2022 Photo & Baby Update - 170 Gallon Mixed Reef - CADE 1500

[Dj City]

I have not been getting notifications.

You have made great progress since I last visited your build thread.

I'm really loving the tank.

 

[mvbrandt]

Update, picture to follow, but the Royal Ice lumenbar was such a nice add of color pop to the front half of the tank, I went ahead and got another one for the back half. And I'm happy. I may actually tune the blue in the main light back a bit during primetime, though, just to maintain the daylight look I prefer.

For anyone trolling, what's the appeal behind he "coral night club" ultra blue look so many folks go for?

 

[danieyella]

Update, picture to follow, but the Royal Ice lumenbar was such a nice add of color pop to the front half of the tank, I went ahead and got another one for the back half. And I'm happy. I may actually tune the blue in the main light back a bit during primetime, though, just to maintain the daylight look I prefer.

For anyone trolling, what's the appeal behind he "coral night club" ultra blue look so many folks go for?

Generally it seems that extra color pop is the appeal. I'm with you though, I prefer a bit more of a natural look. Can't wait to see photos, I've considered adding a lumen bar but was afraid it would give me that windex look.

 

[mvbrandt]

Generally it seems that extra color pop is the appeal. I'm with you though, I prefer a bit more of a natural look. Can't wait to see photos, I've considered adding a lumen bar but was afraid it would give me that windex look.

So all the recent pics are with one lumenbar. The second one just helped with the back wall corals, still no Windex. Great comparison, that!

 

[danieyella]

So all the recent pics are with one lumenbar. The second one just helped with the back wall corals, still no Windex. Great comparison, that!

Oh yeah, I can tell the difference having just one makes. As soon as they're back in stock I'll be adding one.

 

[mvbrandt]

As promised, with front *and now back* lumenbars, Royal Ice.

 

[danieyella]

As promised, with front *and now back* lumenbars, Royal Ice.

Love it, not sure if I'll do 2 or a royal & ho but looks great!

 

[mvbrandt]

Ok so been running All for Reef since starting the tank, nearing five months to my astonishment.

With almost no change other than for increased growth, params have locked at:

Ca: 445-455
Mg: 1385-1400
Alk: 9.3-9.5

Triton shows basically everything at ideal, 3 tests in 3 months to get a good idea for stability.

Huge recommend, and the DIY method is vastly cheaper.

 

[danieyella]

Ok so been running All for Reef since starting the tank, nearing five months to my astonishment.

With almost no change other than for increased growth, params have locked at:

Ca: 445-455
Mg: 1385-1400
Alk: 9.3-9.5

Triton shows basically everything at ideal, 3 tests in 3 months to get a good idea for stability.

Huge recommend, and the DIY method is vastly cheaper.

I used afr for awhile but my consumption levels weren't balanced and it hit the point I had to either supplement with alk or let my calcium skyrocket. My magnesium never stopped climbing. I ended up pulling off it, wish it could have worked for me because it's so simple!

 

[mvbrandt]

I used afr for awhile but my consumption levels weren't balanced and it hit the point I had to either supplement with alk or let my calcium skyrocket. My magnesium never stopped climbing. I ended up pulling off it, wish it could have worked for me because it's so simple!

Killing me, smalls - that's my biggest worry, is needing to go to a more complex dosing situation and needing to address various other traces in the bargain. Here's to fingers crossed; my hope is that my system will remain adjusted to it since it's where I started basically.

 

[danieyella]

Killing me, smalls - that's my biggest worry, is needing to go to a more complex dosing situation and needing to address various other traces in the bargain. Here's to fingers crossed; my hope is that my system will remain adjusted to it since it's where I started basically.

There are tons of users on this forum who have successfully used it long-term. I think my tank is the odd one out not the majority.

 

[mvbrandt]

Some brown algae on the back that I could have pulled to make the pic better, but what else are the snails and BS Kole gonna graze on?

Also a few one offs of my chonky boys...

