Mike's 200g

[biggles]

I'd urge you to follow the guys advice Mike, plenty of experienced knowledge behind those words mate

Like Matt i've stopped using the glass cleaning frequency as a guide because it's not at all relevant across the board to all tanks. I have sparkling white sand and clean rocks yet the glass needs cleaning daily, my acros are looking very colorful and i would stress them if i drove the 0.020 phos any lower. Nitrates are at 0.2 btw but the bloody glass still needs a clean every day so don't use the numbers and suggested levels of things as any more than a guide.
Every system works differently which is why it's so hard to copy the techniques of each other and get the same results, use the algae/cyano on the rock and sand to guide your decision on whether nutrients are really too high rather than glass growth and you'll stand a better chance of getting your head around this crazy nutrient level puzzle we all try to solve :spin3::beer:

I hope to see things improve for you mate, we never stop striving for better colors - it's a disease...........:smokin:

 

[plyle02]

Mike,
AF system is much easier to run, and much easier to understand. Your corals look great, but I understand the compelling urge to push colors further than lineage suggests. Great job thus far, I am confident you will dial in those colors

 

[mhucasey]

Thanks for the info Matt. I believe the trace elements in the fauna marin balling lite include iodium, flourine and probably potassium. I think adding extra trace elements on top of these may have caused or contributed to my stn a little while ago.
I think I will order up some of the coral a and v to try out. Is there not much point in pro bio s if you are not using the carbon source with it?

If you are doing the FM balling then I agree with you, you shouldn't add any of the trace elements. The ProBio S will probably have little to no effect with the Carbon source, yes.

 

[markalot]

Don't run the AIO pellets IMO, other than that I have no useful advice. Those pellets are just GFO delivered in a special bio degradable glue ball :lolspin: , and the GFO fines get everywhere. If your nitrates are in check I think it's better just to run a small amount of GFO. You get more control and less mess by running GFO by itself.

Just my opinion, of course.

 

[MichaelW]

I'd urge you to follow the guys advice Mike, plenty of experienced knowledge behind those words mate

Like Matt i've stopped using the glass cleaning frequency as a guide because it's not at all relevant across the board to all tanks. I have sparkling white sand and clean rocks yet the glass needs cleaning daily, my acros are looking very colorful and i would stress them if i drove the 0.020 phos any lower. Nitrates are at 0.2 btw but the bloody glass still needs a clean every day so don't use the numbers and suggested levels of things as any more than a guide.
Every system works differently which is why it's so hard to copy the techniques of each other and get the same results, use the algae/cyano on the rock and sand to guide your decision on whether nutrients are really too high rather than glass growth and you'll stand a better chance of getting your head around this crazy nutrient level puzzle we all try to solve :spin3::beer:

I hope to see things improve for you mate, we never stop striving for better colors - it's a disease...........:smokin:

It is for sure a disease. Do you do anything special to keep sand sparkling white. Mine is not staying clean looking.
Your numbers are more like I was aiming for 0.2 no3 and 0.02po4. It's not like my colors are bad.. We always want more.

 

[MichaelW]

Don't run the AIO pellets IMO, other than that I have no useful advice. Those pellets are just GFO delivered in a special bio degradable glue ball :lolspin: , and the GFO fines get everywhere. If your nitrates are in check I think it's better just to run a small amount of GFO. You get more control and less mess by running GFO by itself.

Just my opinion, of course.

lol Mark...say how you really feel. all my params are in check I was just wondering if bringing them down a little bit will pull out some more colors.

 

[MichaelW]

I am still finding getting focus on FTS really hard. it still gives idea though on the tank in general. I did some post editing using photobucket tools to try and get colors more accurate.



here is the tank back in June 2015 for comparison... this was cell phone pic. some corals have been moved, rock avalanches dictated some re aquascaping, and of course some corals either didn't make it or were removed.

 

[reefmutt]

Wow, you've had some serious growth!
Very nice.

 

[MichaelW]

Wow, you've had some serious growth!
Very nice.

thanks seeing this pic has made me realize how much some things have grown. im really surprised by the efflo growth in the middle. I hadn't noticed it as much but it has really filled in that space in the middle compared to june.

Wish I had thought to take the algae clip of the tank before taking a picture....:facepalm:

 

[mhucasey]

thanks seeing this pic has made me realize how much some things have grown. im really surprised by the efflo growth in the middle. I hadn't noticed it as much but it has really filled in that space in the middle compared to june.

