homer1475's Biocube 29 Build Thread
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homer1475
New member
Small update.....
I've done one big, and several small WC's to decrease my nitrates. Finally got them down to where I want them (5ppm)
Have several small patches of HA on some of my rock, not worried about it, but I am going to keep and eye on it and increase my GFO. Small patches of cyano are now gone. I have a huge explosion of snail babies. I noticed my one large stomatella I rescued from the skimmer in one of my WC, immediately started squirting when I put him on a rock, and now have several very small ones running around. This is a very good sign in my book.
One more week and my fish can go back in. Lesson learned, and I will always QT everything from here on out! It's funny when people come to my house look in my tank, and they always ask where the fish are. Their faces are so priceless and very confused when I show them my QT, but then explain why they are like this, and they seem to understand, but somehow I don't really think they do judging by the blank stares. lmao
Upped my lights (white @ 60%, colors @ 25, blues @ 65, UV @ 50), changed the mp10's to reef crest mode, and started adding kalkwasser to my ATO. Everything is doing very well, and seem to like the changes. I've never seen the expansion on my corals like I do now. I used to think they were fully open and extended, but now I now they never were. For instance, my 2 octospawn I keep together, used to be about the size of a baseball when extended, now they are the size of a softball. Nearly double the size they used to open up to.
This time of year I work 12 to 15 hours a day and don't look at my tank every day, or its dark when I get home, and it seems everything is getting bigger by the day!!
I've done one big, and several small WC's to decrease my nitrates. Finally got them down to where I want them (5ppm)
Have several small patches of HA on some of my rock, not worried about it, but I am going to keep and eye on it and increase my GFO. Small patches of cyano are now gone. I have a huge explosion of snail babies. I noticed my one large stomatella I rescued from the skimmer in one of my WC, immediately started squirting when I put him on a rock, and now have several very small ones running around. This is a very good sign in my book.
One more week and my fish can go back in. Lesson learned, and I will always QT everything from here on out! It's funny when people come to my house look in my tank, and they always ask where the fish are. Their faces are so priceless and very confused when I show them my QT, but then explain why they are like this, and they seem to understand, but somehow I don't really think they do judging by the blank stares. lmao
Upped my lights (white @ 60%, colors @ 25, blues @ 65, UV @ 50), changed the mp10's to reef crest mode, and started adding kalkwasser to my ATO. Everything is doing very well, and seem to like the changes. I've never seen the expansion on my corals like I do now. I used to think they were fully open and extended, but now I now they never were. For instance, my 2 octospawn I keep together, used to be about the size of a baseball when extended, now they are the size of a softball. Nearly double the size they used to open up to.
This time of year I work 12 to 15 hours a day and don't look at my tank every day, or its dark when I get home, and it seems everything is getting bigger by the day!!
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Glad to hear everything is going well.
What were you running the MP10 at before? My MP10 is currently out of order, and even with a korallia nano hammering away at 100%, my acros are immediately browning out, and corals just aren't looking very good. I checked alk, salinity, nitrates, stray electricity, everything, and nothing else changed, so that indicated to me that flow is much more important than most people consider it. I kept my MP10 at 50% on reef crest mode.
Kalkwasser will help too. Nice having an ATO! That's something I should look at doing in the future. I just evaporate so little I haven't really found a need.
The best thing you can do for your tank is get it stable, then be busy all the time. I still attribute most of my success in my 120g tank to just leaving it alone once it was dialed in. Some calcium, the occasional food, and stable parameters, and you'll be amazed at what you come up with.
What were you running the MP10 at before? My MP10 is currently out of order, and even with a korallia nano hammering away at 100%, my acros are immediately browning out, and corals just aren't looking very good. I checked alk, salinity, nitrates, stray electricity, everything, and nothing else changed, so that indicated to me that flow is much more important than most people consider it. I kept my MP10 at 50% on reef crest mode.
Kalkwasser will help too. Nice having an ATO! That's something I should look at doing in the future. I just evaporate so little I haven't really found a need.
The best thing you can do for your tank is get it stable, then be busy all the time. I still attribute most of my success in my 120g tank to just leaving it alone once it was dialed in. Some calcium, the occasional food, and stable parameters, and you'll be amazed at what you come up with.
homer1475
New member
I was running them at 30% pulse in non sync mode all day. Flow still wasn't an issue, but I think they like the non laminar flow they are getting now.
I normally don't evap a lot, but now that its summer the fans I have in the back run all day. I'm using about a 1/2 a day depending on outside temps. One plus I've noticed with the fans running all day, PH stays stable at 8 - 8.07. It was running from 7.98 down to 7.68 at night. I guess the increased fresh air blowing across the top is increasing the PH.
