My Aquaforest cube, just the way I like it!
- Thread starter Piper27
- Start date
Piper27
I love bengals
It is wierd how different each tank is. I had phosphates around .3 for a good while and pulled them down very quickly on accident. That scared me a bit but everything has been ok since and that was about a month ago. I am not sure how long everything will look good with nutrients reading so low but I would assume a while as long as I keep the heavy feedings and high bioload. I have always kept alkalinity between 8 and 9 as well which is not the norm for tanks that use a large amount of carbon sources, it has stayed at 8 ever since the tanks have been running well.. I have never seen burnt tips or anything but will be keeping my eyes open because now would be when that happens. Since getting phosphates down the hair algae in the zoanthid tank has stayed under control thankfully. I have stopped using the -np pro and upped my vodka and vinegar dose a lot. Thats when nitrates finally hit zero. I don't feel like the -np pro was affecting nutrients as much as it should for the price of it. I would up the dose and up the dose but nitrates wouldn't lower.
Zacktosterone
Active member
this is amazing!!! super motivating. i love the modded light lol no shortage there. do you have a full tank shot of the entire setup? or maybe a link to the build?
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Piper27
I love bengals
I love the light too, I have always wanted to have a setup with 2 400w se bulbs next to each other. This cube let me add everything I wanted perfectly, although I am almost scared to get new bulbs this time 
I will try and get a picture now, it may be with my phone though. I don't have a build thread. The other tanks are just bare bones 2x4's. I never have people over so I don't care to have a nice setup. This system is just kinda thrown together as our collection has grown again. I can take a picture of the zoanthid tank though. I will scrape it and get one later. The frag tank upstairs just has lps and some odds and ends that doesn't go with the other two tanks. I built it hoping to be able to order boxes of acros to sell to the area since no shops ever supply any cool sps. Still hoping we get to it, though my wife just got some more Bengals that she is going to start breeding so her I retest in the coral has diminished and I am left alone for now.
I will try and get a picture now, it may be with my phone though. I don't have a build thread. The other tanks are just bare bones 2x4's. I never have people over so I don't care to have a nice setup. This system is just kinda thrown together as our collection has grown again. I can take a picture of the zoanthid tank though. I will scrape it and get one later. The frag tank upstairs just has lps and some odds and ends that doesn't go with the other two tanks. I built it hoping to be able to order boxes of acros to sell to the area since no shops ever supply any cool sps. Still hoping we get to it, though my wife just got some more Bengals that she is going to start breeding so her I retest in the coral has diminished and I am left alone for now.
Zacktosterone
Active member
Just gorgeous! What's it like with the monster emperor in there
Piper27
I love bengals
She is doing ok for now, acting normal and breaks up any fish aggression between the other fish. I will have to put her in another tank in a bit. We have had her since she was the size of a half dollar. When she croaks the whole tank vibrates. I will probably let a friend take her for a while then get her back once we move and set up a bigger tank. But who knows when that will be.
Piper27
I love bengals
Here is a little update... I have switched over to the component 1,2 and 3 dosing mix. I experienced a crazy increase in the amount of solution I am using. So much I wonder if the mix is not as potent as bionic. I was using 40 ml a day of bionic. Ip started to have to increase the amount a few days after starting the components. In a few weeks I am now up to 155 ml of it a day :eek1: Growth is picking up on some pieces so that's a good sign.
I am now using coral e, b, v, and not really using Aminos right now because of some cyano.
I tried using gfo passively but it doesn't work. I am having a lot of bubble algae issues since doing so so I started the reactor again. Honestly running gfo is when my stuff looks best in all my tanks. I am going to up my vodka and vinegar mix to try and reduce phosphate some. I have potassium nitrate on a doser right now keeping nitrates around 1. But that wasn't reducing phosphates much, even with passive gfo. It did hold it at a steady number which was a good sign. I think there is a lot locked in my rocks and such.
I am finally seeing some of my red acros get a nice red, which for some reason wasnt happening. Not sure what other than time and stability would have helped with this.
I cleaned out some bacterial growth on the glass where I dose the vodka vinegar mix in my dark rock tank. It was nasty, if you thought the skimate pictures were gross check this out :hmm5:
I will work on getting a fish list this weekend, and hopefully some pictures of the zoanthid tank just for the heck of it.
Here is the bacteria from dosing. Maybe two months worth of collecting haha... Had to use a big net to get it all.
I will leave this image as the update and post coral pics later [emoji43]
Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
I am now using coral e, b, v, and not really using Aminos right now because of some cyano.
