Frankie's 120 gal. reef.
- Thread starter FFrankie
- Start date
FFrankie
New member
The Tanks temp has been steady as a rock since i insulated and put ac in the garage. Fighting water parameters atm though. All the moving of the filtration and water changes took its toll. Everything is perfect but the Ca++. I used some Seachem calcium-up to boost it. Yesterday it was 380 today 440. Too fast imo so i need to keep a close eye on the alk now.
I am going to build a new kalk reactor tomorrow. The old ones pump got jambed and its not worth salvaging. Good news is since adding the new skimmer my nitrates have gone down from 20 to 0. I never saw 0 with the API kit before
The water was getting a green tinge to it so i put the phos reactors back on with new carbon. I run two, daisy chained packed with carbon. I will be building a bigger one soon.
I also changed out all the bulbs. I went with the Giesemann Megachrome 13k 250w MH this time and 4x ATI 54w T5 super blues for supplementing. I am thinking about replacing the Megachrome already. Their just to white for me. The ATI's are nice though!
That's all for updating for now
I am going to build a new kalk reactor tomorrow. The old ones pump got jambed and its not worth salvaging. Good news is since adding the new skimmer my nitrates have gone down from 20 to 0. I never saw 0 with the API kit before
The water was getting a green tinge to it so i put the phos reactors back on with new carbon. I run two, daisy chained packed with carbon. I will be building a bigger one soon.
I also changed out all the bulbs. I went with the Giesemann Megachrome 13k 250w MH this time and 4x ATI 54w T5 super blues for supplementing. I am thinking about replacing the Megachrome already. Their just to white for me. The ATI's are nice though!
That's all for updating for now
FFrankie
New member
Sound great Terry! I cannot wait to see it.
Johnathan, I am not to sure. I thinks it could be the new lighting. I am going to wait until the morning and see what the carbon does. I use to also have a UV on 24/7 but that has been off also since the sump replacement. I bought a new bulb for it but want to wait to plumb it back in. I want to plumb it into the return of the prop tank i am going to build soon. I have the ball valve all set up on the manifold for it already. It very well can be an algae bloom from the new lighting.
Thanks for stopping in guys.
Johnathan, I am not to sure. I thinks it could be the new lighting. I am going to wait until the morning and see what the carbon does. I use to also have a UV on 24/7 but that has been off also since the sump replacement. I bought a new bulb for it but want to wait to plumb it back in. I want to plumb it into the return of the prop tank i am going to build soon. I have the ball valve all set up on the manifold for it already. It very well can be an algae bloom from the new lighting.
Thanks for stopping in guys.
I bet the carbon and phosphates removal media will take care of it. You probably stirred up a bunch of crap when you moved the contents of your fuge. Looking at the pics, it doesn't look like you have any macro algae? Just a mangrove tree? I'm not saying that that isn't enough or it's bad, because I don't know...
I'm always looking for better ideas to improve my system. I've been struggling with keeping nitrates down to 20, and I'm doing a 40g WC every day to keep it at 20. I figure it's the move from the 120 into the 450 just has crap stirred up so I'm going to continue with the WC's for a while.
I'm always looking for better ideas to improve my system. I've been struggling with keeping nitrates down to 20, and I'm doing a 40g WC every day to keep it at 20. I figure it's the move from the 120 into the 450 just has crap stirred up so I'm going to continue with the WC's for a while.
FFrankie
New member
I have some cheato in there but it never grows. I have always had low nutrients and nitrates so it doesn't surprise me. Not to sure if i am going to set a refugium up again. The Mangrove is just for my pleasure. I am considering purchasing a bushel though. If i do that then nutrient's will become a zero issue and i can grow my own forest 
The tank looks spotless this morning. I will wait to see what happens after the MH's kick on at 11:00am. If the tank go's yellow again i am going to start pointing the problem at the new bulbs and calling DIYreef for a replacement set.
Go easy on the water changes Terry. You not allowing the tank to stabilize. Let the nitrates go up and see if they come down on there own. Cut back on feeding and don't use any products. Try feeding mysis shrimp every other day and thats it. let the system roll.
The tank looks spotless this morning. I will wait to see what happens after the MH's kick on at 11:00am. If the tank go's yellow again i am going to start pointing the problem at the new bulbs and calling DIYreef for a replacement set.
Go easy on the water changes Terry. You not allowing the tank to stabilize. Let the nitrates go up and see if they come down on there own. Cut back on feeding and don't use any products. Try feeding mysis shrimp every other day and thats it. let the system roll.
