Nice update Bulent, the corals and colors are out of this world! Hopefully that milli will color up as expected.
Thank you Mark. I hope so too.
Been reading your TOTM thread on the UK forum and this thread here. Beautiful tank.
Was there a reason that you stop growing Chaeto? was it not efficient in reducing nutrient in your tank? or they die after awhile? I see that you have a sandbed and also keep a refugium in the sump as well, how is your Pods population? are there enough Pods to support like a Mandarin? The reason I asked is because I run my tank too clean and BB for SPS corals but lately I want to keep other critters such as coco worms like you have and a mandarin as well. So I will add sand to my tank and add a refugium as well.
Thanks
Thanks for reading my article. I hope it did not make you fall asleep.
When I started Tropic Marin NP-Bacto-Balance more than two years ago, I concluded that algae will not compete with bacteria after receiving advice from Ed (Big E). Algae worked well in my system and grew vigorously. Nitrates always measured zero on Salifert. Phosphates measured zero too (mind due I used Rowa Phos while keeping chaeto). Even though measurable nutrients were really low, my tank suffered chronic cyano problem. I attributed this to nitrate/phosphate imbalance.
Consequently, I decided to have a clean break with my these methods, hence the use of bacto-balance and quitting the use of Rowa Phos and cheat. With the use of Bacto-balance, measurable nitrates and phosphates eventually rose present levels. Coral colours and growth improved very noticeably.
I have quite a lot of pods and other zooplankton in my sump. They seem to enter the the main display more or less the same time every day once lights are off. I can see my anthias are literally hunting them. My tank would not support a mandarin simply because I have a silver belly wrasse. He picks on rocks all the long.
People have different opinions on a sand bed. I subscribe to the view that sand bed creates a more balanced environment than a bare-bottom tank for several reasons. Here are some: sand bed provides a good phosphate sink (which you need to replace regularly with fresh sand); it increases surface area for the colonisation of heterotrophic facultative bacteria; it provides a safe heaven for worms and other critters as well as certain wrasses to sleep in when lights are off.
Beautiful update, Bulent!
Boring corals? No way.
They look fantastic and I have to say your sermantosa is perfection.
Love the progression on the millie.
Thank you Matt. I appreciate your comment on my A. sarmentosa. I tried to cut a small frag for a local reefer, but I could not without damaging its shape because it grows in table formation. The millepora has very light yellow tips like a beige colour. Sadly, my camera could not capture this colour.
It's nice to read you again here on RC rather than FB, it's easier to follow (at least for me).
I'm with Matt, no way your corals are boring, maybe you are bored of your corals because you've had them for a long time.
You are dosing KZ sponge power, with what purpose?
You are also dosing Koral color AND TM Elements. Do they complement each other? Do they share ingredients?
Thanks Sergi. Facebook has its advantages. For example, I can show my coral pictures using my phone to my friends with ease. Equally important, all my experiments are in one place and very easy to share for reference purposes. On the other hand, there is no search function and it is very difficult, if not impossible, to follow the progress of a tank. On reflection, I think I prefer forums.
I dose KZ sponge power to support my coco worm and feather duster worms as well as huge sponge population I have in my sump and to a lesser extend in my display tank. Korellen Zucht does not reveal its contents, but Zeoheads are adamant that it does not contain amino acids. From its description, my educated guess is that it contains silica as well as some form of iodine and may be some strontium. Here are progress pictures of one particular group of sponges in my sump:
18th August 2016
3rd May 2017
I am using Koral Color on an experimental basis to take advantage of its lithium content to suppress bryopsis to find out its long tern impact on coral colouration. Yes, the following elements are intersection set between Koral color and TM elements (i.e. K+ and A-):
Cobalt, Lithium and manganese
They probably complete each other, but cannot be 100% certain. Since A- and K+ elements work for me, trying just Coral color without them is not an option for me at least at this juncture.
