SPS Dominant Reefer 170 Full Triton Kessil/T5 Hybrid

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Thanks for asking. I like the lights a lot so far. I posted my impressions here: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/red-sea-led-90.608390/

The caveat is that, I am only 2 weeks into a 60 day acclimation ramp on intensity and I don't have any SPS yet. My LPS seem to be doing well.

 

[Entz]

Thanks for asking. I like the lights a lot so far. I posted my impressions here: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/red-sea-led-90.608390/

The caveat is that, I am only 2 weeks into a 60 day acclimation ramp on intensity and I don't have any SPS yet. My LPS seem to be doing well.

Good to hear. The 170 is kind of in that spot where you don't need really need 2 LED lights but 1 might not be enough spread. My goal is SPS, ideally some of the hard to keep ones, as well. I really don't to keep buying lights and ending up upgrading all the time.

 

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Sps is my ultimate goal as well. So we’ll see how it goes. My lights are only at 50% at the moment due to my acclimation period.

 

[Entz]

One of the threads I have saved is from @El.Kae (https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/el-kaes-rs-reefer-170.363657/) . I need to print this and put it on my wall #goals Few others on here as well.

 

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One of the threads I have saved is from @El.Kae (https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/el-kaes-rs-reefer-170.363657/) . I need to print this and put it on my wall #goals Few others on here as well.

That is an insane tank! Very interesting, that he is using MP40s on the back wall. But I guess no sand helps with that.

One thing I've started to notice with these amazing SPS packed tanks is how little rock work they are starting with. Which is kinda the opposite of what I started with. I kinda wonder about that. But I did make it so there are large sections of rock on left and right not attached to main piece that I can remove as needed.

 

[Entz]

Yeah there is no way otherwise lol

 

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Sent off my first Triton test and results are in.

I'm happy with them, especially since new tank and it's been a month no water change.

There was one red about Vanadium, which I have no idea why that could be high. I used a 7 stage RO/DI, I am careful.

I do use a metal handled glass scraper??

They do recommend water changes to get rid of yellow level Aluminum warning. Where did that come from? I do have Marine Pure bricks in sump, and Real Reef Rocks.

 

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The Elegance bit the dust. That was painful to watch, but all the symptoms were ECS. The rest of the corals and the water params were good. I was going on vacation and the elegance was struggling and I couldn't figure out how to fix it. It did get blasted by a powerhead at 100% for a minute when I made a mistake on programming and I feel that was the inflection point from good to bad. Back from vacation and tank is well but elegance is gone now.

Sorry if this is matter of fact. It was actually horrible, because this coral is so dynamic and I could see it struggling.

Vacations/Travel are really the stressful part of this....I do travel for work, and that's why I needed to invest in monitoring and automation. It's espec hard with a new tank and not much experience. But so far it is going....and well.

 

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Big day tomorrow. I am going to receive 4 acropora frags, 2 montipora frags, and 1 cyphastrea frag. Terrified but excited!!!

 

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SPS in the house! Wow, very excited and also intimidated.

My Nitrate and Phos (Hanna Ultra low Phosphate) have been tracking 0 last three days despite throwing nutrients at the system. I'm not sure what that means for next steps. I did order some Nitrate and Phos dosing products from Brightwell in case I need to dose Nitrate or Phos direct. I don't really understand this mode. It doesn't make a lot of sense. My refugium is definitely going off on growth, but I also am getting some small amounts of algae in the display. My lights keep ramping up and now at about 65% of Max at 20K spectrum.

I also need to get a more accurate Nitrate test down below 1 ppm. Was going to get Red Sea Pro Nitrate. Thoughts?

Frags added...

WWC Bomb Cyclone Acropora
WWC Hulkster Acropora
Ultimate Stag Acropora
WWC Aussie Toxic Slimer
Jason Fox Fruity Pebbles Montipora
WWC Blue Digitata Montipora
WWC Hi-C Cyphasteria

Water params are currently
Alk 7.8 DKH
Calc 425
Mag 1350
PH 8.35
Salinity 35

 

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Yeess! Day 2 and my SPS are still alive. Not just alive, but they have relaxed and extending polyps. I moved the frag rack up a bit in the tank this am.

I seem shocked don't I? I'll take the small wins as they come.

 

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My acros are growing!!

After 2 weeks, I'm noticing definite growth of like 2 to 4 mm in some areas. For the montiporas the digitata grew like a weed.