Thanks Frankie. I didn't do a WC today so I'll do just that. I'll keep an eye on the nitrates and see where they head. How high would you let them go before you do a WC though?
What is a bushel? And how did your tank look after the lights were on all day? How did your water temps hold up with this nasty heat wave we're having? Our swimming pool is already at 91, and that is without the solar cover on, and the filter running 24/7.
What is a bushel? And how did your tank look after the lights were on all day? How did your water temps hold up with this nasty heat wave we're having? Our swimming pool is already at 91, and that is without the solar cover on, and the filter running 24/7.
FFrankie
New member
Thanks for checking in Bax!
Terry, I would not let them get over 80 personally. If it get's that high start testing as much as possible. If it hits over 80 drop a big water change in there and see what happens. Try not to over feed. It is a very big difference feeding in a 450 over a 150. You think the fish aren't getting enough food but they are. Shoot, Tangs don't need to be fed more then every other day if you use Nori every day. I feed my tank every other day with mysis and alternate days Nori. Thats it. Even the wrasse and clowns eat the Nori.
I still don't like the look of the bulbs. ****es me off i tell ya! I ordered Radiums. I'll use the Megachromes for emergency bulbs or a mix for the future tank. My garage never went over 79f with 100 outside!
A bushel of mangroves dude! I built a refugium tank last night. Oh well, old habits die hard. I'll get some pictures up today of it.
Terry, I would not let them get over 80 personally. If it get's that high start testing as much as possible. If it hits over 80 drop a big water change in there and see what happens. Try not to over feed. It is a very big difference feeding in a 450 over a 150. You think the fish aren't getting enough food but they are. Shoot, Tangs don't need to be fed more then every other day if you use Nori every day. I feed my tank every other day with mysis and alternate days Nori. Thats it. Even the wrasse and clowns eat the Nori.
I still don't like the look of the bulbs. ****es me off i tell ya! I ordered Radiums. I'll use the Megachromes for emergency bulbs or a mix for the future tank. My garage never went over 79f with 100 outside!
A bushel of mangroves dude!
I built a refugium tank last night. Oh well, old habits die hard. I'll get some pictures up today of it.I was thinking it was a bushel of mangroves but I'm still learning new words all the time. :lol:
That's awesome about your garage temp! Congrats and great job! How did the job of cutting the old tank into a frag tank turn out?
As for feeding, I thought the "rule" was to feed as much as is consumed in two minutes. The amount we're feeding gets consumed in 10 to 15 seconds. :lol:
I do feed a sheet of seaweed every morning and it's gone by afternoon. I'm pretty sure I found the source of the nitrates though. My step-son has gotten lazy about cleaning the filters on teh overflow boxes on the predator tank. This potential problem should be eliminated this weekend with the new 360g predator tank. No filter sponges will be used.
That's awesome about your garage temp! Congrats and great job! How did the job of cutting the old tank into a frag tank turn out?
As for feeding, I thought the "rule" was to feed as much as is consumed in two minutes. The amount we're feeding gets consumed in 10 to 15 seconds. :lol:
I do feed a sheet of seaweed every morning and it's gone by afternoon. I'm pretty sure I found the source of the nitrates though. My step-son has gotten lazy about cleaning the filters on teh overflow boxes on the predator tank. This potential problem should be eliminated this weekend with the new 360g predator tank. No filter sponges will be used.
erics3000
Active member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12673739#post12673739 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by FFrankie
Are you nuts!? But shes not stupid either. It took her just over 24 hour to figure out that i replaced the new window fan with an ac unit. Shes also figured out corals don't just grow out of the rock. That one was working for over a year
LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
FFrankie
New member
Hey Steve! glad you found me here! I have been very busy with work buddy. Here is some pictures of what i have been up too. I also replaced the new bulbs with Radiums. I love them already.! I am just not a 10k bright tank look kinda guy i guess. It was an expensive way to find out so if anyone wants them, I have brand new 2x 250w 13.5 Megachromes for sale!
I built a new refugium for the cheato and mangrove. The long pipe you see will be getting cut back after i build the frag tank. The frag tank will be spilling into the refugium.
Enough! Picture time!
I built a new refugium for the cheato and mangrove. The long pipe you see will be getting cut back after i build the frag tank. The frag tank will be spilling into the refugium.
Enough! Picture time!
