180 Reef Upgrade
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raidendex
Well-known member
raidendex
Well-known member
Quite a few changes since my last update.
I've added around 90 lbs of rock to the sump and switched the sump light to the par38 led bulb for a simpler setup. Had same bulb on the 60g tank and it seems to be working well. Rock still fairly new so overall the tank looks a bit bad due to it cycling.
Next, I've decided to add another Gyre 150 to the tank, which I have mounted vertically on the opposite side from the other Gyre. Since there is no advance controller, I simply alternate them for 30 minutes each in continuous mode.
To liven up the tank, I've added some more livestock - diamond watchman goby, midas blenny, two more pistol shrimps (although they were rather tiny, so not sure where they went heh), and ten lyretail anthias with one of them being male (so far only have seen 8 at a time females, so not sure what has happened to last female or I'm not just seeing them all at once).
It has only been few days with some of the fish, but so far I do see a lot more movement in the tank from both new and old fish.
Finally, I have received the order from Battlecorals. I've picked 20 and got 25 in the box, so far all look alive, should be able to tell for sure in new few weeks as I see new growth. Not the best pictures of them, especially since most are colors down from shipping, but it's something to begin the track of their growth with http://reef.verynotgood.info/index.php?/category/482
In most pictures you will see quite a bit of algae and bubbles etc, I'm currently getting quite a bit of cyano and diatoms in part due to new rock in the sump, but also to a recent "experiment" of mine.
For about a month I've been dosing Red Seas No Pox, but recently have stopped. After stopping I started to see some cyano here and there, so to see if I could quickly kill it I dosed quite a bit of H2O2 lol. In short I ended up dumping about 300-400 mls of regulat H2O2 into the tank
The result was death of all cyano that I could see (it did come back just the same few days later). As far as corals go, I saw quite a bit of damage to certain pieces. Most damaged one was Neon green candy cane, which lost most of the tissue except for the tentacles and mouth. Quite a few corals changed colors to reddish hue, others also showed some burnt branches etc.
In the end heavy dose of H2O2 did not kill any corals, even the candy cane is already coming back and covering exposed skeleton. But it did mess up overall balance in the system on microbial level, which is responsible for cyano and diatoms all over the tank.
Here is the shot of candy cane a few days after the overdose.
So for now I just get to sit back and wait for things to settle down. I do not really want to try any other quick cures right now
I've added around 90 lbs of rock to the sump and switched the sump light to the par38 led bulb for a simpler setup. Had same bulb on the 60g tank and it seems to be working well. Rock still fairly new so overall the tank looks a bit bad due to it cycling.
Next, I've decided to add another Gyre 150 to the tank, which I have mounted vertically on the opposite side from the other Gyre. Since there is no advance controller, I simply alternate them for 30 minutes each in continuous mode.
To liven up the tank, I've added some more livestock - diamond watchman goby, midas blenny, two more pistol shrimps (although they were rather tiny, so not sure where they went heh), and ten lyretail anthias with one of them being male (so far only have seen 8 at a time females, so not sure what has happened to last female or I'm not just seeing them all at once).
It has only been few days with some of the fish, but so far I do see a lot more movement in the tank from both new and old fish.
Finally, I have received the order from Battlecorals. I've picked 20 and got 25 in the box, so far all look alive, should be able to tell for sure in new few weeks as I see new growth. Not the best pictures of them, especially since most are colors down from shipping, but it's something to begin the track of their growth with http://reef.verynotgood.info/index.php?/category/482
In most pictures you will see quite a bit of algae and bubbles etc, I'm currently getting quite a bit of cyano and diatoms in part due to new rock in the sump, but also to a recent "experiment" of mine.
For about a month I've been dosing Red Seas No Pox, but recently have stopped. After stopping I started to see some cyano here and there, so to see if I could quickly kill it I dosed quite a bit of H2O2 lol. In short I ended up dumping about 300-400 mls of regulat H2O2 into the tank
The result was death of all cyano that I could see (it did come back just the same few days later). As far as corals go, I saw quite a bit of damage to certain pieces. Most damaged one was Neon green candy cane, which lost most of the tissue except for the tentacles and mouth. Quite a few corals changed colors to reddish hue, others also showed some burnt branches etc.In the end heavy dose of H2O2 did not kill any corals, even the candy cane is already coming back and covering exposed skeleton. But it did mess up overall balance in the system on microbial level, which is responsible for cyano and diatoms all over the tank.
Here is the shot of candy cane a few days after the overdose.
