25g SPS (too many pics...is that possible?)

[LiveRock27]

I am actually going with a retro kit, but I think I am going to use the 14k Phoenix. I will also have acouple T5s because the setup I baught from a local reefer had been running T5s only over the 29g, so might as well pack as much light over the tank as I can.

 

[kaserpick]

Might as well if you can. I kept the lights simple to give me the most viewing space from the top; since the tank is so shallow, I tried to gear it towards top-down viewing. With a 29g, you probably won't be using that as your goal, so load up the lights!

 

[LiveRock27]

I would love to do a top down view tank, but with this setup I have a custom stand and canopy. I ended up fitting 4(2 in each reflector) 24w T5s and the 250w MH. The setup was running 8x24w T5s with lots of different bulbs so I am playing around with which T5s will make the tank look the best and give me a nice dawn/dusk affect.

 

[erendon]

Great looking tank. The corals you have there will grow (fast when conditions are right) and soon you will need to think of getting a bigger tank.

 

[dereference]

Kaserman,

Great tank! Finally got to see it. Yeah you will need a bigger tank soon

Jobster

 

[Scissorhand]

Nice tank man.

So you've achieved such success without an auto top off so far?

Do you dose 2 parts to maintain alkalinity and calcium magnesium?

 

[LiveRock27]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12250796#post12250796 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Scissorhand
Nice tank man.

So you've achieved such success without an auto top off so far?

Do you dose 2 parts to maintain alkalinity and calcium magnesium?

I would also love to hear about what you are using on the tank.

 

[kaserpick]

Here is a list of the supplements I dose (I'll explain how I dose them later).
Tropic Marin (TM) Bio-Calcium
TM Bio-Magnesium
TM Bio-Strontium
TM Lugol's Solution
Seachem (SC) Reef Buffer
SC Reef Builder
SC Reef Adv. Calcium
Kent Kalkwasser

Dosing plan coming next... Thanks again for the compliments everyone. Hey Joby!

 

[kaserpick]

Everyday I do the following:
1 tsp TM Bio Ca+
1/3 tsp TM Bio Mg
1/4 tsp TM Bio Strontuim (actually a little less)
Top off with Kalkwasser water (always after lights are out for more consistent pH; this is tedious. that's why I'm looking for an ATO.)
1 pinch (pretty technical huh?) of SC Reef Buffer

Special dosing:
If something is off a bit and I need to alter one variable without altering the other (i.e. Ca+ but not Alk, or just Alk), I use the Seachem Ca+ or Reef Builder, respectively.

Every week I do the following:
5g gallon WC (I use a combination of Instant Ocean and Oceanic. The mixture depends on where my Alk and Ca+ are at the time; usually it turns out to be a 50/50 blend.)

1 drop of TM Lugol's Solution (twice a week).

Testing:
Ca+ and Mg once a week. (both Salifert; thinking of changing to Eilos)

Alk. at least twice a week (again Salifert. Since this is important I make sure that I read in the upper 9's. For instance, 9.6 dKH. This allows for a bit of error in the test kit if it is off.)

I do other tests, but not so regularly as that. I test my specific gravity as well on a regular basis and keep it at 1.025.

If any of this is confusing, just let me know. I hope that helps. Thanks for the questions!

 

[kaserpick]

I'm also thinking about dosing Kent Tech-I and some form of Amino Acids and vitamins. I was leaning towards a Seachem product, Reef Plus of something like that. I can't really remember.

Also, for those of you worried about room, I'm definitely going to be planning on upgrading to a 65g with overflow on the side to keep the same general idea that I have now. I'll be using the tank I have now as a propagation tank and setting up a 5-10g QT.

 

[Scissorhand]

Dang man, you do all that and manage not to overdose?

That is amazing.

So when you dump in the top off water with kalkwasser, you just do that all at once or do you use a dosing pump? Wouldn't that send the corals into shock with a jump in pH?

Also, do you test for Strontium and Iodine?

 

[kaserpick]

I test Strontium and Iodine once a month since it costs me so much to do so. Yes, thankfully I've been able to watch everything enough to not overdose.

So far as the kalkwasser goes, I drip it from a bucket for a few hours; since this takes so long, there are sometimes nights that I cannot do it. I actually work at a store here, and I've personally seen the effects of dumping too much at once. The owner had a worker dose it and he ended up losing almost every SPS including a 7 year old acropora millepora; it was huge. I was sad to see so much die. Surprisingly, all the montipora species survived.

 

[LiveRock27]

Thanks for the detail list of your dosing/water change schedule and for posting about my lights.

 

[Scissorhand]

kaserpick, thanks for your explanation.

Good work. Keep it up man.

One last question.

What's the level of Magnesium in your salt mix?

I see that you dose 1/3 tsp everyday, but does Magnesium deplete that quickly daily?

 

[kaserpick]

The average concentrations of Magnesium in Oceanic and Instant Ocean seem to be 1550 and 1100, respectively (this is just from my own testing). So when I do a 50/50 blend, I assume it's running around 1325. When I test my tank water, I average in the mid 1300's; today I was 1380 ppm. Because of these readings I've always assumed that it truly is using it that fast. I like to try to run Mg a little high to give me a little room for error on Ca+, in case I overdose that with the TM and kalkwasser.

Thanks again for compliments Scissorhand! Love the avatar.

 

[kaserpick]

I picked up some Seachem Trace and Plus today; I went ahead and dosed 1/8 tsp of both. I'm curious to see what the effects are if they'll even be noticeable. It truly has been a joy maintaining this system...that was random.

 

[LiveRock27]

Quick question(I didn't see it so far in the thread, but I might have missed it), How deep is your tank? With all the color of your SPS you are making me rethink about running the 250w and sticking with the 150w MH.
Have you heard of the brand Brightwell Aquatics? I have been using their 2part and Mag products in my zoa/acan tank and my Cal, Alk, and Mag are always at 450, 10, and 1400. It is only a 14g tank, but I does 1/2 a cap of the 2part 3x week and 1/2 a cap of the mag twice a week. I test once a week for these three plus a few others and I test at random times and it just seems to stay constent.
Sorry to get off topic, can't wait to see some more pics and see how the new products work.

 

[dobly_1999]

Man, I really like the tank. I like how the frags are spread over the rocks. Sit back and enjoy the changes to come.
Larger tank? Why?

Good job.

 

[dobly_1999]

Show us some pictures of your setup.

 

[kaserpick]

LiveRock27: The tank is only 12" deep, and my light is about 6" off the water. I've never heard of Brightwell Aquatics before; I've always been a big fan of powder products. Although I have heard that many people use 2 part systems with excellent success. Those are good readings as well; nice work!

Dobly_1999: Thanks for the compliment; my big concern is that the corals will start waging war on one another when they start to touch. I'll try to get a few pictures of the setup as well; it's a really simple system. It definitely worked great in college.

So far no noticeable change in the corals; they seem to always have good PE so I really couldn't tell. I think only time will tell if the Trace and Plus supplements make a difference. There sure does seem to be quite a bit of debate. Thanks again for the kind words guys, and stay tuned for more pics...