SDReef's 330G CDA Acropora Dominant Mixed Reef

[sdreef]

Thank you for the reply! It’s great to hear your friend has just about the exact tank dimensions as mine, just an inch taller. I’ll grab a couple more MP40’s to match that setup. Having a mixed reef is tough very tough but rewarding. Tank is looking great, one of my favorite build on here

Thanks! I appreciate that.

Your build is looking great. I love how you combined the 8020 with the cable grips to suspend the lights. Great idea and looks really clean. Just curious what's making you move away from the gyre style pumps?

 

[sdreef]

@rds85 do you use coral booster on a doser or are you manually dosing it?

I've gone through close to 3 months worth of flatworm stop and was going to reorder it. I was checking the dosing container and realized I've only used a little less than a month's worth of coral booster. I was warned it would be a problem child, and now it's been confirmed.

I'm using a bubble magus doser and it has a 1/4 to 1/8" reducing barb. After going through all the dosing lines, I realized the fitting was clogged with crystals. This doser is simple and I like it, but I can't change the size of this fitting, so I don't think this it is going to work as a longer term solution for the coral booster. I'm considering my options and looking for any experience or recommendations.

 

[rds85]

@rds85 do you use coral booster on a doser or are you manually dosing it?

I've gone through close to 3 months worth of flatworm stop and was going to reorder it. I was checking the dosing container and realized I've only used a little less than a month's worth of coral booster. I was warned it would be a problem child, and now it's been confirmed.

I'm using a bubble magus doser and it has a 1/4 to 1/8" reducing barb. After going through all the dosing lines, I realized the fitting was clogged with crystals. This doser is simple and I like it, but I can't change the size of this fitting, so I don't think this it is going to work as a longer term solution for the coral booster. I'm considering my options and looking for any experience or recommendations.

I manually dose it due to these exact problems! If you are going to buy more KZ stuff send me a text... have a more affordable source for KZ.

The only other way I can think of is back flushing the doser. AKA run the doser to your desired amount then make it run backwards for a certain amount to fill it with water and not solution.
There might be a way to "cut" the solution to make it less likely to crystalize and you would just have to dose more of it, but I have zero experience with that .
This is also be a bad idea, but curious how heat effects the solution. If it was warm enough would it still crystalize?

 

[Hydrored]

Thanks! I appreciate that.

Your build is looking great. I love how you combined the 8020 with the cable grips to suspend the lights. Great idea and looks really clean. Just curious what's making you move away from the gyre style pumps?

Just maintenance for me really, I just like the swap a spare wet side and be done. I can have all the dry sides zip-tied in place without a magnet falling off the back. I have both redsea reefwave 45's and 350 Gyres, I like them equally.

 

[Hydrored]

@sdreef is the Deluxe 200 big enough for you? I was going to order the Deluxe 250 just now to replace my Double Cone 200, I then remembered you had the Deluxe. Royal Exclusiv told me my DC 200 wouldn't cut it

Thanks!

 

[sdreef]

@sdreef is the Deluxe 200 big enough for you? I was going to order the Deluxe 250 just now to replace my Double Cone 200, I then remembered you had the Deluxe. Royal Exclusiv told me my DC 200 wouldn't cut it

Thanks!

For my system the 200 is the right size. One consideration is that I use the filter rollers and they remove a lot of the organics before they have a chance to dissolve.

I was between the 200 and 250 as well and I emailed Royal Exclusiv in Germany and told them I was planning for 400 gallon system. Here's what they replied:

"Regarding Skimmer size there is one basic rule for us, dont oversize our Skimmers as they are very effective.
With the Setup you mentioned my recommendation is a Deluxe 200 Skimmer, the Deluxe 250 would be oversized.
If you plan to have a high Bioload (many Fish,Feeding,Dirt) then the Deluxe 250 could also work out."

I corresponded with Scott Leif, who's the director of customer support in the US further who helped me arrive at the decision to go with the 200.

Here's what he said:
"Our skimmers should not be oversized. Our skimmers are very conservatively rated and oversizing them will often result in inconsistent performance. Further that, they should be based on display volume and not total system volume since our sumps and refugiums don’t contribute to overall load. Instead, they help reduce the load. And a heavy fishload is around 1/2” of fish per display gallon. So knowing more about your display size and fish stocking plans may be helpful however the 200 sized skimmer or Deluxe 250 with a fairly heavy load would be good choices either way."

In the end, I ended up going with the 200 and it was a good recommendation for me.

 

[Hydrored]

For my system the 200 is the right size. One consideration is that I use the filter rollers and they remove a lot of the organics before they have a chance to dissolve.

I was between the 200 and 250 as well and I emailed Royal Exclusiv in Germany and told them I was planning for 400 gallon system. Here's what they replied:

"Regarding Skimmer size there is one basic rule for us, dont oversize our Skimmers as they are very effective.
With the Setup you mentioned my recommendation is a Deluxe 200 Skimmer, the Deluxe 250 would be oversized.
If you plan to have a high Bioload (many Fish,Feeding,Dirt) then the Deluxe 250 could also work out."

