Rob's 450g Build Thread!

[Benji240287]

Want to revive this thread and get a little bit more active. I can grow acros, quite good actually. I know there has been alot changes in the hobby in ways of methods. Some good, but most money grabs IMHO. Granted they work, but can you get the same results, with great husbandry, follow a simple method and very low over head and cost? Of course you can...if anyone have any questions... post them up

Hello Rob, like you I have several Orphek for my 160g. 1 atlantik, 4 atlantik compact and 2 OR3 bars 120cm. I discovered you as we have the same lights. To cut a long story short, I will take my chance to ask you some questions.

CHASING NUMBERS : when I started reeffing in 2019 I read that to have beautiful colors it is necessary to have low nutrients such as NO3 within 1 to 5 ppm max and PO4 within 0.01 to 0.05 ppm max. I think I’m not the only one who read this and this conduct a lot of reefer to chase these numbers. My question to clarify what exactly means « not chasing numbers » is : if my nutrients are STABLE with for instance NO3 within 5 to 15 ppm and PO4 within 0.08 to 0.15 I must consider that I don’t have to chase to lower these values right ? But if my nutrients keep increasing I must act right ? The same thing in the reverse, I my nutrients keep decreasing, I must act at some point ?

NUTRIENT LEVEL : in the reef it’s reported that the nutrient in the water are almost undetectable but at night a lot of food (phytoplancton and zooplancton) rise from the depths which I guess should feed the inhabitants of the reef. These conditions are quite not replicable in a reef tank even if many solutions exist to add phyto for exemple. What is your thought about adding phyto and other stuff like that in a reef tank ? Loss of money ?

Finally, my point is, as we can’t replicate all the conditions of a reef, isn’t safer to keep mid nutrients level than low ones if we are not sure to provide a constant flow of food ?

BACTERIA : do you add bacteria time to time to your reef ?

KALKWASSER : do you think using kalk is a plus in addition to other system of replenish (calc reactor, balling, two parts..)? If yes, do you know why ? By the way what is your model of kalk reactor ?

MIRACLE MUD : do you have clean-up crew in it ? Is it necessary to have sand on top ? Is it really mandatory to use Miracle Mud with a refugium ? Use of macro algae and light?

TRACE ELEMENT : do you add trace element ? How look your ICP about them ?

PRODUCTS : Do you use other products? If yes, what and why ?

Thanks in advance Rob.

I hope it’s not too much question.

Regards,
Benjamin.

 

[Robs Reef]

How do you acclimate sps to 800 par and do u have high or low nutrients supposedly I’ve heard higher the par the more u should run higher nutrients

I never really paid attention to high or low nutrients, because I have ran both high and low with the same results under very high par. Maybe long term conditioning and adaptation is my only answer. Ill take par readings again and post them here...also par does affect coloration and flow to an extent, but more growth formation. I do have Tenuis in different parameters locations and the tenuis in lower par does produce darker tones and longer branches, which means it's reaching for light...I'll take pics

 

[Robs Reef]

Hello Rob, like you I have several Orphek for my 160g. 1 atlantik, 4 atlantik compact and 2 OR3 bars 120cm. I discovered you as we have the same lights. To cut a long story short, I will take my chance to ask you some questions.

CHASING NUMBERS : when I started reeffing in 2019 I read that to have beautiful colors it is necessary to have low nutrients such as NO3 within 1 to 5 ppm max and PO4 within 0.01 to 0.05 ppm max. I think I’m not the only one who read this and this conduct a lot of reefer to chase these numbers. My question to clarify what exactly means « not chasing numbers » is : if my nutrients are STABLE with for instance NO3 within 5 to 15 ppm and PO4 within 0.08 to 0.15 I must consider that I don’t have to chase to lower these values right ? But if my nutrients keep increasing I must act right ? The same thing in the reverse, I my nutrients keep decreasing, I must act at some point ?

NUTRIENT LEVEL : in the reef it’s reported that the nutrient in the water are almost undetectable but at night a lot of food (phytoplancton and zooplancton) rise from the depths which I guess should feed the inhabitants of the reef. These conditions are quite not replicable in a reef tank even if many solutions exist to add phyto for exemple. What is your thought about adding phyto and other stuff like that in a reef tank ? Loss of money ?

Finally, my point is, as we can’t replicate all the conditions of a reef, isn’t safer to keep mid nutrients level than low ones if we are not sure to provide a constant flow of food ?

BACTERIA : do you add bacteria time to time to your reef ?

KALKWASSER : do you think using kalk is a plus in addition to other system of replenish (calc reactor, balling, two parts..)? If yes, do you know why ? By the way what is your model of kalk reactor ?

MIRACLE MUD : do you have clean-up crew in it ? Is it necessary to have sand on top ? Is it really mandatory to use Miracle Mud with a refugium ? Use of macro algae and light?

TRACE ELEMENT : do you add trace element ? How look your ICP about them ?

