Smite's Stout CDA - 205g Acropora dominant system 50x38x25"

chipchipbro · Nov 10, 2022

Smite said:
That's JF Flame. It was at the top of the tank in the back but the color is off from what it was in my last system. It was pink with yellow tips, now its that different muted maroon color. I'm wondering if lower PAR will help get it back in shape? I felt like I saw a few color coralites under blues last night. The polyps are out, so I think it's healthy. Could still just be recovering from my metal issues earlier in the year.
Here is the same piece in my last tank before transfer. It's even grown, just strange coloration.

I see man.. Well, I think if polyps are out and growth is ongoing then its coming back stronger. Lower PAR is a good idea and now its just about giving it time I guess

Uve ever been into Torches?

Smite · Nov 10, 2022

chipchipmofo said:
I see man.. Well, I think if polyps are out and growth is ongoing then its coming back stronger. Lower PAR is a good idea and now its just about giving it time I guess

Uve ever been into Torches?

I had a Cotton Candy Torch that I liked a lot. I ended up selling it when I decided to pull my sand and really crank up the flow. I love the motion of a torch and the color though. Specially the long skinny tentacled ones.

Smite · Nov 10, 2022

BC Joker is starting to get some color and encrust

TGC Creamsicle is now a solid mini colony

Looking forward to this overlay grown out in the future. No name tenuis over Palleta Pink Tip over BC Skinny Love. Should make for some good contrasts.

Had more but too large to upload. I'll resize them later.

I'm at about top off of kalk dosed a day, my ATO res stayed pretty level all week. 5500 ml a day at full saturation. My ph is peaking at 8.24 and low is 7.95 or so. From here I'll be ramping up my CARX to offset uptake.

sdreef · Nov 13, 2022

Smite said:
There is no question OGPhyto has the densest phyto around. Dark brew arrived in the mail today.

I've been thinking about starting to feed my system with live phyto. Can you share how you're using it in terms of frequency, quantity, and any other details you think are important? Thanks

Smite · Nov 14, 2022

sdreef said:
I've been thinking about starting to feed my system with live phyto. Can you share how you're using it in terms of frequency, quantity, and any other details you think are important? Thanks

Sure. I started dosing live phyto in my last system. I feel like it was a part of why that tank was so healthy. It's a great whole tank food source in my experience.

I currently dose 100ml to my system every evening. I forget what was recommended but I did start out at a lower dose. It can consume phosphates so that's something to keep an eye on.

I'll add it to a high flow spot in the display. I have a set Feed programmed on my apex for phyto. It kills all flow in the display and return pump for 10 minutes. Skimmer for 1 hour. If I'm running UV it also kills that for an hour.

I see a lot of mixed reviews about whether it's beneficial and whether corals actually feed of it. Judging by the extra PE I get when feeding it regularly I feel the corals do benefit from it. My pods and fauna in the tank are very strong as well. The most important part of it all is making sure you are actually getting real, alive and active phytoplankton. Whatever brand you're using, check it out under a microscope if possible. You should be able to see a lot of activity. Lots of watered down dead phyto out there claiming to be alive, which is why I think there are so many mixed reviews about it in general. My buddy Ev'e is the person who makes OGPhyto. He's a great reefer that is REALLY into phyto and even does a few zooanthellae cultures. He's also got the gnarliest RODI system I've seen to date so I know I'm not dosing any unwanteds.

I buy it 1 gallon at a time. they come in 2x 1/2 gallon bags pictured above. I store it in the refrigerator. When I go to feed I'll "shake" up both bags by rotating them upside down a few times. This keeps things from settling on the bottom too long. It will stay alive a long time if you stay on top of that. I'd never buy live phyto that's not refrigerated, that's probably dead phyto and just feeding nutrients to your tank at that point.

sdreef · Nov 14, 2022

Smite said:
Sure. I started dosing live phyto in my last system. I feel like it was a part of why that tank was so healthy. It's a great whole tank food source in my experience.

I currently dose 100ml to my system every evening. I forget what was recommended but I did start out at a lower dose. It can consume phosphates so that's something to keep an eye on.

I'll add it to a high flow spot in the display. I have a set Feed programmed on my apex for phyto. It kills all flow in the display and return pump for 10 minutes. Skimmer for 1 hour. If I'm running UV it also kills that for an hour.

