musicsmaker
Premium Member
I was just about to chime in on the DSB in a bucket. Should be plenty of reading on that subject in Anthony Calfos forum.
I have color!
- Thread starter onehundred20
- Start date
onehundred20
In Memoriam
sorry rutz missed you last post, might have to give that a try.
onehundred20
In Memoriam
i have about 35 or so pounds left from when i went barebottom, its argonite though, would this be ok to use if i washed it good, or should i get southdown or something
onehundred20
In Memoriam
here is a picture of the fuge, you cant see all of it cause of the wall but you get the idea
this part was my gf's idea, i like it...
this part was my gf's idea, i like it...
Lobster
Premium Member
Could be. Perhaps I should only run the skimmer a few hours a day so the filth has more "hang time"? The tank really is clean, but not barren. There is some film algae and coralline growing -- not a lot though. The growth and poly extension is actually good. They are encrusting very well.
Below are a few shots of some frags I bought with either the parent or the frag prior to going into my tank. Sorry the white balance is note fantastic on these, but otherwise they are unaltered.
This guy is growing fast, and has completely covered the plug in two months, now with new branches coming off the base...
Anything green in my tank turns tan with just faint flourescent highlights, this is a perfect example. Digis also grow slowly for me! Caps, acros, and everything else is growing fast though (weird)...
Here's another frag that is thriving other than the poor color...
Any ideas? Maybe I need more flow, but I've definitely gotten better colors in other tanks with much less flow, so I'm confused.
Frankysreef
Active member
20k + 6500k supplementation can give great color. 10k may give higher growth but less color.
jackson6745
Yeah Yeah
Lobster, shorten your photoperiod and feed the tank more frozen food.
Neptune777
Premium Member
I have found that the following contribute to less than spectacular colors:
1) Warm water temps......keep em' cooler and the colors will pop! I would say a temp range between 74-76 is ideal. Many of our corals come from waters that do not get 80+ degrees....
2) What temp bulbs are you using? 10k's and lower will generally give you dull or brown colors. I have 20ks on all day and supplement with 10k's for 3-4hrs at mid day. Also, how often do you swap them out?
3) High P and N will cause browning
4) Flow....FLOW....FLOW that is random and turbulent will please them..
5) Red Bugs and any other parasite will stress the corals and deter peak colors.....
6) Stop moving them around.....my corals really show their true colors if you keep them in one place and stop rearranging your aquascape.....they adjust to the light angles and intensity every time you move them.
7) That's all I can think of for now.....
1) Warm water temps......keep em' cooler and the colors will pop! I would say a temp range between 74-76 is ideal. Many of our corals come from waters that do not get 80+ degrees....
2) What temp bulbs are you using? 10k's and lower will generally give you dull or brown colors. I have 20ks on all day and supplement with 10k's for 3-4hrs at mid day. Also, how often do you swap them out?
3) High P and N will cause browning
4) Flow....FLOW....FLOW that is random and turbulent will please them..
5) Red Bugs and any other parasite will stress the corals and deter peak colors.....
6) Stop moving them around.....my corals really show their true colors if you keep them in one place and stop rearranging your aquascape.....they adjust to the light angles and intensity every time you move them.
7) That's all I can think of for now.....
Lobster
Premium Member
I'm already at 3 hours on the halides and 10 on actinics. I've been running that way for two weeks now and did see improvement. Think its still too much?
I'll try to feed more. Currently I'm feeding whatever the fish will consume so that no excess is left in the tank. If I feed more than that, its getting blown away and skimmed out, which I thought is correct (??). I stay pretty busy, but I'll try to start feeding 2+ times a day. Do I need more fish? Maybe that would be the best way to increase the amount of nutrients I can pack into the tank. A couple anthias maybe?
Lots of great info!
1) My temp is kept between 80-81 by an AQJr. This is the most stable point I can keep it, should be ok?
2) I have a 150W Reeflux 10K in there now, about two weeks old. I've thought about changing to a 20K bulb and replacing one of my PC actinics with a daylight bulb. Any thoughts on that? Not sure if I'd have enough PAR at 150W there for 20K.
3) 99% sure that P and N are not the issue. All of my rock is on eggcrate racks... you can look through one side of the tank out the other. A powerhead on a wavemaker sweeps detritus out from under there.
4) I was pretty confident in my flow, but I'm seriously considering buying a Tunze 6100 and a single controller. Maybe I'll shoot a short video to give an idea of what my water movement is like if that would help?
5) I'm very sure I'm free of parasites.
6) I'm done aquascaping, but I am guilty of moving things trying to get them color up some. I'll knock that off.
Thanks so much for the suggestions so far everybody!!
Lobster
Premium Member
Also Ill go ahead and mention what I feed here. Once a day, I feed about 1/2 cube of brine shrimp, 1/2 cube of mysis, 1/2 cube of chopped formula2, about 3 postage stamps worth of nori, 1/2 cube of cyclopeeze.
I also add a small amount of 5-100 micron golden pearls soaked in tank water for 10 mins and dumped in. I saw melev say a salifert test kit spoon-worth is enough for a 55G tank, so I use about half that. It was interesting, the 2nd day after feeding GP I got an explosion of bacterial film, and after that an explosion of copepods. Things seemed to even out now as consumers grew to take care of the bacterial bloom, so I think that's a good thing.
