My 65G Shallow Reef Tank
- Thread starter DiscusHeckel
- Start date
DiscusHeckel
Acropora Gardener
I cannot accommodate any macro algae in my sump unless I remove a big box of siporax. This is why I questioned the efficacy of siporax in schnitzel's thread. I have never questioned siporax up until recently as NO3 has always been below 10 ppm (in fact below 5 ppm most of the time even when I had lots of anthias). I attributed this to siporax, but I am confused now. Why is NO3 still high and not coming down despite rinsing the siporax media? A possible explanation may be that I have disturbed nitrifying bacteria while rescaping my tank. Perhaps, I should not have removed removed 50% of the sand bed before hand.
As for bryopsis, am I right that you used fluconazole in your tank? If so, would you direct me to the pages in which you discussed your experience with it. I think I may have to resort to this anti-fungal medication to get rid of this nuisance algae once and for all.
DiscusHeckel
Acropora Gardener
I started to use RowaPhos again five days ago after a four-year break. I have just tested nutrients.
NO3: 25 ppm no change
PO4: 0.14 mg/L (down from 0.25 mg/L).
I will continue to use RowaPhos a little longer. I am hoping that once PO4 is under 0.1 mg/L, the growth will recommence, which will then keep PO4 in check with just Bacto-Balance with occasional GFO/Ultra Phos use, but my reef has its own mind. Time will tell what will happen.
NO3: 25 ppm no change
PO4: 0.14 mg/L (down from 0.25 mg/L).
I will continue to use RowaPhos a little longer. I am hoping that once PO4 is under 0.1 mg/L, the growth will recommence, which will then keep PO4 in check with just Bacto-Balance with occasional GFO/Ultra Phos use, but my reef has its own mind. Time will tell what will happen.
DiscusHeckel
Acropora Gardener
My NO3 was historically between 2.5-5 ppm. It has never been as high as 25ppm. So, this is an unchartered territory for me.
As for "sweet spot", I do not evaluate NO3 in isolation. I also take PO4 into account. My experience suggests that as long as the ratio between NO3 and PO4 is around 100:1, I observe really deep and good colours on Acroporids. If PO4 is also well below 0.1 mg/L with this kind of high ratio between the two nutrients, I get super fast coral growth even when alkalinity is below 7 dKH.
DiscusHeckel
Acropora Gardener
DiscusHeckel
Acropora Gardener
No I do not use use any proprietary coral food, but I feed coral holobiont, symbiotic bacteria, instead using a proprietary product called Tropic Marin Reef Actif.
High fish load is also very beneficial to corals as symbiotic bacteria have preference for ammonia/ammonium produced by fish urea for food over another nitrogen source, nitrates. If you like reading, let me know, so that I will send you a scientific paper about this topic.
reefmutt
Active member
I remember several years ago, I added about 8 liters of siporax and another 8 liters of matrix.. it has absolutely effect in my nitrate levels.. I still have it in my system and the only time I have seen n go up or down is wham dosing a carbon source or when my fuge is well lit and growing well.. I'm sure a system needs a certain amount of surace area for bacterial but adding extra doesn't make a difference imo..
I have used fluco twice. Both times, the bryopsis was the first thing to go but it impacted all types of algea in my system. I had to restart my fuge both times.
It also caused an increase in nitrates..
unfortunately I don't really know exactly where in my thread.. feel free to ask me any questions you have Bulent..
Roy Arena
New member
I'm not sure if you're still using fans on your tank. BTW, very nice SPS in your system. Can you please tell me how you have your fans and HabiStat controller set up? I just set up a tank here in Arizona and hope to use fans instead of a chiller. The Habistat is not offer here in the US but I should be able to get something similar.
Thank you
Thank you
saltypilot
New member
love the shallow look!
DiscusHeckel
Acropora Gardener
Yes, I am. I have taken a few photos of the set up. I hope they will give you some idea.
I will explain how to adjust the right temperature with an example. Let's say I do not want my tank water temperature to exceed 28C. First, I put the temperature probe to the tank BEFORE water temperature reaches my maximum target. Second, I turn the temperature dial to the maximum. Then, I turn the power on after connecting all the components as shown in one of the photos below. Finally, as soon as water temperature reaches my target value, I will slowly turn the dial down until the fans start to operate.
IMG_6534
IMG_6535
IMG_6536
IMG_6537
DiscusHeckel
Acropora Gardener
You're welcome.
I will update you with the efficacy of this type of set up based on my latest use. The outside temperatures in Sheffield, UK reached 34C this week. This is very unusual in this part of the world. The room temperature in which my fish tank is kept reached 29.7C when my 8-tube ATI unit was running. This was the highest temperature I recorded during my 26 years of occupancy in my house.
My tank's temperature is kept between 27.0-28C throughout the year. I set up the unit when the tank's temperature reached 28.3C. The unit successfully kept the water temperature during this hot spell between 27.7-28.3C. The fans ran continuously while the ATI unit was on, whereas their operation was more intermittent during the night when the outside temperatures dropped down to 24C.
DiscusHeckel
Acropora Gardener
After a long break, it is an update time.
I still have the same tank and the same corals, even though the aquascape was changed radically to accommodate new corals as well as the needs of some of the old corals that have become simply very large.
My fish tank suffered from marine velvet back in January 2019. All my fish except two (the copper band and filefish) were wiped out in a hospital tank during CP treatment due to lack of air during treatment. I have rebuilt my fish stock slowly after quarantining each and every new fish using CP and PraziPro over the past two years. My current fish stock includes the following:
My tank is still predominantly Acropora dominated. Most of them can be seen in the following video, which I recorded today.
https://youtu.be/QrafOBtc5Ig
I still have the same tank and the same corals, even though the aquascape was changed radically to accommodate new corals as well as the needs of some of the old corals that have become simply very large.
My fish tank suffered from marine velvet back in January 2019. All my fish except two (the copper band and filefish) were wiped out in a hospital tank during CP treatment due to lack of air during treatment. I have rebuilt my fish stock slowly after quarantining each and every new fish using CP and PraziPro over the past two years. My current fish stock includes the following:
- copperband butterflyfish
- kole tang
- pyramid butterflyfish
- bellus angelfish
- regal angelfish
- majestic angelfish
- yellow longnose butterflyfish
- royal gramma
My tank is still predominantly Acropora dominated. Most of them can be seen in the following video, which I recorded today.
https://youtu.be/QrafOBtc5Ig
DiscusHeckel
Acropora Gardener
Thank you Ed. I had no idea you followed my tank thread on UR. Thanks. My tank went sideways but bounced back eventually.
Once you have experience like that you do not want to add anything to tank. Even a snail, crab or even a shrimp has to be quarantined first before adding to the tank.
Once you have experience like that you do not want to add anything to tank. Even a snail, crab or even a shrimp has to be quarantined first before adding to the tank.