I see a lot of mixed reviews about whether it's beneficial and whether corals actually feed of it. Judging by the extra PE I get when feeding it regularly I feel the corals do benefit from it. My pods and fauna in the tank are very strong as well. The most important part of it all is making sure you are actually getting real, alive and active phytoplankton. Whatever brand you're using, check it out under a microscope if possible. You should be able to see a lot of activity. Lots of watered down dead phyto out there claiming to be alive, which is why I think there are so many mixed reviews about it in general. My buddy Ev'e is the person who makes OGPhyto. He's a great reefer that is REALLY into phyto and even does a few zooanthellae cultures. He's also got the gnarliest RODI system I've seen to date so I know I'm not dosing any unwanteds.

I buy it 1 gallon at a time. they come in 2x 1/2 gallon bags pictured above. I store it in the refrigerator. When I go to feed I'll "shake" up both bags by rotating them upside down a few times. This keeps things from settling on the bottom too long. It will stay alive a long time if you stay on top of that. I'd never buy live phyto that's not refrigerated, that's probably dead phyto and just feeding nutrients to your tank at that point.

That's really helpful and makes sense to me. Where do you get the OGPhyto?

I was considering doing something similar with regards to the feed timer, but I was thinking about turning off the returns for an hour to separate the system from the filtration while leaving the powerheads on to circulate the phyto among the corals. But I noticed you have the powerheads off for an hour. Does that allow for slower flow and maybe more feeding, I'm just interested in your thoughts about this? Thanks

Smite · Nov 14, 2022

sdreef said:
That's really helpful and makes sense to me. Where do you get the OGPhyto?

I was considering doing something similar with regards to the feed timer, but I was thinking about turning off the returns for an hour to separate the system from the filtration while leaving the powerheads on to circulate the phyto among the corals. But I noticed you have the powerheads off for an hour. Does that allow for slower flow and maybe more feeding, I'm just interested in your thoughts about this? Thanks

So I pour the phyto in with the powerheads on for a few minutes and let it mix. Then I turn them off for only 10 minutes, along with the return pump. This makes it easier to feed. When I feed coral foods here and there, I use the same technique/timer.

Only the UV and skimmer are turned off for 1 hour. I don't feel the need to kill the return any longer than 10-15 minutes.

Smite · Nov 14, 2022

Oh you can contact @OGFrenchHorn. That's my buddy Ev'e.

Smite · Nov 15, 2022

Smite · Nov 17, 2022

I need to add another set of blue LEDS so I can get decent pictures. Trying to shoot in such low light makes it difficult to get a good picture without noise.
A few of the new millepora settling in
Unnamed millepora #1 - I just moved it up off the bottom glass. If I start to lose the multiple colors it'll be going back down.

This piece is insanely bright. Gaining more green as it settles in, but it's a unique green color and has decent PE so I'll take it

Heliarch is getting nice PE now

CC Bahama Mama, haven't moved it but it is getting better PE. Looks like it's just starting to encrust.

ASD Rainbow Millepora

Smite · Nov 18, 2022

Some non sps looking good

Smite · Nov 18, 2022

I prefer this piece under MH but it's looking good under t5s too. Very dense coloration compared to my last tank, probably nutrient based?

Smite · Nov 18, 2022

This is one of the new pieces I was trying to grow off the glass. I felt like it was starting to darken up too much so I'm moving it up. It's now 1/2 way up but towards the back, hopefully it'll help with color.

Smite · Nov 18, 2022

Just a bunch of frags doing their thing:
BC Angelica

BC Skinny Love

CC Blaze of Glory

Unknown, I believe it came from Garret

Garf Bonzai

Smite · Nov 18, 2022

Oh and of course the one I check in on daily in the tank lol. Aussie millepora, gaining color under t5+OGPop led bars.

sdreef · Nov 18, 2022

Smite said:
I prefer this piece under MH but it's looking good under t5s too. Very dense coloration compared to my last tank, probably nutrient based?

This is a beautiful piece!

Smite · Nov 19, 2022

sdreef said:
This is a beautiful piece!

Thank you!

Smite · Nov 19, 2022

Well, hell.....Maybe I should have tried this in the first place?

Coverage is super even. I'll have to check PAR but I might put this up after I'm back from my trip.

Smite · Nov 26, 2022

I just got back from a 5 day visit with family for the holidays. I came home to an overflowed skimmer. I'm not sure why BUT so far the only side effect is increased polyp extension. I've dumped the cup 2x now and the skimmer is back to normal operation. I"m assuming it just got full and overflowed for whatever reason. No mess under the stand, everything went back into the sump so that is a major plus! My glass was full on film algae so I believe the overflow happened a couple days in.