Tank Parameters Of Some Masters

[Flippers4pups]

Mike's posting of the article was in good taste and meant to give everyone that reads it, a conformation of tried and true, well tested, well documented and widely published reef tank parameters. (I just so happen to follow myself) That was the meat of the message. It just so happens that in the message, many well known reef keepers are following them as well. No surprise there. ( Not to come off arrogant, but if that was a surprise, then you need to read and research this hobby more)

Every tank, every system is different and each of us keep different keep fish, coral, inverts........

"Secret Sauce" is how we apply all of this and how good our husbandry skills are.

Reminds me, I need to make another batch of "Secret Sauce" tonight! (Water change....)

 

[trido]

So True. In the Seattle area there are about a dozen of us "big time addicts" active on the web with long term successful tanks. Several of us grow and supply LFS to offset costs. Other than stalility, every one of us has a slightly different approach to our thriving systems. My "secret sauce" Is DIY food, Pellets, Nori, Acro power, Lots of flow, Lots of light, Stability and crystal clear water with a 10% WC every two weeks. I believe @Brad Syphus practices much the same method with a 10% weekly WC and plenty of LRS Reef frenzy.

 

[sanjay]

How high are your lights off the water? I'm running all ETM Radion G4 as well.

About 8" off the water.

 

[revhtree]

About 8" off the water.

Thank you! I'm still looking for the best spot on my new system so this helps.

 

[d2mini]

Wonderful article but there is one thing I really, really don't understand.
There are people with wonderful tanks, with corals and fishes in brilliant health and they don't want to share their "secret sauce".
There are thousands of people out here, wondering why their corals and fishes get ill, why their corals don't grow and so on. Instead of telling them:
"Try this and that, that's my "secret sauce", so your tank will be healthy" they keep their ingredients and recipes for themselves, so nobody can have such a good looking tank as them?
Are we in a kindergarten? 4 years old children who wants to have their picture the most beautiful?
Why isn't it possible to tell everyone the secrets of having a healthy tank? Does anybody think of the corals and fishes?

Maybe this post is a bit agressive, but I don't care. At the moment I lost 10 fishes on illness only because I bought them from a wrong shop and I am crying for every coral or fish that is dying at my home and I really don't understand people who say "Who cares, my tank is healthy, look. But I don't tell you how to get it. No. Cry a bit more.

Who here is unwilling to share???
I've found R2R'ers to be more than willing to help others and share both the good and the bad.

 

[d2mini]

Thank you! I'm still looking for the best spot on my new system so this helps.

As high as you can go! Less shadowing/better spread.
Mine are 17" off the water.

 

[chasekwe]

Another point I found to be fairly interesting is that every single one of these tanks does a 10-30% weekly water change. That's really quite a lot considering how large some of these systems are. I always hear about reefs, especially larger ones, doing fewer and smaller WCs... not all, but this seems common anecdotally.

I mean some of these guys must be spending a mint on salt each month! Anyways, the large system I'm planning was considering an 8-10% monthly WC so I guess I'll have to change my plans a bit.

Great article, thanks!

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Loved the article! Thanks to all the masters who contributed with very helpful info!

 

[revhtree]

As high as you can go! Less shadowing/better spread.
Mine are 17" off the water.

Just turned them all up to 100% mid day and raised them about a foot from where they were! Looks like I am getting the same amount or a little more par. I will slowly bring them down a little more to raise the par.

 

[bif24701]

