Kessil AP 700 Owners Gather Here!

[slief]

@slief Also, I didn't have the luxury of letting the tank cycle for 3-4 month as this was a tank upgrade with the tank going in same place as the old one. I stalled out as long as possible but the transfer had to happen asap due to lack of space.


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I hear ya there. I was fortunate to have a frag tank full of frags waiting to go into the new tank. Funny thing is, I am not a patient person at all but given my experience in this hobby, the waiting has been easy. In fact, I still have dozens of frags in the frag tank and huge colonies in my main dispaly that I can frag but I am taking my time in the other display. I put a handful of frags in the new tank just a week ago to see how they do and will wait a few more weeks before adding more. Experience tells me that if I am not patient, there will be casualties. I am also fortunate to have 700 gallons of very mature reef water in the room next to this other tank and can use water from the big system to do water changes in the small one. Still, patience is a virtue and I can afford to wait it out. My only regret is not being able to plumb this tank into the main system like my frag tank is. As I said, everything thrives in that tank and I know it's going to take a long time before I have that kind of confidence in the new one.

 

[Reeferparty]

I am glad to see you are using good test methods! That is one thing that many seem to overlook and the test results are only as good as the test kits :beer:



FWIW, my main display/system has been up and running since 1997. It took years before it got to the point that anything and everything I put in there thrived. Literally years. Now it's at the point where I can't kill anything and actually have to kill some corals just to keep them under control or to free up space for other corals. Soft corals and some LPS are easy but SPS and certain LPS can be a major nightmare and the only things I could ever attribute my issues early on where a lack of patience and a lack of maturity of the system as well as doing too many large water changes. Sometimes when we chase numbers or try to do to much, we can be our own worse enemy because those constant changes can wreak havoc in the systems stability. Now I feed like crazy, I don't vacuum (I don't really have much sand to vacuum anyway), I change 5 gallons a day in a 700 gallon system and I don't dose anything. I do however run a very well tuned calcium reactor. My systems water quality never changes and all parameters are allows consistent. I attribute the consistency of my system to the health of my corals and livestock.

You don't ever have to kill anything..just send them my way and I'll cover the postage and packaging! Haha :wink:


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[slief]

You don't ever have to kill anything..just send them my way and I'll cover the postage and packaging! Haha :wink:


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I wish it were that easy. I have some mushrooms that spread like weeds and peeling them off the rocks doesn't work well. I've been weeding them out of some prime areas but those that get pulled/peeled end up in the display refugium where they don't do well because of how they got ripped out. I have a finger coral colony that is over 3' across and 2 feet wide and it continues to grow like a wild fire. I have to tear chunks off that thing off fairly regularly to keep it away from the SPS. Those chunks end up in my other tanks or going to local reefers. I recently removed a colony of branching hammers that went from a pinky nail sized frag to over 300 heads. It was well over 2' in diameter when I removed it and fragged it out. It was growing so fast and consuming prime real estate for other corals so it was just time. I've been selling chunks of that off over the last several months and left a small chunk of it in the main display. My monti caps grow upwards of an inch a month as do some of my other SPS. It's a good problem to have but it's also a pain in the pocket book since it keeps me wanting to expand my system and I don't really have more room near the main display to do that. I already regret not getting a bigger frag tank. Hence this other 100 gallon tank and my regrets for not being able to plumb it into the main system. Oh how I wish I could have put it in my office/fish room and plumbed it into the main systemt. :headwally: In truth, I could but I would have to do something with (move or remove) my display refugium which I consider to be one of the many important parts of my systems ecosystem.

