daveonbass's 58g SPS tank

[franklypre]

At this point your already dosing sugar, I wouldn't worry with Vodka unless it gets really bad. Vinegar doesn't usually hurt but if those BPs are doing anything at all they should provide adequate carbon. There is a bottle of fuel in a batch of pappone so that's not a big concern IMO. WC repleish AA for the most part, can you take pics of what you are seeing that is different or just an overall look? You don't like seafood suprise?

 

[daveonbass]

I was dosing 2tbsp of "fuel" every other day, as per the directions. I am pretty confident that there is not that much in the number of doses I use of pappone' every 2 days. Same goes with sugar...when dosing I used a lot more sugar that what could be in the total doses of pappone' in 2 days. That's why I am temper to boost the pellets with the proper dose.

Since when does instant ocean have AA in it? This would be news to me. What would be the point of any dosing products if all we need was new salt?

Either way its not something to see in a picture, its more of just an overall lull in the tanks growth a color explosion?

 

[franklypre]

SW has all the stuff you need to grow coral, trace elements and what not, the pappone will sustain the coral but you should get you some fuel. As far as the sugar I've never heard of overdosing it so why not. Too bad you can't get anyone local to carry Fuel.

 

[daveonbass]

It's easy to overdose any VSV...just add too much and get a bacterial bloom. Then watch got fish and coral die...ask me how I know.

 

[franklypre]

OK I should say, "It takes quite a large amount too overdose sugar" Vodka is alot easier to overdose, vinegar is less potent, and sugar is the least. And yes I've had green water that looked like what DT's sells. My coral didn't die nor did I lose any fish, I have UV sterilizers and dosed quite a bit of hydrogen peroxide. Well I'm about set on the upgrade, it's just to good to pass up. I can do alot with 25 sq ft of tank, who cares if i have to sweat a little more this summer without a kessil.

 

[daveonbass]

I said bacteria bloom, not an algae outbreak. They are two completely different things. I've had an algae outbreak too and had zero negative effects. Everytime I dose sugar I get a bacterial bloom and end up losing a fish or two. I don't see how its any harder to overdose sugar than it is any other carbon. Thats why I don't like dosing but instead prefer the biopellets since they don't ever "overdose" the system...they just don't get used. Sadly I'm my case being po4 limited I can't actually use the biopellets as a carbon source. So looks like for a moment...I'm boned. :/

 

[franklypre]

When it boils down to it green water is green water, if not it's just cloudy. Sorry I don't use microscopes to get exact binomial nomenclature, and yes sugar is less reactive than vodka or vinegar, that is why I use it. Everyone has algae, I have dosed live Nanochloripsis to my tank and seen what it does. I have seen the effects of a shot of vodka in a 58w10g sump. We used to party hard. Biopellets IMO are like the many Weiss products, maybe I can get my tank blessed by a shamen, LMAO. Seriously I dislike alot of filtration tech that comes to market, Like GFO,BPs, nitrate/phos reducing reactors. Classic Berlin Method will do what you need it to do so long as you follow the directions. I laugh when I here someone say, I'm switching to Zeovit because the regular way is just too difficult or not working. If you can find a good balance on your tank where the coral grows and the colors look good, just keep doing what you are doing. You have that balance now just keep it up, those trates aren't hurting anything. I feel like I've said all this before.

 

[daveonbass]

I didn't say I had green water from dosing sugar. I said I had a bacterial bloom from dosing sugar. Again they are two completely different things. If you haven't seen it then I guess you just don't know, but whatever its nor important cause I DO know the difference and know how to fix it depending on which one is happening in my tank. Dosing VSVs will not induce green water...cause its not feeding algae...it induces a bacterial bloom because its feeding bacteria.

As for the other thing...you don't seem to understand that its about control and regulation of parameters. If you have tank with zero live rock or sand, no algea in the tank or sump, and lots of livestock...you can still have a beautiful tank with lots of successful growth due to the management of waste and control over all the water parameters. Fish and coral do not require rock or sand or anything other than the proper water to live in and eat from. Everything else after that is just because we want it in the tank. One day I bet that many tanks will be fully synthetic with no actual live rock or sand. And it will be just as normal, needed, and proven as you think MH lights are. When in fact its just one of many ways of having success, with no single method ever being the "most" successful.