So for now I just get to sit back and wait for things to settle down. I do not really want to try any other quick cures right now
ARVERLY
New member
We're also experiencing some bad cyano right now, although it's getting better!! We've been scrubbing the rocks with a toothbrush, doing more water changes, and changing the filter socks often. We're going this route for another month or so and then we'll do the quick cure (chemiclean) if it doesn't improve!
Those BC corals are sweet!!! I specially love the BPG and Rosario (I think you can already frag these two! Lol), hyperberry, premoberry, fire polyp table, banana Lokani, thermans rainbow, and rainbows in spain!
Thanks for the update!
Those BC corals are sweet!!! I specially love the BPG and Rosario (I think you can already frag these two! Lol), hyperberry, premoberry, fire polyp table, banana Lokani, thermans rainbow, and rainbows in spain!
Thanks for the update!
SaltWater226
New member
Michael, I would give it some time after all the new additions. Your bacteria has to increase after adding over 10 fish and 25 corals you might even have to up your A and B for 25 corals, I'm not sure if it makes a difference when they're frags but you want to make sure they have enough to growwwww so I can come over and buy some frags from you 
you might even have to up your A and B for 25 corals, I'm not sure if it makes a difference when they're frags but you want to make sure they have enough to growwwww so I can come over and buy some frags from you
raidendex
Well-known member
Finally received two Apex DOS units that I have ordered back in November.
Overall seem to be fairly nice. There is quite a bit of noise when they are on by pressing manual dose button, but if you are not dosing very large amounts quickly unit can run at slower speeds and produce no noise. Size wise, they are fairly bulky. They do stack.
Programming can be done in a number of ways. For basic dosing default program that Apex Fusion gives you should be enough. Basically it sets whole day as a dosing period and you just specify how much to dose. Apex Fusion will then create a program that will break up the total amount to dose into a smaller chunks and spread it over the period of time. For example for default range from 0:00 to 23:59 it seem to be dosing every 10 minutes whatever the small fraction of the total it is.
However if all pumps are set to the same time period, they will do those small doses at the same time. To solve this and stagger things you just need to stagger the time periods, i.e. 0:00 to 23:50, 0:03 to 23:53, 0:06 to 23:56. This should make sure that no pumps are on at the same time.
Further you can create multiple time periods instead of just one that lasts whole day and set ml amount to dose to each period.
Finally, it is also possible to create profiles in which you specify things like dosing speed, amount to dose, how many times to dose, direction of the flow etc. This is likely of little use for dosing A/B, but can come in handy with other things like water changes.
Here is the sample log of dosing for my system with time periods spanning most of the day and staggered by few minutes as described above. Have it set to dose 150ml of A/B and 15ml of Mag.
<table class="table table-condensed table-hover"><tbody style="cursor<tr><td>72</td><td>2015-02-16 17:03:10 -0500</td><td>BL-CA</td><td>1.1 mL</td></tr><tr><td>73</td><td>2015-02-16 17:07:09 -0500</td><td>BR-ALK</td><td>1.1 mL</td></tr><tr><td>74</td><td>2015-02-16 17:10:02 -0500</td><td>TL-MG</td><td>0.1 mL</td></tr><tr><td>75</td><td>2015-02-16 17:13:10 -0500</td><td>BL-CA</td><td>1.1 mL</td></tr><tr><td>76</td><td>2015-02-16 17:17:10 -0500</td><td>BR-ALK</td><td>1.1 mL</td></tr><tr><td>77</td><td>2015-02-16 17:20:01 -0500</td><td>TL-MG</td><td>0.1 mL</td></tr><tr><td>78</td><td>2015-02-16 17:23:10 -0500</td><td>BL-CA</td><td>1.1 mL</td></tr><tr><td>79</td><td>2015-02-16 17:27:10 -0500</td><td>BR-ALK</td><td>1.1 mL</td></tr><tr><td>80</td><td>2015-02-16 17:30:02 -0500</td><td>TL-MG</td><td>0.1 mL</td></tr><tr><td>81</td><td>2015-02-16 17:33:10 -0500</td><td>BL-CA</td><td>1.1 mL</td></tr><tr><td>82</td><td>2015-02-16 17:37:09 -0500</td><td>BR-ALK</td><td>1.1 mL</td></tr><tr><td>83</td><td>2015-02-16 17:40:02 -0500</td><td>TL-MG</td><td>0.1 mL</td></tr></tbody></table>
Overall seem to be fairly nice. There is quite a bit of noise when they are on by pressing manual dose button, but if you are not dosing very large amounts quickly unit can run at slower speeds and produce no noise. Size wise, they are fairly bulky. They do stack.
