Red Sea E170 max AIO mixed reef build - first reef tank

[kiswanson]

Actually, after talking with the owner of one of our LFS I’m going to do vinegar dosing instead of NO3PO4X. When a business owner tells you not to buy something and do a cheaper option, it seems like a reasonable thing to listen to. I’m going to also put in 50g of phosban GFO

 

[kiswanson]

Wisconsin Reef Picture Update

 

[kiswanson]

Check out the video update Wisconsin Reef Up Close. I especially like the shots of the fighting conch and strawberry conch

 

[kiswanson]

Made a spotlight video just for the Conch Clean Up Crew

 

[kiswanson]

Elevated nitrates at 32 and phos 0.8 so I started carbon dosing two weeks ago, initially with vinegar but then I switched to NoPoX. Nitrates down to 8. I also added some algae barn PNS pro bio bacteria. Overall I’ve been very happy with nopox so far.
I am still struggling with ph which hangs out around 7.8-7.9 despite a CO2 scrubber. I am planning to hook tubing from the protein skimmer cup to the intake side of the scrubber to try to recirculate. I really feel the pH is holding back growth of SPS, which looks healthy, but has not shown much growth yet. My soft corals are growing very well and the LPS shows a little more growth than the sps.

 

[Mjl714]

Your tank is looking really good, I’d be real careful with nopox and gfo so you don’t strip out to much.

 

[kiswanson]

End of the week check and water change, everything looking alright. Nitrates at 7 and phosphate at 0.03 is pretty close to my target. I’m going to back down from 3 ml to 2.5 ml/day NoPoX and recheck in a week.

Also, it finally looks like one of my pistol shrimp and the watchman goby are hanging out together. Took about 6 weeks.

Hopefully I’ll have some pictures and videos tomorrow since the tank should be looking great after a cleaning today.

 

[Kenneth Wingerter]

Elevated nitrates at 32 and phos 0.8 so I started carbon dosing two weeks ago, initially with vinegar but then I switched to NoPoX. Nitrates down to 8. I also added some algae barn PNS pro bio bacteria. Overall I’ve been very happy with nopox so far.
I am still struggling with ph which hangs out around 7.8-7.9 despite a CO2 scrubber. I am planning to hook tubing from the protein skimmer cup to the intake side of the scrubber to try to recirculate. I really feel the pH is holding back growth of SPS, which looks healthy, but has not shown much growth yet. My soft corals are growing very well and the LPS shows a little more growth than the sps.

Have considered a nighttime kalk drip?

 

[kiswanson]

Have considered a nighttime kalk drip?

I did buy some kallwasser, but I need to read up a little more before I consider doing it

 

[kiswanson]

Wisconsin Reef Tank Three Month Update Video and Pictures
Video -

 

[kiswanson]

After feeding mysis shrimp

 

[kiswanson]

Video focusing on the fish

 

[kiswanson]

Making Friends. After a month of ignoring each other my yellow watchman goby and tiger pistol shrimp have finally decided to work together.

Video:

 

[kiswanson]

Found some really quality flake food: cool mysis and cool green by Aquanix. It was recommended by Jake on Reef builders and the flakes are tremendous. They also aren’t that expensive and can be bought in bulk. I also like the Xtreme krill flakes which is what I has been using before. I ended up mixing all three.

In the the morning I feed the flakes plus two pellets, one that floats more (New Life Spectrum Marine Fish) and one that sinks more, which I direct to where my pistol shrimp and watchman goby hang out (Ocean Nutrition Formula two pellets)

Finally, in the afternoon I feed one cube of frozen food, normally Hikari spirulina mysis shrimp

I really want to offer good food and plenty of nutrition so that my fish are less prone to infections. I would rather find ways to export the excess nutrients than under feed.

I also dose 15 ml of ocean magick phytoplankton for the copepods and 7 ml Red Sea energy AB+ For the corals. I occasionally spot feed the coral with frozen mysis mixed with reef blizzard - L

I’ve been adding copepods about once a month and I just added a green mandarin dragonet. I will also be using my brine shrimp hatchery that I use for feeding freshwater fry to provide baby brine shrimp for the mandarin. The kit makes it so easy to do.

Brine shrimp kit

 

[Pizza2049]

Got the InTank media rack and replaced the standard rack. So much better built. I’m using the activated carbon, matrix bio media, purigen, and a filter floss pad

Where did you find this media rack for the Max e170?

 

[kiswanson]

Where did you find this media rack for the Max e170?

Intank Aquatics makes them

 

[kiswanson]

Taking a gamble with livestock. Added mandarin dragonet and a small rose bubble tip anemone. I have lots of copepods and I supplement occasionally and dose phytoplankton daily, so I’m pretty sure the mandarin dragonet will do well. I decided I wanted a true Anemone, hopefully my clownfish will eventually just. I am prepared to move other coral as necessary, though so far it has chosen a good spot from that perspective.

Wisconsin Reef YouTube video update

 

[Mjl714]

Tank is looking great, and really nice job on the pictures and videos.

 

[kiswanson]

The power of iphone, an orange filter, the iPhone iMovie app, and plenty of time to edit while holding a sleeping baby

Tank is looking great, and really nice job on the pictures and videos.

 

[kiswanson]

Rose BTA provisioned itself and I really hope it stays there. Not too near any corals and in a good spot to see it.