Husker 40 Breeder SPS Tank

[bif24701]

Husker 40 Breeder SPS Tank

So I swapped out my Reef Octopus 110 Space Saver for an SCA 303. I definitely think it is an upgrade. I started getting skim on day one, and by day 3 this is what I am getting. So much easier to fine tune than the Octopus, and the large bubble output seems greater. Hopefully this allows me to keep export high while upping feeding, because I think my nutrients being low are partly a cause for some of the pale colors.

Looks good! I think your doing a fine job. All newish systems go through the "cycle", algae, diatoms, slime, and others.


Aaron

 

[HuskerBioProf]

Here is an update. The algae problems all pretty much took care of themselves. I stopped doing anything to control phosphates, as they don't really seem to be a problem. I do water changes about every 2 weeks (5 gallons). Corals are growing well and coloring up nicely.

I switched from AI Hydra 26 HDs to a 6 bulb ATI T5 sunpower plus dual reefbrite LED strips. Since the switch, growth has exploded and corals have really colored up. Here are some updated photos.

Tank is just over 6 months old now and stuff is starting to take off. I only check Alk about every 2 weeks now, as it stays stable at 7.3-7.6. I'm only dosing kalk in the ATO and feeding.

 

[mlew]

Looking good! What fish do you have?

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[HuskerBioProf]

Looking good! What fish do you have?

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

Thanks. I have 2 clowns, a melanurus wrasse, a solonensis wrasse, and the kole tang. I feel like my bioload could handle more, but I'm not sure if I have the space.

 

[bif24701]

Here is an update. The algae problems all pretty much took care of themselves. I stopped doing anything to control phosphates, as they don't really seem to be a problem. I do water changes about every 2 weeks (5 gallons). Corals are growing well and coloring up nicely.

I switched from AI Hydra 26 HDs to a 6 bulb ATI T5 sunpower plus dual reefbrite LED strips. Since the switch, growth has exploded and corals have really colored up. Here are some updated photos.

Tank is just over 6 months old now and stuff is starting to take off. I only check Alk about every 2 weeks now, as it stays stable at 7.3-7.6. I'm only dosing kalk in the ATO and feeding.

Wow! Looks great man.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bdare]

What return pump are you using?

 

[reefmutt]

Here is an update. The algae problems all pretty much took care of themselves. I stopped doing anything to control phosphates, as they don't really seem to be a problem. I do water changes about every 2 weeks (5 gallons). Corals are growing well and coloring up nicely.

I switched from AI Hydra 26 HDs to a 6 bulb ATI T5 sunpower plus dual reefbrite LED strips. Since the switch, growth has exploded and corals have really colored up. Here are some updated photos.

Tank is just over 6 months old now and stuff is starting to take off. I only check Alk about every 2 weeks now, as it stays stable at 7.3-7.6. I'm only dosing kalk in the ATO and feeding.

Looking great! I really love the fts..
What do you mean you only dose alk in top off? You're not replenishing calcium other than from water changes?

 

[reefmutt]

Here is an update. The algae problems all pretty much took care of themselves. I stopped doing anything to control phosphates, as they don't really seem to be a problem. I do water changes about every 2 weeks (5 gallons). Corals are growing well and coloring up nicely.

I switched from AI Hydra 26 HDs to a 6 bulb ATI T5 sunpower plus dual reefbrite LED strips. Since the switch, growth has exploded and corals have really colored up. Here are some updated photos.

Tank is just over 6 months old now and stuff is starting to take off. I only check Alk about every 2 weeks now, as it stays stable at 7.3-7.6. I'm only dosing kalk in the ATO and feeding.

Looking great! I really love the fts..

 

[abhishek@1985]

Interesting PC Rainbow you have there.
Its getting green base which tells me that may be lighting is a little less for it . May be if you want to experiment , once it grows a bit move it to a higher PAR of over 350-400 and it should get red hot ..

I got mine from Adam in a small tester pack about 3/4 inch and its deep brown/red under 250 watt radium

Regards,
Abhishek

 

[HuskerBioProf]

Looking great! I really love the fts..
What do you mean you only dose alk in top off? You're not replenishing calcium other than from water changes?

That was a typo. I meant to say that I'm only dosing "kalk" in top off, but the computer really wants to autocorrect that to something else. So far the Kalk dosing is keeping up and keeping dKH stable.

 

[HuskerBioProf]

Interesting PC Rainbow you have there.
Its getting green base which tells me that may be lighting is a little less for it . May be if you want to experiment , once it grows a bit move it to a higher PAR of over 350-400 and it should get red hot ..

I got mine from Adam in a small tester pack about 3/4 inch and its deep brown/red under 250 watt radium

Regards,
Abhishek

The rainbow is interesting. I bleached the crap out of it when I had LEDs, then it turned brown when I had a big phosphate spike. It is now starting to get color slowly.

I am running a 6 bulb ATI T5 with a couple of reef brite strips with my lights at about 8" above the water. It is up pretty high and I imagine in pretty high PAR (haven't tested). I did have 2 bulbs not turning on for the past few weeks without me noticing because I haven't been home during the middle of the day. That has been fixed, so hopefully everything is successfully getting "blasted" now.

 

[reefmutt]

That was a typo. I meant to say that I'm only dosing "kalk" in top off, but the computer really wants to autocorrect that to something else. So far the Kalk dosing is keeping up and keeping dKH stable.

Actually, it was my brain that autocorrected. You did write kalk but I read alk..
That's why I double posted with different comments..
ANYWAYS.. moving on.. kalk is certainly tried and true as an excellent calc/alk replenishing system.

 

[afernandez]

Very nice collection you have going on!

 

[codydemmel4]

very nice tank man!!

what bulb combo are you running? how do you like the look to your eye with the 2 reefbrites?

 

[guc32]

Yes very nice tank. Keep up the great work.

I'd also like to know your build combo? And what is your light schedule? The reefbrites, are they the xho?

 

[HuskerBioProf]

I really like the T5 with the reefbrites. I got this fixture from a guy locally for a good deal, who was building a custom T5/LED setup. The visual appearance of the corals improved in just a couple days after switching from LED only (Hydra 26s). The reefbrites add just a tinge of shimmer to the tank, but it provides a nice actinic look for a few hours when the T5s are off. I believe they are the XHO.

I just started getting some bryopsis pop up out of nowhere. It must have been deep within these rocks, and now I am regretting not doing more to kill them before putting them in the tank. I'm going to try the fluconazole method to see if I can eliminate the bryopsis.

I am mulling over the idea of setting up a 5'x2' peninsula tank in this room. If I decide to, I will get brand new dry rock and get everything cycling while I hold off the bryopsis. Then, I'll just cut some frags off my current frags for the new tank to prevent future bryopsis problems.

 

[HuskerBioProf]

Top downs.

 

[DylansGolden]

Things are looking amazing since the switch! Those colors are popping now.

Looking good!

 

[HuskerBioProf]

Thanks folks. I just realized I never really answered the bulb combo. I have 1 coral +, 1 purple +, and 4 blue +. I Did have 5 blue + and a coral plus, but I really like the addition of the purple plus. I have a really long photo period. I think my T5s are at max for about 10 hours. But I was also coming from Hydra HDs, where I think I was blasting them with far too much light. I am also doing much fewer water changes so I think I am starting to get enough nutrients to support the high lighting.

 

[HuskerBioProf]

What return pump are you using?

I use a Sicce. I replaced a mag drive that was way too lout. I would have to double check on the model, but it is only going ~750 gph. The sicce is silent, and serves to highlight the noise of my skimmer (SCA) and my vortecs.