Rob's 450g Build Thread!

Mortie31

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Stunning tank Rob... so glad to see how well everything is growing under the Orpheks, a quick question, how do you use your miracle mud? In containers and swap them out occasionally or is it just loose in the sump? If so how do you stop it getting swept away...
 
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Nice!

What are the two largest Acro colonies?
ORA Pink Birdsnest, The Last Dragon, Palleta Pink tip and Rainbow loom. Grows like weeds. Already moved the Birdsnest and Last Dragon to the bottom. Trying to figure where to place them, going to chop them up a bit, before placing them on their new spot
 
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Stunning tank Rob... so glad to see how well everything is growing under the Orpheks, a quick question, how do you use your miracle mud? In containers and swap them out occasionally or is it just loose in the sump? If so how do you stop it getting swept away...
Thank You, just placed them in before I filled the sump up. They done get swept, once they're settled, planning to replace half, this coming May.

20181220_191508.jpg
 

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Stability long term and coral adaptability. As long as nutrients are manageable I let it ride. I use carbon or GFO maybe once or twice a year. Corals adapt well and creates biodiversity and becomes resilient. I dont want to say my water is turbid, maybe borderline. My nutrients level is higher then most people like, but it works for me. Miracle Mud provides minerals and trace elements, which produces great growth with my macro algae, increase pod population and micro fauna, which my corals love. A simple set up, large fuge, kick butt skimmer, awesome lights and a ton of flow. Also saves me money, I dont test much, dkh once every 2 weeks or so, I dont feed my coral no over the counter coral foods, including amino acids, but the poop my fishes provide and food I give them, LRS, pellets and what ever else stays in the water column. I dont use carbon or gfo, is a bonus as well. Been reefing this way and using this method since 1996.

20200218_225747.jpg

Thank you rob, im following your method.. can you tell me more about your 4 month cycle how you did it and why? Also wanted ask how do you keep algea and things like that at bay? Since you dont use filter socks how do you manage detritus? Plus whats the reason you run carbon or gfo once a year or so??? At what point do you think it needs it and how long do you run it for?
 
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Thank you rob, im following your method.. can you tell me more about your 4 month cycle how you did it and why? Also wanted ask how do you keep algea and things like that at bay? Since you dont use filter socks how do you manage detritus? Plus whats the reason you run carbon or gfo once a year or so??? At what point do you think it needs it and how long do you run it for?
There is nothing really to the 4 month cycle, but to wait it out. I had a bad white bacteria outbreak, that turned into the dreaded white slime which was all over the rocks, it grew as long as 6" but once it turned brown and started dissipating, I knew my cycle was over. If the cycle was properly executed and the Ionic Balance is on point, algae should not be an issue, at this point my fuge is full of macro algae that keeps any nuisance algae at bay. My flow of 6 mp60's does a number on any detritus settling in the DT, detritus that does accumulate which it does, in the right side of the DT under a massive rock can easily be siphoned out, but havent done so. The rest gets carried into the sump, which will continue to be broken down or manually removed by cleaning the sump, which I usually do once a year, but havent done so. Planning to do so in May, when I replace 1/2 of the miracle mud. When your Ionic Balance is on point, and ecosystem is running like a well tuned machine, gfo and carbon is not needed. Whether my nutrients are higher then normal and kind of turbid, my corals adapt and become more resilient, its all about coral adaptability and stability long term. If I do use carbon or GFO on a consistent basis, My tank will become dependent on using it at all times, to keep my tank stable at whatever number Im chasing, thats just more money out of my pocket. My ecosystem is at a point which my fuge keeps my nutrients at bay, and stability long term and my corals adapt. Stability is key, whether your tank has high nutrients, or low nutrients, stability long term is key.
 

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There is nothing really to the 4 month cycle, but to wait it out. I had a bad white bacteria outbreak, that turned into the dreaded white slime which was all over the rocks, it grew as long as 6" but once it turned brown and started dissipating, I knew my cycle was over. If the cycle was properly executed and the Ionic Balance is on point, algae should not be an issue, at this point my fuge is full of macro algae that keeps any nuisance algae at bay. My flow of 6 mp60's does a number on any detritus settling in the DT, detritus that does accumulate which it does, in the right side of the DT under a massive rock can easily be siphoned out, but havent done so. The rest gets carried into the sump, which will continue to be broken down or manually removed by cleaning the sump, which I usually do once a year, but havent done so. Planning to do so in May, when I replace 1/2 of the miracle mud. When your Ionic Balance is on point, and ecosystem is running like a well tuned machine, gfo and carbon is not needed. Whether my nutrients are higher then normal and kind of turbid, my corals adapt and become more resilient, its all about coral adaptability and stability long term. If I do use carbon or GFO on a consistent basis, My tank will become dependent on using it at all times, to keep my tank stable at whatever number Im chasing, thats just more money out of my pocket. My ecosystem is at a point which my fuge keeps my nutrients at bay, and stability long term and my corals adapt. Stability is key, whether your tank has high nutrients, or low nutrients, stability long term is key.

