Thank you. After being out for so long I am officially back. I placed an order for actual live rock from the ocean so there is no turning back now.
I look forward to being on these forums with more regularity.
Build thread. PLEASE!
Just a few tips and tricks for those new to SPS and reefing....
- Thread starter SunnyX
- Start date
- Tagged users None
Build thread. PLEASE!
OP
OP
SunnyX
ReefSite.com
Quite a few things have changed in this hobby since I wrote the tips. I am working on revising the list to incorporate some of the new realities.
The amount of Dino’s present in reefs today is much more prevalent than it was even five years ago. I believe that a lot of this is due to aquariums being setup without live rock from the ocean. You can call me old school but I don’t believe that a reef aquarium, especially an SPS reef, should be setup with dead base rock. There is simply no substitute for the bacteria and natural fauna that is present with ocean live rock. Sponges, worms, tube worms, pods, and many other filter feeders are essential.
Yes, you can start a reef with base rock and it can be successful. But, the learning curve is so much greater and the margin for error is much thinner. There is this misconception out there that ocean rock is full of pests and that it’s a bad thing. People want to build sterile tanks to avoid algae, crab, aptasia, etc. but, here’s the thing, everyone at some point will deal with these pests. The moment you start adding fish and corals you will introduce the pests. It’s inevitable.
On my latest setup I came up with a compromise. I loaded the sump with rock directly from the ocean via KP Aquatics and then used base rock in the display. Eventually, the fauna and good stuff in the live rock will make its way to the display tank. In time, I may even move some of the live rock from the sump to the display but I’m not so sure. The tank is aqua scraped and minimal, very similar to my original Rimless Reef(100gl).
The other big factor that I believe is introducing Dino’s is this heavy emphasis on nutrient export but nothing said about the import. Back maybe 15 years ago was feeding very heavy and had multiple large tangs in my reef. I also dosed heavy on fats and aminos with Prodibio Reefbooster. There was tons of food coming in and almost as much in the form of processed nutrients going out. But, I never let the tank get too clean, even in the days when I helped to popularize vodka and carbon dosing here in the USA. I kept a keen eye on the corals and looked for signs of nutrient deficiency such as brittle SPS or pastel colors. If I saw that I would increase my feeding and dial back the vodka and skimmer.
Apologies for long winded response. I was out of the game for a while and some of the things being done now leave me scratching my head. Flow and lighting are still major topics but the number one and key I believe for a diverse, Bulletproof and successful reef is live rock. This fear of pests has caused reefers to lose a key ally in building a successful reef aquarium .
-Sonny
Grill
Active Member
Love to hear more from you Sonny
yup I've been in the game since 2001. I agree with all esp liverock.. I caught the fever spent a ton on the best equipment, used dry rock. I have NEVER had such an issue getting a tank off the runway. I was haunted by the ghosts of reading past. always worried about surplus nutrients, paranoid about algae (never had a stitch besides dinos) so incinducted myself and purchased accordingly. I believe the absence of Live rock is the most important variable that is missing.
OP
OP
SunnyX
ReefSite.com
A reef aquarium can be as simple or complicated as you’d like. You can do basic water changes and top off with kalkwasser or go full Triton or Zeovit and dose a cornucopia or supplements. Any of these methods will allow you to find success.
Everyone knows this, but not many take the simpler approach. We are all human and are always looking for an edge, the magic pill if you will. But, we tend to complicate things and trip over our own feet adding layer upon layer to an already complex web our life housed in a glass box.
The fundamentals of reefing have gotten us to a great point in this hobby and they will continue to be the base upon which our systems are built. When I speak of the fundamentals I am talking about Lee Chin Eng’s or the Berlin method: Live rock, flow, protein skimming and lighting. These are the fundamentals. If you can get the four foundation's of the system properly calibrated then you are 90% of the way there. The other 10%, be it water changes and how you supplement elements and minerals is up to you.
There are many misconceptions and quite a bit of bad advice out there in our hobby. My opinion is to all is to get a grip on the fundamentals and then experiment as you please. Dont let others tell you what can and cannot work. Back in 2006 some thought I was foolish to run T5’s over a full blown SPS reef. One year later, there was no doubt that you could grow SPS under T5. The European reefers had long known this, it just took a while for US reefers to jump aboard.
