Recent content by apstreck

Hello, I've been out of the hobby for several years and I am planning on starting a new tank in the next few months and lighting has changed a LOT since I've been active in the reef world. I have a 56g tank that I am going to use as a display tank, 30x18x24. I want to keep a mixed LPS/SPS tank...

I have a seldct-a-watt ballast that runs 150, 175, 250, or HQI. I'm using Phoenix 14k 250w DE bulbs, and I've been running my ballast at the 250w setting. This weekend however, another hobbyist told me I should be running them on the HQI setting since it is DE. Anyone using Phoenix 250w DE...

Only the bottom. Unless otherwise noted, most 55's are totally fine to drill. I drilled my last tank which was a 75, and it was only tempered on the bottom. You can always check with a pair of polarized sunglasses and a laptop to be safe.

Well, its pretty widespread. I took a sample into my lab at work and looked at it under a microscope, and I believe it is bryopsis based on some additional research that I did. In my tank (60g cube) it is only all live rocks and most on glass; it must have transferred from my old tank but I...

Perhaps this is a better pic

Well I'm not sure yet. The tank is rather new and my cuc is only a handful of ceriths

I'm having a widespread algae breakout in my new tank and I want to get it under control before it takes over. Just wondering of what I'm seeing is GHA or bryopsis... it is literally everywhere... on the rocks and glass.

Who really expects us to be mixing 220 gallons at a time... it's an outrageous assumption for the average hobbyist

Only what I needed... it was the end of one bucket and the start or a new

Just did a full test on my new reef tank (transfer from old tank) and getting some strange numbers. I used 100% new saltwater, tropic marin salt, and results were as followed. SG: 1.023 pH: 8.2 Ammonia: 0 Nitrite: 0 Nitrate: <5 Mg: 1800 Ca: 340 dKH: 7.8 I know salinity is low, I must have just...

Had I known I would run into these issues I would have done things differently. I custom drilled my last tank, a standard 75, and added a glass overflow and beananimal drain, it was awesome. But I'm gonna make this one work for now.

what did you adjust you GPH down to (roughly)? I mean, I'm a bit under 400 gph now and hesitate to go much lower... all my sump will have is a skimmer but still, it seems to be awful low.

Depends on the tang, but I wouldn't consider them to be part of cuc either way.

Perhaps you could run an external/ recirculating skimmer?

No, their contribution to algae control is minimal. Many don't eat any at all. And most tangs like 6' + tanks to be happy.