Sorry, but you hit a nerve with this one.
I am grateful for EVERYONE who posts anything, both successes AND failures about their experience with saltwater. I read the info and use it to form an opinion and (maybe) a possible plan or change in the way I do things. Sometimes the changes work for me, sometimes they don't. I, for one, am grateful for any info that these very successful aquarium keepers chose to share about their tanks. They honestly didn't have to us tell diddly-squat.
Every tank is different. I have three different tanks (on the same sump) and EACH ONE BEHAVES DIFFERENTLY. There is no one-size-fits-all "secret sauce", besides STABILITY. Any changes are done one at a time and slowly. If you want to take anything away from this article, take this- STABILITY is key. Patience. Patience. And more patience.
WHO sounds like they are in kindergarten?? You're crying because someone won't GIVE you the answer?? I guess they should give us all the answers, and while they're at it make sure we get a "Participation Trophy"? Good Grief!!
Entitlement.
These are just a handful of very very successful tanks on this earth. There are many many more. And I can almost guarantee no two do things the same, besides strive for stability.
AND LEARN FROM THEIR MISTAKES.
"At the moment I lost 10 fishes on illness only because I bought them from a wrong shop "
No secret ingredient or recipe for that one. It's called quarantine. Many, many in-depth articles and threads overflowing with information on how to quarantine fish and corals, both here and all over the internet. You want someone to tell you their secret recipe for great growth and color, yet it seems you are having trouble keeping them alive. I think you're putting the horse before the cart. Don't worry about the leave right now, focus on getting the ball in the pocket.
If you are looking for a hobby where someone tells you exactly what to do and how to do it, take up knitting.
Maybe this post is a bit aggressive, but I don't care.

I got all the information I needed from them. I don't think they are hiding or keeping to themselves really.

You are 100% correct stability really is key. Each time I've tried a new product that does this or that, improves something or whatever it always causes problems for me. Vibrant however is a different story, stuff works! However beyond your Kalk/2 part systems for ALK/Cal/Mag supplementation, salt for consistent regular water changes, and carbon/GFO all the other stuff may not necessarily be snake oil but it is certainly not required for healthy, vibrant, and growing corals.

I see that a constant in these numbers is a good healthy levels of NO3 and PO4. NO3: 5-20ppm and PO4 .03-.10. This is very telling to me. I assume they all have very good lighting providing lots of PAR and I have found personally that the more light you have the more the corals need feed and/or higher NO3 levels. I have had nothing but problems with NO3 any <1ppm, color growth have been best for me at >5ppm. PO4 at or near .03 is acceptable because much less is needed and higher levels seem to increase algae growth more so than NO3.

I would however like to know more about the lighting, peak durations and intensity levels.

 

[Blitzie]

Thank you for taking the time to write this excellent and informative article.

 

[yellojello]

Sure, hobbyist like the most of us share our "secret sauce" because we have nothing to lose. But many vendors obviously won't share it because it is their business at stake. More of like a "trade secret." I think that's fair. Hey it could be soy sauce or something. But maybe it's the same way that make those ultra neon tetras that started showing under black lights at the fish store... genetic modification! Fish genes combined with coral genes.

On the other note, I just tried the Strontium Salifert test kit for the first time... it is a pain to do. Ughhhh

 

[Geeray]

Excellent write up Mike! I really enjoyed it

 

[nitro]

Mike,
Totally enjoyed the article and the information was very informative as well. I hope you keep these great articles coming.

 

[Val Shebeko]

great writeup! But what about Ph ?

 

[lakereef]

Thanks for this article! Enjoyed reading and good reminder to keep up with the water changes.

 

[gcarroll]

9 hours with all LEDs 100% and 1 hour ramp up before and 2 hour ramp down after 9 hrs of full intensity.

Holy Crappola! Great to see you here Sanjay! Can you share how long you have been growing the current corals that are in your tank.

 

[mdlc805]

Awesome article Mike. I just got my first dosing pump because kalk in my ato made levels fluctuate to much. So this is a good point in the right direction to where I would like to keep my parameters at. Thanks for the info

 

[bif24701]

Awesome article Mike. I just got my first dosing pump because kalk in my ato made levels fluctuate to much. So this is a good point in the right direction to where I would like to keep my parameters at. Thanks for the info

Set your ATO/Kalk to dose the same amount every 1/2 hour everyday all day.

 

[sanjay]

Holy Crappola! Great to see you here Sanjay! Can you share how long you have been growing the current corals that are in your tank.

I pop in once in a while.

The Acro have all been grown under LEDs since Jan 2014. Other corals have been there longer. Tank has been running since 2006.