What do you feel is the secret to YOUR success?

[Paintguru]

I'm becoming increasingly frustrated with my reef systems. Back in the day, I could not for the life of me get SPS to grow very well. I did seem to have reasonable luck with zoas/palys, so I switched and things started out well. Lately though, I have simply have more algae growth then zoa/paly growth, and this was after they grew well in basically the same system! Anyways, enough whining from me...the point of this is to discuss what you feel is the secret to your success. It could be a combination of things, but you guys know your systems better then anyone, so I am curious what you feel is vital to keeping the beauty and growth of your system going.

 

[JGoslee]

For me I think keeping my parameters stable and heavy skimming. I can't remember the last time I had any nuisance algae. I attribute that to my Deltec. As for growth I think I have really good SPS growth and probable around average growth for LPS and zoas/palys. Stability = success IMO.

 

[Paintguru]

For me I think keeping my parameters stable and heavy skimming. I can't remember the last time I had any nuisance algae. I attribute that to my Deltec. As for growth I think I have really good SPS growth and probable around average growth for LPS and zoas/palys. Stability = success IMO.

What parameters do you focus on keeping stable and how do you go about doing this (beyond temp and salinity)?

 

[JGoslee]

What parameters do you focus on keeping stable and how do you go about doing this (beyond temp and salinity)?

Basically I try to keep my alk, ca, and mag levels all slightly elavated. Right now I'm able to keep my ca and alk in check by dripping kalk and adding 20ml of ca every 2 days. Every 2 weeks I add 2 shots of mag.
This keeps my parameters at...
dKH - 9
Ca - 450-500
Mag - 1300-1400

 

[surfn]

keep it simple, and keep the parameters stable as much as possible. this does NOT require expensive equipment, nor allot of equipment.

my first 2 years in the hobby, i kept a 20g high, with a HOB refugium, no skimmer.....and also kept sps. i added baking soda and calcium chloride to jugs of freshwater I topped off manually every other day. those 2 years were probably the most enjoyable i've had since i've been in the hobby.

lately, this hobby has been quite frustrating....despite all the advances i've put into my much larger tanks.

 

[turbois300]

I'm probably going to ramble here for a bit as I'm all hopped up on cold medicine and at work and the market is pretty stagnent today, so sorry in advance.

For me I think it is the chaeto and the fuge. That really seems to keep all the algae out of the display and the coraline is almost out of control! I'm not big on testing. I know that for optimum whatnot you should but I think it is more monitoring things visually. When the xenia gets ticked it's normally due to low alk and when the SPS seemed to be not very polyp-ie or the clam is ticked it's normally low Ca. Nitrates and phosphates are removed by the fuge and also the RO/DI. That is a big thing too.. good fresh water to start with. I made a 4 stage RO/DI unit and the water is wicked clean.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1293143

Here are some shots of my tank. The superman and the slimers were all rescues from a friend that gave them to me bleached and on their way out. They both have recovered quite well.

I use the seachem powders to dose and I pretty much dose daily with my topoff water (manually). I think the SB in the fuge could be a bit deeper and I'd like to add some mangroves in my new setup. My skimmer blows (CPR-2) but again I thikn that the macro and the abundance of xenia really help strip out the bad stuff..??

I think if your going to keep predominately one type of coral then you have to supplement the skimming, calcium, or whatever to get them to flourish. I think if you have a more diverse coral makeup then they compliment eachother as more like in nature????? Maybe??? Heck I dunno.... sorry to clog up the thread with medicine talk.

 

[turbois300]

Yeah - what Surf said. He's got a more clear -er head than me!! he he he

 

[msman825]

yep, keeping it simple. sounds like me when i was trying to hook up a brand new reef keeper. Well needless too say its still laying over there in the box

 

[coralfarm123]

1. It all starts with Water Chemistry- Maintain Alk, Calcium, Magnesium and keep Phosphates down which is likely the cause of most nuisance algae.
2. Lots of flow and good lighting

The rest is all personal preference.

 

[Paintguru]

I agree on simple, and I did just add some chaeto to my sump, so I'm hoping all that helps. It is just amazing how, after setting up a system, much you wish you had done differently .

 

[gflat65]

Stability and observations. Understand what you are seeing and don't treat the problem, treat the cause. I don't use chemicals to attack issues in the tank. If it happens naturally, I'll figure out how to deal with it naturally, even if it means living with it to some degree. Not sure if these have made me successful (not exactly certain of the concept of success), but I try to follow them.

 

[fishes2889]

Keeping all parameters in check etc.

Lighting, right amount of flow.

AND especially KEEPING MY HANDS OUT OF THE TANK!!!