I also add a small amount of 5-100 micron golden pearls soaked in tank water for 10 mins and dumped in. I saw melev say a salifert test kit spoon-worth is enough for a 55G tank, so I use about half that. It was interesting, the 2nd day after feeding GP I got an explosion of bacterial film, and after that an explosion of copepods. Things seemed to even out now as consumers grew to take care of the bacterial bloom, so I think that's a good thing.
onehundred20
In Memoriam
anyone know?
Neptune777
Premium Member
Lobster.....
I would seriously consider dropping the temp to 76 if you can. Trust me......you will notice a difference in time.
I would seriously consider dropping the temp to 76 if you can. Trust me......you will notice a difference in time.
dots
Premium Member
Lobster, to top off all of that in addition I notice you are using the 150's, which I had a problem with browning with until I switched to the 250's and mine colored up.....mine seem to be a tad faded, but not to your extent.
I think someone said it the best that the remote DSB may add that x factor........
I think someone said it the best that the remote DSB may add that x factor........
Serioussnaps
New member
If you add a DSB...IMO you are not BB. Being BB in the display but having sand in a sump is defeating the whole idea. Might as well just put sand in the display if you ask me.
I would feed DT's phyto and oyster eggs as your BB philosophy allows to pull this stuff out FAST. Turn your skimmer off for a few hours when you do so. Dont just "feed the tank"....feed stuff that your acros can actually eat...like the oyster eggs...i noticed significant color improvement in a rescue i bought from the LFS 6 weeks ago...it still is a little faded and browned but a brilliant green is coming out from feeding.
I wouldnt add a 6100 to a 30 G...a 6000 will do the trick. 6100 in a 30 G tank is like dropping a grenade in a gopher hole.
i think one other thing is missing here........PATIENCE
I would feed DT's phyto and oyster eggs as your BB philosophy allows to pull this stuff out FAST. Turn your skimmer off for a few hours when you do so. Dont just "feed the tank"....feed stuff that your acros can actually eat...like the oyster eggs...i noticed significant color improvement in a rescue i bought from the LFS 6 weeks ago...it still is a little faded and browned but a brilliant green is coming out from feeding.
I wouldnt add a 6100 to a 30 G...a 6000 will do the trick. 6100 in a 30 G tank is like dropping a grenade in a gopher hole.
i think one other thing is missing here........PATIENCE
rutz81
New member
Yes, you are correct that it makes it not a "true" BB, but, the idea is not to keep a perfect BB tank, it is to find a method that works to establishhave a nice looking reef. And adding sand in a remote area enables something that a regular DSB is not capable of, removing the sand when it becomes a problem. You can simply empty a section of a sump, or change the sand in a bucket a lot easier than trying to siphon out a display tank.
rutz81
New member
Yes, you are correct that it makes it not a "true" BB, but, the idea is not to keep a perfect BB tank, it is to find a method that works to establish a nice,colorful reef. And adding sand in a remote area enables something that a regular DSB is not capable of, removing the sand when it becomes a problem. You can simply empty a section of a sump, or change the sand in a bucket a lot easier than trying to siphon out a display tank.
I just don't think it is more important to label yourself a true BB than it is to have a beautiful reef.
Frankysreef
Active member
Something else to remember that there is no ONE WAY to do a reef tank... I have a SSB in my tank and 3 inches of sand in my fuge...
You have to find out what works for you and run with it...
Keep a logbook, and try different things...
I did this and this happend...etc...
There is no magic to color.... the older the tanks get the more nutrient free they become, especially when the benthic invertebrates get established...
This is easier to do with a fuge.
I have a purple monti digi, that used to be brown with purple tips... Now the whole thing just turned purple! It is at the bottom of my tank too....
I rarely have algae anymore except for that red/green scum around my returns and overflows...
I even turned off one of my skimmers the other day...( pump broke ) so I am just running an ev 180 with a mag 9.5 24./7.
Everything changes all the time...
Patience .. logbook.. trying everything...
FUGE is a great help for colors. 20k + 6500 k supplementation seem to give the best colors.
No advice should be written in stone, there is 20+ different ways to do anything in this hobby....
Also take all advice with a grain of salt, ask to see a reefers tank before you jump into something they say that could be expensive, or just wrong.
Good luck
You have to find out what works for you and run with it...
Keep a logbook, and try different things...
I did this and this happend...etc...
There is no magic to color.... the older the tanks get the more nutrient free they become, especially when the benthic invertebrates get established...
This is easier to do with a fuge.
I have a purple monti digi, that used to be brown with purple tips... Now the whole thing just turned purple! It is at the bottom of my tank too....
I rarely have algae anymore except for that red/green scum around my returns and overflows...
I even turned off one of my skimmers the other day...( pump broke ) so I am just running an ev 180 with a mag 9.5 24./7.
Everything changes all the time...
Patience .. logbook.. trying everything...
FUGE is a great help for colors. 20k + 6500 k supplementation seem to give the best colors.
No advice should be written in stone, there is 20+ different ways to do anything in this hobby....
Also take all advice with a grain of salt, ask to see a reefers tank before you jump into something they say that could be expensive, or just wrong.
Good luck
onehundred20
In Memoriam
I agree, alot is trial and error...there is no "Official BB method" just do what works for you, if you want a fuge have a fuge!
