The Great Downsize: KJoFan's IM Fusion 50 Lagoon
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KJoFan
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I am currently keeping it around 77. I know that’s probably the top end for BSJ so may consider bumping it down another degree or so. I really wouldn’t think running a tank 75-76 would be too detrimental to the other inhabitants.
Viking_Reefing
Valuable Member
I’ve had a hard time finding reports from people keeping them in 25-25,5C over longer periods of time. If that would be doable I would definitely pull the trigger but can’t justify the hassle of keeping my temp down to 23C during the summer.
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KJoFan
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My tank is in the lower level of my house so keeping the temp down won't be a huge hassle for me. But, I can see if your tank naturally runs higher than is maybe ideal for them, I probably wouldn't bother either.
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KJoFan
Valuable Member
So, I am battling what appears to be a case of dinoflagelletes. I can't really figure out exactly why. I tested nutrients yesterday and came up with:
NO3 - 7.5
PO4 - .03
They're both a tad low maybe, especially PO4 but not excessively. I've been trying to feed 1-2 cubes of frozen daily along with a few pellets most days. I would think in a tank this size that would be more than enough to keep nutrients going.
I do have gfo, carbon and purigen in the media baskets along with some Seachem Matrix. Maybe I need to pull the gfo and see what happens. But, I don't want PO4 to shoot up either and cause an algae outbreak.
Corals for the most part are doing pretty good. Some sps look like they could use some more nutrition and one of my new pieces from Battlecorals that came last week RTN'd overnight. But up until that, everything was good and the rest look fine.
NO3 - 7.5
PO4 - .03
They're both a tad low maybe, especially PO4 but not excessively. I've been trying to feed 1-2 cubes of frozen daily along with a few pellets most days. I would think in a tank this size that would be more than enough to keep nutrients going.
I do have gfo, carbon and purigen in the media baskets along with some Seachem Matrix. Maybe I need to pull the gfo and see what happens. But, I don't want PO4 to shoot up either and cause an algae outbreak.
Corals for the most part are doing pretty good. Some sps look like they could use some more nutrition and one of my new pieces from Battlecorals that came last week RTN'd overnight. But up until that, everything was good and the rest look fine.
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KJoFan
Valuable Member
While overall corals all look fine and softies and lps are thriving I've been battling rusty colored algae on my glass quite a bit. It needs to be removed daily it comes back so quickly.
Nutrients as of yesterday were:
NO3 - 25
PO4 - .03
I took my gfo out to try to bring PO4 up a bit, as I'd like it to be higher. However, I'm wondering if I just have too much light. I'm running a Radion G4 Pro maxing at 40% intensity for 5 hours daily, during which time my 4 T5's are also on during that peak period. Am I just hitting it with too much light? Too long of duration? The Radion ramps up/down from that peak period for about 12 hours total, but honestly the ramping period is a fairly low percentage most of the time and I don't think 12 hours total is out of line.
I'm wondering if I should take the T5's offline and just run the Radion? Or run two T5 bulbs vs all 4?
Any thoughts?
Nutrients as of yesterday were:
NO3 - 25
PO4 - .03
I took my gfo out to try to bring PO4 up a bit, as I'd like it to be higher. However, I'm wondering if I just have too much light. I'm running a Radion G4 Pro maxing at 40% intensity for 5 hours daily, during which time my 4 T5's are also on during that peak period. Am I just hitting it with too much light? Too long of duration? The Radion ramps up/down from that peak period for about 12 hours total, but honestly the ramping period is a fairly low percentage most of the time and I don't think 12 hours total is out of line.
I'm wondering if I should take the T5's offline and just run the Radion? Or run two T5 bulbs vs all 4?
Any thoughts?
TheWB
Valuable Member
With NO3 at 25 and with the amount of coral you have my inclination would be to lower NO3 rather than reduce your lighting. Every system is different but I bet you’d have less algae growth on the glass if NO3 was around 10 with PO4 at .03 That‘s what I’m targeting but it’s easier said than done. My last tests were NO3 at 5 and PO4 at .09. I’m not chasing numbers necessarily but I would like to correct that ratio. It’s a struggle. Good luck.
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KJoFan
Valuable Member
My nitrates had been closer to 10 the last couple weeks and PO4 nearer to .06 and I had the same issue with the glass algae. So, I'm not 100% convinced it's nutrient related, but could be.
TheWB
Valuable Member
Next logical step would be the lighting then if the issue was still present with lower nutrients. 40% can be a lot with an XR30. I run my XR15 around 40% on the AB+ LPS/Soft preset although I think they just changed the name of that to like Mixed or something, it’s different than when I first started using the AB+ profile.