I have a new system setup now. It’s built the same way as I have built them for 25+ years. The biggest difference with my new system is that I will be using LEDS. The new Generation 5 Radions to be precise. The rest of the system is very basic. Real live rock from the ocean(KP Aquatics) , oversized skimmer, and heavy flow. Supplementation for CA and ALK is provided by a simple Kalk drip as well as weekly water changes of 10%.
I look forward to providing more details and perhaps a build thread as the new reef progresses. For now, I’m enjoying my reef with a renewed vigor. I found what I lost so many years ago; my passion for this hobby.
-Sonny
Everyone knows this, but not many take the simpler approach. We are all human and are always looking for an edge, the magic pill if you will. But, we tend to complicate things and trip over our own feet adding layer upon layer to an already complex web our life housed in a glass box.
The fundamentals of reefing have gotten us to a great point in this hobby and they will continue to be the base upon which our systems are built. When I speak of the fundamentals I am talking about Lee Chin Eng’s or the Berlin method: Live rock, flow, protein skimming and lighting. These are the fundamentals. If you can get the four foundation's of the system properly calibrated then you are 90% of the way there. The other 10%, be it water changes and how you supplement elements and minerals is up to you.
There are many misconceptions and quite a bit of bad advice out there in our hobby. My opinion is to all is to get a grip on the fundamentals and then experiment as you please. Dont let others tell you what can and cannot work. Back in 2006 some thought I was foolish to run T5’s over a full blown SPS reef. One year later, there was no doubt that you could grow SPS under T5. The European reefers had long known this, it just took a while for US reefers to jump aboard.
I have a new system setup now. It’s built the same way as I have built them for 25+ years. The biggest difference with my new system is that I will be using LEDS. The new Generation 5 Radions to be precise. The rest of the system is very basic. Real live rock from the ocean(KP Aquatics) , oversized skimmer, and heavy flow. Supplementation for CA and ALK is provided by a simple Kalk drip as well as weekly water changes of 10%.
I look forward to providing more details and perhaps a build thread as the new reef progresses. For now, I’m enjoying my reef with a renewed vigor. I found what I lost so many years ago; my passion for this hobby.
-Sonny
OP
OP
SunnyX
ReefSite.com
I had the rock sit in a separate tub for about a week to cure and then added it to a new reef to help cycle. Per the testing I did there was either never a detectable cycle or it was a very short one in my system.
If you're adding the rock to system that is already setup and housing livestock then I would cure for at least two week minimum, just to be safe.
The rock I received had very little die off and smelled fresh when I received it.
Glad your back in the game Sunnyx.
Did you purchase the 1 year old starter live rock or the 2+ year old older live rock? Also, if I'm putting this in my sump as well do you see any negative or positive purchasing the 1 year old rock. TIA.
OP
OP
SunnyX
ReefSite.com
Thanks. I purchased the uncured aquacultured live rock from KP Aquatics. This rock is pulled directly from the ocean and contains all the good stuff that I was looking for. A couple Mantis shrimp but I have the rock in my sump so no issues there.
What is the rock that you are referencing?
My new display tank had corraline algae growing on the base rock in about a month. The display tank was dead rock and the sump has all the live rock. I also was able to start stocking SPS about month after setup. I have over 30 acros in the tank right now and they are all growing and doing well. Alot of that success I can attribute to the ocean live rock and the beneficial life that it harbors.
-Sonny
Hi Sonny!
First off, I am stoked to see you posting again, many of my husbandry concepts, I adopted from you, dating back to 2006, on sps board of another site. I too was quite active there in the day I echo your sentiments exactly as it relates to ocean rock, and know first hand the difference. It's a tough debate, especially with those who have never used this rock, it truly goes without saying. Ignorance is bliss Looking forward to seeing more of your sps wisdom here on the boards, a breath of fresh air.
My 120 gallon, inspired by you, as well as some other pioneers
First off, I am stoked to see you posting again, many of my husbandry concepts, I adopted from you, dating back to 2006, on sps board of another site. I too was quite active there in the day
I echo your sentiments exactly as it relates to ocean rock, and know first hand the difference. It's a tough debate, especially with those who have never used this rock, it truly goes without saying. Ignorance is bliss Looking forward to seeing more of your sps wisdom here on the boards, a breath of fresh air. My 120 gallon, inspired by you, as well as some other pioneers
scabbedwings616
Well-Known Member
I have always thought that running carbon all the time strips the collum of all the good things. Also it mentioned vinegar for creating bacteria, is this true? Can someone explain this to me.
