Comparing notes and habits
- Thread starter dgasmd
- Start date
Znut Reefer
Premium Member
I have a total system of 675. Main tank is 550 and a 125 gal sump with a refug in the middle. All is bb and so is the refug. It has some rock, xenia, and what ever algae that grows out of the rock. And a few zoo colony's.
How often do you change water and what % of the total system? I do a monthy 100g water change
What salt do you use and why? I use IO / Oceanic 70/50 Because I have been getting all the levels where I need them and no reason to add anything with good results.
What type of carbon do you use and why? I use Two Little Fishies hydrocarbon. I change it every 6 weeks. I use 2 Lb each time (1/2 bucket). It is the "best" (subjective data only) I have found although not the cheapest.
Do you use a PO4 removing media? Why and how much? No
How often do you feed and why/what? I feed every other day to every third day. I feed frozen Formula 1 and Nori, and some brine shrimp for the mandrian goby and possum wrasse.
How often do you clean your glass? About once per week I pass the magnet. About once per month I scrape any extra coralline.
How often do you clean the skimmer cup? every week to 2 weeks.
Do you dose anything else? Amino acid and potassium flur.
What type of Ca reactor media do you use? I have always used the caribsea Araganite.
Do you buy most of your supplies online or locally? If my LFS would get the stuff I order in the sizes I want, I would give them the business even at a higher cost. I currently buy it all, even the frozen food online and get it to last me a few months at a time. Even with shipping included the LFS can't come even close in cost either.
If you are barebottom, how often do you vaccum the bottom? Realistically, about every 5-6 weeks.
Do you clean your equipment and plumbing? How often? I do it about every 4-6 weeks. I wipe off everything and try to clean the cooling fans on all the pumps. I will take apart all the pumps and soak the wet ends on vinegar for 3 hours at least once per year, but the 550 has been up 3 to 4 mos. Just made a large tank upgrade .
How do you replace Ca/ALK? I solely use a Ca reactor these days. I was also using Kalk and found no added benefit. I was an extra piece of equipment to mantain
Great thread dgasmd, looking forward to others posting.
How often do you change water and what % of the total system? I do a monthy 100g water change
What salt do you use and why? I use IO / Oceanic 70/50 Because I have been getting all the levels where I need them and no reason to add anything with good results.
What type of carbon do you use and why? I use Two Little Fishies hydrocarbon. I change it every 6 weeks. I use 2 Lb each time (1/2 bucket). It is the "best" (subjective data only) I have found although not the cheapest.
Do you use a PO4 removing media? Why and how much? No
How often do you feed and why/what? I feed every other day to every third day. I feed frozen Formula 1 and Nori, and some brine shrimp for the mandrian goby and possum wrasse.
How often do you clean your glass? About once per week I pass the magnet. About once per month I scrape any extra coralline.
How often do you clean the skimmer cup? every week to 2 weeks.
Do you dose anything else? Amino acid and potassium flur.
What type of Ca reactor media do you use? I have always used the caribsea Araganite.
Do you buy most of your supplies online or locally? If my LFS would get the stuff I order in the sizes I want, I would give them the business even at a higher cost. I currently buy it all, even the frozen food online and get it to last me a few months at a time. Even with shipping included the LFS can't come even close in cost either.
If you are barebottom, how often do you vaccum the bottom? Realistically, about every 5-6 weeks.
Do you clean your equipment and plumbing? How often? I do it about every 4-6 weeks. I wipe off everything and try to clean the cooling fans on all the pumps. I will take apart all the pumps and soak the wet ends on vinegar for 3 hours at least once per year, but the 550 has been up 3 to 4 mos. Just made a large tank upgrade .
How do you replace Ca/ALK? I solely use a Ca reactor these days. I was also using Kalk and found no added benefit. I was an extra piece of equipment to mantain
Great thread dgasmd, looking forward to others posting.
steveweast
Active member
How often do you change water and what % of the total system? I change 160 gals a month....about 15%.
What salt do you use and why? I use Oceanpure. It has good numbers out of the box and requires no augmentation. I buy it by the pallet and can get it down to $25 per 200 gal box.
What type of carbon do you use and why? I use Two Little Fishies hydrocarbon or Chem-gon. These two are two of the few that don't register PO4 on my Merck test kit.
Do you use a PO4 removing media? Why and how much? I throw two cups of Rowaphos in with my carbon in the reactor. This amount doesn't seem to negatively affect the sps....more does though.
How often do you feed and why/what? I feed mysis, scallop, cyclopseeze, and krill.....every third day.
How often do you clean your glass? About once per week I clean all four panels.
How often do you clean the skimmer cup? Mine is self cleaning....but, I still clean it every month during water change time.
Do you dose anything else? no...nothing.
What type of Ca reactor media do you use? Currently, I use the Schuran media. I can get it bulk for around $1 per pound.
Do you buy most of your supplies online or locally? Both equally.
If you are barebottom, how often do you vaccum the bottom? I vacuum my sandbed once or twice a week.
Do you clean your equipment and plumbing? How often? I keep back up pumps for everything and replace pumps about every 6 -8 months.....then rebuild the old pumps. I clean and wipe down all the equipment and plumbing constantly.....I'm a neat freak.
How do you replace Ca/ALK? I solely use a Ca reactor these days. I do use kalk to help push up the pH a bit. When my kalk reactor gets low.....my pH drops about .1.
I also use 600mgr/hr of ozone and 400watts of UV.
What salt do you use and why? I use Oceanpure. It has good numbers out of the box and requires no augmentation. I buy it by the pallet and can get it down to $25 per 200 gal box.
What type of carbon do you use and why? I use Two Little Fishies hydrocarbon or Chem-gon. These two are two of the few that don't register PO4 on my Merck test kit.
Do you use a PO4 removing media? Why and how much? I throw two cups of Rowaphos in with my carbon in the reactor. This amount doesn't seem to negatively affect the sps....more does though.
How often do you feed and why/what? I feed mysis, scallop, cyclopseeze, and krill.....every third day.
How often do you clean your glass? About once per week I clean all four panels.
How often do you clean the skimmer cup? Mine is self cleaning....but, I still clean it every month during water change time.
Do you dose anything else? no...nothing.
What type of Ca reactor media do you use? Currently, I use the Schuran media. I can get it bulk for around $1 per pound.
Do you buy most of your supplies online or locally? Both equally.
If you are barebottom, how often do you vaccum the bottom? I vacuum my sandbed once or twice a week.
Do you clean your equipment and plumbing? How often? I keep back up pumps for everything and replace pumps about every 6 -8 months.....then rebuild the old pumps. I clean and wipe down all the equipment and plumbing constantly.....I'm a neat freak.
How do you replace Ca/ALK? I solely use a Ca reactor these days. I do use kalk to help push up the pH a bit. When my kalk reactor gets low.....my pH drops about .1.
I also use 600mgr/hr of ozone and 400watts of UV.
Joao Monteiro
New member
Here´s my (new) tank - a bad photo, but the only I have here. Next weekend I´ll take more.
Tremelle
New member
How often do you change water and what % of the total system? 25 gallons a week. Total system volume is 250 gallons, with about 180 gallons of water.
What salt do you use and why? Instant Ocean. I get it at a local pet chain at online price matching.
What type of carbon do you use and why? Marineland’s Black Diamond
Do you use a PO4 removing media? Why and how much? Rowaphos. It had gotten great reviews and it doesn’t release any PO4 when exhausted.