PRODUCTS : Do you use other products? If yes, what and why ?

Thanks in advance Rob.

I hope it’s not too much question.

Regards,
Benjamin.

Chasing Numbers and Nutrient Levels.
I started to get serious when I started keeping acros back in 2005, information on the Net was still limited and Magazines and forums like reefcentral was my go to. But information was all over the place. But I tested what ever I can test, but it sure burned holes in my pockets. Not getting the right number I wanted,I tested some more with different test kits. The problem with that is things was always changing and I was not allowing my tank to settle in and create a balanced eco system. So the time I backed off and let my reef tank mature is when things took off. I got to the point where I was testing weekly and every tested the same...so in 2011-2012, I upgraded to a 300g DD, took the same method and let my tank ride, and waited until it settled, did testing evry 2 weeks until my tank stabilized. At that point I only tested DKH, I knew for all the testing I did, if my DKH was at 7-8, my Calc was at 400-450 100% of the time. So from then on I just test DKH, as long I followed my procedure everything will fall into place. As far as Nutrients go, Trust your , you will learn that trait the longer your in the hobby. If the corals are doing well, don't do nothing. If they're suffering a little bit, make incremental changes, if you do massive changes, they will suffer more. I never use Phyto, not going to say never..maybe used half a dozen times the past 10-15 years. I take a dive, because everything I read, but always the same results....ALGAE. Remember your just not feeding corals or whatever you're feeding Phyto for....in a glass box. You're feeding everything else and everything in the tank is opportunistic and eat it up, and if you don't have a well efficient nutrient cycling system, you're tank will most likely have bad results and grow a ton of algae or even crash. I can get away with it, because my tank is well established and what people call now a days good Microbiome, I call it DIALED IN . So don't worry about Nut levels, if your corals are thriving don't do anything.

Bacteria dosing: NO

Kalkwasser: I started implementing Kalk this year, after not using it for kver a decade. It runs 24/7 at 29ml per minute, it's actually my ATO, I evap around 8-9 g per day. My tunze never comes on. In addition to my Calc Reactor effluent at 90ml per minute, it counters PH, which keeps it above 7.9 on any given day. Before my PH at night use to go as low as 7.7, but with no ill effect..dont really know if it helps with growth, my growth was always really good. I use a Geo618.

Miracle MUD, no clean up, I don't even have a clean up crew aside from my fish in the DT, I maybe have 2 hermits and 2-3 snails in the DT. As far as mandatory, Ive used it with every system I ever had since 1996.

Trace Elements, i used ecosystem reef solution for over 15 years, recently switched over to Seachem Reef Trace. Also use Lugols Iodine for the past 20+ years. I dont do dose individually. Done 1 ICP in 29 years of Reefing, probably great to give you a baseline when tour tank is doing well, but is it needed to have a successful tank...NO. like anything else in this Hobby, it gets costly. I do everything on a budget, don't get me wrong my reef tanknis expensive, but my maintenance is very low cost. $100-150 tops per month. Inc water, energy, fish food and Salt. IO IS AUTOSHIPPED every 60 days. I also have Solar.

No other Products.

Reefcrystals on autoship, IO purple if it's on sale.
SeaChem Reef Trace
Lugols Iodine
Frozen Food/Pellets
KZ Aragonite (recently bought $60 was on sale, bought like 100lbs. Will last 2 years
Co2 25lb Canister filled once a year x2 $60


Rob

 

[Jarob]

One of the best threads on R2R

 

[Steve180]

Saw this tank in person today and I'm still in awe! Amazing tank!!

 

[Benji240287]

Chasing Numbers and Nutrient Levels.
I started to get serious when I started keeping acros back in 2005, information on the Net was still limited and Magazines and forums like reefcentral was my go to. But information was all over the place. But I tested what ever I can test, but it sure burned holes in my pockets. Not getting the right number I wanted,I tested some more with different test kits. The problem with that is things was always changing and I was not allowing my tank to settle in and create a balanced eco system. So the time I backed off and let my reef tank mature is when things took off. I got to the point where I was testing weekly and every tested the same...so in 2011-2012, I upgraded to a 300g DD, took the same method and let my tank ride, and waited until it settled, did testing evry 2 weeks until my tank stabilized. At that point I only tested DKH, I knew for all the testing I did, if my DKH was at 7-8, my Calc was at 400-450 100% of the time. So from then on I just test DKH, as long I followed my procedure everything will fall into place. As far as Nutrients go, Trust your , you will learn that trait the longer your in the hobby. If the corals are doing well, don't do nothing. If they're suffering a little bit, make incremental changes, if you do massive changes, they will suffer more. I never use Phyto, not going to say never..maybe used half a dozen times the past 10-15 years. I take a dive, because everything I read, but always the same results....ALGAE. Remember your just not feeding corals or whatever you're feeding Phyto for....in a glass box. You're feeding everything else and everything in the tank is opportunistic and eat it up, and if you don't have a well efficient nutrient cycling system, you're tank will most likely have bad results and grow a ton of algae or even crash. I can get away with it, because my tank is well established and what people call now a days good Microbiome, I call it DIALED IN . So don't worry about Nut levels, if your corals are thriving don't do anything.