Chrisz
Active Member
I thought Carbon was bad for the fish and a reef tankHey guys and gals, I wanted to start out helping you Reef2Reef members so here is a list of helpful tips & tricks that can help out.
These are just a few things off the top of my head to aid new reefers. If you experienced reefers out there have anything to add PLEASE do so.
1. Place a powerhead in sump. The powerhead will help keep detritus waste in suspension making it easier for skimmer and corals to take up. You should also make it a habit to stir up any detritus that has settled in sump at least once a week. People often neglect this simple chore and it creates problems down the road as the waste builds up. I have a Tunze 6045 in my sump and it keeps all waste and particles in suspension.
2. Keep your lighting systems as clean as possible. You should make it a habit to clean your reflectors, bulbs, etc at least once a month. Even a little salt spray can reduce lighting but up to 30%! Also, if you’re running Metal Halides please check the bulbs for any cracks or warping. The UV leaking from a cracked Metal Halide can absolutely wipe out any corals under it in no time at all.
3. Carbon. I highly recommended that everyone run carbon, either in a mesh bag in the sump or in a Phosban reactor. If you run it in a mesh bag replace it once a month, in a reactor replace it every 2-4 weeks. Carbon is the simplest and easiest way to maintain a healthy and thriving reef system. Without carbon, Compounds such as yellow phenol can build up. Yellow Phenol is great at absorbing light, thus reducing the amount of PAR reaching your corals. Carbon is also good at removing compounds released by corals. Corals can and will release compounds to fend off other corals in the tank, the carbon will help keep all stress and damage to a minimum. Carbon is also a good insurance policy as it will absorb any harmful chemicals and contaminants that can enter the tank, such as aerosol air fresheners.
4. Create a routine and stick with it. Once a month you should clean out any detritus in the sump, clean ALL powerheads, pumps, probes, and inspect all equipment for defects. A dirty power head has been found to reduce performance, in some cases up to 40%+.
5. Account for everything that you put into the system. Chemicals and compounds build up over time and need to be accounted for. You must find a proper method to export the food and chemicals that are put into the system. Water changes work well and are probably the simplest method of halting the build up of harmful compounds. A refugium is also a good idea and it will aborb and process nutrient and may give off compounds that are beneficial to some corals. Bacterial driven systems such as Zeovit, Prodibio, and Fauna Marin are also good methods for keep parameters in line. Personally, I do daily additions of bacteria and a carbon source(Vodka). I have found a bacterial driven system along with a large skimmer to be the most efficient and cost effective means of keeping nutrients in line.
6. Get the biggest skimmer you can accommodate. I believe that a protein skimmer is one of the most important parts of a healthy reef system. The skimmer I have on my system is rated for 3-4 times more then my system volume. With a larger simmer you can keep a higher bio load and effectively keep the nutrients down. The skimmer will help add oxygen to your system and is a good insurance policy against unforeseen events in the system.
7. Plan ahead when purchasing and placing corals in your system. All to often, people pack more corals into their tanks then they can support. In the beginning this fine but corals soon grow and problems arise. Corals can chemically detect the presence of surrounding corals, and if corals are too close this will stunt their growth. I found the best success with giving corals ample space to grow stress free. when considering what corals to put in your tank, take the time to look up what they will look like as they mature. Do you really want a monster montipora cap. taking over your reef? This brings me to coral placement. By knowing what a coral will look like when it matures you can place it accordingly. obviously you would not want a Montipora cap. placed high up in the tank, as this will only lead to corals beneath it to eventually die due to lack of light from the shade.
8. Backup Power. While I hope that you’ll never need to use one, a backup source of power can save your system from certain disaster. A generator powerful enough to power the heaters and powerheads is usually all you would need for a power outage lasting 1-2 days. So long as the aquarium has adequate flow and heat the inhabitants will be fine. Anything longer than 3 days and you would be looking for a larger generator to power lighting, as the corals will now be starting to brown out. If you are running EcoTech Vortech pumps a great insurance policy against power outages would be the EcoTech Battery Backup.