How often do you feed and why/what? I feed daily; which consist of mysis, krill, cyclopeeze, and squid. A full sheet of Seaweed Select on a clip every other day. I feed daily to keep the fish fat. I am considering cutting back to every other day.
How often do you clean your glass? I run the magnet cleaner over it about every third day.
How often do you clean the skimmer cup? The cup is cleaned about every 3 days. I am using a Deltec APF600.
Do you dose anything else? Kent Marine’s Essential Elements after each water change.
What type of Ca reactor media do you use? None
Do you buy most of your supplies online or locally? Locally
If you are barebottom, how often do you vaccum the bottom? Shallow sand bed
Do you clean your equipment and plumbing? How often? I clean my equipment about once every 3 months. The skimmer is completely cleaned about once a month.
How do you replace Ca/ALK? Only through water changes.
Here is the pic of my tank.
What salt do you use and why? Instant Ocean. I get it at a local pet chain at online price matching.
What type of carbon do you use and why? Marineland’s Black Diamond
Do you use a PO4 removing media? Why and how much? Rowaphos. It had gotten great reviews and it doesn’t release any PO4 when exhausted.
How often do you feed and why/what? I feed daily; which consist of mysis, krill, cyclopeeze, and squid. A full sheet of Seaweed Select on a clip every other day. I feed daily to keep the fish fat. I am considering cutting back to every other day.
How often do you clean your glass? I run the magnet cleaner over it about every third day.
How often do you clean the skimmer cup? The cup is cleaned about every 3 days. I am using a Deltec APF600.
Do you dose anything else? Kent Marine’s Essential Elements after each water change.
What type of Ca reactor media do you use? None
Do you buy most of your supplies online or locally? Locally
If you are barebottom, how often do you vaccum the bottom? Shallow sand bed
Do you clean your equipment and plumbing? How often? I clean my equipment about once every 3 months. The skimmer is completely cleaned about once a month.
How do you replace Ca/ALK? Only through water changes.
Here is the pic of my tank.
Re: Comparing notes and habits
How often do you change water and what % of the total system? I just did my first major water change in 6 months. I changed 50 gallons on my 450g system. I think I'll try and do that every 3 months but a 50g water change costs me about $75.
What salt do you use and why? I use Instant Ocean - but it's expensive here.
What type of carbon do you use and why? Two Little Fishies hydrocarbon and change every 4-6 weeks.
Do you use a PO4 removing media? Why and how much? Don't use it yet and my PO4 level is around 0.01.
How often do you feed and why/what? I feed twice a day. I feed half a cube of brine and mysis and half a tiny cube of BBS and also a smal pinch of flake (Ocean Nutrition Prime Reef and OSI Spirulina) and 2 scoops of pellet (Form 1/2 and New Life Spectrum). I do this morning and night. I also put nori on a clip twice a week or so.
How often do you clean your glass? Once a week normally. Sometimes more, sometime less. Coraline scraping once a month.
How often do you clean the skimmer cup? Every 3-7 days.
Do you dose anything else? Reef Plus Amino Acid. Around 30ml twice a week. I think I'll be trying the Prodi/Zeo method soon though.
What type of Ca reactor media do you use? Don't use a Ca Reactor yet. The Tunze Kalk Dispenser seems to keep my calcium around 450. I have to shake it twice a week or whenever I can remeber to get the most of it. I top up with B-Ionic if the level drops.
Do you buy most of your supplies online or locally? All online.
If you are barebottom, how often do you vaccum the bottom? The area under my "islands" is barebottom and a big Sequence 1000 keeps it clean.
Do you clean your equipment and plumbing? How often? System has been up and running 6 months and I just cleaned the skimmer the other day. That's about it.
How do you replace Ca/ALK? Only Kalk for now but I don't have alot of coral yet.
How often do you change water and what % of the total system? I just did my first major water change in 6 months. I changed 50 gallons on my 450g system. I think I'll try and do that every 3 months but a 50g water change costs me about $75.
What salt do you use and why? I use Instant Ocean - but it's expensive here.
What type of carbon do you use and why? Two Little Fishies hydrocarbon and change every 4-6 weeks.
Do you use a PO4 removing media? Why and how much? Don't use it yet and my PO4 level is around 0.01.
How often do you feed and why/what? I feed twice a day. I feed half a cube of brine and mysis and half a tiny cube of BBS and also a smal pinch of flake (Ocean Nutrition Prime Reef and OSI Spirulina) and 2 scoops of pellet (Form 1/2 and New Life Spectrum). I do this morning and night. I also put nori on a clip twice a week or so.
How often do you clean your glass? Once a week normally. Sometimes more, sometime less. Coraline scraping once a month.
How often do you clean the skimmer cup? Every 3-7 days.
Do you dose anything else? Reef Plus Amino Acid. Around 30ml twice a week. I think I'll be trying the Prodi/Zeo method soon though.
What type of Ca reactor media do you use? Don't use a Ca Reactor yet. The Tunze Kalk Dispenser seems to keep my calcium around 450. I have to shake it twice a week or whenever I can remeber to get the most of it. I top up with B-Ionic if the level drops.
Do you buy most of your supplies online or locally? All online.
If you are barebottom, how often do you vaccum the bottom? The area under my "islands" is barebottom and a big Sequence 1000 keeps it clean.
Do you clean your equipment and plumbing? How often? System has been up and running 6 months and I just cleaned the skimmer the other day. That's about it.
How do you replace Ca/ALK? Only Kalk for now but I don't have alot of coral yet.
WDLV
Skunk Hybrid Freak
This info is based on a 6 month old 210 gallon with a 100 gallon Rubbermaid Horse trough sump.
How often do you change water and what % of the total system?
- 50 gallons Bi-Weekly (about 15%) I think it’s very important to use tap water. J
What salt do you use and why?
- Instant Ocean ‘cause it aint broke.
What type of carbon do you use and why?
- I think it’s called Diamond. It’s cheap.
Do you use a PO4 removing media? Why and how much?
- No, because I do not see any of the problems typically associated with Phosphate.
How often do you feed and why/what
- Pellets twice daily on an automatic feeder, freeze dried cyclopeeze, flake and mysis every couple of days as desired.
How often do you clean your glass?
- Once or twice a week depending on frequency and volume of feedings.
How often do you clean the skimmer cup?
- When it noticeably looses efficiency. (about once a month)
Do you dose anything else?
- Kalk only for now.
What type of Ca reactor media do you use?
- I have a reactor but have not needed or used it yet.
Do you buy most of your supplies online or locally?
- Devices online, media and salt at the LFS.
If you are barebottom, how often do you vaccum the bottom?
- I never vacuum the bottom. I circulate the tank volume about 48 times per hour so it doesn’t need it. I do however vacuum the bottom of the sump when I do water changes.
Do you clean your equipment and plumbing? How often?
- Just the skimmer and the pump intake for the return.
How do you replace Ca/ALK?
- Kalk only for now. I do not test unless the corals stop growing or start loosing their color. I only use a pinpoint pH monitor for reference.
How often do you change water and what % of the total system?
- 50 gallons Bi-Weekly (about 15%) I think it’s very important to use tap water. J
What salt do you use and why?
- Instant Ocean ‘cause it aint broke.
What type of carbon do you use and why?
- I think it’s called Diamond. It’s cheap.
Do you use a PO4 removing media? Why and how much?
- No, because I do not see any of the problems typically associated with Phosphate.