 

[franklypre]

Do what you do bud, it's your tank. I cleaned LR w/ vinegar and had a wonderful green tank right after the milky white nastiness went away. I also had one when the AC at the apartment went out without carbon dosing. I used to wonder why all the new "high-tech" stuff came out all the time, after some time on these forums I understand why I don't like trying new products. We have a need to keep upgrading our systems, feed the urge. I've been growing coral for a while now and I do it the way I do it, it works. There are all kinds of products that work and there are many that are a waste of time. I like the naturalish environment I run, I do not have to control it as it takes care of itself for the most part. I change water twice a month, fill the doser up about the same time, add top off water and feed. Everything else is just my OCD.

 

[daveonbass]

I'm thinking about moving the birdsnest to make room for my new frags, but I just found out that its so big that I can't move it out cause its grown too close to the glass. I'd have to break it just to get it out. Haha.

 

[franklypre]

Gotta do what you gotta do, it'll break eventually when you clean your glass. You said it got thick like mine in your buddies tank right? I'd like some if it would stay thin and/or if you don't have room for the frags. I'm running a 250w pheonix over my 58 right now and I have to say I'll probably be downgrading the 400 to a 250, better PE and I love the color it has just enough blue. Will make for an easier switch if I do get a Kessil, big if right now. Thinking about putting the 400 over the 40b just to see. That RP is really doing nicely BTW

 

[daveonbass]

I still think that when talking about over all par, that two a350s will be more light than one 400w mh. Especially at the edges of the tank...so just be sure not to shock them with any switch you make.

I have two big drags of the birdsnest, and one colony. Take your pick and I'll bring it over with the rainbow. BTW, in jasons tank it went from green to brownish pink under his 250w mhs.

I'm completely out of papponé, that stuff goes quick in my tank. Haha. Maybe I should go w month without any and see if I notice a difference. But the corals seem to like it...I still can't tell if its just from the sugar or if they actually "eat" any of it. I have never seen any noticeable change in PE while using it or not. Even the inventor of it has never proven to himself if its anything more than fish poop with sugar to help the VSV dosing. I don't know if we will ever be able to figure that out without a lab. But it seems to be working.

 

[daveonbass]

some night pics of my birdsnest...I was just bored. sorry if they suck, everyone. :/

 

[daveonbass]

yeah, sorry it sucked...

 

[franklypre]

Yea, I just do the pappone because it works. I seriously doubt it will turn brown but we'll see. I'm definately getting rid of the 400 and going to a 250 pheonix, if I can run the tank with that I can run it with one Kessil and the 4 PARs. Maybe eventually upgrade to just 2 A350s, who knows right now I've got a project in the works that is gonna tie up all of my resources for a while ya know. My rainbow is blue w/green polyps on the older and blueish w/orange polyps on the new growth, I think.

 

[daveonbass]

That sounds like a rainbow. Mine refuses to get yellow polyps again...they all turned Orange...and the new growth is blue with red polyps. But the yellow never comes back. Lame. I'm really thinking its a spectrum thing...and I need new bulbs anyways. I may actually get the coral plus and purple plus...I know I'd miss the blue spectrum though.

 

[ritter6788]

Great looking tank! Looks like your sps are growing nicely.

 

[daveonbass]

It's ebbed and flowed...but I'm happy with it right now. It's funny how now that it looks good again I can't afford to upgrade anything...so its kinda good cause now everything just grows and I don't mess with it.

 

[franklypre]

My kids should be gone to grandma's around dark or so if you want to do some swapping tonight. Do you have any pieces of purple cap or any other cap?

 

[daveonbass]

I have a green cap that is a healthy frag. (not the leng sy). And I can maybe break off some Idaho grape.
Also the birdsnest and the rainbow.