Wish I had thought to take the algae clip of the tank before taking a picture....:facepalm:

It sneaks up on you before you know it! I was looking at some old pictures and was surprised at how much bigger colonies were in 7 months.

I have the same problem with full tank shots. One possible way to overcome it is to do a panoramic picture. Its a pain to capture what the tank looks like in real life for sure!

 

[MichaelW]

Weird, my latest fts just disappeared from my photobucket account

 

[MichaelW]

Here it is again for any one interested

 

[mhucasey]

I love that Efflo, you have a really special coral there in my opinion!

 

[MichaelW]

I love that Efflo, you have a really special coral there in my opinion!

Thanks I love That piece 2. Full tank shots do not show it's color though. It will soon fill that gap between the rocks and then I won't know what to do. I wouldn't want to frag it, just because the perfect round shape it is. Not even that sure how you would frag it to be honest. I love it but kinda hope it doesn't actually grow too much more

 

[MichaelW]

I went ahead and ordered a few aquaforest products today.
Coral a
Coral b
Coral e
Coral v
Coral food
Pro bio s

I didn't order NP pro as others on here had mentioned carbon source for my tank might not be necessary and if I was going to use a carbon source I think I would try pellets first as I have the equipment. There is a user on here (youdontknowme) who runs has tank This way.
For now I will just try the foods and supplements to see how it goes. Maybe if they raise my nutrient levels then consider the pellets.
Other good news for the tank (and family) is that my Christmas present was all installed. A new generator, hooked up to natural gas that senses when power goes out and turns on by itself...never have to worry again.

I spent all evening at my father in law's house. He has a large 375 gallon tank. Well he received a box of 21 (yes 21) maricultured sps pieces direct from the supplier for a great deal. I was inpecting and dipping them all in Bayer. It was really fun just opening all the bags not knowing what's inside. There are some real gems in there. We will have to wait till tomorrow to see the colors when lights come up as the lights had ramped down. Once we see what we got better he will let me choose a couple to take to mine.

 

[cFloor]

Loving the FTS!
That's awesome about the generator! What model did you get? And wow at 21 new corals. That's a lot. How fun

 

[mhucasey]

I went ahead and ordered a few aquaforest products today.
Coral a
Coral b
Coral e
Coral v
Coral food
Pro bio s

I didn't order NP pro as others on here had mentioned carbon source for my tank might not be necessary and if I was going to use a carbon source I think I would try pellets first as I have the equipment. There is a user on here (youdontknowme) who runs has tank This way.
For now I will just try the foods and supplements to see how it goes. Maybe if they raise my nutrient levels then consider the pellets.
Other good news for the tank (and family) is that my Christmas present was all installed. A new generator, hooked up to natural gas that senses when power goes out and turns on by itself...never have to worry again.

I spent all evening at my father in law's house. He has a large 375 gallon tank. Well he received a box of 21 (yes 21) maricultured sps pieces direct from the supplier for a great deal. I was inpecting and dipping them all in Bayer. It was really fun just opening all the bags not knowing what's inside. There are some real gems in there. We will have to wait till tomorrow to see the colors when lights come up as the lights had ramped down. Once we see what we got better he will let me choose a couple to take to mine.

That generator is a very smart investment. I've seen a lot of tank wipeouts in the last few years from weather events. I wish I had relatives with huge reef tanks! Mine just think I'm nuts

 

[markalot]

Here it is again for any one interested

Looking good! Sometimes moving pictures into and out of folders can break the links. I heard someone complaining about that with photobucket in another thread.

 

[MichaelW]

Looking good! Sometimes moving pictures into and out of folders can break the links. I heard someone complaining about that with photobucket in another thread.

I never moved anything around. It just disappeared, now out of no where it's back

 

[MichaelW]

That generator is a very smart investment. I've seen a lot of tank wipeouts in the last few years from weather events. I wish I had relatives with huge reef tanks! Mine just think I'm nuts

Matt how do you reckon I should start with the AF products I got? Maybe go half doses of a, b,v, and coral food? Hold off on e for now or go for it?
I will prob dose a little of the bacteria for now even so thought the carbon source just to boost the good bacteria cultures in the tank. Sound like a good plan or (from a more experienced user like yourself) do you think there might be any issues?