My 65G Shallow Reef Tank

[Pife]

Good looking growth going on man. Do you typically keep your alkalinity sub 7?

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[DiscusHeckel]

Spectacular colors

Beautiful Bulent!! :thumbsup::thumbsup:

Corals look great to me!

Good looking growth going on man. Do you typically keep your alkalinity sub 7?

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Thank you for your compliments everyone. :thumbsup:

Brandon, yes, I do keep it below 7 dKH, usually between 6.4-6.7 dKH (on Salifert Alkalinity scale).

 

[naecO.rM]

Bülent your corals are amazing as usually.
Thanks for your update and pictures.

 

[janci]

When my reef is big, it wants to be just like this one... gorgeous, colourful and amazing.

 

[DiscusHeckel]

Bülent your corals are amazing as usually.
Thanks for your update and pictures.

Thank you.

When my reef is big, it wants to be just like this one... gorgeous, colourful and amazing.

Thank you.

 

[markalot]

Excellent Bulent, the acros look fantastic.

 

[janci]

I hope all is going well Bulent.
It does not happen to often to not seeing you posting those awesome photos.

 

[DiscusHeckel]

Excellent Bulent, the acros look fantastic.

Thanks for your kind comments, Mark.

Sorry for the late response.

I hope all is going well Bulent.
It does not happen to often to not seeing you posting those awesome photos.

Hi mate,

I appreciate your compliment.

I seem to spend more time on Facebook than on forums recently as it is much easier to communicate with and follow fellow reefers' reefing adventures around the world.

My Acroporids have grown so much that I had to carry out a major deforestation exercise yet again. My tank needs to recuperate before I take FTS again. In the meantime, I would like to share an iPhone picture of my red planet "frag", which went to a good home last month. This particular piece was 7" X 5".

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I was pleased with its growth considering it was only under 2" in March 2017:

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I am at a stage where I am not sure about the direction of my reef tank as I feel that I am slightly bored of looking at the same "picture on my wall". Even though my enthusiasm for reefkeeping has not yet waned, I feel that it is time to make a change. Upgrade is out of question. Instead, I am considering removing either one or both of the two largest colonies from my tank, A. gomezi and the tabling A. microclados. If I were to find a buyer, I also would not mind removing my entire massive branching rock, half of which is encrusted with a huge M setosa colony, but that would probably be too radical to my liking.

Other than that everything is plodding along nicely despite the fact that I had to leave my tank either unattended or in the care of my family on four different occasions this summer.

 

[Ancelot]

It's hammer time!


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[janci]

The boredom of a well faring reef tank... Reef goals!

 

[DiscusHeckel]

The boredom of a well faring reef tank... Reef goals!

I have no idea what you meant by "Reef goals".

 

[sde1500]

I have no idea what you meant by "Reef goals".

I believe he means it's everyone's goal to have a successful grown out tank going well. Where now boredom sets in a bit with it since there isn't much tinkering left to do.

 

[Rogerga]

Wow what a fantastic journey and well documented [MENTION=23968]discus[/MENTION] . Congratulations

 

[DiscusHeckel]

I believe he means it's everyone's goal to have a successful grown out tank going well. Where now boredom sets in a bit with it since there isn't much tinkering left to do.

Thanks for your interpretation.

Wow what a fantastic journey and well documented [MENTION=23968]discus[/MENTION] . Congratulations

Thanks.

 

[DiscusHeckel]

It’s hammer time!


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I agree. It is hammer time. Hammer is a wonderful tool especially if it is used in conjunction with a screw driver. :rollface:

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[reefmutt]

Wow! So to quote a famous Quentin Tarantino movie, you went medieval on your tanks ***!!
You are a stone cold steward of that tank or yours Bulent.
A proficient, and talented stone cold steward!

 

[biodegraded]

I agree. It is hammer time. Hammer is a wonderful tool especially if it is used in conjunction with a screw driver. :rollface:

IMG_5256

Ummmm - yikes! If the aquarium rescape doesn't work out, you still have a promising future as an inquisitor...

 

[lanshark]

Great read and congrats on all the success....

I seem to be reading quite a few threads where alkalinity is being kept low 7.xx or even 6.xx dkh? Why not target natural sea water alkalinity? What is your thinking?

Also, see you like Millepora [emoji106] Do you have any special care requirements for the mille's as some folk struggle with that sub-species of Acropora?

Cheers!

 

[DiscusHeckel]

Great read and congrats on all the success....

I seem to be reading quite a few threads where alkalinity is being kept low 7.xx or even 6.xx dkh? Why not target natural sea water alkalinity? What is your thinking?

Also, see you like Millepora [emoji106] Do you have any special care requirements for the mille’s as some folk struggle with that sub-species of Acropora?

Cheers!

Thank you.

I usually keep my alkalinity well below 7 dKH (in average about 6.4 dKH). My understanding is that this sort of reading is consistent with alkalinity readings in the ocean.Through experimentation with different alkalinity levels, typically between 6-9 dKH, over the years, I noticed that my corals are in their happiest state of health when alkalinity is below 7 dKH. This level does not even impede coral growth as you can see from various pictures I posted in my tank thread.

In my experience, Acropora millepora requires a lot of light and flow to flourish. If growth is stunted, it is most likely due to lack of these parameters. They also seem quite fragile. In my tank, historically, they are one of the first (along with Acropora yongei) to show ailment when things go in pair shape. For example, one of the most colourful milleporas in my tank could not handle my "medieval" practices.

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[lanshark]

Great info ... I also note my SPS seem happy with great PE even when alkalinity drifts down to 7.5 dkh range. I just start buffering up towards 8-8.5 dkh based on reading forums and really no other good reason ... Think I might experiment a bit...

Cheers!