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KJoFan
Valuable Member
I would guess it’s probably a combination of both really. I do have the RMS mount for the Radion so toying with the idea of pulling it out of the Aquatic life fixture and using it alone to see if any difference is seen.
But, that’s also a fair bit of work just to experiment.
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KJoFan
Valuable Member
Do you know what's different about the lps/soft AB+ profile vs the AB+ sps profile? I control mine with the WXM module and my Apex so I don't have access to the names of the profiles just have to set comparatively. I'm using what I think is the AB+ profile for sps but I do have a fair amount of sps. I was just curious what the difference between the two were.
I cut back my overall lighting period several days ago to see if I can cut down on the glass algae.
My latest nutrient numbers last night were:
NO3 - 10
PO4 - .05 (this is up from .03 with the removal of GFO)
I think those numbers look decent, I wouldn't be nervous to have PO4 come up just a bit more even possibly.
I am seeing a few bits of what I think is GHA around, but I'm not too fussed about it at this point. I also see a few patches of cyano, but the need to clean the glass has reduced it seems.
I did add the drop in UV sterilizer from IM to try to control what I think is the presence of a bit of ich, so perhaps that is also having an effect on whatever keeps gunking up the glass.
TheWB
Valuable Member
I don‘t specifically know what the differences are. Up until recently I only had a few corals in the tank and I just chose the LPS AB+ setting when I set up the light because 3 of my 4 corals were lps at the time. I never looked at the SPS profile because I didn’t have any. I’ts probably similar but at a much higher intensity to give the sps the par they need.
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KJoFan
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I'll have to fire up the google machine to curb my curiosity. I think the sps one is basically all blue channels at 100% and whites, red and green at 20% or less if that pleases you.
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KJoFan
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FTS from a few minutes ago during a water change. I’ve been seeing elevated nitrates recently, 35-50 at times. Not sure really what the cause is but I’m not overly worried about it either. I don’t have any algae issues, though I am seeing some cyano in spots. Thus, I’m trying to be more diligent about basting the rocks to keep gunk off them.
Everything except sps seem to be doing well. I just don’t have the touch when it comes to sticks I guess. They tend to dull out to a green or brown and eventually dry up so to speak. Just start to look dry and thin skinned and eventually die.
I did an ICP test recently and nothing was revealed there to point to a cause. I borrowed a par meter yesterday and checked readings a little bit ago. Some sps are barely hitting 200 and others were in the low 200’s. I bumped intensity of the Radion so that all are in a range from 225-275 roughly. I’ll plot some more concrete numbers but for now that’s about where they sit.
I also upped the flow recently to see if that helped but it’s a tough balance between high flow for sps and not ripping my euphyllia apart. The dilemma of a mixed reef in a smaller tank.
Either way, I’ll soldier on and if I have to just give up sticks I will though I hate to be a “quitter”.
Everything except sps seem to be doing well. I just don’t have the touch when it comes to sticks I guess. They tend to dull out to a green or brown and eventually dry up so to speak. Just start to look dry and thin skinned and eventually die.
I did an ICP test recently and nothing was revealed there to point to a cause. I borrowed a par meter yesterday and checked readings a little bit ago. Some sps are barely hitting 200 and others were in the low 200’s. I bumped intensity of the Radion so that all are in a range from 225-275 roughly. I’ll plot some more concrete numbers but for now that’s about where they sit.
I also upped the flow recently to see if that helped but it’s a tough balance between high flow for sps and not ripping my euphyllia apart. The dilemma of a mixed reef in a smaller tank.
Either way, I’ll soldier on and if I have to just give up sticks I will though I hate to be a “quitter”.
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KJoFan
Valuable Member
Things are rolling along. SPS overall aren’t great but hopefully with more time they’ll come along.
I’ve been working to dial in my lighting with the help of a par meter. SPS are sitting barely at 200 most below, so I’ll be increasing the lighting over time.
Everything else is looking good. Nutrients have been a touch high but I’ll be implementing a Santa Monica drop in algae scrubber soon. I don’t have algae issues to speak of so it’s ok for now.
Some pics from the last day or so:
I’ve been working to dial in my lighting with the help of a par meter. SPS are sitting barely at 200 most below, so I’ll be increasing the lighting over time.
Everything else is looking good. Nutrients have been a touch high but I’ll be implementing a Santa Monica drop in algae scrubber soon. I don’t have algae issues to speak of so it’s ok for now.
Some pics from the last day or so:
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