My Tank Thread (Take3) ★Total AUTOMATION★ DIY Doser, Sump, AlgaeScrubber, WaterChnges
- Thread starter Wally.B
- Start date
Wally.B
Active member
I already feel the Stress melting away from daily micro watching.
It's not so sexy watching Frags STN slowly.
Hoping they get pretty over next while.
Censor Film is thin so I can still clean glass.
Can't wait to un-censor the tank area in a couple of weeks.
May have a Centerfold Photo or two
[ I hope ]
Wally.B
Active member
Actually, I keep looking at the Tank to see New Frags and only See the Tank Backing Strip.
Few OLD Original Corals are visible. See the Forest Fire underneath, and old Frags on TOP.
See the Tubinaria on the left.
The STRIP SHOW will commence Friday Nov 5th.
When I will Peel the Strip Off, and EXPOSE everything.
Stay tuned.
Looking for Appropriate music!! Maybe some bubble tunes.
Few OLD Original Corals are visible. See the Forest Fire underneath, and old Frags on TOP.
See the Tubinaria on the left.
The STRIP SHOW will commence Friday Nov 5th.
When I will Peel the Strip Off, and EXPOSE everything.
Stay tuned.
Looking for Appropriate music!! Maybe some bubble tunes.
Wally.B
Active member
Oooooooh! Burlesque reef porn!! Doesn’t get any better!!
Can’t wait!
Me too!! Can't wait.
But as I mentioned on Rakie's thread, I am going to break my (No Coral Feeding) promise.
We'll not a broken promise, but starting earlier than planned.
Here is why.
That small Virgin piece of Screen in my ATS has taken off.
So scrubber is back to normal.
** TIME TO replace the Coraline Covered Screens that are not doing that as well, with all new SCREENs which I will Seed the same way **
Since my N & P are in the good Lower Range N=2.5 P=0.12, this means I have a little wiggle room for more nutrients.
I AM STARTING (as of last night), feeding the SPS corals at night with some Polyp Booster and Reef Roids.
Also I am changing my frozen feeding way. I used to just crush the frozen food and throw it into Tank with JUICE.
Instead I'm rinsing the Frozen in Brine Shrimp net.
This will reduce wastes going into system, but still feed the Fish with meaty stuff (to produce good Poo Nutrients)
My goal is to give the Corals more nutrients, and more nutrients at night.
STILL NO OTHER ADDITIVES (like B-Balance, etc).
-> One Exception (Acro Power, 1/2 dose, twice a week)
I run no risk of starting an Algae Bloom since Scrubber is working. (And the Turbo Snail is Starving in the DT)
And if I do, I can back off.
THIS WHOLE (Take 3, rebuild) was always about HIGH NUTRIENT IMPORT/EXPORT, and Time to test my SYSTEM Design.
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reefmutt
Active member
Acro power aspartic acid, that’s it.
Feed your fish extra nori and you’ll get it naturally.
With your nutrients where they are, it is my personal opinion that adding acropower is completely useless.
I am a fan of reef roids.. polyp booster.. never tried it much but don’t really see the need..
Start slow Wally
Feed your fish extra nori and you’ll get it naturally.
With your nutrients where they are, it is my personal opinion that adding acropower is completely useless.
I am a fan of reef roids.. polyp booster.. never tried it much but don’t really see the need..
Start slow Wally
Wally.B
Active member
OK. Will be careful.
When I say Reef Roids (I'm using 1/16 of a teaspoon, and I put 1/3 in Frag Tank, the rest 2/3 in DT).
Poly Booster is suppose to have the Aminos and other foods in there. I use 10 drops before doing Reef Roids. 1/4 the recommended dose, and not daily.
I'm using what I have, since I have 1/2 small bottle Acro Power which is an Amino (Wrong?). Recommended dosage is 10ml twice a week. I'm doing 2.5 ml.
What do you suggest I get some of the Poly Labs Colors? Or other real amino products like Aquaforest Brand. Too early for such a tiny Frag load?
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Wally.B
Active member
ATS - Phase 2 - (Replacement Screen)
I'm replacing the main Center Screen.
The outside Basket Screen remains as is (Coraline Covered). It's actually idea for Algae not to grow on outside housing.
The reason for the PORT Holes, and there are also cut slits that you can't see, is as screen builds up Algae, water continues to flow across the screen, directed by flow channels.
The previous test screen will remain till the new one kicks in.
I'm replacing the main Center Screen.
The outside Basket Screen remains as is (Coraline Covered). It's actually idea for Algae not to grow on outside housing.
The reason for the PORT Holes, and there are also cut slits that you can't see, is as screen builds up Algae, water continues to flow across the screen, directed by flow channels.
The previous test screen will remain till the new one kicks in.
reefmutt
Active member
Yes, acro power contains aspartic acid which is an amino acid..
Supplements are really in the realm of user preference. And everybody has a different preference so tough to give advice.
I will say that I am not convinced aminos are ever needed at all, ever. But when nutrients are ultra low, maybe they can have some benefits. You are nowhere near ultra low nutrient right now..
Wally.B
Active member
Too early for amino's.
Maybe even too early for any Reef Roids.
I tested last night, and wanted to confirm today.
My Nitrates 2.5-5ppm are the same but for some reason my Phosphates have jump from 0.12/0.14 last time I tested(Oct 17th week ago) to 0.25.
I can't see 1 feeding of Polyp booster/Reef Roids doing this, but will stop just in case.
