REEF OF THE MONTH - September 2023: Oly's Incredible Acro Reef!

[jhadaway]

Could you tell me how you are changing out your sand yearly without throwing the chemistry into a tailspin?

 

[Olys_Tank]

Could you tell me how you are changing out your sand yearly without throwing the chemistry into a tailspin?

I do that in 3 or 4 times over 1 to 1.5 month.
Weekend 1: I take out the left third of the sand bed.
Weekend 2: I take out the middle third of the sand bed and fill the left half with the new sand.
During the following week I measure the Po4 level.
If it's ok and not going to zero, I take out the right part and fill the right half with the new sand.
If the Po4 level is sinking significantly during the last week, I just wait with changing the last part as long as it makes sence.

 

[jhadaway]

I do that in 3 or 4 times over 1 to 1.5 month.
Weekend 1: I take out the left third of the sand bed.
Weekend 2: I take out the middle third of the sand bed and fill the left half with the new sand.
During the following week I measure the Po4 level.
If it's ok and not going to zero, I take out the right part and fill the right half with the new sand.
If the Po4 level is sinking significantly during the last week, I just wait with changing the last part as long as it makes sence.

Thanks for the reply, Brilliant! I'm dealing with a GHA outbreak now and I'm starting to think it's the sand bed. I've got all kinds of critters in there doing there job but at the end of the day I think it just gets funky after a few years. I'd hate to go barebottom. A reef needs some sand. Thanks again.

 

[Olys_Tank]

Thanks for the reply, Brilliant! I'm dealing with a GHA outbreak now and I'm starting to think it's the sand bed. I've got all kinds of critters in there doing there job but at the end of the day I think it just gets funky after a few years. I'd hate to go barebottom. A reef needs some sand. Thanks again.

it's just a very normal process in a reef tank, that particulate po4 deposits accumulate over time. critters don't prevent that. This process is nothing else than the well known Old-Tank-Syndrom; and to renew the whole system with fresh/new material/clean surface, is a very elegant way to deal with it.
I agree!! A reef tank without sand is not the same. And me personnally, I love all these hidden animals that live in it

 

[jhadaway]

Thanks again!

 

[bwschwatka]

Inspiring tank! Ive been using fauna marin balling with great results! Do you use zeolites, or a UV? Any Phosphate remover? Refugium? Sorry if you covered any of this in the system details and I missed it.

 

[Olys_Tank]

Inspiring tank! Ive been using fauna marin balling with great results! Do you use zeolites, or a UV? Any Phosphate remover? Refugium? Sorry if you covered any of this in the system details and I missed it.

Yes I use Zeolithes but no refugium. Phosphate remover is used if needed, which mostly isn't the case.

 

[jajasonson]

Just beautiful. How many gallons is the tank? Dimensions?

 

[Olys_Tank]

Just beautiful. How many gallons is the tank? Dimensions?

its 132 gallons, dimensions are 180 x 60 x 50 cm

 

[BZOFIQ]

Love it!

 

[bwschwatka]

You running UV? And do you dose FM Bacto blend?

 

[Olys_Tank]

You running UV? And do you dose FM Bacto blend?

No there is no UV running in the system (no space for another pipe and installation and heat producer ) And no, there are no bacteria products dosed, as there are no symptoms showing the need for it. Whenever I have the possibility to buy fresh Live rock, I do it and that's the moment when the system gets it's refreshing bacterial "support"

 

[The Opinionated Reefer]

Stunning tank! And those ATI Hybrid power modules have to be one of, if not the best lights ever made for this hobby! Its a shame that their power consumption is making them unviable for a lot of people nowadays.

Do you think the LED modules in these fixtures actually contribute much to lighting success or is it more the T5's?

 

[Olys_Tank]

Stunning tank! And those ATI Hybrid power modules have to be one of, if not the best lights ever made for this hobby! Its a shame that their power consumption is making them unviable for a lot of people nowadays.

Do you think the LED modules in these fixtures actually contribute much to lighting success or is it more the T5's?

I know the answer to this question with 100% certinity because before I bought the ATI Hybrid, I already used the T5 only Powermodul successfully already for more than 10 years.
The success for SPS, especially Acropora keeping due to the light source contributes to the T5 bulbs. The LED in this fixture are for some color pop that doesn't help the coral at all imo. Furthermore the shimmer and crystal clear look of the water in general you get only with the added LED of course.

 

[The Opinionated Reefer]

I know the answer to this question with 100% certinity because before I bought the ATI Hybrid, I already used the T5 only Powermodul successfully already for more than 10 years.
The success for SPS, especially Acropora keeping due to the light source contributes to the T5 bulbs. The LED in this fixture are for some color pop that doesn't help the coral at all imo. Furthermore the shimmer and crystal clear look of the water in general you get only with the added LED of course.

Yeah that's pretty much what I thought.

 

[TWYOUNG]

Obviously a sensational tank but am I the only one who finds these monthly gems discouraging? I rarely look bc it makes me feel like my newer tank is hopeless

 

[The Opinionated Reefer]

I know the answer to this question with 100% certinity because before I bought the ATI Hybrid, I already used the T5 only Powermodul successfully already for more than 10 years.
The success for SPS, especially Acropora keeping due to the light source contributes to the T5 bulbs. The LED in this fixture are for some color pop that doesn't help the coral at all imo. Furthermore the shimmer and crystal clear look of the water in general you get only with the added LED of course.

How often are you changing out the tubes?

 

[Olys_Tank]

Obviously a sensational tank but am I the only one who finds these monthly gems discouraging? I rarely look bc it makes me feel like my newer tank is hopeless

it should be motivating

 

[Olys_Tank]

How often are you changing out the tubes?

every 6 month

 

[The Opinionated Reefer]

every 6 month

More like 18months here lol