Bacteria dosing: NO

Kalkwasser: I started implementing Kalk this year, after not using it for kver a decade. It runs 24/7 at 29ml per minute, it's actually my ATO, I evap around 8-9 g per day. My tunze never comes on. In addition to my Calc Reactor effluent at 90ml per minute, it counters PH, which keeps it above 7.9 on any given day. Before my PH at night use to go as low as 7.7, but with no ill effect..dont really know if it helps with growth, my growth was always really good. I use a Geo618.

Miracle MUD, no clean up, I don't even have a clean up crew aside from my fish in the DT, I maybe have 2 hermits and 2-3 snails in the DT. As far as mandatory, Ive used it with every system I ever had since 1996.

Trace Elements, i used ecosystem reef solution for over 15 years, recently switched over to Seachem Reef Trace. Also use Lugols Iodine for the past 20+ years. I dont do dose individually. Done 1 ICP in 29 years of Reefing, probably great to give you a baseline when tour tank is doing well, but is it needed to have a successful tank...NO. like anything else in this Hobby, it gets costly. I do everything on a budget, don't get me wrong my reef tanknis expensive, but my maintenance is very low cost. $100-150 tops per month. Inc water, energy, fish food and Salt. IO IS AUTOSHIPPED every 60 days. I also have Solar.

No other Products.

Reefcrystals on autoship, IO purple if it's on sale.
SeaChem Reef Trace
Lugols Iodine
Frozen Food/Pellets
KZ Aragonite (recently bought $60 was on sale, bought like 100lbs. Will last 2 years
Co2 25lb Canister filled once a year x2 $60


Rob

Thank you for your response ! Great

 

[Robs Reef]

@xnguyen5 @ihatecfinch @HarrisonYu @Csm Rob @nguye873 @SMG91 @Baby_Shark @The Coral Garden @Owen Edwards

 

[ihatecfinch]

Appreciate the tag! Great read and amazing tank you got!

 

[Robs Reef]

Love-the challenge, of developing a full blown reef. That's where all the engagement is and its so satisfying to break down large problems in the past to small manageable steps and keeping it simple. It just works time and time again

 

[fishface NJ]

Wow this tank has come so far! Beautiful

 

[Robs Reef]

Heres another video...

 

[lubeck]

It’s really filling in

 

[Reefanatik]

Received my D-D Jumpguards today, it sits flush on the rim of the tank, since it has a lip on the perimeter, also has corner cut outs for corner reinforcements.I paid 150 for 3 #DD55168 47x29.5 kit. I was quoted upwards of 700 for a fancy acrylic top, so I saved alot of money. Love it, cant tell I have one on.

I'm so glad i came across this. I was looking for a guard and have a 72x36x24 tank and those custom screens were like $800. This will save me allot of money and it still looks great.

 

[Robs Reef]

4 weeks in a row with the same readings, caved in and bought some Neonitro...did buy some Stump Remover, but got scared of the impurities. My growth is great, but colors can improve. And I feed so much, 3-4 times a day. My fishes are fat, but having a hard time raising nutrients, particularly No3. I have turned my skimmer off for the past week and removed most of my Cheato down to a basketball size. Seems my Reef is so Dialed in, it removes nutrients as fast as it goes in. Hopefully NeoNitro resolves my issue.

 

[Robs Reef]

After 2 days of dosing 200ml per day of Neonitro, I'm getting readings. Hopefully get some changes in color with some of my tenuis

 

[Robs Reef]

SMDH, I dose Nitrates and my Po4 goes down to zero
This tells me my reef tank is running to efficient. Either I need to feed more or do my water changes more frequently to delete bacterial load. But most Beneficial bacteria are on the rocks and mechanical filter media. Which the latter I don't have. I dont run socks or any mechanical filteration aside from my skimmer which is turned off. Maybe time to clean out the sump, but can also lead to bacterial bloom. Going to try and remove my chaeto down to a softball size. And ill go from there.

 

[Robs Reef]

Okay, its been about 2 weeks since starting to dose nitrates, I'm at 20ml per day and it has been steady and managed to get my po4 up, currently at .09

Itll be a slow progress on the colors, but already seeing very small changes like my pinks on my homewrecker is getting more pronounced, so thats a good sign!!

 

[Robs Reef]

Copps 24k, Ive had this millepora since 2013 a must have!

 

[Robs Reef]

BigR Walt Disney

 

[Robs Reef]

RRU AngryBird

Dosing nitrates, is doing a number on my acros, Ill sacrifice a little cyano for colors like this