How often do you feed and why/what
- Pellets twice daily on an automatic feeder, freeze dried cyclopeeze, flake and mysis every couple of days as desired.
How often do you clean your glass?
- Once or twice a week depending on frequency and volume of feedings.
How often do you clean the skimmer cup?
- When it noticeably looses efficiency. (about once a month)
Do you dose anything else?
- Kalk only for now.
What type of Ca reactor media do you use?
- I have a reactor but have not needed or used it yet.
Do you buy most of your supplies online or locally?
- Devices online, media and salt at the LFS.
If you are barebottom, how often do you vaccum the bottom?
- I never vacuum the bottom. I circulate the tank volume about 48 times per hour so it doesn’t need it. I do however vacuum the bottom of the sump when I do water changes.
Do you clean your equipment and plumbing? How often?
- Just the skimmer and the pump intake for the return.
How do you replace Ca/ALK?
- Kalk only for now. I do not test unless the corals stop growing or start loosing their color. I only use a pinpoint pH monitor for reference.
cward
Premium Member
Re: Comparing notes and habits
Great thread idea! Here's a picture of the tank, and husbandry info below that.
How often do you change water and what % of the total system? I do a bi-weekly 50g water change (10% of my system).
What salt do you use and why? I use IO or Kent (whichever is cheapest)
What type of carbon do you use and why? I usually use Black Diamond, but I recently got on a group buy deal that landed me about 10lbs of generic. Seems to be fine.
Do you use a PO4 removing media? Why and how much? No, just water changes.
How often do you feed and why/what? I usually feed pellets one day and frozen the next for the fish and feed the corals every 3 or 4 days at night. I recently started feeding the corals and fish at the same time with a huge variety of frozen foods and the corals seem to go crazy.
How often do you clean your glass? Every day to every other day. Sometimes I even go three day's:eek2:
How often do you clean the skimmer cup? With the new skimmer I have to clean the cup once a week.
Do you dose anything else?Nothing besides kalkwasser and the effluent from my calcium reactor.
What type of Ca reactor media do you use? I use the Schuran knock off stuff and it seems to be working well.
Do you buy most of your supplies online or locally? I'm pretty lucky living in Columbus because Geo lives 1/2 mile away, Phishy Business is 15 miles away and I always get my Premium Aquatics orders the next day using UPS standard ground.
If you are barebottom, how often do you vacuum the bottom? I've never had to vacuum the bottom because the direction of my flow. I do have to vacuum the sump once a month though.
Do you clean your equipment and plumbing? How often? Yes, but I'm pretty geeky though. I try to keep things clean daily, but do a good cleaning once a month.
How do you replace Ca/ALK? I'm using a 8"X18" GEO calcium reactor and I'm using the kalk reactor strictly to keep my PH up at night. I'm about to hook up a remote DSB today, so hopefully that helps buffer my PH.
Other notes I keep a refugium, but only for growing pods and not for growing macro algae. The tanks daily evaporation is about 5-7 gallons per day.
That's it.
Great thread idea! Here's a picture of the tank, and husbandry info below that.
How often do you change water and what % of the total system? I do a bi-weekly 50g water change (10% of my system).
What salt do you use and why? I use IO or Kent (whichever is cheapest)
What type of carbon do you use and why? I usually use Black Diamond, but I recently got on a group buy deal that landed me about 10lbs of generic. Seems to be fine.
Do you use a PO4 removing media? Why and how much? No, just water changes.
How often do you feed and why/what? I usually feed pellets one day and frozen the next for the fish and feed the corals every 3 or 4 days at night. I recently started feeding the corals and fish at the same time with a huge variety of frozen foods and the corals seem to go crazy.
How often do you clean your glass? Every day to every other day. Sometimes I even go three day's:eek2:
How often do you clean the skimmer cup? With the new skimmer I have to clean the cup once a week.
Do you dose anything else?Nothing besides kalkwasser and the effluent from my calcium reactor.
What type of Ca reactor media do you use? I use the Schuran knock off stuff and it seems to be working well.
Do you buy most of your supplies online or locally? I'm pretty lucky living in Columbus because Geo lives 1/2 mile away, Phishy Business is 15 miles away and I always get my Premium Aquatics orders the next day using UPS standard ground.
If you are barebottom, how often do you vacuum the bottom? I've never had to vacuum the bottom because the direction of my flow. I do have to vacuum the sump once a month though.
Do you clean your equipment and plumbing? How often? Yes, but I'm pretty geeky though. I try to keep things clean daily, but do a good cleaning once a month.
How do you replace Ca/ALK? I'm using a 8"X18" GEO calcium reactor and I'm using the kalk reactor strictly to keep my PH up at night. I'm about to hook up a remote DSB today, so hopefully that helps buffer my PH.
Other notes I keep a refugium, but only for growing pods and not for growing macro algae. The tanks daily evaporation is about 5-7 gallons per day.
That's it.
moonpod
Premium Member
Hm, well my tank is more of a FOWLR than a full blown reef. There are certainly corals and clams, but more sort of "background" than anything else.
How often do you change water and what % of the total system? I do a bi-weekly 50g water change (<10% of my system). Honestly it's often only once a month, but I try for every other week.
What salt do you use and why? I use Oceanpure. Dirt cheap around here and good numbers.
What type of carbon do you use and why? We had a local group buy on an "industrial" pelletized carbon. I bought a 50lb bag and I'm still working through it. I change monthly.
Do you use a PO4 removing media? Why and how much? Not currently. I have in the past. Phosban when I do.
How often do you feed and why/what? I feed heavily. Usually a single big meal of either mysis (brand varies from McDonalds, Hikari, Gamma, PE), Gamma Shrimp with some "other stuff" thrown in periodically (Hikari Angel, mussels, cockles). I also feed macroalgae regularly
How often do you clean your glass? I wipe my tank down 2x a week and scrape corraline weekly as well. The price of an acrylic tank.
How often do you clean the skimmer cup? Rarely. It smells too damn bad whenever I do it.
Do you dose anything else? I dose seachem reefbuilder as needed to maintain alkalinity--I don't seem to have issues with CA only alk. I feed the LPS cyclopseeze and reefroids a couple of times a week. Sometimes I dose phyto. I ordered some arctipods to see what that stuff is about.
What type of Ca reactor media do you use? Currently not using a CA reactors. Kalk reactor only. My alk demand isn't at a level to make me set my unit up yet..
Do you buy most of your supplies online or locally? My LFS are horrible. Luckily Reefgeek.com isn't all that far away.
If you are barebottom, how often do you vaccum the bottom? Hm....I dunno monthly to every other month. I got this Eheim vacuum thing that actually does a half decent job (could use some extra oomph) and I twiddle that thing around the detritus areas periodically.
Do you clean your equipment and plumbing? How often? Honestly I let the pumps jam and then I clean them. Since all the pumps are either Tunze Streams or Red Dragons, I tank 'em apart and soak 'em in vineagar or ezeclean when one of 'em jams. I've had to do that to each pump once since I set up the tank.
How do you replace Ca/ALK? I use a kalk reactor (Barr Aquatic big boy) hooked up through my autotopoff. I use A LOT of kalk and have A LOT of evaporation--my chiller is a Deltec Eco Cooler (evaporative cooler). My CA stays quite high (granted my coral load is relatively light) but I need to add like a couple table spoons of reefbuilder weekly.
