Let's share some knowledge

[jlinzmaier]

Every day I seem to read a thread on one or more forums that says something like "What salt to you use?", "What water params do you check?", What supplements do you use?" etc..... Those are all fine threads, but they often lack a key question "WHY". If your looking for a general concensus about which salt brand people use - great. If your looking for the right salt mix for your needs then the "WHY" part of that answer makes the post much more beneficial.

I'd really like this thread to contain general info about anything reef related, but to make it most beneficial, I want people to answer the "WHY" part of why you do what you do. The sky's the limit. Chime in about any topic you want - water parms, water changes, dosing, refugiums, feeding, different foods, different salts, etc.. Just be sure to explain why.

I'll start.

I use Red sea salt mix. Red sea (not coral pro) contains elemental concentrations at exactly what I keep my reef at (ca 440, alk 6.5-7.0 dkh, mg 1300). There are many salt mixes that contain adequate ca and mag levels, but they also have a very high alk level. I use red sea because it contains a low alk level which is required for good SPS health in a very low nutrient system.

I dose potassium. I keep my potassium levels between 380-400. I use bacterial proliferation for my primary means of nutrient management. The massive bacterial growth and reproduction depletes potassium levels very quickly. Low potassium levels can be detrimental to SPS coloration, growth, and overall coral health. In most reef tanks, potassium levels are not of concern because the regular water changes will provide sufficient potassium replenishment for coral health. Bacterial proliferation simply depletes potassium too severely and regular dosing of a supplement is often required.

Jeremy

 

[cherokee_dude]

I blast a mix of goo into my tank and leave the powerheads running for 15 minutes. I make sure to include many sizes of food in my mix (Krill, Brine, Mysis, Cyplopeez, Herbivore packs) This ensures that
1. Everything has something to eat (From a size standpoint)
2. I don't need to spot feed anything, and
3. my mandarin can even find treats long after feeding time is over ;) (Although he does seem to prefer eating mysis right from the turkey baster)

 

[jlinzmaier]

I blast a mix of goo into my tank and leave the powerheads running for 15 minutes. I make sure to include many sizes of food in my mix (Krill, Brine, Mysis, Cyplopeez, Herbivore packs) This ensures that
1. Everything has something to eat (From a size standpoint)
2. I don't need to spot feed anything, and
3. my mandarin can even find treats long after feeding time is over ;) (Although he does seem to prefer eating mysis right from the turkey baster)

Many people aren't able to feed this way as it leaves a fair amount of food to potentially go uneaten, thus increasing unwanted nutrients. Any secrets to your nutrient management??

I have also started feeding rods food in this manner once or twice daily (started about three weeks ago). I agree with your reasoning and my nutrient management is pretty agressive so I don't have to worry too much about increasing unwanted nutrients.

Is there a certain time of day that you feed? Some animals only extend feeder tentacles during certain times throughout the photoperiod. Many species can be trained to know when feeding time is coming, but some are very particular about when they feed.

Thanks.

Jeremy

 

[cherokee_dude]

I feed mostly every other day and Maintenance includes:
1. A filter sock swap weekly
2. Water change every couple of weeks (Usually 3)
3. 24x7 BRS Ferric Oxide reactor
4. Precision Marine skimmer rated for a 150g tank on a 100g tank.

This keeps things normalized (Nitrates below 10, Undetectable Phosphates, No Hair Algae ever)

Timing does play a part as I wait until the Halides turn off and only the actinics are running... Acans respond best to this change in lighting and extend at this time. And if they're not out, As soon as goo is in the tank the "smell" triggers a response as well and they have 15 minutes to 'Catch' some of the food. Because of the timing, the Actinics are only on for another 10-20 minutes.

This seems to give the chalices a chance to eat up, since it'll be dark while a good bit of the cyclopeeze, etc... is still circulating. I get good to excellent chalice growth, depending on the type (Unfortunately, the LE's are usually slow growers :p)

 

[jlinzmaier]

Thanks for the input Cherokee Dude!

Here's one for you:

I use absolutely no mechanical filtration (180 gal tank with 75 gallon sump). No filter socks or media what so ever. I believe this allows the food to circulate through the system better and isn't immediately pulled out by a filter sock. I used 100 micron filter socks for over a year and changed them routinely every 3-4 days. I came to the conclusion that the filter socks were only providing an area to trap debris and food allowing it to decompose and release unwanted nutrients. I have a hugely oversized skimmer for my system and I rely on that to pull out any waste (as well as a bacterial driven system of nutrient management). The food I feed is simply allowed to circulate until something eats it. My belief is that this provides food for many critters throughout the food chain and the more biodiversity the better. The more critters that eat and breed the better my nutrient management becomes as well as providing a live source of food for my corals and fish. I have to feed cautiously and never too much at once but this process seems to be working well for me. I seem to have better coral growth and coloration since the removal of the filter socks (and I don't have to spend time changing and cleaning those disgusting things!!!)

Few more bit's of why I do what I do:

I run a ca reactor as opposed to balling, two part, or kalk dosing for alk and ca management. I think a calcium reactor is far superior in alk stability in comparison to the other methods (two part is very comperable if used with a continual doser). I run an ULNS and stable alkalinity is critical to SPS health. Any bit of fluctuation in alk at an ULN level and it's likely to cause some SPS stress and possibly necrosis. By dialing in a calcium reactor my alk levels are rock solid and I only need to monitor one or two times a week (could check far less often but I like to test a lot to ensure everything is working like it should and catch changes before they become a problem). I only need to adjust my reactor as my corals grow and alk/ca consumption increases. Running a ca reactor also removes my need to check ca levels. I know the ca reactor adds ca and alk in the exact proportions that it is being taken up, therefore, I only check ca levels once every three months or so.


I run my skimmer airline intake out my basement window. As I started using a calcium reactor I noticed a decrease in the tanks pH. After doing a simple test, I realized my indoor co2 was elevated and contributing to a low pH that was being driven down further by the addition of co2 through the ca reactor. Since running my skimmer air intake out the window for some fresh air, my pH has been very stable (except for on the very hot and humid days). PH now runs 8.25 during the day and 8.0-8.05 during the night as opposed to 7.8 during the day and down to 7.65 during the night (after the start of the calcium reactor). I also added a second chamber full of ca reactor media to run my reactor effluent through. This helps use up the remaining co2 which in turn increases the pH of the effluent.


Jeremy