I corresponded with Scott Leif, who's the director of customer support in the US further who helped me arrive at the decision to go with the 200.

Here's what he said:
"Our skimmers should not be oversized. Our skimmers are very conservatively rated and oversizing them will often result in inconsistent performance. Further that, they should be based on display volume and not total system volume since our sumps and refugiums don’t contribute to overall load. Instead, they help reduce the load. And a heavy fishload is around 1/2” of fish per display gallon. So knowing more about your display size and fish stocking plans may be helpful however the 200 sized skimmer or Deluxe 250 with a fairly heavy load would be good choices either way."

In the end, I ended up going with the 200 and it was a good recommendation for me.

Thank you, I will not be using filter rollers but will be running socks, my DC200 is overkill on my 210 so I'll order the Deluxe 200 and see how it goes. They are 15% off today and I have been waiting for a sale. I don't care about the extra cost of the 250, I just have a hard enough time as it is keeping nitrates in my 210 and do not want to oversize it.

As always, I appreciate the help.

 

[sdreef]

I manually dose it due to these exact problems! If you are going to buy more KZ stuff send me a text... have a more affordable source for KZ.

The only other way I can think of is back flushing the doser. AKA run the doser to your desired amount then make it run backwards for a certain amount to fill it with water and not solution.
There might be a way to "cut" the solution to make it less likely to crystalize and you would just have to dose more of it, but I have zero experience with that .
This is also be a bad idea, but curious how heat effects the solution. If it was warm enough would it still crystalize?

Well, I know myself, and if I have to manually dose I'll likely be inconsistent eventually when I get busy. I emailed KZ to see if they have any recommendations. One thought I had was to put an inline filter for the dosing line. The twin tech calcium reactor uses a feed pump that has a fuel filter in line that is cheap to replace. I'm considering trying something like this to see if it could work. I'll see if KZ has any helpful suggestions.

 

[rds85]

Well, I know myself, and if I have to manually dose I'll likely be inconsistent eventually when I get busy. I emailed KZ to see if they have any recommendations. One thought I had was to put an inline filter for the dosing line. The twin tech calcium reactor uses a feed pump that has a fuel filter in line that is cheap to replace. I'm considering trying something like this to see if it could work. I'll see if KZ has any helpful suggestions.

Well now I am intrigued! Let me know if they recommend anything or if you figure out some way to do it on your own. I would prefer not to manually dose it.

 

[sdreef]

I've been wondering if my Jolt would ever get colors back in the polyps. It's developing into a nice shaped colony and growing fast, but the frag originally came with red polyps. It looks like there is some color coming back to the polyps in some of the newer growth (not red yet). Hopefully this continues.

 

[Poseidon's snail]

Really cool thread! what happened to the baby octopus' in the end?
really nice tank!

 

[sdreef]

Really cool thread! what happened to the baby octopus' in the end?
really nice tank!

I learned rearing octopus is an area of a lot of research and real challenge. It's an area of interest to promote a sustainable fishery.

When octopus hatch they have a parlarval stage where they need a live food supply readily. Finding a food they will go for is a challenge, as is maintaining a high prey density. They need to feed without expending significant energy and are very delicate during this stage. My limitation is primarily time, and I didn't know that I would be readily available when they hatched to meet their needs.

I corresponded with Kanaloa Octopus farm in Kona and was hoping to donate to them. Unfortunately, this species was not on the list of approved species for the state and so I wasn't able to ship to them. I also looked into Scripps institute in San Diego, and didn't find anyone that might be able to help.

I know a local aquaculturist who has raised a different species of octopus in the past and was actively raising cuttlefish at the time. I gave him the octopus and the babies as I thought it would be their best shot for survival. Unfortunately, the eggs didn't ultimately hatch.

 

[sdreef]

I noticed something fluorescing on the top of the rock work about four months ago. Not sure what it was, I've been keeping an eye on it. It's been growing steadily and hasn't spread. I took a closer look from the top down the other night, and could the torches have spawned? I'm not positive, but I think this a baby torch coral.

 

[Operator Wrasse]

That is almost certainly had some sort of euphyllia baby! Congratulations.

You have had some of the most amazing luck and experiences that I have seen. What you've done with your tank is amazing. Keep up the great work and thank you for sharing!

 

[sdreef]

That is almost certainly had some sort of euphyllia baby! Congratulations.

You have had some of the most amazing luck and experiences that I have seen. What you've done with your tank is amazing. Keep up the great work and thank you for sharing!

Thanks! The tank is approaching a year old, and it's been a lot of fun.

 

[Poseidon's snail]

your tank is beautiful!

 

[sdreef]

your tank is beautiful!

Thank you! What type of fish is that in the photo next to your name?

 

[Poseidon's snail]

Deepwater Reefs Yield Another Stunning New Anthias Species

Richard L. Pyle, Brian D. Greene, Joshua M. Copus, and John E. Randal name a new species of Tosanioides discovered in Micronesia.

www.reef2rainforest.com

 

[sdreef]

The tank is one year old.

11/25/2020

11/25/2021

 

[ScottB]

Happy Birthday!

Looking awesome!