How often do you change water and what % of the total system? I do a bi-weekly 50g water change (<10% of my system). Honestly it's often only once a month, but I try for every other week.
What salt do you use and why? I use Oceanpure. Dirt cheap around here and good numbers.
What type of carbon do you use and why? We had a local group buy on an "industrial" pelletized carbon. I bought a 50lb bag and I'm still working through it. I change monthly.
Do you use a PO4 removing media? Why and how much? Not currently. I have in the past. Phosban when I do.
How often do you feed and why/what? I feed heavily. Usually a single big meal of either mysis (brand varies from McDonalds, Hikari, Gamma, PE), Gamma Shrimp with some "other stuff" thrown in periodically (Hikari Angel, mussels, cockles). I also feed macroalgae regularly
How often do you clean your glass? I wipe my tank down 2x a week and scrape corraline weekly as well. The price of an acrylic tank.
How often do you clean the skimmer cup? Rarely. It smells too damn bad whenever I do it.
Do you dose anything else? I dose seachem reefbuilder as needed to maintain alkalinity--I don't seem to have issues with CA only alk. I feed the LPS cyclopseeze and reefroids a couple of times a week. Sometimes I dose phyto. I ordered some arctipods to see what that stuff is about.
What type of Ca reactor media do you use? Currently not using a CA reactors. Kalk reactor only. My alk demand isn't at a level to make me set my unit up yet..
Do you buy most of your supplies online or locally? My LFS are horrible. Luckily Reefgeek.com isn't all that far away.
If you are barebottom, how often do you vaccum the bottom? Hm....I dunno monthly to every other month. I got this Eheim vacuum thing that actually does a half decent job (could use some extra oomph) and I twiddle that thing around the detritus areas periodically.
Do you clean your equipment and plumbing? How often? Honestly I let the pumps jam and then I clean them. Since all the pumps are either Tunze Streams or Red Dragons, I tank 'em apart and soak 'em in vineagar or ezeclean when one of 'em jams. I've had to do that to each pump once since I set up the tank.
How do you replace Ca/ALK? I use a kalk reactor (Barr Aquatic big boy) hooked up through my autotopoff. I use A LOT of kalk and have A LOT of evaporation--my chiller is a Deltec Eco Cooler (evaporative cooler). My CA stays quite high (granted my coral load is relatively light) but I need to add like a couple table spoons of reefbuilder weekly.
Last edited:
Hi Alberto,
I hope this information can provide some benefit.
How often do you change water and what % of the total system?
For the first 4 years I did 150 gals a month but for the last year I have been doing 140 gals every three weeks. I think this is required because the fish have gotten so large,
What salt do you use and why?
I have used mostly IO but have tried Oceanic and Kent but had problems with both. I'm currently using IO.
What type of carbon do you use and why?
I use a couple of pounds of Kent for 10 days a month.
Do you use a PO4 removing media? Why and how much?
I use Salifert brand when I see some hair algae beginning to grow.
How often do you feed and why/what?
I feed every day a frozen mixture of Formula cubes, freeze dried plankton, seaweed, raw shrimp, and crushed garlic. Sometimes I throw in a little cyclopeeze.
How often do you clean your glass?
Every couple of days plus or minus a day or two
How often do you clean the skimmer cup?
Every week.
Do you dose anything else?
I dose calcium chloride, buffer, magnesium, and strontium.
What type of Ca reactor media do you use?
I use Korallith 1.8-2.5mm size.
Do you buy most of your supplies online or locally?
I am the LFS :lol:
If you are barebottom, how often do you vacuum the bottom?
I have 850 lbs of .2-1.2mm aragonite sand. I add about 60lbs a year to it.
Do you clean your equipment and plumbing? How often?
Once a year I take the pumps apart.
How do you replace Ca/ALK?
I use a kalk reactor, calcium reactor, and dose both every 3 days or so.
Regards,
Kevin
I hope this information can provide some benefit.
How often do you change water and what % of the total system?
For the first 4 years I did 150 gals a month but for the last year I have been doing 140 gals every three weeks. I think this is required because the fish have gotten so large,
What salt do you use and why?
I have used mostly IO but have tried Oceanic and Kent but had problems with both. I'm currently using IO.
What type of carbon do you use and why?
I use a couple of pounds of Kent for 10 days a month.
Do you use a PO4 removing media? Why and how much?
I use Salifert brand when I see some hair algae beginning to grow.
How often do you feed and why/what?
I feed every day a frozen mixture of Formula cubes, freeze dried plankton, seaweed, raw shrimp, and crushed garlic. Sometimes I throw in a little cyclopeeze.
How often do you clean your glass?
Every couple of days plus or minus a day or two
How often do you clean the skimmer cup?
Every week.
Do you dose anything else?
I dose calcium chloride, buffer, magnesium, and strontium.
What type of Ca reactor media do you use?
I use Korallith 1.8-2.5mm size.
Do you buy most of your supplies online or locally?
I am the LFS :lol:
If you are barebottom, how often do you vacuum the bottom?
I have 850 lbs of .2-1.2mm aragonite sand. I add about 60lbs a year to it.
Do you clean your equipment and plumbing? How often?
Once a year I take the pumps apart.
How do you replace Ca/ALK?
I use a kalk reactor, calcium reactor, and dose both every 3 days or so.
Regards,
Kevin
jnarowe
New member
Re: Comparing notes and habits
My system is roughly 1,100g with refugium. Click on the Red House to see pics!
How often do you change water and what % of the total system? I change 90g bi-weekly which comes out roughly to 17%.
What salt do you use and why? I use OceanPure and Kent and I will use others. OceanPure is very inexpensive and tests out well. I FIRMLY believe that switching salts is important. So many reefers just use the same salt over-and-over yet we can all see from various tests done on these salts that they all have different strengths and weaknesses. If I only use one salt than aren't I limiting some trace elements? Wouldn't that cause an imballance over time? Chew on that!
What type of carbon do you use and why? I use MarineLand and Black Magic as this kind rates very high for absorption and low on cost. I will switch to a bulk if I can get a good price on non-pelletized and I change it out every 1 - 2 weeks depending on perceived water quality.
Do you use a PO4 removing media? Why and how much? I use RowaPhos because I find it works really well. I use a 1 liter canister and change it out every month.
How often do you feed and why/what? I feed 3 times per day: Morning snack of seaweed sokad in Garlic Guard. Afternoon snack of pellets; spirulina, reef herbivore, bio-blend, New Life Spectrum, or Optimum flakes. Evening meal: Combination of vaious foods generally consisting of one packaged frozen food like mysis, brine shrimp, Krill, or zooplankton and some home-made frozen food which consists of: Garlic Guard, cyclop-eze, smelt, octopus, clams, shrimp, mussels, Prime Reef, seaweed, zooplankton, etc. I really "kitchen sink" it. The snacks are enough food that all fish get to have a few bites. The meals are administered over a period of about 15 minutes in amounts that very little hits the bottomm of the tank, and what does is immediately consumed buy the 4 cleaner shrimp. I have no nuisance algae, unless you count the grape caulerpa.
I also hatch brine shrimp into the fuge 24/7.
How often do you clean your glass? About 2 times per week I clean with the magnet. I have yet to scrape the glass but the time is coming...
How often do you clean the skimmer cup? Not often enough. Probably once a week give or take.
Do you dose anything else? I dose phyto, zooplankton every other night.
