Old School SPS Reef v4.0
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OP
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spsick
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I literally have no idea how my corals are doing so well against all commonly accepted measurements.
My pH is 7.8-8 daily swing.
Many acros are only getting 200 PAR! The big center colonies are getting 300-350. I think lower PAR from T5 must be ok because it wraps the coral in light. The actinic and purple plus are crappy par output compared to B+ and C+, I should probably swap them out but it’s tough to change anything when a good number of corals just grow explosively.
My pH is 7.8-8 daily swing.
Many acros are only getting 200 PAR! The big center colonies are getting 300-350. I think lower PAR from T5 must be ok because it wraps the coral in light. The actinic and purple plus are crappy par output compared to B+ and C+, I should probably swap them out but it’s tough to change anything when a good number of corals just grow explosively.
Troylee
all about the diy!!!!!
If it ain’t broke don’t fix it lol…
Troylee
all about the diy!!!!!
Lovely tank by the way!!! I’m impatiently waiting for mine to grow out! Some day I’ll have a problem on my hands but for now I just keep stuffing frags trying to fill this beast up! Haha..
OP
OP
spsick
Valuable Member
Thanks!
I will say the benefit of a tank full
of coral is they act as their own filtration system. All I run is a protein skimmer and still struggle with low nitrate and phosphate.
Troylee
all about the diy!!!!!
Same.. got a few bigger colonies but for the most part 100 or so frags lol
OP
OP
spsick
Valuable Member
Ok here we go.
CHANGES:
pH found to be quite low after toddler went mobile and recalibrated pH probe. I let it season a week and recalibrated again with no change- barely hitting 8 at the end of peak photoperiod.
+ Added Kalk. Premixing a 2.5g jug and dosing 7pm-9am via DOS. Up to 400ml and having to increase every couple days.
+ Added co2 scrubber. Bought the monster dual chamber unit from BRS. I have it set up with 2 motorized ball valves to run 7pm to 9am. It’s teed in to my frag air feed line so I get fresh air all day and scrubbed basement air (confirmed basement air has lower co2 levels) at night.
The Kalk and scrubber have brought my pH up to 8-8.2 swing. I’ve had to increase 2 part quite a bit and still chasing to keep 7dkH. I’m up to like 100ml each part and 200ml Part C.
+Added Ammonia dosing. Just to keep up with nitrates bottoming out I’m adding 5ml of Randy’s recipe ammonium bicarbonate 4x daily. This equates to like 1ppm Nitrate I believe. Been doing this for a month with no ill effects. I need to get more brave and triple the amount of doses at least, but the BRS 1.1ml doser im using is loud and annoying. I got a GHL doser second hand waiting on new heads from Vinny.
Cut a couple orange passion “frags” that are colony sized hahaha.
CHANGES:
pH found to be quite low after toddler went mobile and recalibrated pH probe. I let it season a week and recalibrated again with no change- barely hitting 8 at the end of peak photoperiod.
+ Added Kalk. Premixing a 2.5g jug and dosing 7pm-9am via DOS. Up to 400ml and having to increase every couple days.
+ Added co2 scrubber. Bought the monster dual chamber unit from BRS. I have it set up with 2 motorized ball valves to run 7pm to 9am. It’s teed in to my frag air feed line so I get fresh air all day and scrubbed basement air (confirmed basement air has lower co2 levels) at night.
The Kalk and scrubber have brought my pH up to 8-8.2 swing. I’ve had to increase 2 part quite a bit and still chasing to keep 7dkH. I’m up to like 100ml each part and 200ml Part C.
+Added Ammonia dosing. Just to keep up with nitrates bottoming out I’m adding 5ml of Randy’s recipe ammonium bicarbonate 4x daily. This equates to like 1ppm Nitrate I believe. Been doing this for a month with no ill effects. I need to get more brave and triple the amount of doses at least, but the BRS 1.1ml doser im using is loud and annoying. I got a GHL doser second hand waiting on new heads from Vinny.
Cut a couple orange passion “frags” that are colony sized hahaha.
OP
OP
spsick
Valuable Member
Got 3 years worth of bulbs from BRS at 20% off PLUS $25 off for spending over 200. I don’t think they will, but I’m set for a while if they become scarce.
I only had them on 1 acro (ultimate blue stag) but I got tired of looking at the white bugs. Rolled the dice on a 5x treatment of Interceptor. I got the spectrum chew one with prazi in it. It was a ******* to mix with water, had to put in the Vitamix hahaha but everything went well and it nuked them. I was concerned about my big clam and snails but they’re fine.
I only had them on 1 acro (ultimate blue stag) but I got tired of looking at the white bugs. Rolled the dice on a 5x treatment of Interceptor. I got the spectrum chew one with prazi in it. It was a ******* to mix with water, had to put in the Vitamix hahaha but everything went well and it nuked them. I was concerned about my big clam and snails but they’re fine.
OP
OP
spsick
Valuable Member
Tank is humming along. Found out Milwaukee SE220 pH probe reads .1-.2 higher so that has me feeling better about pH even if it’s just placebo. Diurnal swing is now 8.1-8.3. Not bad! 2 part consumption has gone up 50% since I put the scrubber on. I did try and turn it off for 1 night and pH dipped down to 7.8 so as long as the cost stays low I’ll keep running it.
Had to chop up yellow turbinaria and Bubblegum Monster that both got to the size of dinner plates. Large casserole dish and mixing bowl for scale. Don’t tell my wife.
Had to chop up yellow turbinaria and Bubblegum Monster that both got to the size of dinner plates. Large casserole dish and mixing bowl for scale. Don’t tell my wife.
OP
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spsick
Valuable Member
After a long hunt got a Hamilton 150w halide over the frag tank thanks to an absolute legend @X-37B !!
Everything looking a bit washed out will take some time to show actual color vs just the pop from blue LEDs.
Phoenix 14k in the fixture looking pretty much like a dimmer Radium.
Everything looking a bit washed out will take some time to show actual color vs just the pop from blue LEDs.
Phoenix 14k in the fixture looking pretty much like a dimmer Radium.
Enjoy and keep the pics comming.After a long hunt got a Hamilton 150w halide over the frag tank thanks to an absolute legend @X-37B !!
Everything looking a bit washed out will take some time to show actual color vs just the pop from blue LEDs.
Phoenix 14k in the fixture looking pretty much like a dimmer Radium.
OP
OP
spsick
Valuable Member
Fine I ordered a new tank!
60 x 24 x 22 acrylic.
Peninsula style with an external overflow but it will be up against the wall. I did this so I have access to deal with the eventuality that is leaking bulkheads. Seems like four years is the magic number where they start having salt creep etc.
I have nowhere near the free time I did when I built the last stand so it will probably take me all year to get it done.
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