Tank Trials: Ultra Low Maintenance Tanks | BRStv Investigates

SteadyC · Apr 6, 2018

randyBRS said:
Next on the release list for Spotlights.

Sweet, thanks!

SteedC · Apr 7, 2018

Not sure if this has been asked already, so I apologize if it was. Did you run a skimmer while you were cycling your new ULM 60g cube tanks? I am starting my build and was wondering when I should turn on or get my skimmer. I thought I read not really needed while cycling. I am planning following the ULM cycling video but saw nothing about skimmer being on during the first, second or third month?

Thank you

flagg37 · Apr 7, 2018

mrpizzaface said:
sorry if i missed this... how would you implement the use of the neptune auto feeder while also using a mesh cover?

I just situated the feeder so that the pellets would drop through the mesh.

flagg37 · Apr 7, 2018

One thing I didn’t see covered in the livestock video was any mention to quarantine of the fish. The clowns came from your harem tank but the others looked like new additions. Having an outbreak of ich wouldn’t be very ulm.

Ds04384 · Apr 7, 2018

For ULM corals I would avoid anything that is extremely picky or extremely easy to grow. Picky corals like NPS and some gorgonians need to be target fed daily or multiple times daily and take a lot of work. Also, things that grow too well like green star polyps, some palys, and Xenia will need to be actively controlled to prevent them from killing other corals and taking over the tank. Best bets are fairly hardy photosynthetic coral that grow well but not too fast.

Crabs McJones · Apr 7, 2018

Ulm corals to me would be something hardy but doesnt grow fast. Green star polyps would be a prime example. If I'm away from the tank for a long time I dont want the gsp overthrowing the other corals and choking them out. Also, for obvious reasons any NPS coral would be a no go. And I would have to choose corals for each that would be able to harmoniously co-exist without battling eachother or make sure they were separated by isolating them... hard to do but is possible.

Rogergolf66 · Apr 12, 2018

is there a link to the gyre code that actually works?

BRS and sent me the link and emailed it to me but it comes in all jumbled and doesn't work in the apex

got my 2 new gyre 250 today and the moduals to link to the apex arrive tomorrow wanted to get the code in the apex before they came tomorrow.

Roger

Crabs McJones · Apr 12, 2018

Rogergolf66 said:
is there a link to the gyre code that actually works?

BRS and sent me the link and emailed it to me but it comes in all jumbled and doesn't work in the apex got my 2 new gyre 250 today and the moduals to link to the apex arrive tomorrow wanted to get the code in the apex before they came tomorrow.

Roger

BRS160 APEX Tables for Alternating Gyres:
Left Gyre-
Fallback ON
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Right Gyre:
Fallback ON
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SteadyC · Apr 13, 2018

randyBRS said:
Next on the release list for Spotlights.

I saw this video on YouTube today, thanks Randy and BRS team! .

Thanks for breakimg down the math, we are nearly identical. I’m going through roughly 10 gallons of kalk per week, and I calculated with simplified rounding to 15ml of Red Sea colors per week. Comparing to your 4.25 gallons of kalk a week is 7 ml of Red Sea Colors, we are very close. Really appreciate you verifying what I was doing.

SantaMonica · Apr 13, 2018

NPS are my fav, especially the mythical blueberry gorg, but yes they are tough. They need tremendous amounts of food particles in the water 24/7 and no mechanical filtering.

Aardvark1134 · Apr 14, 2018

I would suggest that any topless tank is not ULM as it causes tons of evaporation and the need for lots of water to replace that.

rtparty · Apr 14, 2018

Aardvark1134 said:
I would suggest that any topless tank is not ULM as it causes tons of evaporation and the need for lots of water to replace that.

A glass top will be far more work than an ATO. You'll also hurt gas exchange with a covered top

Aardvark1134 · Apr 14, 2018

"A glass top will be far more work than an ATO. You'll also hurt gas exchange with a covered top"
With a sump or wet dry and a skimmer and good water flow you will not have low gas exchange. And one of the #1 killers of reefs that I have seen is an ATO that malfunctions which is not rare with ATOs. There are 100s of horror stories where someone lost their entire tank to a bad ATO.

rtparty · Apr 14, 2018

Aardvark1134 said:
"A glass top will be far more work than an ATO. You'll also hurt gas exchange with a covered top"
With a sump or wet dry and a skimmer and good water flow you will not have low gas exchange. And one of the #1 killers of reefs that I have seen is an ATO that malfunctions which is not rare with ATOs. There are 100s of horror stories where someone lost their entire tank to a bad ATO.