 

[mvbrandt]

First off, the damnedest thing happened tonight, but I'll lead with some fun night shots I took with the Pixel Night Shot mode turned on.

So, I'm watching about 5 Hermit Crabs nomming leftovers from a feeding on top of the leftmost rock, and I'll be danged, but suddenly the Hippo Tang picks up one hermit and gingerly places him on the middle rock formation. Hermit doesn't care at all, goes right back to nomming. FIne, I've seen this before, funny, neat. I'm looking at the hermit up close and the Tang comes over with the 2nd hermit. Then he brings over the third. Then he brings over the 4th. Then the 5th. No more hermits on top of the rock (which is the formation he sleeps in, so maybe that's it?).

Weirdest thing ever. Gloriously entertaining. Gotta love reefkeeping.

 

[danieyella]

First off, the damnedest thing happened tonight, but I'll lead with some fun night shots I took with the Pixel Night Shot mode turned on.

So, I'm watching about 5 Hermit Crabs nomming leftovers from a feeding on top of the leftmost rock, and I'll be danged, but suddenly the Hippo Tang picks up one hermit and gingerly places him on the middle rock formation. Hermit doesn't care at all, goes right back to nomming. FIne, I've seen this before, funny, neat. I'm looking at the hermit up close and the Tang comes over with the 2nd hermit. Then he brings over the third. Then he brings over the 4th. Then the 5th. No more hermits on top of the rock (which is the formation he sleeps in, so maybe that's it?).

Weirdest thing ever. Gloriously entertaining. Gotta love reefkeeping.

Tanks looking great!

Some of these fish have the most ridiculous personalities. I love it.

I have a lantern bass who comes to the glass by me and lays on his side like a submissive puppy whenever I'm looking at things in the tank.

 

[mvbrandt]

Tanks looking great!

Some of these fish have the most ridiculous personalities. I love it.

I have a lantern bass who comes to the glass by me and lays on his side like a submissive puppy whenever I'm looking at things in the tank.

Well that sounds just absurdly adorable.

Although as I told one of my staff about it, he said "you'd get bored too if you spent all day in your own toilet."

... perspective

 

[mvbrandt]

I gotta say, the Diamond Goby is easily the MVP for the whole system. His tireless landscaping may occasionally cover up a coral or make my wife question why there's a big hill in the middle of the tank, but the constant agitation both keeps the sand utterly spotless and generates what is basically marine snow in the water column at all times - all too fine to notice unless you're point blank to the tank, but constantly full of everything from fine particulate feces to amphipod shed, and all of it phenomenal coral food ... Plus ensuring what isn't eaten will for certain make its way to the filter media.

I don't know how I'd ever go without one again.

 

[danieyella]

Question for you, I moved my return pump from the old tank to the CADE and if I turn it off I get serious back siphon.. Did/do you experience this?

 

[mvbrandt]

Question for you, I moved my return pump from the old tank to the CADE and if I turn it off I get serious back siphon.. Did/do you experience this?

More or less. If I shut down the main pump, it'll back siphon into the sump until the return outlet is cleared. I set it all up so the net outcome of that is the sump can more than handle it.

During water changes I just close the ball valve along the return line, which preempts the problem. Safe in case of a power outage, no disruption during wc.

Is it causing a particular concern for you?

 

[danieyella]

More or less. If I shut down the main pump, it'll back siphon into the sump until the return outlet is cleared. I set it all up so the net outcome of that is the sump can more than handle it.

During water changes I just close the ball valve along the return line, which preempts the problem. Safe in case of a power outage, no disruption during wc.

Is it causing a particular concern for you?

Just startled me, didn't happen in the old tank and wasn't expecting it

 

[mvbrandt]

For the paltry # of folks following this, no major updates lately because ... well ... there aren't any! The tank's cruising along, coral and coralline are growing like mad, fish are super healthy.

I'm hemming and hawing over adding a quartet of bimac anthias and a midas.