What type of Ca reactor media do you use? Currently use the Schuran media. I am trying to source large coral pieces like the Schuran media but I cannot find it yet in bulk locally.
Do you buy most of your supplies online or locally? I buy all dry goods online unless I have an emergency. I try to buy fish locally and so far that has worked out well, although I have bought large quanities of fish online for a really low "package" price.
If you are barebottom, how often do you vaccum the bottom? I have some substrate for aesthetic reasons but most of the tank is BB. I got a 36" vacuum tube and a pump to overcome the head pressure. If that works I will vacuum more than just every 6 - 8 weeks!
Do you clean your equipment and plumbing? How often? I have not had the occassion to clean plumbing yet other than keeping my conductivity probe feed clear. I have a magnet cleaner in my skimmer and I use that as needed.
How do you replace Ca/ALK? Right now I am dosing with liquid Ca/ALK as I am building a multi-media reactor. When the reactor is completed I will use large size crushed coral.
My system is roughly 1,100g with refugium. Click on the Red House to see pics!
How often do you change water and what % of the total system? I change 90g bi-weekly which comes out roughly to 17%.
What salt do you use and why? I use OceanPure and Kent and I will use others. OceanPure is very inexpensive and tests out well. I FIRMLY believe that switching salts is important. So many reefers just use the same salt over-and-over yet we can all see from various tests done on these salts that they all have different strengths and weaknesses. If I only use one salt than aren't I limiting some trace elements? Wouldn't that cause an imballance over time? Chew on that!
What type of carbon do you use and why? I use MarineLand and Black Magic as this kind rates very high for absorption and low on cost. I will switch to a bulk if I can get a good price on non-pelletized and I change it out every 1 - 2 weeks depending on perceived water quality.
Do you use a PO4 removing media? Why and how much? I use RowaPhos because I find it works really well. I use a 1 liter canister and change it out every month.
How often do you feed and why/what? I feed 3 times per day: Morning snack of seaweed sokad in Garlic Guard. Afternoon snack of pellets; spirulina, reef herbivore, bio-blend, New Life Spectrum, or Optimum flakes. Evening meal: Combination of vaious foods generally consisting of one packaged frozen food like mysis, brine shrimp, Krill, or zooplankton and some home-made frozen food which consists of: Garlic Guard, cyclop-eze, smelt, octopus, clams, shrimp, mussels, Prime Reef, seaweed, zooplankton, etc. I really "kitchen sink" it. The snacks are enough food that all fish get to have a few bites. The meals are administered over a period of about 15 minutes in amounts that very little hits the bottomm of the tank, and what does is immediately consumed buy the 4 cleaner shrimp. I have no nuisance algae, unless you count the grape caulerpa.
I also hatch brine shrimp into the fuge 24/7.How often do you clean your glass? About 2 times per week I clean with the magnet. I have yet to scrape the glass but the time is coming...
How often do you clean the skimmer cup? Not often enough. Probably once a week give or take.
Do you dose anything else? I dose phyto, zooplankton every other night.
What type of Ca reactor media do you use? Currently use the Schuran media. I am trying to source large coral pieces like the Schuran media but I cannot find it yet in bulk locally.
Do you buy most of your supplies online or locally? I buy all dry goods online unless I have an emergency. I try to buy fish locally and so far that has worked out well, although I have bought large quanities of fish online for a really low "package" price.
If you are barebottom, how often do you vaccum the bottom? I have some substrate for aesthetic reasons but most of the tank is BB. I got a 36" vacuum tube and a pump to overcome the head pressure. If that works I will vacuum more than just every 6 - 8 weeks!
Do you clean your equipment and plumbing? How often? I have not had the occassion to clean plumbing yet other than keeping my conductivity probe feed clear. I have a magnet cleaner in my skimmer and I use that as needed.
How do you replace Ca/ALK? Right now I am dosing with liquid Ca/ALK as I am building a multi-media reactor. When the reactor is completed I will use large size crushed coral.
My system is 650g including sump and frag/auxilliary tank. Will be celebrating its 10th year of continuous operation almost any day now.
How often do you change water and what % of the total system?
>>I do about 25% every two weeks, though I have been known to step it up to 25% a week during a bump in Phosphate levels.<<
What salt do you use and why?
>>IO. Except for a very brief and disasterous period in 2002, I've been using it since I began in the hobby in 1978. I've never had any problems with it other than having to add a few suppliments to raise the solution to tank levels but by now it's like second nature.<<
What type of carbon do you use and why?
>>ESV. I like the larger particle size. Doesn't pack down as much which is imporatant to me as I use it 10 lbs. at a time in a MRC-CR-L.<<
Do you use a PO4 removing media?
>>Not anymore. I used to use Phosban but then got nervous when I began reading threads about its alleged damaging effects to acros. In hindsight, many of these issues were probably due to 'overdosing' the product, but by this time I'd decided to step up my conventional husbandy and have had very good results.<<
How often do you feed and why/what?
>>I feed like a pig; 2-3 times a day. But with 23 Anthias and 4 Tangs, one of which is a foot long, I really think I have to. I use a lot of the Ocean Nutrition Frozen foods such as Formula 1 & 2, Prime Reef, Enriched Brine Shrimp, and VHP but my staple is PE Mysis. Also fed regularly are Pro-V, Hakiri Ocean Plankton, Cyclopeeze (about twice a week), Seaweed Selects nori, and New Life Spectrum pellets. Occasionally, I'll suppliment with live Gracillaria and finally, whatever pods and such that come over from the frag tank/fuge.<<
How often do you clean your glass?
>>Maybe twice a week.<<
How often do you clean the skimmer cup?
>>Once a week.<<
Do you dose anything else?
>>Does Kalk count? Then yes, ESV.<<
What type of Ca reactor media do you use?
>>ARM. Again because the results seem to be consistent and I'm at my best when I don't have to think too much.<<
Do you buy most of your supplies online or locally?
>>As for lighting & hardware, I'd say 95% online. Fish and corals, about 60-40 split in favor of online. Food and such, 100% locally.<<
If you are barebottom, how often do you vaccum the bottom?
>>What I do is take my Python hose, attach it to my sump pump and blow off everything, including the bottom, to get the stuff in suspension once more. This is also how I 'feed' the corals. But it IS a true pain in a large system so if I can do it every couple weeks, I consider myself on top of things. More often than not, once a month though.<<
Do you clean your equipment and plumbing?
>>Ummm, well, yeah...sometimes, depending on your definition of 'clean'.<<
How often?
>>Okay, okay, not very often, jeez: My external pumps, maybe twice a year. My Tunzes, every couple months. I DO break down and clean my calcium reactor fairly often though, maybe every 6 weeks. But the plumbing I basically leave alone.<<
How do you replace Ca/ALK?
>>I use both a reactor and kalk. The reactor alone could probably keep up the parameters but since the kalk precipitates Phosphates, I'll take all the help I can get.<<
How often do you change water and what % of the total system?
>>I do about 25% every two weeks, though I have been known to step it up to 25% a week during a bump in Phosphate levels.<<
What salt do you use and why?
>>IO. Except for a very brief and disasterous period in 2002, I've been using it since I began in the hobby in 1978. I've never had any problems with it other than having to add a few suppliments to raise the solution to tank levels but by now it's like second nature.<<
What type of carbon do you use and why?
>>ESV. I like the larger particle size. Doesn't pack down as much which is imporatant to me as I use it 10 lbs. at a time in a MRC-CR-L.<<
Do you use a PO4 removing media?