I would bet an ATO (when properly implemented) is not the #1 killer or even close to. Maybe a malfunctioning doser or heater is #1. I would bet heater by a long shot is the number one issue actually.

Cheaping out on an ATO and then not having it properly setup can wipe a tank out. My ATO could dump my entire reservoir into my tank and not cause any serious issues. I did that on purpose. I may have to fill the reservoir a little more often but that's the compromise I made to be safer. Dumping 3-4 gallons of water into my reservoir every 4 days is easier and quicker than cleaning glass tops weekly at a minimum. My very first tank had glass tops and I had to clean them off every couple days. They lasted less than 2 months before I removed them.

You would be hard pressed to find 100s of posts where a good, reputable ATO wiped out a tank. Tunze's ATO is basically bulletproof and one of the most trusted pieces of equipment in the hobby.

I'm sure @Ryanbrs could get us some numbers on the percentage of Tunze ATOs to fail.

guido5526 · Apr 14, 2018

@Bulk Reef Supply I love that you are doing these tests with the ULM and the parameters testing but I think you should shop locally for the corals. Keeping our LFS alive. @AcanLord.com is a great ave for corals. And as far as low maintenance corals I think acans are very hardy and low maintenance as well as any kind of frogspawn or hammer coral. Would not suggest a monti for sps as they grow too quickly and require trimming.

randyBRS · Apr 20, 2018

Hey!

If you have been wondering what's been going on with each of the ULM tanks, today is your day! Today we discuss what we've learned so far and changes we have made this far.

We'd love to hear your thoughts on how these are going so far!

Cesar Romero · Apr 20, 2018

Thank you for the video. I appreciate seeing the good and the bad. I'm starting the cycle for my tank soon, so this video was very informative. I'm glad the UV is proving good results this far, since I was considering adding one. I do have a question though. In prior videos I know you where going to try pushing kalkwasser to its limits, and other videos of how triton is a form of ULM. For a new tank starting out, would it be more beneficial to start with triton right off, or with kalkwasser. Also, if/when the SPS tank goes to Triton method would you keep the UV? Being that UV seems to provide a clean tank and less cleaning is great, but Triton seems to discourage it. Appreciate your insight.

rtparty · Apr 21, 2018

Thanks for the update and transparency! Showing the bad with the good helps everyone learn.

I am not surprised to hear about sump "issues" and how you wish you went custom. I believe I said something about that earlier

Are you guys monitoring the N and P in each tank? If so, what are the readings?

Devaji · Apr 21, 2018

thanks for the update! I am really really REALLY enjoying this series. just as much or more then BRS investigates.
yeah I also thought you should have gone custom sump .made one your self or got one made. nice sumps tho just I think you would have found it better.

Ryanbrs · Apr 21, 2018

Cesar Romero said:
Thank you for the video. I appreciate seeing the good and the bad. I'm starting the cycle for my tank soon, so this video was very informative. I'm glad the UV is proving good results this far, since I was considering adding one. I do have a question though. In prior videos I know you where going to try pushing kalkwasser to its limits, and other videos of how triton is a form of ULM. For a new tank starting out, would it be more beneficial to start with triton right off, or with kalkwasser. Also, if/when the SPS tank goes to Triton method would you keep the UV? Being that UV seems to provide a clean tank and less cleaning is great, but Triton seems to discourage it. Appreciate your insight.

The best approach is always to pick a path and stay on it. So if I was going to go Triton I would stick with it from the beginning. Be aware that the demand for that line is so strong that they are having a hard time keeping up. I would stock up on core 7 when you get a chance.

I can say that Triton has done really well on the 160. I think we will have an update pretty soon. These ULM tanks are just alternative approaches. I am fairly confident they will produce similar types of success on the LPS and softy tank. The SPS tank will be the most interesting to follow. How far does the kalk reactor and red sea trace colors take us? After that how well does the calcium reactor manage trace elements?