I tried using gfo passively but it doesn't work. I am having a lot of bubble algae issues since doing so so I started the reactor again. Honestly running gfo is when my stuff looks best in all my tanks. I am going to up my vodka and vinegar mix to try and reduce phosphate some. I have potassium nitrate on a doser right now keeping nitrates around 1. But that wasn't reducing phosphates much, even with passive gfo. It did hold it at a steady number which was a good sign. I think there is a lot locked in my rocks and such.
I am finally seeing some of my red acros get a nice red, which for some reason wasnt happening. Not sure what other than time and stability would have helped with this.
I cleaned out some bacterial growth on the glass where I dose the vodka vinegar mix in my dark rock tank. It was nasty, if you thought the skimate pictures were gross check this out :hmm5:
I will work on getting a fish list this weekend, and hopefully some pictures of the zoanthid tank just for the heck of it.
Here is the bacteria from dosing. Maybe two months worth of collecting haha... Had to use a big net to get it all.
I will leave this image as the update and post coral pics later [emoji43]
Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
SeargentSlice
New member
That is pretty nasty lol. Component 123 is same as balling lite I dont think as strong as Bionic. Mix your own large savings over buying them pre mixed ....
westreef
Lost as usual
Here is the link for DIY AF component 123: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2551525&page=5
I have been mixing my own using this, save me ton of money.
I have been mixing my own using this, save me ton of money.
Piper27
I love bengals
Here are a few phone pics from now and August to show growth. Basically about two months growth. I am hoping the corals that are colored well and not growing yet will start soon. If not I may try clipping some tips to see if it sparks some growth.
With so many fish in this tank it's kind of a pain to keep. Detritus is constantly snowing in the display and I can't use any filter socks. I have to scrape bubble algae often, especially when I slack on replacing gfo, zeolites, or forget to baste the rocks off. Even with all the hectic flow detritus still finds places to settle. I have to say I am very happy with the colors I am getting recently, things seem to be starting to roll the right way.
I will try and get an update next week with some actual photos and not bad phone pics... I know they aren't real appealing.
August
Now
August
Now
August
Now
Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
With so many fish in this tank it's kind of a pain to keep. Detritus is constantly snowing in the display and I can't use any filter socks. I have to scrape bubble algae often, especially when I slack on replacing gfo, zeolites, or forget to baste the rocks off. Even with all the hectic flow detritus still finds places to settle. I have to say I am very happy with the colors I am getting recently, things seem to be starting to roll the right way.
I will try and get an update next week with some actual photos and not bad phone pics... I know they aren't real appealing.
August
Now
August
Now
August
Now
Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
Lilmatty5dimes
New member
Wow that's some crazy growth. Nice job.
codydemmel4
Active member
that is definitely some nice growth in two months
SeargentSlice
New member
The components strong is the only thing you would have to regularly buy the rest of the stuff makes quite a bit of product ... You can also use half the amount of the components strong or don't even use it at all and dose things manually if you prefer...According to the tanks needs you can buy the individual elements...
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Piper27
I love bengals
The green acro defiantly is growing fast but it's known for that. The others are doing ok, I am happy because some of the idle frags have started growing finally. Some wild or mariculture stuff that's fragged and sold I have had trouble with. That's one reason I prefer colonies or mini colonies.
Thanks, I will keep updating it from time to time.
Thanks for the info! Does this all makeup the same ratio of elements and microelements that is in the components or are we not sure? I am really tempted to hook up my calcium reactor again with everything doing well.
I love that frag too! I have never seen a blue base and white polyp on that type of growth form. It's starting to grow so I am keeping my fingers crossed. I wish that I could have had the colony of that piece!
Right now I am using...
-Components 1 2 and 3 dosing about 140ml of each daily on a doser
-Dosing a homemade potassium mix on a doser because potassium drops 40ppm a week
-Dosing a potassium nitrate solution daily on a doser to keep nitrates readable and hopefully phosphates lower
-Dosing 50ml of vodka and 50ml of vinegar daily on a doser that drips 24/7, I am going to add sugar to the mix this weekend
I am using each of the following aquaforest bottles at one squirt equal to about 15 to 20 drops all daily.
-coral b
-coral v
-coral e (sometimes I even double this dose and also use random other Aminos)
-coral a
-flourine
-pro bio s (I dose two squirts of this daily)
-lugols (I dose 6-9 drops depending on how things look, I stopped using af iodine because it was used too quick)
-vitamin c is dosed every couple of days or every other day at about 10ml
-zeo mix in a big vertex reactor
-gfo in fluidized reactor
-carbon in a mesh bag in sump
We use selcon and a couple other things in our frozen food mix.
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