I normally don't evap a lot, but now that its summer the fans I have in the back run all day. I'm using about a 1/2 a day depending on outside temps. One plus I've noticed with the fans running all day, PH stays stable at 8 - 8.07. It was running from 7.98 down to 7.68 at night. I guess the increased fresh air blowing across the top is increasing the PH.
homer1475
New member
Figured I might as well do an update here since it's been a week.
Everything is doing well, and everything is really starting to grow. I think the addition of kalkwasser in my ATO has helped tremendously (Calc stays steady at 440), as well as the stability the apex gives me.
Went for a ride last night to pick up some supplies and ended up coming home with another flame angel, and just couldn't resist a baby six line. He's maybe half an inch long, just so dang cute!!
My original fish can go back in the DT on Thursday. So glad that whole ordeal is over, but I sure have learned my lesson. I didn't hesitate to buy the angel with ich on him since I'm doing TTM on all new additions, as well as 6 weeks QT.
I got a whole slew of pics I just took, none of the new fish since their in a bucket. so next post will be huge. Just a warning!!
Everything is doing well, and everything is really starting to grow. I think the addition of kalkwasser in my ATO has helped tremendously (Calc stays steady at 440), as well as the stability the apex gives me.
Went for a ride last night to pick up some supplies and ended up coming home with another flame angel, and just couldn't resist a baby six line. He's maybe half an inch long, just so dang cute!!
My original fish can go back in the DT on Thursday. So glad that whole ordeal is over, but I sure have learned my lesson. I didn't hesitate to buy the angel with ich on him since I'm doing TTM on all new additions, as well as 6 weeks QT.
I got a whole slew of pics I just took, none of the new fish since their in a bucket. so next post will be huge. Just a warning!!
homer1475
New member
Open brain. One of my favorite corals in the tank.
Torch. All by his lonesome, and for a reason. lol
Cocoa worm and blueberry star polyps
Green goniopora.
Orange plate. Has recovered very nicely. One side was bleaching out when I first got it.
Left side tank shot.
Right side shot.
Front shot.
Torch. All by his lonesome, and for a reason. lol
Cocoa worm and blueberry star polyps
Green goniopora.
Orange plate. Has recovered very nicely. One side was bleaching out when I first got it.
Left side tank shot.
Right side shot.
Front shot.
homer1475
New member
I feed Kent microvert, reef roids, reef frenzy, and reef chili, as well as a mixed up mash of shrimp, clams, mussels, and scallops I put real seafood in the food processor with some tank water. I have a nice supply of fresh seafood working in the restaurant industry. Plus I still pull my black sun coral for feedings, so they get some reef frenzy and mysis every day also. I alternate days on what I feed, with the exception of the microvert, I feed that daily in small quantities.
homer1475
New member
So today is my day off and decided to check out one of the LFS I frequent, picked up a small 2 head frag of Florida ricordia. Been wanting to get some ric, but have not seen any until today.
Just put my fish back in the DT today(hooray for ending that fallow period), I had a look at my calander and I totally miscounted, today is 73 days. They look to be confused and slightly afraid. My two clowns are loving the extra space to swim around, but the black cap basslet and clown goby are in hiding.
Just put my fish back in the DT today(hooray for ending that fallow period), I had a look at my calander and I totally miscounted, today is 73 days. They look to be confused and slightly afraid. My two clowns are loving the extra space to swim around, but the black cap basslet and clown goby are in hiding.
BarryV
New member
BRS on there web site shows them purging the reactor before you use it. I did buy there
best catbon (Premium ROX 0.8 Carbon) I think.
Barry
BarryV
New member
Thanks for all your help. I did get the reactor installed today and it's running now without any GFO or
carbon, just checking for leaks. I will load it in the morning when I do my water change. One more
question, I wont have to run any thing my imedia basket but filter floss? Right
Thanks again,
Barry
carbon, just checking for leaks. I will load it in the morning when I do my water change. One more
question, I wont have to run any thing my imedia basket but filter floss? Right
Thanks again,
Barry
homer1475
New member
There is no need to purge the reactor. I rinse out my media before putting it in the reactor. Just fill up the canister and run some RO/DI through it a couple times. The first time I just put the fresh GFO in there and some of my corals were quite PO'ed. I have read where the fines from GFO can irritate some corals, guess I have some that get irritated.
I run floss and purigen in my media basket now. Bottom shelf is empty, or I put some of that seachem matrix media in there to seed my QT when needed.
I think you'll find a big difference in the GFO and carbon in the reactor. Just remember to mix the carbon and GFO well, and pack them in there. They shouldn't tumble, or the carbon will grind up the GFO causing issues in the DT.
I run floss and purigen in my media basket now. Bottom shelf is empty, or I put some of that seachem matrix media in there to seed my QT when needed.
I think you'll find a big difference in the GFO and carbon in the reactor. Just remember to mix the carbon and GFO well, and pack them in there. They shouldn't tumble, or the carbon will grind up the GFO causing issues in the DT.
