Floridiot's new SPS tank journal
- Thread starter Floridiot
- Start date
- just havent got there yet......
Floridiot
Member
jnarowe - No insult taken, I just wanted to restate what I'm trying to accomplish by testing. And no, the colorimeter is not mine. I'm in the IT field, and just happen to be the guy who maintains the computer it is attached to. Luckily for me, I get free testing.
Simon - Iwan's tank is a bit of an enigma to me. When things seem too good to be true, they usually are.
Simon - Iwan's tank is a bit of an enigma to me. When things seem too good to be true, they usually are.
reefarchitect
New member
That is insane growth. Congrats..
Floridiot
Member
There really is nothing new to report other than I've stopped adding all Prodibio products since 4/29. So far I don't notice any differences whatsoever, but I'm guessing it may take a few more weeks before I should. In a few weeks, I'll post updated pics under the same light conditions to see if there is any color difference.
I did receive an email invoice finally for my Deltec PO4 test kit. It should arrive on Wednesday. Late next week, I will take two samples and test one via the Deltec (Merck) kit, and send the other one off to the lab. I will post my findings on the differences between the two.
I did receive an email invoice finally for my Deltec PO4 test kit. It should arrive on Wednesday. Late next week, I will take two samples and test one via the Deltec (Merck) kit, and send the other one off to the lab. I will post my findings on the differences between the two.
Aussie Koi
New member
Tagging along here as well. I would like to hear what happens and if you maintain your current levels of growth (which are fantastic by the way).
Do you think a deep sand bed would help (as it alows a greater surface area for the bacteria to gorw and prosper???) as other wise your bacteria will be out in the cold with no where to live
Regards
Aussie Koi
Do you think a deep sand bed would help (as it alows a greater surface area for the bacteria to gorw and prosper???) as other wise your bacteria will be out in the cold with no where to live
Regards
Aussie Koi
Floridiot
Member
I've been real busy lately, but finally have time to post an update. I stopped using the Prodibio stuff from 4/29 through 7/4, and have noticed a measurable amount of Nitrates for the first time ever. There are no noticable negative effects to the tank due to this barely measurable amount, but I still prefer seeing a reading of zero.
I have never had a measurable amount of nitrates in this tank until today. When I stopped using the Prodibio products, I also removed my chaeto, so I'm not sure which one was consuming the Nitrates. I resumed Prodibio dosing today, and will monitor my nitrates for the next couple of months to see if they go back to being unmeasurable.
As far as the Phosphates are concerned, I have a reading between 0 and .024 mg/l using the Deltec/Merck kit. People on this board are obviously misquoting their Phosphate levels when they claim to have less than .01 mg/l since this kit 's smallest measurable amount is .024. I also had another sample tested at the same time at the lab and had a reading of .040 ppm, so there is obviously a disrepancy.
Phospate levels did not change any at all from the chaeto removal or the stoppage of Prodibio.
Growth is still good, and color is still kind of bland. Growth rate and color do not seem to have changed any during the last two months without Prodibio. I will post some updated pics next month at the six month old interval. Since my tank is starting to mature, and everything has been going well, I'm going to introduce some more corals very soon. I may try some LPS corals, even though I think my flow will be too strong for most of them. I will also be buying some more SPS frags, and a nice wrasse of some sort.
I have never had a measurable amount of nitrates in this tank until today. When I stopped using the Prodibio products, I also removed my chaeto, so I'm not sure which one was consuming the Nitrates. I resumed Prodibio dosing today, and will monitor my nitrates for the next couple of months to see if they go back to being unmeasurable.
As far as the Phosphates are concerned, I have a reading between 0 and .024 mg/l using the Deltec/Merck kit. People on this board are obviously misquoting their Phosphate levels when they claim to have less than .01 mg/l since this kit 's smallest measurable amount is .024. I also had another sample tested at the same time at the lab and had a reading of .040 ppm, so there is obviously a disrepancy.
Phospate levels did not change any at all from the chaeto removal or the stoppage of Prodibio.
Growth is still good, and color is still kind of bland. Growth rate and color do not seem to have changed any during the last two months without Prodibio. I will post some updated pics next month at the six month old interval. Since my tank is starting to mature, and everything has been going well, I'm going to introduce some more corals very soon. I may try some LPS corals, even though I think my flow will be too strong for most of them. I will also be buying some more SPS frags, and a nice wrasse of some sort.
jnarowe
New member
Interesting results. It's sort of par-for-the-course though that when we make any changes, they affect the tank and it's hard to tell which change had the effect. I ripped out a bunch of grape caulerpa and I think that is what RTN'd a coral. Now one bunch of that caulerpa seems to have gone "sexual" based on appearance, and suddenly my fish, which have never shown an interest in it before, are tearing into that bunch and consuming what I believe will be the entire bunch. Very strange, but very interesting.
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