My 220 Miracles Build

[Reefing-Around]

Does look nice... About how many gallons is the sump?

 

[Upstartreefer]

Does look nice... About how many gallons is the sump?

Thanks. The sump is 48x20x20 so around 83 gallons.

 

[Upstartreefer]

Ok. I know it has been a while since an update. I have been taking things slow especially with dry rock. I quarantined my fish for over a month. I now have
5 chromis
2 black ice clowns
1 magnificent fox face
1 coral beauty

Every thing was going great until a month and a half ago when I had a huge dyno explosion. The only thing I can think of is the snails brought it in. They were the only thing I didn't quarantine. I try 3 day black out (no help) then feeding less (no help). I read a thread about nutrients and dyno how not having Phosphates and nitrates will fuel dyno. So I tested and found no3 was 0 and po4 was .005. So I turned off the light on the refugium and started feed 3 times a day and about 2 weeks later I noticed the dyno slowly dying off. Another month and its mostly gone. My no3 is now 3ppm and po4 is .02. Hopefully before the end of the year I can start with adding corals. Before and after pics.

That's why I am happy to be a part of the reef2reef community I could have been chasing my tail or trying drastic measures to get rid of it. So thanks.

 

[Maritimer]

Awesome ... and nicely done!

~Bruce

 

[Braves Fan]

Rock Scape is nicely done

 

[Braves Fan]

 

[Upstartreefer]

Awesome ... and nicely done!

~Bruce

Thanks

 

[Upstartreefer]

Rock Scape is nicely done

Thanks

 

[Upstartreefer]

I put a couple of test corals in 3 weeks ago (hammer coral and birdnest) so far so good. If everything continues to go well when the weather starts to warm up. I will be get my first battlebox from battlecoral. So excited.

 

[Upstartreefer]

I knew starting with all dead rock and sand would take extra time for the biodiversity to get where I can add SPS but dang! I am no expert by any means but I have never lost a birdnest coral that fast ( any coral for that matter) I added a birdnest and a spatter hammer on 2/6/19. Both where doing good great polyp extension and on 2/15/19 I noticed RTN at the base of the coral. By the 19th it was completely white. The hammer is still doing great fully opening and loving life.

I know every tank different. I have seen people start tanks the same as I did and have sps growing with in 6 months so I was hoping after 11 months I might have a chance. Nope. I add 3 different bacteria, few pieces of live rock and sponges. I have sponges all over my sump and coralline start growing about 3 months ago. All the parameters I can check have been steady. Just to make sure I sent a ICP test in and should get the results by Friday. So I will continue to take it slow and in a couple of mouths try again. I just hate to lose anything in my aquarium. Happy Reefing

ALK- 8.1 to 8.2 every test for the last 4 months
Cal- 440 to 450
Mag- 1320 to 1380
Nitrate- 2 to 5
Phosphate- .02 to .04

 

[nickkohrn]

Sorry about the loss, but your display looks gorgeous. I can't wait to watch you fill it in.

 

[Reefing-Around]

Any significant difference in lighting from original location to this setup?

 

[Upstartreefer]

Any significant difference in lighting from original location to this setup?

Not really. The LFS I bought it from uses Kessel tuna blue 360's and I use AP700's with B+ T5. His schedule was 10 hours with ramp up to 100% ocean #4 setting mine is 8 hours ramp up to 45% with T5s on for 4 hours. I don't know what his par was at but mine was around 250 where I had the coral placed.

 

[Upstartreefer]

Sorry about the loss, but your display looks gorgeous. I can't wait to watch you fill it in.

Thanks

 

[Reefing-Around]

Results in yet? Very interested to hear if any issues were discovered..

Was also noticeing that your nitrates were running 2-5 ppm? A slight level (<1.0) is usually acceptable unless running a ultra low nutrient system but 2-5 is a pretty big swing and could cause some problems.

 

[Upstartreefer]

The results came I yesterday. The only thing that I seen was low iodine and potassium that would cause any problems. Let me know what you think.

Will the nitrate swing from 2 to over 4 months be an issue? View attachment triton.pdf

 

[Upstartreefer]

Results in yet? Very interested to hear if any issues were discovered..

Was also noticeing that your nitrates were running 2-5 ppm? A slight level (<1.0) is usually acceptable unless running a ultra low nutrient system but 2-5 is a pretty big swing and could cause some problems.

Sorry. Forget to replay to post. I did add my results. Thanks View attachment triton.pdf

 

[Reefing-Around]

Sorry. Forget to replay to post. I did add my results. Thanks View attachment triton.pdf

"If you don't first succeed, try try again."

I don't see anything alarming either. I think as long as there aren't any crazy swings, 4 is no problem for your nitrates.

I'd give it another whirl with something hardy, maybe from another source than the last. Not saying you got a bad stick but you never know.

 

[Reefing-Around]

Double post..

 

[Upstartreefer]

"If you don't first succeed, try try again."

I don't see anything alarming either. I think as long as there aren't any crazy swings, 4 is no problem for your nitrates.

I'd give it another whirl with something hardy, maybe from another source than the last. Not saying you got a bad stick but you never know.

I give it another month or two and try again. I remember watching you tube videos with Mike Paletta and Sanjay Joshi they both started tanks with all dead rock and sand. They couldn't get sps to thrive in those tanks after a year. There theory was it would take 18 months to 2 years for the biodiversity gain a good enough hold to have a stable environment for sps.

Knowing about these to men (legendary in reefing) I will take it slow and steady and wait it out as hard as that will be. I just wanted to start the tank as pest free as I could because I want this to be a 20+ year tank.

Thanks for the responses