Building My 375gal Glass Reef
- Thread starter GlassReef
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Tom, nice updates again! Most people with larger tanks in Europe also use Calcium Reactors, exept maybe in Germany.
I switched to Full Balling myself also a few days ago (Ca+alk+NaCl fee salt+Mag) I already see the benefits of the higher pH in the tank. (will update my thead about this tomorrow)
I do still use a Kalkwasser Reactor to keep the pH on a steady 8.2, day and night. Have you thought about using one?
Leonardo
I switched to Full Balling myself also a few days ago (Ca+alk+NaCl fee salt+Mag) I already see the benefits of the higher pH in the tank. (will update my thead about this tomorrow)
I do still use a Kalkwasser Reactor to keep the pH on a steady 8.2, day and night. Have you thought about using one?
Leonardo
I should have said Germany - that's where my experience is.
As to using a Kalk reactor, I must admit, I've never had much of a problem with pH. Guess I've just been lucky.Interesting that you're using full Balling. I'm just going with "my version" of Balling lite. Just the salts and some strontium and aminos. Will you be documenting how you dose on your thread?
Doesn't matter Tom 
I will give an explanation tomorrow, when I made some pictures. I also use the Balling-trace elements.
I also don't have a problem with pH, but because I had the Kalkwasser reactor anyway I decided to use it and managed to keep the pH on a steady 8.2 without fluctuations between night and day.
Leonardo
I will give an explanation tomorrow, when I made some pictures. I also use the Balling-trace elements. I also don't have a problem with pH, but because I had the Kalkwasser reactor anyway I decided to use it and managed to keep the pH on a steady 8.2 without fluctuations between night and day.
Leonardo
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14472868#post14472868 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GlassReef
On another subject - I can't remember if I've mentioned it but my tank has cycled. I started turning the lights on about a week ago. Diatom algae started almost immediately - expected. Problem is hair algae has already started to grow! I'm assuming it's because of the type of rock I used (Marco). Anyone have the same problem? How'd ya fix it? I'd rather not have a long knock-down-drag-out with hair algae.
In case it makes any difference - my params:
Calcium: 430
ALK: 8.1 dKH
Mag: 1330
NH3: 0.0
NO2: 0.0
NO3: < 1.0
PO4: 0.1
SG: 1.025
pH: 8.18
ORP: 155 (don't know yet why it's so low)
Temp: 76 (I know this is a little low, but I'm not worried about it yet)
Hi Tom, just throwing my experience out there as I to used Macro Rocks and if my memory serves me correctly I battled this for roughly 4-6 months during the first year. I remember going in with brush and siphon about every other day to try and knock this stuff out. Even though your PO4 levels show a low reading doesn't necessarily mean PO4 is not present.
What I mean is the hair algae needs PO4 to grow therefore PO4 is being consumed by the hair algae thus helping the algae grow and in-turn your low readings.
I employed a "GFO" granular ferric oxide reactor in order to steal the PO4 from the hair algae. In addition to reducing the light cycle, spending $$$ on hair algae eating invertebrates, brushing and siphoning, and letting the tank develop naturally,the problem eventually went away.
Again, this was only my experience so other may have some additional insights.
Great system you have here. Very neatly thought out. I wish I was half as organized. My system is about 7 months old now and I went through the usual suspects; diatoms, hair algae, cyano in that order. I employed a very scientific method to take care of all these stages. bought about 1500 ceriths and grabbed a beer. Way too lazy to get in the tank and scrub etc etc. The snails definitely helped with the hair algae and I think getting them in early before it got too long helped quite a bit but the cyano completely blanketed everything. Now my tank footprint is 20' x 4'
(two 10x4 tanks ) so you can imagine how ugly it looked but I believe that most of these phases will cycle itself out. I don't really like to add chemicals to my tanks so against the advise of friends to use red slime medications I just let it be. It lasted about a month and everything vanished just as quickly as it appeared.
Now keep in mind that I only had just a few hardy corals and fish in the tank so I can't say if I would have reacted differently if the algae or cyano was choking $200 frags.
Just MY experience. By the way I also think my algae problems took so long because I never cooked my rock. I used my old dried out rock and I barely rinsed it out before I started. It was probably still loaded with phosphates and decayed matter
(two 10x4 tanks ) so you can imagine how ugly it looked but I believe that most of these phases will cycle itself out. I don't really like to add chemicals to my tanks so against the advise of friends to use red slime medications I just let it be. It lasted about a month and everything vanished just as quickly as it appeared.
Now keep in mind that I only had just a few hardy corals and fish in the tank so I can't say if I would have reacted differently if the algae or cyano was choking $200 frags.
Just MY experience. By the way I also think my algae problems took so long because I never cooked my rock. I used my old dried out rock and I barely rinsed it out before I started. It was probably still loaded with phosphates and decayed matter
If I remember correctly, you also used Marco Rocks in your tank. Did you have a lot of hair algae after the diatoms died down? If so, how did you get it under control?
no, but my rock was in my cousin's tank for a year or so before mine. he didn't have problems with hair algae at all but we're both pretty well stocked on grazers..
no, but my rock was in my cousin's tank for a year or so before mine. he didn't have problems with hair algae at all but we're both pretty well stocked on grazers..
EnglishRebel
Retired Rebel Reefer
Tom/Jonathan
Thanks for the info on dosing.
Tom
Where did you get your peristaltic pump -- E-Bay?
Thanks for the info on dosing.
Tom
Where did you get your peristaltic pump -- E-Bay?
Morning, Alan. Yes, eBay. Do a search for Masterflex - you'll find plenty to look at. Also, go to www.coleparmer.com and read about their "Easy Load" heads for peristaltic pumps. Cole-Parmer makes the Masterflex line of pumps. Their site has lots of user/instruction manuals with good info.
StevieK
New member
My Foxface nipped at corals (especially elegance), so i would be a littel carefull.
Additionally, you can drive up your Magnesium to combat your hair algae. I have successfully done this.
Keep the build info coming ... still the best post on this forum.
One question was exactly which pump your using as there must be a hundred or so on the site. I was going to go with this one:
http://www.championlighting.com/product.php?productid=17521&cat=386&page=1
your thoughts?
Steve
They are freakin' awesome.
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