Programming can be done in a number of ways. For basic dosing default program that Apex Fusion gives you should be enough. Basically it sets whole day as a dosing period and you just specify how much to dose. Apex Fusion will then create a program that will break up the total amount to dose into a smaller chunks and spread it over the period of time. For example for default range from 0:00 to 23:59 it seem to be dosing every 10 minutes whatever the small fraction of the total it is.
However if all pumps are set to the same time period, they will do those small doses at the same time. To solve this and stagger things you just need to stagger the time periods, i.e. 0:00 to 23:50, 0:03 to 23:53, 0:06 to 23:56. This should make sure that no pumps are on at the same time.
Further you can create multiple time periods instead of just one that lasts whole day and set ml amount to dose to each period.
Finally, it is also possible to create profiles in which you specify things like dosing speed, amount to dose, how many times to dose, direction of the flow etc. This is likely of little use for dosing A/B, but can come in handy with other things like water changes.
Here is the sample log of dosing for my system with time periods spanning most of the day and staggered by few minutes as described above. Have it set to dose 150ml of A/B and 15ml of Mag.
<table class="table table-condensed table-hover"><tbody style="cursor
<tr><td>72</td><td>2015-02-16 17:03:10 -0500</td><td>BL-CA</td><td>1.1 mL</td></tr><tr><td>73</td><td>2015-02-16 17:07:09 -0500</td><td>BR-ALK</td><td>1.1 mL</td></tr><tr><td>74</td><td>2015-02-16 17:10:02 -0500</td><td>TL-MG</td><td>0.1 mL</td></tr><tr><td>75</td><td>2015-02-16 17:13:10 -0500</td><td>BL-CA</td><td>1.1 mL</td></tr><tr><td>76</td><td>2015-02-16 17:17:10 -0500</td><td>BR-ALK</td><td>1.1 mL</td></tr><tr><td>77</td><td>2015-02-16 17:20:01 -0500</td><td>TL-MG</td><td>0.1 mL</td></tr><tr><td>78</td><td>2015-02-16 17:23:10 -0500</td><td>BL-CA</td><td>1.1 mL</td></tr><tr><td>79</td><td>2015-02-16 17:27:10 -0500</td><td>BR-ALK</td><td>1.1 mL</td></tr><tr><td>80</td><td>2015-02-16 17:30:02 -0500</td><td>TL-MG</td><td>0.1 mL</td></tr><tr><td>81</td><td>2015-02-16 17:33:10 -0500</td><td>BL-CA</td><td>1.1 mL</td></tr><tr><td>82</td><td>2015-02-16 17:37:09 -0500</td><td>BR-ALK</td><td>1.1 mL</td></tr><tr><td>83</td><td>2015-02-16 17:40:02 -0500</td><td>TL-MG</td><td>0.1 mL</td></tr></tbody></table>
Swirlygig
Active member
Quite a few changes since my last update.
I've added around 90 lbs of rock to the sump and switched the sump light to the par38 led bulb for a simpler setup. Had same bulb on the 60g tank and it seems to be working well. Rock still fairly new so overall the tank looks a bit bad due to it cycling.
Next, I've decided to add another Gyre 150 to the tank, which I have mounted vertically on the opposite side from the other Gyre. Since there is no advance controller, I simply alternate them for 30 minutes each in continuous mode.
To liven up the tank, I've added some more livestock - diamond watchman goby, midas blenny, two more pistol shrimps (although they were rather tiny, so not sure where they went heh), and ten lyretail anthias with one of them being male (so far only have seen 8 at a time females, so not sure what has happened to last female or I'm not just seeing them all at once).
It has only been few days with some of the fish, but so far I do see a lot more movement in the tank from both new and old fish.
Finally, I have received the order from Battlecorals. I've picked 20 and got 25 in the box, so far all look alive, should be able to tell for sure in new few weeks as I see new growth. Not the best pictures of them, especially since most are colors down from shipping, but it's something to begin the track of their growth with http://reef.verynotgood.info/index.php?/category/482
In most pictures you will see quite a bit of algae and bubbles etc, I'm currently getting quite a bit of cyano and diatoms in part due to new rock in the sump, but also to a recent "experiment" of mine.
For about a month I've been dosing Red Seas No Pox, but recently have stopped. After stopping I started to see some cyano here and there, so to see if I could quickly kill it I dosed quite a bit of H2O2 lol. In short I ended up dumping about 300-400 mls of regulat H2O2 into the tank
In the end heavy dose of H2O2 did not kill any corals, even the candy cane is already coming back and covering exposed skeleton. But it did mess up overall balance in the system on microbial level, which is responsible for cyano and diatoms all over the tank.
Here is the shot of candy cane a few days after the overdose.
