinking, since dosing kalk/2part would raise both alkalinity and PH, doesn't that mean a Higher dosage might throw your PH stablity off? Basically what im saying is why don't we keep the alk as a constant variable and using methods such as co2 scrubber that doesnt increase alkalinity levels in tank, to maintain PH.

sorry im making this confusing. Im not really sure if my thought process is correct, trying to learn a bit more myself!

 

[Gedxin]

Not crazy fast, I don't think. And just to clarify(for anyone else reading), I wasn't intentionally raising my alkalinity. It was the result of maintaining 8.3pH 24/7.

6/21 - 7.4
6/27 - 9.4
6/29- 10
7/3- 11.8
7/6- 12.5
7/10- 11.8
7/14- 10.9
7/19- 11.7
7/20 - 11.5
7/28 - 10
7/30 - 11.5
8/8 - 11.4
8/14 - 10.4
8/21 - 9.7

What's your pH now? I think you'd be best to shoot for a goal and work towards it slowly. Whether that is simply higher pH, minimizing swings, or both.

Whew, that initial alk spike is pretty significant! 4 dkh in 2 weeks! You weren't kidding when you said you were focused entirely on pH

My pH now varies between 8.1 at the highest right before lights out and 7.8 at the lowest. It was worse before I started kalk too.

Before kalk photo

After kalk

Alk is 8.4 at current dosing and that's between 24 hrs, so I think I have a lot of room to continue adding kalk.

My opinion, keep doing what you're doing and dose 2 part/A4F when kalk is maxed. The alk swings in your tank only seem to have effected polyp extension, which is minor imo.

 

[jhuntstl]

yea thats what im thinking, since dosing kalk/2part would raise both alkalinity and PH, doesn't that mean a Higher dosage might throw your PH stablity off? Basically what im saying is why don't we keep the alk as a constant variable and using methods such as co2 scrubber that doesnt increase alkalinity levels in tank, to maintain PH.

sorry im making this confusing. Im not really sure if my thought process is correct, trying to learn a bit more myself!

My dosing is controlled by a pH probe. So it stays stable no matter what...well as long as the probe is calibrated and cleaned often.

What you're describing is a fantastic way to run a reef with pH swings. And that's fine. There's way more examples of successful tanks with stable alk and swinging pH than those with 24/7 stable pH. This is just the route I've chosen to go. It's more experimental than a lot of folks are comfortable with, especially since it kind of throws out the idea of stable alk being important.

I do get what you're saying though. Any means to increase pH without increasing alk is definitely the way to go. I do run a co2 scrubber, I've got a big skimmer, I open windows as often as I can, and have good airflow throughout my house.

 

[jhuntstl]

Whew, that initial alk spike is pretty significant! 4 dkh in 2 weeks! You weren't kidding when you said you were focused entirely on pH

My pH now varies between 8.1 at the highest right before lights out and 7.8 at the lowest. It was worse before I started kalk too.

Before kalk photo

After kalk

Alk is 8.4 at current dosing and that's between 24 hrs, so I think I have a lot of room to continue adding kalk.

My opinion, keep doing what you're doing and dose 2 part/A4F when kalk is maxed. The alk swings in your tank only seem to have effected polyp extension, which is minor imo.

I really need to get my KH Guardian up and going or just suck it up and test alk every 4-6 hours for a weekend. I think of a bad swing as like 2dkh in a single day. I don't thing my swings over a 24 hour period are all that significant.

The polyp extension could be something entirely unrelated. I don't think it has to do with the alk, but maybe the increased growth. I have been raising nutrients to see if it makes any difference.

 

[jhuntstl]

Just some pics. Tried to focus more on the fishies. I picked up a small Copperband today. Hoping it can take care of my aiptasia issue. I've got long term plans to upgrade the frag tank to a large grow reservoir. Something like this, so it will eventually have a bigger home.

 

[BranchingHammer]

Wow, loving this build do much! Love the cool macroalgae and bivalve-snail combo! Great job with an interesting approach to dosing!!

 

[jhuntstl]

Wow, loving this build do much! Love the cool macroalgae and bivalve-snail combo! Great job with an interesting approach to dosing!!

Thank you! I hate to say it, but I lost that beautiful red macro algae. During my efforts to eradicate bryopsis, it died. I actually cut off a good chunk and gave to a friend for safe keeping before I treated. He held onto it for a couple months. I reintroduced it maybe 2 weeks ago. It 100% disappeared over night. Macros tend to pop back up in time, so I'm crossing my fingers.

 

[jhuntstl]

Always fun to look back and check growth and color change. For better or worse.

Paletti Yellow Tip
4/27/22

7/29/22

9/3/22

No Name Acro - wish it would get back that PE!
4/11/22

9/3/22

Orange Passion =(
1/17/22

4/11/22

9/3/22

Forest Fire Digi
3/18/22

9/3/22

Green Stag
3/18/22

9/3/22

Birdsnest
12/20/21

9/3/22

Red Monti Cap
4/4/22

9/3/22

Indo Gold
6/7/22

8/27/22

SBB Sun God
7/31/22

9/3/22

BC Thanksgiving - should be called BC Smurf in my tank
11/14/21

9/3/22

Tank progression shots.

11-14-21 - The old nano.

12/13/22 - Crash/transfer to 30x30.

12/19/21

12/25/21

2/19/22

4/11/22

5/27/22

6/19/22 - BRYOPSIS!!!

7/20/22

9/2/22

 

[BranchingHammer]

Love the growth progression!

 

[jhuntstl]

Love the growth progression!

Thank you! Been really happy with growth the last couple months.

 

[Gedxin]

2/19/22 to 5/27/22 shots is coralline heaven, like textbook definition success.

Beautiful animals! The couple stalled/struggling pieces still a mystery what's irritating them?