Mark's 150 (72x18x27)

[markalot]

Sorry to hear about your green bird, that's a shame. At least you got a frag though, most interesting thing about this hobby, that frag has the potential to once again make a huge colony. Been following for a while on your thread, love the look of the tank and the variety of color. Are you still pleased with your T5 switch? Really cant decide between LED and T5 on my upgrade. Keep up the good work!

Thanks Aggie. I am very pleased with the T5's plus the single BML strip in the front to add a little shimmer. Without that LED strip though the tank seems flat and lifeless.

Currently running 3 Coral+ and 3 Blue+

Changed GFO this morning, another 2 cups. Last batch lasted a little over 3 weeks before PO4 climbed to ~ .1

 

[markalot]

I could not handle the risk and I fragged the baby blue acro and tossed the rest.

I also purchased another browned out maricultured acro, this one with a little crab who I'm calling Karl.

Did I mention I purchased this frag as well? Not sure what it is.

 

[aggie13reef]

Without that LED strip though the tank seems flat and lifeless.

I have a BML 30" reef spectrum as the primary light on my 37 gal. I love the look of it and have had nothing but good service with the company. Did you customize the LED pattern or go with their stock setup?

 

[markalot]

I have a BML 30" reef spectrum as the primary light on my 37 gal. I love the look of it and have had nothing but good service with the company. Did you customize the LED pattern or go with their stock setup?

I customized. I took their 20K layout and replaced halg of the cool white with warm white (so it's 50/50 overall) and replaced the 405nm violet with the newer 420nm violet. I really like the color of it.

Part number is PS7275B201MLAKLFMKLAMKFML

You can plug that into their configurator link to see the layout.

 

[reefer333_]

Awesome tank. Thanks for sharing the pics. I am starting a new tank after a few years break and I will be happy if my tank looks half as good as yours.

I have a question though, in your signature, you mentioned that you are using ATI T5 lights, but I read through the thread and you were using maxspect razor.

"150G (72x18x27) | 35G sump | XP-2000 Skimmer | ATI SunPower T5 60"x6 + BML 18K Custom | 2 MP40s w Battery Backup + 2 WP25s
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2419443 "

Did you change the light to ATI at some point? The reason is I am about to order maxspect razor and I would like to know whether you are happy with your maxspect or not. Thanks.

 

[reefer333_]

Never mind. I missed the page where u clearly stated why you converted to T5.

 

[markalot]

Never mind. I missed the page where u clearly stated why you converted to T5.

Thanks for the compliments above.

Yea, it's all about what you plan to have in the tank and the arrangement of the lights. A single row of lights either over a tank or over a stage with actors will make those actors (or sticks if you plan SPS) to have horrible shadows on the front where you want to look at them. LED is too expensive right now to cover the entire tank with light, though I I hadn't already spent way too much money on LED I would have probably used all BML strip lights, maybe 2 or 3 more. Nice combination of some shimmer with T5 like coverage.

I have my smaller Razor over a 20 gallon and it looks terrific. I buy corals (softies and lps) that look great under LED and I love the ramp up and down.

 

[biggles]

It's been a year since your last update Mark................ lazy bastard.....

 

[Novice101]

Just read through the whole thread awesome info would like to hear how your tank is doing

 

[markalot]

Just read through the whole thread awesome info would like to hear how your tank is doing

Thanks, glad you enjoyed the thread.

The tank is doing ok. I've mostly eliminated the Kalk dosing in the topoff and I've been ramping up two part dosing. I am now up to 70ml daily with a KH holding around 8.0. It seems the more two part I add the more than tank uses.

I was having some slow recession in many of the acros which stopped soon after it started and most have now grown back over the damage. Hopefully keeping stable Alk will continue to improve things.

The montipora eating nudis have been missing for over a month now and all montis not consumed have been recovering well. The only change I made during the MEN outbreak was to add a Red Head Solon Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus solorensis). It's supposed to not like bright light (he swims in the brightest areas of the tank!) and I never see him eat anything. He has hit the glass lid multiple times, so I'm thankful the tank is covered.

In installed the RW-15 pumps in back. I have a LOT of chaotic random flow now and I think the acros have responded over the 4 days since installing them. My colors are not there yet, not even close, but new colors are showing up on most acros and I'm seeing new growth tips.

Pictures.

The Red Cap I expected to be consumed. Growing like mad.

Left Side

Right Side

FTS


This is an example of some of the base recession. This was 2 days ago and it's now regrown over all the old skeleton.

