Reefvet
New member
I still have test kits and wouldn't hesitate to use them but unless something looks off I don't just systematically test. I haven't measured phosphates in weeks and see no reason to as everything is growing and has good color.
Guess the Phosphate level
- Thread starter Thales
- Start date
I still have test kits and wouldn't hesitate to use them but unless something looks off I don't just systematically test. I haven't measured phosphates in weeks and see no reason to as everything is growing and has good color.
MikeC120
New member
Thales
Active member
Thats the one.
Thales
Active member
Thales,
Forgive me as I am late to the game
Tried to read through most of the threat but found myself skipping around focusing on your responses to posts which allowed me to get through the majority of it. If someone else already touched upon the following perhaps you can point me to the post.
I for one appreciate what you have done here. That is, that sometimes conventional thinking to an otherwise mostly misunderstood and unconventional hobby has made us victims of following like sheeple. I know, I know you are not condoning anyone follow your formula as you have made it clear (at least to me) that you, yourself do not know what that formula is. Anyway, its refreshing that after 16 yeas in the hobby (still consider myself a baby) there are moments when you come across something that turns everything you thought you understood as right-side-up into up-side-down and sideways. BUT... somehow what you are doing works and pics of your tank is proof pudding. Anyone seeing that has to ask why/how? I love it! so thank you.
Thanks!
I have thought about it, but there doesn't seem to be a practical way to keep on top of those ratios.
I put a lot of food into the tank, mostly RN products. Haven't measured them, but I'll see if I can (this is the problem with being an aquarist for a living - I don't necessarily want or have time to do stuff I do at work all day at home!). I like the idea of 'flood feeding' where I feed heavily so I know everything gets food. I bounce between auto dosing food and flood feeding, but flood feeding seems easier, so I haven't re set up my auto feeder. No bio pellets for me, not at all sold on them, and seen too many problems arise because of their addition.
So far my fairly recent conversion (6 months in the making) of my mostly softies with some LPS to mostly SPS with some LPS is going fairly well. My system is fairly established though (16 year tank with one move). Its interesting to note that when I kept softies which I found to be more tolerant of dirty water. my tank was tested typically at 40 No3. Now-a-days it tests around 8 No3 and .04 Po4 and able to grow SPS from frags (I like pain,lol) with moderate to good growth <<< whatever that means
LOL
Yep that is the one. Lit with reefbrite strips.
Thales
Active member
I hate filter socks being run on a regular basis because you have to clean them. I found that at home, when I ran filter socks I ignored them for too long so I stopped using them.
Thales
Active member
The reefbrite strips it came with.
Never a 'fuge really. The 180 sump is kinda like a fuge and when I was growing macro algae I used a 65 watt LOA flood light from home depot.
Thales
Active member
Absolutely. In my case usually the salinity is off.
I have a partially written article that discusses how to track down the cause of issues. And at the same time, this is a lot of the reality in the hobby, as there is so much that we add that we don't/can't test for.
GroktheCube
New member
Absolutely. In my case usually the salinity is off.
I can relate to that. This week, I noticed that about half my acros along with half my montis and a pocillopora looked a bit "off". Turned out my salinity had drifted down to 32ppt, whoops.
madadi
ReefOG
well im not an expert but its just my observation. I see a tank full from top to bottom with corals and we wonder why its successful with such high nutrient levels. algae doesn't grow on coral. also, algae doesn't grow well when its competing with something else for the same food source. Well all know corals use up phosphates and nitrates. So if you have the same bioload as this guy, yes you can have a successful reef tank with high nutrients, otherwise prepare to grow a whole lot of algae. JMO
Thales
Active member
The tank is scaped in basically two levels, the lower level has lots of cut outs and cave and hidey holes. It may get less flow than the rest, but that is hard to tell. Either way there is more boundary layer. That said, I think it may be incorrect that these fish need low flow. Mostly that idea seems to come from fish being seen on dive sites where there isn't much flow - but that doesn't mak sense because you don't dive those sites when the current is ripping.
Perhaps though, the tip would be feed the crap out of the tank so there is a ton of stuff for the pipe to eat.
Thales
Active member
Charles thinks something similar may be at work, but not about the algae growth. Bryopsis absolutely grows on coral!
Though the nitrate and phosphate is still high, even if the corals are using them. If they weren't they wouldn't test as high. The levels are still high, regardless of coral cover. Hmm.
Thales
Active member
Thanks Waz! Chris wants some frags...you headed up there anytime soon?
Wazzel
New member
I wish. That neck of the woods in not in any current travel plans.
the_real_brian
New member
Thales
Active member
If that was the case wouldn't we expect the nutrient levels to not be high?
the_real_brian
New member
Afenstem26
New member
Tank looks absolutely amazing