>>Not anymore. I used to use Phosban but then got nervous when I began reading threads about its alleged damaging effects to acros. In hindsight, many of these issues were probably due to 'overdosing' the product, but by this time I'd decided to step up my conventional husbandy and have had very good results.<<
How often do you feed and why/what?
>>I feed like a pig; 2-3 times a day. But with 23 Anthias and 4 Tangs, one of which is a foot long, I really think I have to. I use a lot of the Ocean Nutrition Frozen foods such as Formula 1 & 2, Prime Reef, Enriched Brine Shrimp, and VHP but my staple is PE Mysis. Also fed regularly are Pro-V, Hakiri Ocean Plankton, Cyclopeeze (about twice a week), Seaweed Selects nori, and New Life Spectrum pellets. Occasionally, I'll suppliment with live Gracillaria and finally, whatever pods and such that come over from the frag tank/fuge.<<
How often do you clean your glass?
>>Maybe twice a week.<<
How often do you clean the skimmer cup?
>>Once a week.<<
Do you dose anything else?
>>Does Kalk count? Then yes, ESV.<<
What type of Ca reactor media do you use?
>>ARM. Again because the results seem to be consistent and I'm at my best when I don't have to think too much.<<
Do you buy most of your supplies online or locally?
>>As for lighting & hardware, I'd say 95% online. Fish and corals, about 60-40 split in favor of online. Food and such, 100% locally.<<
If you are barebottom, how often do you vaccum the bottom?
>>What I do is take my Python hose, attach it to my sump pump and blow off everything, including the bottom, to get the stuff in suspension once more. This is also how I 'feed' the corals. But it IS a true pain in a large system so if I can do it every couple weeks, I consider myself on top of things. More often than not, once a month though.<<
Do you clean your equipment and plumbing?
>>Ummm, well, yeah...sometimes, depending on your definition of 'clean'.<<
How often?
>>Okay, okay, not very often, jeez: My external pumps, maybe twice a year. My Tunzes, every couple months. I DO break down and clean my calcium reactor fairly often though, maybe every 6 weeks. But the plumbing I basically leave alone.<<
How do you replace Ca/ALK?
>>I use both a reactor and kalk. The reactor alone could probably keep up the parameters but since the kalk precipitates Phosphates, I'll take all the help I can get.<<
bstone
Premium Member
How often do you change water and what % of the total system? I do 150 gallons every month, which is about 15% of my water volume.
What salt do you use and why? I use Tropic Marin. I have always had great results with it.
What type of carbon do you use and why? I use Name-Gone (previously called Chem-Gone). I run it for 1 week, and then not at all for a full week, and then on again for a week... I use 2 lbs each time.
Do you use a PO4 removing media? Why and how much? Not yet, but I will very soon. I will be getting a media filter for it soon from MRC.
How often do you feed and why/what? I feed 3 times a day. I have a lot of fish, very big fish. I feed Spectrum pellets two times a day. I put an algea clip out each day, and then I feed mysis will garlic and selcon. This is why I have 2 LARGE skimmers.......
How often do you clean your glass? About once every 2 days I pass the magnet. About once per month I scrape any extra coralline.
How often do you clean the skimmer cup? Each skimmer has to be cleaned every week.
Do you dose anything else? I haven't started anything else right now, except dose some iodine every once and a while.
What type of Ca reactor media do you use? I haven't bought one yet, but I am going with a Geo using Schuran media. Right now I just make up a kalk mix, Calcium Hydroxide on the top off water tank. Seems to work great for now, but once I get more coral I will need to get the Geo.
Do you buy most of your supplies online or locally? I am very, very, very lucky to live 20 minutes from Premium Aquatics!!
If you are barebottom, how often do you vaccum the bottom? I have crushed coral sand bed, about 2-3 inched. I then have a 6" sand bed in my sump.
Do you clean your equipment and plumbing? How often? I do it about every 4 weeks. I wipe off everything and try to clean the cooling fins on all the pumps.
How do you replace Ca/ALK? I have to make 35 gallons of topoff kalk mix every 1 to 2 days. I hope to get the Geo soon!
What salt do you use and why? I use Tropic Marin. I have always had great results with it.
What type of carbon do you use and why? I use Name-Gone (previously called Chem-Gone). I run it for 1 week, and then not at all for a full week, and then on again for a week... I use 2 lbs each time.
Do you use a PO4 removing media? Why and how much? Not yet, but I will very soon. I will be getting a media filter for it soon from MRC.
How often do you feed and why/what? I feed 3 times a day. I have a lot of fish, very big fish. I feed Spectrum pellets two times a day. I put an algea clip out each day, and then I feed mysis will garlic and selcon. This is why I have 2 LARGE skimmers.......
How often do you clean your glass? About once every 2 days I pass the magnet. About once per month I scrape any extra coralline.
How often do you clean the skimmer cup? Each skimmer has to be cleaned every week.
Do you dose anything else? I haven't started anything else right now, except dose some iodine every once and a while.
What type of Ca reactor media do you use? I haven't bought one yet, but I am going with a Geo using Schuran media. Right now I just make up a kalk mix, Calcium Hydroxide on the top off water tank. Seems to work great for now, but once I get more coral I will need to get the Geo.
Do you buy most of your supplies online or locally? I am very, very, very lucky to live 20 minutes from Premium Aquatics!!
If you are barebottom, how often do you vaccum the bottom? I have crushed coral sand bed, about 2-3 inched. I then have a 6" sand bed in my sump.
Do you clean your equipment and plumbing? How often? I do it about every 4 weeks. I wipe off everything and try to clean the cooling fins on all the pumps.
How do you replace Ca/ALK? I have to make 35 gallons of topoff kalk mix every 1 to 2 days. I hope to get the Geo soon!
Last edited:
jeffbrig
Premium Member
Re: Comparing notes and habits
How often do you change water and what % of the total system?
I have a pretty strange water change strategy. I change water as needed put aged water in my quarantine tanks (55g and 10g). If I'm filling the 55g, I'll do 55g in 2 days, or I might just do 20-25 gallons once a week as maintenance changes. Other that that, I'll draw water out of the main tank when I syphon the bottom (which I do rarely). Looking around the house, I can count 8 empty IO buckets since I started the tank. 2 were the original fill, so 6 covered the water changes in the last year. That works out to 20-25% monthly (more than I expected, actually).
What salt do you use and why?
I use IO, simply because it's inexpensive and available anywhere, anytime. I have no desire to change for the sake of change, so I'll stick with what works. It helps that Big Al's sells buckets for $29.00 every once in a while, so I can stock up.
What type of carbon do you use and why?
Black Diamond - it's pretty good (low PO4) and it's relatively cheap, and I can pick it up at Big Al's right around the corner for a good price.
Do you use a PO4 removing media? Why and how much?
Nope, haven't needed to yet (knock on wood)
How often do you feed and why/what?
I feed daily in the main tank, twice daily in QT. A bit of nori for the tangs (from the sushi section of the groery), occasionally Formula 1&2 flakes when I'm lazy, more often it's a variety of frozen foods. We have brine, mysis, pacifica plankton, prime reef, cyclopeeze, formula 2, etc. We also make a homemade blender mush (a la melev) containing some of the above frozen foods, selcon, clam, squid, shimp, a fish filet, etc. Everyone goes nuts for the blender mush.
How often do you clean your glass?