They (SPS) have their color but polyp extension is less. I did have an issue with nutrients where I was sitting at 0 Nitrate, 0 Phosphate. I played with possibly dosing some N and P but abandoned that idea after the recent thread on that subject. Instead, I fed a bunch more than normal, pulled the top off my skimmer and let the fuge get a bunch of raw nutrients and that bumped my N up to 1-1.5 ppm. The improvement in the look of the corals and esp my starving LPS was very noticeable quickly. I'm going to try to stay in this range for a bit and stay away from being too ULNS.

When I was at 0/0 it triggered what looks like maybe a dino bloom. It went crazy for a day but now I have my N up, they seem to be fading out on their own. We will see.

 

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Something a little more abstract

 

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Dinos are definitely NOT fading on their own. Going to try a UV Sterilizer.

I plan to do a 36hr lights out, to drive them into the water column. Hoping to do this starting next Monday.

My water params are back to a good range, but these Dinos suck.

Nitrate 1.5-2
PO4 - .05
Alk 8

 

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I received the UV unit yesterday and hooked it up at Noon, by evening, there was noticeable clarity and reduction of dinos after blowing them around with a turkey baster and removing the grate on my overflow.

I am using this UV unit. "Aquashield 10W UV Sterilizer/Clarifier - Universal"

I placed it in the round hole which would normally host a filter sock (I do not use a sock) and it clamps onto the glass divider in my sump. Easy. Since it has it's own pump, there is no plumbing involved. Install took all of 10 min.

I started my blackout this am. Will see...

 

[Entz]

Best of luck. Dinos suck

The combination definitely wont hurt. Mine were the worst in the back 2 corners as they are a bit trickier to get flow into.

 

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A little update as I am in blackout period for my dino extermination.

First of all the dinos have disappeared for now...they hate the dark apparently. They really hate it when it lasts this long.

Anyway...some other things I notice...my LPS that were kind of not doing as hot since I added acros...well they are loving the blackout...esp the Duncan is in full bloom and the scoly is extended. Im thinking that my ramp up on PAR for the acros is ticking them off..I think I will adjust that...esp the scoly..move from center sand to corner? The duncan is in a good spot for long term.. I hope it can take the heat (PAR) that is. Looking at the red sea LED 90 specs. it should be getting < 200 par where it is.

 

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Regarding Triton..I am going to faithfully (as I can) execute their instructions...(at least the first two levels VERY IMPORTANT and IMPORTANT)

So regarding this, they asked for 6 x 15% water changes over 6 weeks to remove Aluminum and Vanadium. I have done 5 and will do 6 after dino treatment.

They asked to bump my Calcium, Mag and Potassium, and I started that today.

On the IMPORTANT but not VERY IMPORTANT track...

I dosed Iodine...Boron and Strontium

This is an experiment because I don't know any better, I will try to faithfully do Triton and report back...

I also am going to do an N-DOC test. I feel like my water params seem good, but I am unsure on whats up with organics, seems like a thing reefers are intuitive about but I have no clue...

 

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So blackout ended this am for Dino eradication with UV. What a result! Dinos have left the building. Im sure they are there but it seemed to have worked since I'm lights on for 4 hrs and things look great. Will see after a week or so. UV unit is staying on. There are some small spots of algae left, but that is no problem and so much better than Dinos. Finally my SPS can have a break from having to constantly turkey baste the Dinos off.

I wish I had taken the before shot since it was awful, but here is the shot from today...

 

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Diatom problem is history. Tank looks clearer than it ever has (UV is still on) and my Acros that were suffering under the Dinos are getting their color and polyp extension back. They had gone brown and I lost one stag frag.

I'm now at 100% on the Red Sea LEDs and using an 18K setting.

I did need to move some LPS to the sides because they were starting to not like the light intensity and that made them perk up again.

Here's shot of the day of my Nuclear grapes frag.

I'm getting 5 more SPS frags from Battlecorals on Thurs!

Feeling pretty good as this tank is only 3 months old including the 2 week initial cycle.

Now Im keeping my parameters like so, and things are better.

I ordered some coralline in a bottle because I'd like to seed faster and my Urchin is not helping.

N 2-5 ppm
P > 0.3 < 1.0
Alk 8.5-8.8
Calc 425-450
Mag 1400-1450

I did not edit or boost colors on the shot below...straight out of the camera.