 

[cscultho]

I wish it were that easy. I have some mushrooms that spread like weeds and peeling them off the rocks doesn't work well. I've been weeding them out of some prime areas but those that get pulled/peeled end up in the display refugium where they don't do well because of how they got ripped out. I have a finger coral colony that is over 3' across and 2 feet wide and it continues to grow like a wild fire. I have to tear chunks off that thing off fairly regularly to keep it away from the SPS. Those chunks end up in my other tanks or going to local reefers. I recently removed a colony of branching hammers that went from a pinky nail sized frag to over 300 heads. It was well over 2' in diameter when I removed it and fragged it out. It was growing so fast and consuming prime real estate for other corals so it was just time. I've been selling chunks of that off over the last several months and left a small chunk of it in the main display. My monti caps grow upwards of an inch a month as do some of my other SPS. It's a good problem to have but it's also a pain in the pocket book since it keeps me wanting to expand my system and I don't really have more room near the main display to do that. I already regret not getting a bigger frag tank. Hence this other 100 gallon tank and my regrets for not being able to plumb it into the main system. Oh how I wish I could have put it in my office/fish room and plumbed it into the main systemt. :headwally: In truth, I could but I would have to do something with (move or remove) my display refugium which I consider to be one of the many important parts of my systems ecosystem.

Where can i find pics of your 30yr old 700g tank? Sounds impressive...

 

[slief]

Where can i find pics of your 30yr old 700g tank? Sounds impressive...

Here is a link to my build thread. There are countless pictures and videos of it through the year. I started the thread here about 7 years ago but it's been updated constantly updated during that time documenting every change, upgrade and addition. The first couple pages show the tank going in and some early upgrades and the last several pages show more recent pictures and videos.
Here is a link to the build thread.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1783476

Jan Tank Of The Month:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2616842

Here is a recent picture taken a couple months ago. .

 

[Flagg37]

Here is a link to my build thread. There are countless pictures and videos of it through the year. I started the thread here about 7 years ago but it's been updated constantly updated during that time documenting every change, upgrade and addition. The first couple pages show the tank going in and some early upgrades and the last several pages show more recent pictures and videos.

Here is a link to the build thread.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1783476



Jan Tank Of The Month:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2616842



Here is a recent picture taken a couple months ago. .

I didn't click to see the build, but do you light that thing with ap700's?

 

[slief]

I didn't click to see the build, but do you light that thing with ap700's?

No AP700's on that tank. Check the last couple pages of my build thread for more specifics on the lighting for that tank. I have an AP700 over another tank of mine though and love it. The AP700 has great spread and great shimmer and is really easy to setup. I've always loved the Kessils as they do a great job of growing corals.

 

[bif24701]

You could have very well nailed it right on. I did a quick cycle of 2 weeks with dr tim's; fishless and did not ghost feed. I transferred all my live rock from old tank with new sand. I was also running gfo in a bag in the sump. Had a wild gha outbreak which probably sucked up whatever phosphates I had in the tank. I will keep photoperiod and intensity the same for another week or two while trying to raise nitrates. Thanks!

Personally I use potassium nitrate (Stump remover) and Seachem Florish Phosphorus


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[bif24701]

Note taken. Nitrates are checked using Red Sea kit. Po4 checked with Red Sea and Hanna ULR.


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Give it some time, things will improve. [emoji6]


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[bif24701]

You could have very well nailed it right on. I did a quick cycle of 2 weeks with dr tim's; fishless and did not ghost feed. I transferred all my live rock from old tank with new sand. I was also running gfo in a bag in the sump. Had a wild gha outbreak which probably sucked up whatever phosphates I had in the tank. I will keep photoperiod and intensity the same for another week or two while trying to raise nitrates. Thanks!

Just so happens I had a very similar issue when I went fallow.


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[Flagg37]

That is a pretty slick setup! I really like how you did your aquascape and the lights on the glass shelf. I would sugget lowering the peak time from 5 hours to 4 hours. I think your 40% is just fine. The coloration change in your corals could be due to a lack of nutrients in the water since it looks like you have a relatively newly setup tank and very few fish. I have an AP700 setup over one tank and that peaks at 70% for 4 hours during a 12 hour photoperiod. I also see a bit of algae growing in there. Not sure what you have the color set to but reducing the white and shifting it a bit more to the blue will help slow the algae down.

Here is the light program I have setup.