The tank can go about a week and a half before you notice much algae buildup. It probably goes 2 weeks between cleanings, more if I'm lazy and no one's coming over.
How often do you clean the skimmer cup?
Averages about once a week, unless something makes the skimmer go nuts (too much selcon is the biggest culprit)
Do you dose anything else?
Not really...
What type of Ca reactor media do you use?
No reactor online yet, but I have a Schuran waiting to be setup, and the Schuran media.
Do you buy most of your supplies online or locally?
Online for the big stuff.
If you are barebottom, how often do you vaccum the bottom?
Thanks for reminding me to go do it. Let's just say less than I should....
Do you clean your equipment and plumbing? How often?
1 year and counting, haven't performed any real maintenance on the pumps and equipment other than cleaning intake screens. My pH runs on the low side, so calcium precipitation should be minimal.
How do you replace Ca/ALK?
Tank isn't heavily stocked with corals, so I've been relying on a calcium hydroxide and washing soda to make it up (more or less randy's 2 part recipe). However, instead of mixing and having a set daily dosing routine, I measure and do corrections on an infrequent schedule simply to keep things from getting too far out of whack. (Really need to get that reactor running). Is it any wonder that only the "easy" corals do well in my tank?
How often do you change water and what % of the total system?
I have a pretty strange water change strategy. I change water as needed put aged water in my quarantine tanks (55g and 10g). If I'm filling the 55g, I'll do 55g in 2 days, or I might just do 20-25 gallons once a week as maintenance changes. Other that that, I'll draw water out of the main tank when I syphon the bottom (which I do rarely). Looking around the house, I can count 8 empty IO buckets since I started the tank. 2 were the original fill, so 6 covered the water changes in the last year. That works out to 20-25% monthly (more than I expected, actually).
What salt do you use and why?
I use IO, simply because it's inexpensive and available anywhere, anytime. I have no desire to change for the sake of change, so I'll stick with what works. It helps that Big Al's sells buckets for $29.00 every once in a while, so I can stock up.
What type of carbon do you use and why?
Black Diamond - it's pretty good (low PO4) and it's relatively cheap, and I can pick it up at Big Al's right around the corner for a good price.
Do you use a PO4 removing media? Why and how much?
Nope, haven't needed to yet (knock on wood)
How often do you feed and why/what?
I feed daily in the main tank, twice daily in QT. A bit of nori for the tangs (from the sushi section of the groery), occasionally Formula 1&2 flakes when I'm lazy, more often it's a variety of frozen foods. We have brine, mysis, pacifica plankton, prime reef, cyclopeeze, formula 2, etc. We also make a homemade blender mush (a la melev) containing some of the above frozen foods, selcon, clam, squid, shimp, a fish filet, etc. Everyone goes nuts for the blender mush.
How often do you clean your glass?
The tank can go about a week and a half before you notice much algae buildup. It probably goes 2 weeks between cleanings, more if I'm lazy and no one's coming over.
How often do you clean the skimmer cup?
Averages about once a week, unless something makes the skimmer go nuts (too much selcon is the biggest culprit)
Do you dose anything else?
Not really...
What type of Ca reactor media do you use?
No reactor online yet, but I have a Schuran waiting to be setup, and the Schuran media.
Do you buy most of your supplies online or locally?
Online for the big stuff.
If you are barebottom, how often do you vaccum the bottom?
Thanks for reminding me to go do it.
Let's just say less than I should....Do you clean your equipment and plumbing? How often?
1 year and counting, haven't performed any real maintenance on the pumps and equipment other than cleaning intake screens. My pH runs on the low side, so calcium precipitation should be minimal.
How do you replace Ca/ALK?
Tank isn't heavily stocked with corals, so I've been relying on a calcium hydroxide and washing soda to make it up (more or less randy's 2 part recipe). However, instead of mixing and having a set daily dosing routine, I measure and do corrections on an infrequent schedule simply to keep things from getting too far out of whack. (Really need to get that reactor running). Is it any wonder that only the "easy" corals do well in my tank?
melev
Well-known member
How often do you change water and what % of the total system? 55g every 4 weeks. 16%
What salt do you use and why? Kent Sea Salt. I've used it for years with good success.
What type of carbon do you use and why? Kent Bulk Carbon
Do you use a PO4 removing media? Why and how much? I've used most. I'm currently using something that is like ROWAphos, about 6 heaping teaspoons in each (2) reactor, which are changed every 4 weeks.
How often do you feed and why/what? I feed daily at 9pm, using a mixture of my home-made food. (Recipe is on my site)
How often do you clean your glass? Every three or four days.
How often do you clean the skimmer cup? Every other day currently, although in the past it was daily.
Do you dose anything else? Salifert Amino Acids twice a month, Prodibio twice a month
What type of Ca reactor media do you use? CaribSea's ARM
Do you buy most of your supplies online or locally? Online.
If you are barebottom, how often do you vaccum the bottom? n/a
Do you clean your equipment and plumbing? How often? Weekly.
How do you replace Ca/ALK? I have a LifeReef Calcium Reactor.
I just posted a video of my tank in this forum (Corals In Motion) and here is a full tank shot from 6/6/06.
What salt do you use and why? Kent Sea Salt. I've used it for years with good success.
What type of carbon do you use and why? Kent Bulk Carbon
Do you use a PO4 removing media? Why and how much? I've used most. I'm currently using something that is like ROWAphos, about 6 heaping teaspoons in each (2) reactor, which are changed every 4 weeks.
How often do you feed and why/what? I feed daily at 9pm, using a mixture of my home-made food. (Recipe is on my site)
How often do you clean your glass? Every three or four days.
How often do you clean the skimmer cup? Every other day currently, although in the past it was daily.
Do you dose anything else? Salifert Amino Acids twice a month, Prodibio twice a month
What type of Ca reactor media do you use? CaribSea's ARM
Do you buy most of your supplies online or locally? Online.
If you are barebottom, how often do you vaccum the bottom? n/a
Do you clean your equipment and plumbing? How often? Weekly.
How do you replace Ca/ALK? I have a LifeReef Calcium Reactor.
I just posted a video of my tank in this forum (Corals In Motion) and here is a full tank shot from 6/6/06.
jdieck
New member
Re: Comparing notes and habits
How often do you change water and what % of the total system? I try to keep water changes at 55 gallons every week on my 330 gal system.
What salt do you use and why? I tried IO but needed to supplement too much, with Oceanic I had trouble balancing Calcium and Alkalinity because I use two balanced addition reactors, also I started getting golden algae, then tried Tropic Marin Pro, good salt but the price is really high, Most of the four years of the system I stayed with Kent, very consistent, balanced and whatever adjustments I had to make were simple without the need for testing until they really messed up a couple of months ago then I switched to Tropic Marin which is what I am using now. About a bucket a month
What type of carbon do you use and why? My preferred are Two Little Fishies Hydrocarbon and Seachem Matrix both with low phosphate content. I use Seachems for long term maintenance (about three pounds per month), Because hydrocarbon is faster I have it for emergencies, I also use it as a filter for the air vent in the skimmer to remove Ozone traces and skimmate smell.
Do you use a PO4 removing media? Why and how much? I started with Rowaphos which by my calculations has three times more adsorption and is faster than Phosban, but also costs three times as much and is more difficult to rinse (more fines) so I switched to Phosban. I use 1200 grams in a converted upflow reactor. Right now I am testing some new iron based media that comes in palletized form. It has very good adsorption (similar or better than Phosban) but what I really like about it is that it is really easy to rinse and that I get very uniform flow across the media.