9. Keep Fresh Saltwater on Standby. Mishaps can occur in the life of a reef aquarium. You could accidentally dose too much of a given element, a clan may spawn, or some other chemical agent may have gotten into the system. I would recommend that you keep at least 25% of the aquariums volume in fresh saltwater on standby. I have always had at least 60 gallons of fresh saltwater on standby for water changes and mishaps. Yes, it will add to the expense of the hobby, as the water will need to be heated, housed, and circulated. But, I cant tell you how many time the fresh saltwater has prevented a major disaster.
10. Dip your Corals. These days, there are many pests floating around the hobby. From AEFW to Red Bugs, one can never be too careful when introducing a new coral into your system. Personally, I use ReVive Coral Cleaner. While Revive will take care of Red Bugs and live AEFW, it will not have an affect on AEFW eggs. For This reason, I prefer fresh cut Acropora fragments. This way, I know that I am not importing any pests or algae into my system.
11. Combat Chronically Low Ph. A simple method for combating low Ph is to run a refugium on a reverse light cycle. The added benefit of this is that you will also be reducing P04 levels. The refugium lights should come on 30 minutes after the main system lights have gone off. The refugium lighting should run for the duration of the night, and turn off 30 minutes before the sun rises on your reef.
12. Write Things Down. Its easy to forget when you replaced a light bulb or changed out your carbon. The simplest solution is to keep a record of any changes you have made to the system. I used to keep a written log near my system as a reminder to change out certain components. With the advent of smart phone it is now much easier to keep track of system. There are many built in applications that will allow you log and set reminders for maintenance items such as replacing light bulbs and carbon.
13. Stock up on Vinegar. One of the best investments for your system is vinegar. From cleaning calcium build up on pumps to helping feed bacteria in your system, vinegar does it all.
14. Proper Feeding Protocol. One other thing I feel that needs to be addressed is proper feeding protocol:From what I have seen and read, people overfeed their tanks. I feed my fish every other day. My fish are fat and happy, and I have never had any issues even with the Anthais I have. If you do not keep up with a means of waste export, such as PO$ remover, Bacteria/carbon dosing, or water changes you stand the risk of having reduced corals health and an algae outbreak.
Now, how much you feed your fish is just as important as how often. Some people feed their fish five times a day and their systems look great. I suspect that they are feeding very small amounts of food, or that they are diligent about exporting waste. Unfortunately, not all reefers are as diligent and they quickly end up having issue related to elevated waste. For those who just cant get corals to grow or color up to the desired level I suggest that you rethink what,how, and when you are feeding.
15. Keep It Simple. The simpler your system, the better. All to often we tend to over-think and complicate our setups. With more components come more opportunities for things to go wrong. Focus on water flow, lighting, and nutrient export. A reef aquarium should be enjoyable and not a job or laborious task. Have fun, and try not to make too many changes at once.
Well, I hope that this list will help reefers, new and experienced. I will be adding to this list from time to time.
OP
OP
SunnyX
ReefSite.com
Hello,
I have never found that to be true. I have run a bag of carbon, passively, 24/7 seven days a week for 25+ years with no issues. So long as you are conducting regular water changes you should not have any worries about completely stripping the water of elements.
My small office reef is about 80gl total volume and I run one cup of carbon in a mesh bag, replacing it every four weeks.
OP
OP
SunnyX
ReefSite.com
Hi Sonny!
First off, I am stoked to see you posting again, many of my husbandry concepts, I adopted from you, dating back to 2006, on sps board of another site. I too was quite active there in the day
My 120 gallon, inspired by you, as well as some other pioneers
Hello,
Thank you for the kind words! That is a beautiful setup, especially those "classic" OG corals
. The two island design is near and dear to my heart. I incorporated it into my most recent setup. As time allows, I will try and be more active on the forum.
OP
OP
SunnyX
ReefSite.com
I will have a build thread up in June. The reef is coming along well and doing great. I just need it to fill in a little more before posting.