The tank is only a couple months old. I've increased the feeding and have 4 more fish coming out of ttm that will be added tomorrow to help with nutrients. I'll try shortening the photo period and going more blue. I had previously had it one step down from the sky blue. Now it peaks at the middle one and begins and ends at the darkest blue.

 

[mnk9569]

I just put 2 ap700 s on I'm peaking at about 40% for 3 hrs and getting some coraline starting to bleach so gonna cut it back some using the daylight white for peak should I go more blue the white for acclimation

 

[texdoc77]

I just put 2 ap700 s on I'm peaking at about 40% for 3 hrs and getting some coraline starting to bleach so gonna cut it back some using the daylight white for peak should I go more blue the white for acclimation

Others can jump in but as I understand it, at least for kessils, it is the intensity that would be your problem more than the blue vs. white issue. Of course considering you probably want to keep algae at bay, that does come into play and the bluer the light the less usable light for algae...

 

[ninjamyst]

It also depends how high you are mounting your AP700. I am running almost 80% at peak now but I have it 15 inch above water line on a 4 feet tank.

 

[bif24701]

I just put 2 ap700 s on I'm peaking at about 40% for 3 hrs and getting some coraline starting to bleach so gonna cut it back some using the daylight white for peak should I go more blue the white for acclimation

Assuming nothing else has changed in your system other than light I would lower the intensity to 30-35%. Color doesn't matter. Also if your tank never had LEDs on it before or just changing the lighting systems in general always have an adjustment period. This is why I have suggested such a slow acclimation period that can take 3 months. Start at 30-35% with weekly 5% increases, minimum 4 hour (suggested) peaks no more than 6. Once you get to 50%, 2-3% increases weekly. Once you get the desired intensity levels you can start to increase the peak period by .5-1 hour every 1-2 weeks. Do not stop feeding your corals and if you have a ULNS I would increase my total nutrients until after the acclimation process.


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[slief]

I just put 2 ap700 s on I'm peaking at about 40% for 3 hrs and getting some coraline starting to bleach so gonna cut it back some using the daylight white for peak should I go more blue the white for acclimation

Bleaching coraline at 40%?? That makes no sense. Did you do a water change and expose the coraline to air? That will cause coraline to bleach but 40% on an AP700 should have no impact on coraline.

 

[bif24701]

Just added the Aruba Sub T5, 60", 80 watt bulbs. What do you think, not too bad?

Look at this growth I had been getting with the AP700 only!! I didn't see how big it had gotten until I took this top down pic. I always knew I would get some T5s added when I got a chance as I have indicated many times here. Tax returns are always a good chance for upgrades.[emoji6]

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[bif24701]

Bleaching coraline at 40%?? That makes no sense. Did you do a water change and expose the coraline to air? That will cause coraline to bleach but 40% on an AP700 should have no impact on coraline.

Yea, I really agree with slief. In fact to be truly honest 90% of the time LED users have a problem it has nothing to do with the lighting. It's just that LEDs have become an easy scapegoat/wiping boy because they have so many options and being the new kid in school.

You people need to look at EVERYTHING in your systems! Narrow it down to a few and go from there. Stops asking us why your light did this or that to your corals. It didn't. You did.


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[bif24701]

Bleaching coraline at 40%?? That makes no sense. Did you do a water change and expose the coraline to air? That will cause coraline to bleach but 40% on an AP700 should have no impact on coraline.

Yea, I really agree with slief. In fact to be truly honest 90% of the time LED users have a problem it has nothing to do with the lighting. It's just that LEDs have become an easy scapegoat/wiping boy because they have so many options and being the new kid in school.

You people need to look at EVERYTHING in your systems! Narrow it down to a few and go from there. Stops asking us why your light did this or that to your corals. It didn't. You did.


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[ryshark]

Just added the Aruba Sub T5, 60", 80 watt bulbs. What do you think, not too bad?

Look at this growth I had been getting with the AP700 only!! I didn't see how big it had gotten until I took this top down pic. I always knew I would get some T5s added when I got a chance as I have indicated many times here. Tax returns are always a good chance for upgrades.[emoji6]

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Where is the AP700? Way above it?