Man what a beautiful explanation... you have changed my thoughts on reefkeeping forever... cant wait to see your video on filtration
 
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Updated SPS List

1. TGC Cherry Bomb
2. WWC Little Red Ferrari
3. RMF Last Dragon
4. Oregon Tort
5. Cali Tort
6. Copps 24k Mille
7. Cornbred Papa Dios
8. RRC Pink Cadillac
9. Poto Ultimate Sunset
10. ORA Pink Birdsnest
11. RRU Rainbow Loom
12. JF Home Wrecker
13. TSA Rainbow Fusion
14. JKR Walt Disney
15. RRU Angry Bird
16. WWC HoneyComb
17. RRU Orange Passion
18. JF Foxflame
19. JF Firecracker
20. Palleta Pink tip
21. TCK Pikachu
22. Battle Corals Bubble Bath Unicorn
23. Battle Corals Aquatic Man Table
24. WWC Blue Limeade
25. Tyree Ultimate Blue
26. UC Strawberry Shortcake
27. 500 Efflo
28. Robs Feathermoon efflo
29. OG Garf Bonsai
30. ORA Hawkins Enchinata
31. Bali Green Slimer
32. Pink Lemonade
33. RRU Pink Floyd
34. ATL Purple Rain
35. RRA Orange Passion
36. TCK Golden Efflo
37. TFP Aussie Downunder
38. ORA Pearl Berry
39. TFP Setosa
40. Strawberry Fields Sarmentosa
41. Vivids Confetti
42. Tyree Pinky the Bear
43. Rob's Hellfire Mille
44. RRU Medusa
45. Lime in the Sky
46. RMF Superman Stag
47. RRU Wolverine
48. YR No Name
49. RRA Lady in Pink
50. POTO Superman Millepora
51. MattV Psycho Asylum
52. RRA Ultimate Orange
53. UC Wonderland
54. TSA Mile High
55. TGC Inner Core
56. Bioreef Wonder Boy
57. Gemeferra
58. Rob's No Way Jose
59. No Name Indo 1
60. No Name Indo 2
61. No Name Indo 3
62. Wet Thumbs Bubble Gum Digi
63. Aussie Golden Table Acro
64. WWC Knight Rider
65. POTO Purple Granulosa
66. POTO Bonsai Loripes
67. OG Ice Fire Enchinata
68. Cornbred Maleficent
69. POTO Thundercat
70. Jason Fox Solar Flare
71. ATL Shades of Fall

I did have TGC Acrolandia twice, but lost it twice either by a fish or urchin. Both was knocked off its plug, and cant find it. I am looking for another one, and willing to trade.
 

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Not sure if this has already been asked earlier in your thread but what are you parameters?
 
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Not sure if this has already been asked earlier in your thread but what are you parameters?

Dkh 7
Calc 450
Mag 1450
Po4 .05
No3 0

Po4 and No3, is a bit suprising. Because I feed a ton. Fuge, might be working to good, since my skimmer hit a wall and not producing much.

Also acquired a par meter, will be posting my findings soon!
 
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700?! When you place new frags do you light acclimate at all or just go for it?
I placed them in initially where I wanted them, and I raised the percentages on my Orpheks as my sps grew. But I do have frags rings through out the tank, and place new frags on them. And if they dont like the spot I move them to a new location. Heres a pic of the frag rings.

20200326_135934.jpg
 

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I placed them in initially where I wanted them, and I raised the percentages on my Orpheks as my sps grew. But I do have frags rings through out the tank, and place new frags on them. And if they dont like the spot I move them to a new location. Heres a pic of the frag rings.

20200326_135934.jpg

sowhen you place a coral in a spot what kinds of things do you look out for to tell if a coral is happy or not?
 

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

  • I currently have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 66 37.3%
  • Not currently, but I have had feather dusters in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 59 33.3%
  • I have not had feather dusters, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 25 14.1%
  • I have no plans to have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 27 15.3%
  • Other.

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