How often do you feed and why/what? I feed daily two good pinches of flakes alternating primereef and formula one. also half a sheet of nori.
Once in a while I add some granules to the fuge to feed the pods and every other week a siverside or a small scallop for the rose anemone.
How often do you clean your glass? Magnet once a week, frag tank once a month, coralline once a month.
How often do you clean the skimmer cup? I have a one gallon skimmer collector which I empty about once a week when in dry foam setting. Also clean the riser and cup every week.
Do you dose anything else? about 5 ml per week of Strontium Molybdenum and 5 ml per week of a solution of 120 drops of Lugols per 16 Oz RO/DI.
What type of Ca reactor media do you use? for the Calcium Reactor I use ARM, now I am testing the use of Gen-X media (similar to Shuran large pieces) used on the first chamber, It seems to dissolve easy and because of the large size it seems to prevent plugging the recirculation flow and maintain a more stable reactor flow. I like it so far. I will still use ARM in the secondary chamber. I use about 5 pound of media per month.
For the Kalk reactor I use Two Little Fishies Kalkwaser, about two cups a month.
Do you buy most of your supplies online or locally? I get my fish and most corals locally, other supplies on line
If you are barebottom, how often do you vacuum the bottom? My Frag tank is bare bottom, I syphon once a week
Do you clean your equipment and plumbing? How often? every six months I get a garden hose and rinse everything.
Other I do powerheads every couple of months, return pump and skimmer I have not done in four years although I inspect them once a year and remove dust from the air vents.
Sumps I clean every six months and once a year I have the chiller checked and tested
Test GFCIs once a month.
Change light bulbs once a year
How do you replace Ca/ALK? Calcium reactor 24/7 and Kalk reactor for evaporation replacement at night.
How often do you change water and what % of the total system? I try to keep water changes at 55 gallons every week on my 330 gal system.
What salt do you use and why? I tried IO but needed to supplement too much, with Oceanic I had trouble balancing Calcium and Alkalinity because I use two balanced addition reactors, also I started getting golden algae, then tried Tropic Marin Pro, good salt but the price is really high, Most of the four years of the system I stayed with Kent, very consistent, balanced and whatever adjustments I had to make were simple without the need for testing until they really messed up a couple of months ago then I switched to Tropic Marin which is what I am using now. About a bucket a month
What type of carbon do you use and why? My preferred are Two Little Fishies Hydrocarbon and Seachem Matrix both with low phosphate content. I use Seachems for long term maintenance (about three pounds per month), Because hydrocarbon is faster I have it for emergencies, I also use it as a filter for the air vent in the skimmer to remove Ozone traces and skimmate smell.
Do you use a PO4 removing media? Why and how much? I started with Rowaphos which by my calculations has three times more adsorption and is faster than Phosban, but also costs three times as much and is more difficult to rinse (more fines) so I switched to Phosban. I use 1200 grams in a converted upflow reactor. Right now I am testing some new iron based media that comes in palletized form. It has very good adsorption (similar or better than Phosban) but what I really like about it is that it is really easy to rinse and that I get very uniform flow across the media.
How often do you feed and why/what? I feed daily two good pinches of flakes alternating primereef and formula one. also half a sheet of nori.
Once in a while I add some granules to the fuge to feed the pods and every other week a siverside or a small scallop for the rose anemone.
How often do you clean your glass? Magnet once a week, frag tank once a month, coralline once a month.
How often do you clean the skimmer cup? I have a one gallon skimmer collector which I empty about once a week when in dry foam setting. Also clean the riser and cup every week.
Do you dose anything else? about 5 ml per week of Strontium Molybdenum and 5 ml per week of a solution of 120 drops of Lugols per 16 Oz RO/DI.
What type of Ca reactor media do you use? for the Calcium Reactor I use ARM, now I am testing the use of Gen-X media (similar to Shuran large pieces) used on the first chamber, It seems to dissolve easy and because of the large size it seems to prevent plugging the recirculation flow and maintain a more stable reactor flow. I like it so far. I will still use ARM in the secondary chamber. I use about 5 pound of media per month.
For the Kalk reactor I use Two Little Fishies Kalkwaser, about two cups a month.
Do you buy most of your supplies online or locally? I get my fish and most corals locally, other supplies on line
If you are barebottom, how often do you vacuum the bottom? My Frag tank is bare bottom, I syphon once a week
Do you clean your equipment and plumbing? How often? every six months I get a garden hose and rinse everything.
Other I do powerheads every couple of months, return pump and skimmer I have not done in four years although I inspect them once a year and remove dust from the air vents.
Sumps I clean every six months and once a year I have the chiller checked and tested
Test GFCIs once a month.
Change light bulbs once a year
How do you replace Ca/ALK? Calcium reactor 24/7 and Kalk reactor for evaporation replacement at night.
weatherson
Premium Member
How often do you change water and what % of the total system?
Bi-weekly 55-gallons or about 18% of total system.
What salt do you use and why?
I've used Instant Ocean from the beginning with good results so I stick with it.
What type of carbon do you use and why?
Marineland Black Diamond as it tested well in a study years ago.
Do you use a PO4 removing media? Why and how much?
No. My tank has no need for it.
How often do you feed and why/what?
I feed frozen every other day and Nori on the opposite days. The frozen consists of;
2 cubes Mysis shrimp
2 cubes Life Line Herbivore
2 cubes Prime Reef
2 cubes Brine Shrimp Plus
DT's Oyster Eggs and Phytoplankton
E.S.V.'s Phytoplankton
Cyclop-eeze
Soaked in Selcon
How often do you clean your glass?
Every other day.
How often do you clean the skimmer cup?
Weekly.
Do you dose anything else?
ESV Magnesium when needed.
What type of Ca reactor media do you use?
Knop Koralith
Do you buy most of your supplies online or locally?
Online.
If you are bare-bottom, how often do you vacuum the bottom?
Not applicable.
Do you clean your equipment and plumbing? How often?
Yes. Various frequencies but mostly weekly.
How do you replace Ca/ALK?
Kalk-reactor (DIY) and Calcium reactor (Knop HD).
Bi-weekly 55-gallons or about 18% of total system.
What salt do you use and why?
I've used Instant Ocean from the beginning with good results so I stick with it.
What type of carbon do you use and why?
Marineland Black Diamond as it tested well in a study years ago.
Do you use a PO4 removing media? Why and how much?
No. My tank has no need for it.
How often do you feed and why/what?
I feed frozen every other day and Nori on the opposite days. The frozen consists of;
2 cubes Mysis shrimp
2 cubes Life Line Herbivore
2 cubes Prime Reef
2 cubes Brine Shrimp Plus
DT's Oyster Eggs and Phytoplankton
E.S.V.'s Phytoplankton
Cyclop-eeze
Soaked in Selcon
How often do you clean your glass?
Every other day.
How often do you clean the skimmer cup?
Weekly.
Do you dose anything else?
ESV Magnesium when needed.
What type of Ca reactor media do you use?
Knop Koralith
Do you buy most of your supplies online or locally?
Online.
If you are bare-bottom, how often do you vacuum the bottom?
Not applicable.
Do you clean your equipment and plumbing? How often?
Yes. Various frequencies but mostly weekly.
How do you replace Ca/ALK?
Kalk-reactor (DIY) and Calcium reactor (Knop HD).