It was great to dive back in. I didn't know how I would feel about jumping full force back into reefing but I am very happy that I did. I am already having thoughts about building a larger reef.
tank started with dead rock. In the beginning I was having problems with low nutrient, the reason is over filtration skimmer, socks and zeovit. my corals not liking this at all, Everything in this hobby is contradictory, like they tell you don’t feed to much in a new tank you’ll have nutrient problems and at the same time they will tell you your starving your corals and I’m like what the heck. So since I have good filtration i stopped listening and started feeding with a heavy hand, thing are starting to look better now For me Right now. just keeping an eye on NO3 and po4.
Last edited:
OP
OP
SunnyX
ReefSite.com
Yeah, its a delicate thing this balance of nutrients in our reefs. Too many nutrients and you end up with issues. Too few and you end up with other issues such as poor coral growth and vigor.
I have found that the best approach is to build a system with enough organisms, coral and live rock, to sufficiently extract the nutrients so that you do not have issues with them building up.
Its not easy, and you'll have to adjust on the fly, but when you finally lock it in and find that balance you will reap the benefits. If you need to skip a feeding, do so. If you need to turn your skimmer off for a couple days, do so. Whatever it takes to find that balance.
Right now, I barely even run my skimmer anymore. I have it one for perhaps four days out of the month. I have noticed an increase in growth of my corals and everything is looking happy. But, my system is my own and has differing requirements than the next. What works for me may not work for you. All you can do is follow that core principles of flow, nutrients, live rock and lighting. Everything else is up to you and your system.
-Sonny
Thank you for taking the time to put this together. Alot of really good suggestions, several that I will implement.Hey guys and gals, I wanted to start out helping you Reef2Reef members so here is a list of helpful tips & tricks that can help out.
These are just a few things off the top of my head to aid new reefers. If you experienced reefers out there have anything to add PLEASE do so.
1. Place a powerhead in sump. The powerhead will help keep detritus waste in suspension making it easier for skimmer and corals to take up. You should also make it a habit to stir up any detritus that has settled in sump at least once a week. People often neglect this simple chore and it creates problems down the road as the waste builds up. I have a Tunze 6045 in my sump and it keeps all waste and particles in suspension.
2. Keep your lighting systems as clean as possible. You should make it a habit to clean your reflectors, bulbs, etc at least once a month. Even a little salt spray can reduce lighting but up to 30%! Also, if you’re running Metal Halides please check the bulbs for any cracks or warping. The UV leaking from a cracked Metal Halide can absolutely wipe out any corals under it in no time at all.
3. Carbon. I highly recommended that everyone run carbon, either in a mesh bag in the sump or in a Phosban reactor. If you run it in a mesh bag replace it once a month, in a reactor replace it every 2-4 weeks. Carbon is the simplest and easiest way to maintain a healthy and thriving reef system. Without carbon, Compounds such as yellow phenol can build up. Yellow Phenol is great at absorbing light, thus reducing the amount of PAR reaching your corals. Carbon is also good at removing compounds released by corals. Corals can and will release compounds to fend off other corals in the tank, the carbon will help keep all stress and damage to a minimum. Carbon is also a good insurance policy as it will absorb any harmful chemicals and contaminants that can enter the tank, such as aerosol air fresheners.
4. Create a routine and stick with it. Once a month you should clean out any detritus in the sump, clean ALL powerheads, pumps, probes, and inspect all equipment for defects. A dirty power head has been found to reduce performance, in some cases up to 40%+.
5. Account for everything that you put into the system. Chemicals and compounds build up over time and need to be accounted for. You must find a proper method to export the food and chemicals that are put into the system. Water changes work well and are probably the simplest method of halting the build up of harmful compounds. A refugium is also a good idea and it will aborb and process nutrient and may give off compounds that are beneficial to some corals. Bacterial driven systems such as Zeovit, Prodibio, and Fauna Marin are also good methods for keep parameters in line. Personally, I do daily additions of bacteria and a carbon source(Vodka). I have found a bacterial driven system along with a large skimmer to be the most efficient and cost effective means of keeping nutrients in line.
6. Get the biggest skimmer you can accommodate. I believe that a protein skimmer is one of the most important parts of a healthy reef system. The skimmer I have on my system is rated for 3-4 times more then my system volume. With a larger simmer you can keep a higher bio load and effectively keep the nutrients down. The skimmer will help add oxygen to your system and is a good insurance policy against unforeseen events in the system.
