pb's 14 gallon SPSer

[paintballer768]

Well, I've been out of the hobby for 3 years or so now. A few months ago I got the bug again, and here I am. This time it's a 14 gallon modified Biocube. This time my goal is to optimize the environment for SPS corals. Any comments, questions, suggestions are always welcome. Here's the part everyone cares about

EQUIPMENT:

• 14 gallon Biocube
• inTank Media Basket, running filter floss, Purigen, Chemipure Elite Nano
• Kessil A350w
• 1 Vortech MP10 - max speed set 5 led's from the left on reef crest mode

LIVESTOCK:

• "Hi Fin Red Banded Goby" and pistol shrimp
• ORA Smith's Blenny
• 2 acan lord frags
• ORA Spongodes
• ORA Green Tipped Orange Birdsnest
• Red Montipora Capricornis
• Sunset Montipora
• Superman Montipora
• 4 other Acropora frags with no name AFAIK
• Some "name brand" zoanthids I have no idea the name of
• Alveopora

PICTURES:

 

[rdevoe11]

sweet nano! plenty of vertical room for those sticks to grow out nicely

 

[paintballer768]

sweet nano! plenty of vertical room for those sticks to grow out nicely

Thanks, that's probably one of the only things I like about my rockscape. I've been tempted to remodel and go for the seamount look but I'm afraid of squishing my goby and shrimp

 

[reefwiser]

Do you have the Kessil A350w dialed back since your tank is only 14" and the 350 spec's are based on a 24" depth? Getting my head around LED's I am an electrical maintenance person in the real world an have installed high out put LED's to replace MH fixtures in the factory I work at.

 

[paintballer768]

The Kessil has the dual channel output knobs which are great, and I have both set around 80-85 percent output. I would not recommend this fixture in hindsight. Because it was one cluster of leds, it creates some hard shadows. Some of my frags not directly under the light have a side that is permanently shared and had caused them to lose color and polyps. I'd recommend something more like a Radion fixture, with 2 clusters, or a good T5.

Disclaimer: I'm mostly guessing at what intensity is enough. I saw some par figures on other forums but haven't measured them myself

 

[spacetime]

Just bought the A360w (arriving this weekend) for my 15g not happy to hear your review. However, I do have 4x24w T5's and the bottom of my pink/green birdsnest is completely white due to shadowing so maybe the grass is always greener?

 

[paintballer768]

I'm trying to pay attention how I angle frags but also so far I've only lost one piece. The frags seem to be adjusting themselves accordingly, just like they would in nature. I'm sure you will have success.

If you need a method to mount it, that gooseneck they make is awesome

 

[spacetime]

Thanks. Yeah I have the goose and their new extender so I don't have to U it, and I also purchased the cable and ALC to dim it which I'm very happy about. Like the your tank and the scape reminds me of my old RSM 34g. Keep up the good work!

 

[paintballer768]

Does the 360 come with the knobs on top? You might not need the dimmer unless you want to ramp up the intensity throughout the day. Thanks!

 

[revhtree]

Looks good and welcome back!

 

[paintballer768]

Looks good and welcome back!

Thanks rev, the place had grown a little since I've last stuck my head in, congrats!

 

[paintballer768]

It's been almost 2 months since I've last updated so I figured I'd chime in.

After a serious dinoflaggelate outbreak, I bit the bullet and bought my own rodi unit. After using that for the past 3 weeks, they're completely gone, along with any trace of phosphates. I couldn't be more thrilled with the way things are responding to the better quality water.

Everything is growing out, and growing quickly. My red acans new heads are a totally different color morph, so that should make for an interesting looking colony.

Time for pictures!

 

[spacetime]

Looks good. Your PE is outrageous! Having trouble with my kessil. Starting to lose sps, but its not likely solely cause of the light. Going to frag the ones that are dying and keep them at 90 degrees. I do have a question what intensity do you have your 350 at?

 

[paintballer768]

Hi spacetime, sorry to hear you are having trouble. Attached should answer your question. I acclimated my corals to it over ~3 weeks and always begin new corals on the sand bed.

 

[paintballer768]

 

[spacetime]

So looks like pretty high. I'm using a RKL and ALC controller to ramp up and control the intensity so I'd say yours is around 85-95%? and it's the narrow I assume so its likely stronger than mine. I've been only running mine at 20% because I noticed some bleaching, but it appears that the bleaching is in the shadows and likely due to my recent overfeeding as my PO4 has spiked.

 

[paintballer768]

Bleaching as in tissue loss or loss of color but still have polyp extension? I have a few frags with polyp extension but no color because of the shadow, and those frags seem to be adapting fine. Do you feed your sps, or overfeeding the fish?

 

[spacetime]

Its likely because I've been feeding a lot of Reef Frenzy on top of Marine Snow. But yes polyp extension but what looks to be STN at the base of one SPS and loss of color in the shadows on others which I'm not worrying about. The one with what looks to be STN I've chopped into pieces above the afflicted areas and mounted in an upright position. I've also switched from TM Bio-Actif to TM Pro Reef. Just did the first water change with it today as I ran out of Bio Actif. I think the salt is apparently the same but without the added "organics" which I assume is some sort of carbon dosing. It shouldn't be too much of a shock to the corals.

 

[paintballer768]

I think the general consensus would agree with you fragging that STNing coral. I'm sure you know what SPS like best, so all you can do is give it a fighting chance. I use Reef Crystals, and don't know anything about the other brands, so I can't provide any insight there. Also, I feed Reef Chili every couple days on top of feeding mysis daily for my six line. I have no clue if that's enough feeding but so far I've only lost one coral due to poor placement, so knock on wood I'm doing an ok job.

Besides hitting the water parameter goals, maybe consider turning the light intensity up a little every week? I've heard of LEDs bleaching SPS but haven't experienced it myself

 

[spacetime]

Thanks Jeff.