Zburn's UNS R150

[Z Burn's Reefing]

Hi All!

Figured I'd start a new tank thread as I have recently moved on from my Red Sea Reefer (with a failing seam) to a new UNS R150!

I'll post a youtube link below with the full backstory.

I am absolutely enjoying my new UNS R150. The system has such a premium feel and everything is very well thought out.

A couple of my favorite characteristics of the tank are the mitered glass edges, white-colored base (for those of us that run bare bottom, it just pops), and space organization inside the stand...I am not great with wire management, but the way they have setup this system it makes it very easy to keep things tidy!

I moved over all my livestock just a few days ago, and although I've had some color loss, everything has survived, so I am grateful for that.

One of the other bigger changes is I've gone away from my beloved metal halides (i.e., radiums) and am trying some new lights (i.e., ATI Straton Xs). So far, I really like the aesthetic and look. PAR is also very nice and coverage is quite good. Still playing around with spectrum at the moment, but don't want to mess with things too much at this time until the tank stabilizes and we get through the diatom bloom. The negatives...so far on the Straton Xs...is the app is a little rough...sometimes my settings don't save and randomly my timezone appears to get reset, but it's been a few days now and things have stabilized...app could definitely be improved. Time will tell on performance...but I haven't sold my Gieseman Spectra quite yet...I don't think I'll get close to my growth rate with metal halides, but if it's reasonable with the ATI Straton Xs and color goes well, I'll be happy! :)

The other major change is I have gone away from ESV Bionic for my 2 part needs. I dose quite a bit daily (i.e., 175 ml per day) and found through consistent ICP testing that my lithium and bromide levels just kept getting out of hand. Previously, when I could dose much less, it wasn't a problem and water changes kept these elements in check, but now, with how much dkh my tank consumes, I can't out water change this bit of contamination that I believe the 2 part contains (a few others have reported similar experiences once dosing gets to very high levels). Anyways, ESV served me well for many years, but I am trying ATI Essentials SPS for the moment, as my new 2 part system, to see if that resolves my lithium and bromide issue...supposedly it has some trace as well. This change may not solve my issues and I could be wrong about all of this...or perhaps I need to move on to a calcium reactor. We'll see...but trying to avoid too many changes at once!

Anyways, will bring more updates here as time allows, for the time being, here is a link to my backstory for this new UNS R150 and some details on delivery and setup. Enjoy and don't hestiate to ask me any questions!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Following along!

 

[Z Burn's Reefing]

Beyond a new tank, I've made a significant change with how I maintain the big 3.

I have had great success using ESV B-ionic 2 part for many years, but I found once I started having to dose 150+ ml per day of each part, my ICP tests continually showed excessive lithium and bromide.

I don't dose anything else and only have a few frag plugs (never used reef cements). My 2 part was likely the cuprit. ESV has trace elements to support maintaining natural seawater levels, but not to increase levels. Lithium and bromide should not be rising this dramatically. I am a faithful water changer, and do large weekly water changes (often 30-50%), but I couldn't out water change what I think was happening...

I came to the preliminary conclusion that the elevated lithium and bromide was coming from the calcium portion of the ESV B-ionic. Time will tell if that is correct...I have had some conversations with a few other hobbyists that observed simliar, but only once their tanks became packed with grown out SPS colonies and dosing became excessive. I don't think the calcium portion is the ESV 2 part is contaminated enough with excessive lithium/bromide to cause someone too much trouble if you are dosing less than 3-4 dkh per day.

On the UNS 150, I have switched to ATI Essentials SPS. It is a little more concentrated than the ESV (if you can believe that) and has trace as well (supposedly). I'm going to give it a month and then will run a new ICP and see if the lithium/bromide have come down at all.

Honestly, I am thinking about moving to a calcium reactor...but will give this a shot.

 

[jackson6745]

Oh man this setup is sweet. Very much looking forward to your progress. I think you’ll be surprised on the growth compared to halide, but we’ll see.

When I was using Red Sea salt my lithium would always be around 400. Using nyos now and it’s like 175 consistently. I heard of high bromide in reef crystals. Maybe check your salt levels besides the esv to see if that’s a contributing factor.

 

[Z Burn's Reefing]

Thanks @jackson6745! I did ICP a fresh batch of my salt (tropic marin) and it was just under 200 for lithium. Maybe I could have gotten a bad batch prior? Will give this new 2 part a test run, probably need to do 2-3 ICPs over next 3 months and see the trend to really determine much...I may need to jump on the modern reef band wagon or go for a calcium reactor. Purely anecdotal, but I feel like cal rx tanks have better/deeper colors...probably just me thinking grass is greener lol

 

[Z Burn's Reefing]

Btw - if anyone is looking for the ultra rare Ice White Gieseman Spectra...I may have one for sale soon...along with several brand new MH bulbs and M80 ballasts. Problem is, don't really want to ship it (what a pain)...and I love that fixture enough that maybe I just keep it and polish it every once in a while, and treat it like a classic car/garage queen that is only started every once in a while.

I do love that feeling I get when those M80 ballasts initially kick on and that radium goes through its initial burn cycle!

 

[jackson6745]

Thanks @jackson6745! I did ICP a fresh batch of my salt (tropic marin) and it was just under 200 for lithium. Maybe I could have gotten a bad batch prior? Will give this new 2 part a test run, probably need to do 2-3 ICPs over next 3 months and see the trend to really determine much...I may need to jump on the modern reef band wagon or go for a calcium reactor. Purely anecdotal, but I feel like cal rx tanks have better/deeper colors...probably just me thinking grass is greener lol

I always thought calcium reactor tanks had the best growth. I haven’t ran one in a long time but I hear that the new sea torch ones are awesome. Maybe if my consumption gets much higher in the future I’ll incorporate one as well. For now I’ll enjoy the 4 part cruise control lol.

 

[dustinc]

Can you share your settings on your Straton X? I just ordered 3 today but have a 6’ x 3’ x 30” tank. Seeing all these people saying they are running them at low percentages and still getting crazy par. Hoping I see the same