The only change to tank is I reduced water change from the Aggressive 5% twice a week, to 2.5% twice a week.
Also I have been feeding fish a bit more Pellets vs Flake/Frozen since trying to train these guys to eat them like Kitchen Tank.
Going back to 5% WC.
I wondered why that Algae Scrubber Screen took off (this week). Higher P would explain it.
Wally.B
Active member
Wally.B
Active member
Yes, like crazy. He ate everything off Glass, so I started feeding him sheets again. Every other day (1"x2" sheet).
Why is P rising, and N staying put in DT?
P rose like crazy in Frag tank, since it was lower than before. Haven't check N in Frag Tank. Frag tank is 1/4 Water Volume so things are concentrated.
I could see P rising in SPS tank (if pellets have P in them) the fish don't like pellet and my training them is wasting some. I'm hoping hermits clean up the missed pellets.
But Water changes appear to be a Essential at this point till things stabilize/balance.
And MAYBE even the Odd Good NEW Water change in Frag Tank.
Actually with Cowrie eating Nori, might be just good idea to no longer re-use DT water for FT water changes. That was because I didn't have fish.
Wally.B
Active member
Wally.B
Active member
Matt,
I know water changes (maybe 2.5% THREE times a week might be better for the short period to tackle the spike in P ).
It's easy to calculate P drop with water changes. Same as I did for ALK increase.
However N will also drop.
I understand drastic P drops can be bad. I did that last time adding GFO which I will never do again.
HOW quickly should I drop P? Work over next 5 days to bring down to old 0.12?
Here are where things stand.
I know water changes (maybe 2.5% THREE times a week might be better for the short period to tackle the spike in P ).
It's easy to calculate P drop with water changes. Same as I did for ALK increase.
However N will also drop.
I understand drastic P drops can be bad. I did that last time adding GFO which I will never do again.
HOW quickly should I drop P? Work over next 5 days to bring down to old 0.12?
Here are where things stand.
Wally.B
Active member
Frag TANK ( COWRIE <-SWAP-> FRAGS ) Nori L-Side Finished
So the Cowrie Polished off all the Nori on Left side of Frag Tank.
Move him over to Right Side to work over there.
Of course Frag have to be move onto other side for their Safety.
Now that I understand how P is more concentrated in Frag tank, I'm going to do things differently.
For starters, this week will be daily 2.5-5% Water Changes in DT (P=0.25) and will bring that down to original (P= approx. 0.12).
Will re-use water into Frag Tank to slowly bring down (P=0.6) to (P=0.25).
THEN afterwards, do a the Odd Fresh Salt Water changes in Frag Tank.
Cowrie will continue to Nurish Corals and keep both sides clean Alternating.
The left side is Sparkly clean. That Yellow/look is a reflection of the CopePod Tank next to Frag Tank.
35 Gallon Frag tank is 3.5 Gal Water change for 10%. (Small stuff)
So the Cowrie Polished off all the Nori on Left side of Frag Tank.
Move him over to Right Side to work over there.
Of course Frag have to be move onto other side for their Safety.
Now that I understand how P is more concentrated in Frag tank, I'm going to do things differently.
For starters, this week will be daily 2.5-5% Water Changes in DT (P=0.25) and will bring that down to original (P= approx. 0.12).
Will re-use water into Frag Tank to slowly bring down (P=0.6) to (P=0.25).
THEN afterwards, do a the Odd Fresh Salt Water changes in Frag Tank.
Cowrie will continue to Nurish Corals and keep both sides clean Alternating.
The left side is Sparkly clean. That Yellow/look is a reflection of the CopePod Tank next to Frag Tank.
35 Gallon Frag tank is 3.5 Gal Water change for 10%. (Small stuff)
Wally.B
Active member
PHOSPHATE SPS TANK (GOOD) *** FALSE READING *** [ ATS Screen Seeding Contamination ]
I DID SWITCH over to Hanna Phophate ULR test since running out of Packet for ppb tester.
I had a sneaking suspicion that my Phosphates didn't jump that bad.
I read before that one shouldn't do Phosphate readings after feeding, etc.
I think when I seeded the ATS screen, I didn't rinse it enough from the Smeared Macro Algae.
That suspended fine Macro Alage Particulate in the Water Column and caused a false reading on the Hanna Phosphate Tester.
However the FRAG tanks 0.6 reading was correct.
After doing Water change in SPS Tank, I used that water for Frag Tank.
And Phosphates dropped a bit.
I learn something from this.
How to better maintain the Frag tank, and a reason why that Purple Acro Browned (High P).
Will be easy to fix the P with a few spaced out water changes.
I DID SWITCH over to Hanna Phophate ULR test since running out of Packet for ppb tester.
I had a sneaking suspicion that my Phosphates didn't jump that bad.
I read before that one shouldn't do Phosphate readings after feeding, etc.
I think when I seeded the ATS screen, I didn't rinse it enough from the Smeared Macro Algae.
That suspended fine Macro Alage Particulate in the Water Column and caused a false reading on the Hanna Phosphate Tester.
However the FRAG tanks 0.6 reading was correct.
After doing Water change in SPS Tank, I used that water for Frag Tank.
And Phosphates dropped a bit.
I learn something from this.
How to better maintain the Frag tank, and a reason why that Purple Acro Browned (High P).
Will be easy to fix the P with a few spaced out water changes.