So for now I just get to sit back and wait for things to settle down. I do not really want to try any other quick cures right now
I am not a fan of carbon dosing. I did what you did and dose carbon. Resulted in the loss of most lps. That and my dosing pump broke, so not sure which is was, but what a mistake! If it ain't broke don't fix it.
raidendex
Well-known member
Yeah I'm sticking to basics - skimmer, algae farm, Ca/Alk/Mg, with small water changes about once a month. I do run BRS Rox, but I do not think I run enough for it to impact the system too much (about 1 cup, change once a month).
And that's a lot of MLs! I'm not even sure I need 150ml or not. Just doing basic 1ml per gallon type thing. Will see in few days how parameters are and will increase/decrease from there if needed.
I'm sure when all my SPS will start getting bigger I will have to dose quite a bit as well, I really have zero space now left to add anything new. Actually I had zero space left about half the corals ago lol, now there are all super cramped with just 4-6" between some heh
And that's a lot of MLs! I'm not even sure I need 150ml or not. Just doing basic 1ml per gallon type thing. Will see in few days how parameters are and will increase/decrease from there if needed.
I'm sure when all my SPS will start getting bigger I will have to dose quite a bit as well, I really have zero space now left to add anything new. Actually I had zero space left about half the corals ago lol, now there are all super cramped with just 4-6" between some heh
Is this 330 of Calcium and 330 of Alk? You need a CaRx. It isn't cheap to start up but at the rate you are going through two part you should have your money back in no time. It only costs me $30 in media and $7 in Co2 per year to run.I dose 660ml per dayMine is loud.
raidendex
Well-known member
Well did a bit of clean up in the tank today. So far just went down to 5 big rocks. Each has few corals (not quite 2-3 that I planned, hard to say no ! lol ) that somewhat match colors. So there is yellow rock, blue rock etc. Although it's not super perfect.
All went ok, although I feel like I smashed all of the pistol shrimp >< Tiny one disappeared early on, large one I saw for a while running from rock to rock as I was moving them, but at some point I lost track of him although I always checked if he was on the sand before I put down a rock. Maybe he went inside of a rock at some point and I trapped him Hopefully he is ok though, will check tomorrow again.
Here is a quick shot (lights already off so this is just with moonlights, but at least can see the structure). I like it. Feels much cleaner and I was able to move vertical Gyre moved to the back wall.
All went ok, although I feel like I smashed all of the pistol shrimp >< Tiny one disappeared early on, large one I saw for a while running from rock to rock as I was moving them, but at some point I lost track of him although I always checked if he was on the sand before I put down a rock. Maybe he went inside of a rock at some point and I trapped him
Hopefully he is ok though, will check tomorrow again.Here is a quick shot (lights already off so this is just with moonlights, but at least can see the structure). I like it. Feels much cleaner and I was able to move vertical Gyre moved to the back wall.
geckoejon
Active member
i'm really diggin this tank! the aquascape is very nice. are you doing different types of coral on each island or just a mix on each?
not having the large overflow boxes is a major plus, imo. i'm thinking coast to coast overflow on one end for my upgrade.
are you still running the led's? if so, happy with the colors and growth?
not having the large overflow boxes is a major plus, imo. i'm thinking coast to coast overflow on one end for my upgrade.
are you still running the led's? if so, happy with the colors and growth?
ARVERLY
New member
Are you using an 8x80W?
Loving the new scape man! I gotta see this setup! (Oh and meet you of course lol)
raidendex
Well-known member
Yes it's 8x80w
If I remember correctly
2x ATI Actinic
3x ATI Blue+
3x ATI Coral+
Are you dimming your T5s on your tank? I find it that on my frag tank that is also 12" tall like yours, 6 bulb configuration about 12" above the water is too much. Some corals become really pale, as if they were blasted by too much light, yet PAR meter shows 250-300 par on the sand bed which is about what corals in the main tank get. Of course it could be some chemistry issues as well I guess as the tank is kind of new. Nothing is dying and in fact PE looks good, just that colors are not quite the same as in the main tank
If I remember correctly
2x ATI Actinic
3x ATI Blue+
3x ATI Coral+
Are you dimming your T5s on your tank? I find it that on my frag tank that is also 12" tall like yours, 6 bulb configuration about 12" above the water is too much. Some corals become really pale, as if they were blasted by too much light, yet PAR meter shows 250-300 par on the sand bed which is about what corals in the main tank get. Of course it could be some chemistry issues as well I guess as the tank is kind of new. Nothing is dying and in fact PE looks good, just that colors are not quite the same as in the main tank
Swirlygig
Active member
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