Here's that wild Aussie acro I had specially shipped to keep Biggles from getting it. It's not losing any color, so that's a big plus.

 

[markalot]

One more thing to add.

PO4 did rise back to around .1 so I changed the GFO. last batch, 2 cups, lasted 3 weeks. Used another 2 cups and this may have been what stopped the base recession. I also swapped out a bag of carbon for a fresh one.

 

[Novice101]

That looks amazing man I'm trying to get mine looking that good but in your opinion what is more effective 2 part or kalk? And can you explain to me how to use 2 part? Do you have to have 2 doses or do just mix it as a solution like kalk

 

[markalot]

That looks amazing man I'm trying to get mine looking that good but in your opinion what is more effective 2 part or kalk? And can you explain to me how to use 2 part? Do you have to have 2 doses or do just mix it as a solution like kalk

You have to keep two part separate and try and dose at least 10 minutes apart in a high flow area. Mixing the parts will create rock.

Kalk is a lot cheaper, but hard to control unless you dose it just like 2 part with a doser. I was using it in topoff and as evaporation changed the dose would change.

For dosing 2 part concentrate on just alkalinity. Measure it at the same time every day and then use a reef calculator (google for one) to determine the daily dose. If you come up with 20ml a day, for example, then you will want to dose 20ml of part A and 20ml of part B every day, preferably staggered over the day using a doser. I use a Bubble Magus doser and I have my Alk part (usually part B) on doser 1 and my calcium part A on doser 3. Doser 3 runs 10 minutes after doser 1.

I'm not sure why I chose to dose part B first, and I'm not sure order matters.

 

[Novice101]

Damn I think for my sake I'm going to stick with kalk and my toms aqua lifter cheap setup besides my 450$ rke setup lol

 

[markalot]

Took some top down shots. Color is now returning rapidly in some acros, but others are still brown. Alk is holding steady at 8KH, Nitrates 15 to 20, or 25, or pinker. Phosphate very low, guessing .05 or less.

Subulata

Lokani? (new frag)

Purple Fuzz that I had to heavily frag to save

UC Strawberry Shortcake

???

Wild Aussie (not Biggles) #1

Aussie #2

Maricultured

 

[Palting]

I just love the way your coral are coloring up. Gorgeous. They are growing fast. You'll be fragging soon!

 

[markalot]

My XP 2000 skimmer overflowed yet again. Bubbles bubbles bubbles. Babysitting and skimming wet to clear the mess. I would hate to have to buy another skimmer but I'm getting tired of the random overflows.

After a week KH at 7.8, was 8.0 a week ago. Haven't made any changes to the dosers yet.

Oh, and I bought one of those overpriced algae scrubbers to see what happens. Running it from 9PM to 10AM.

 

[Bilk]

T5? I thought it was doing well with the LEDs. Things look great either way

I see you went to 2 part. I just switched off of it to kalk only. Running it off a doser from a dedicated reservoir. Thought using the ATO wasn't worth the effort of trying to dial it in plus the additional work of having to clean out the ATO reservoir. The kalk reservoir holds enough for 7 days. It's kept the alkalinity and ph pretty stable - more so that when I was using 2 part. I think it's also helped manage po4 better as well.

 

[markalot]

T5? I thought it was doing well with the LEDs. Things look great either way

I see you went to 2 part. I just switched off of it to kalk only. Running it off a doser from a dedicated reservoir. Thought using the ATO wasn't worth the effort of trying to dial it in plus the additional work of having to clean out the ATO reservoir. The kalk reservoir holds enough for 7 days. It's kept the alkalinity and ph pretty stable - more so that when I was using 2 part. I think it's also helped manage po4 better as well.

Howdy,

I had all kinds of problems with Kalk, but I'm not sure why. It seemed I could not keep Alk stable and nothing in the tank really liked it. Probably just me doing something dumb.

I am anxiously awaiting shipment of the new 3 channel BML strip light. The one thing I miss about running all LED was the blues and slow ramp up to daylight. This will give me two 72" BML strips to go with the 6 bulb T5 fixture, so I suppose you could say I'm more hybrid than straight T5.

Tank is rapidly coloring up now, and new growth is evident in most corals. Alk continues to hold steady at 8 KH.

Latest FTS

My Miami Orchid is really starting to stand out. It's achieved the wife notice threshold. Nearly impossible to get an accurate picture of it.

The wild aussie is showing more blue skin.

This acro, which had completely browned out, is getting a nice green shine back.

 

[bpcardona]

Pictures look great.