7. Plan ahead when purchasing and placing corals in your system. All to often, people pack more corals into their tanks then they can support. In the beginning this fine but corals soon grow and problems arise. Corals can chemically detect the presence of surrounding corals, and if corals are too close this will stunt their growth. I found the best success with giving corals ample space to grow stress free. when considering what corals to put in your tank, take the time to look up what they will look like as they mature. Do you really want a monster montipora cap. taking over your reef? This brings me to coral placement. By knowing what a coral will look like when it matures you can place it accordingly. obviously you would not want a Montipora cap. placed high up in the tank, as this will only lead to corals beneath it to eventually die due to lack of light from the shade.
8. Backup Power. While I hope that you’ll never need to use one, a backup source of power can save your system from certain disaster. A generator powerful enough to power the heaters and powerheads is usually all you would need for a power outage lasting 1-2 days. So long as the aquarium has adequate flow and heat the inhabitants will be fine. Anything longer than 3 days and you would be looking for a larger generator to power lighting, as the corals will now be starting to brown out. If you are running EcoTech Vortech pumps a great insurance policy against power outages would be the EcoTech Battery Backup.
9. Keep Fresh Saltwater on Standby. Mishaps can occur in the life of a reef aquarium. You could accidentally dose too much of a given element, a clan may spawn, or some other chemical agent may have gotten into the system. I would recommend that you keep at least 25% of the aquariums volume in fresh saltwater on standby. I have always had at least 60 gallons of fresh saltwater on standby for water changes and mishaps. Yes, it will add to the expense of the hobby, as the water will need to be heated, housed, and circulated. But, I cant tell you how many time the fresh saltwater has prevented a major disaster.
10. Dip your Corals. These days, there are many pests floating around the hobby. From AEFW to Red Bugs, one can never be too careful when introducing a new coral into your system. Personally, I use ReVive Coral Cleaner. While Revive will take care of Red Bugs and live AEFW, it will not have an affect on AEFW eggs. For This reason, I prefer fresh cut Acropora fragments. This way, I know that I am not importing any pests or algae into my system.
11. Combat Chronically Low Ph. A simple method for combating low Ph is to run a refugium on a reverse light cycle. The added benefit of this is that you will also be reducing P04 levels. The refugium lights should come on 30 minutes after the main system lights have gone off. The refugium lighting should run for the duration of the night, and turn off 30 minutes before the sun rises on your reef.
12. Write Things Down. Its easy to forget when you replaced a light bulb or changed out your carbon. The simplest solution is to keep a record of any changes you have made to the system. I used to keep a written log near my system as a reminder to change out certain components. With the advent of smart phone it is now much easier to keep track of system. There are many built in applications that will allow you log and set reminders for maintenance items such as replacing light bulbs and carbon.
13. Stock up on Vinegar. One of the best investments for your system is vinegar. From cleaning calcium build up on pumps to helping feed bacteria in your system, vinegar does it all.
14. Proper Feeding Protocol. One other thing I feel that needs to be addressed is proper feeding protocol:From what I have seen and read, people overfeed their tanks. I feed my fish every other day. My fish are fat and happy, and I have never had any issues even with the Anthais I have. If you do not keep up with a means of waste export, such as PO$ remover, Bacteria/carbon dosing, or water changes you stand the risk of having reduced corals health and an algae outbreak.
Now, how much you feed your fish is just as important as how often. Some people feed their fish five times a day and their systems look great. I suspect that they are feeding very small amounts of food, or that they are diligent about exporting waste. Unfortunately, not all reefers are as diligent and they quickly end up having issue related to elevated waste. For those who just cant get corals to grow or color up to the desired level I suggest that you rethink what,how, and when you are feeding.
15. Keep It Simple. The simpler your system, the better. All to often we tend to over-think and complicate our setups. With more components come more opportunities for things to go wrong. Focus on water flow, lighting, and nutrient export. A reef aquarium should be enjoyable and not a job or laborious task. Have fun, and try not to make too many changes at once.
Well, I hope that this list will help reefers, new and experienced. I will be adding to this list from time to time.
BHHOWARD
Active Member
Great to see you posting again. Can't wait to see your current build!!!
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