Naka's 180 Starphire tank!!!

[jnarowe]

Exactly.

I do have a general question though, as we all ooh and aah over some serious reef keeping skill, what do you believe is the key to your success?

I leave that opened ended so as not to lead the witness!

 

[naka]

I would have to say keeping my water parameters stable. I would test for my ALK using 3 different test kits day and night. I still test for my ALK levels every morning just in case my Ca rx failed.

I also keep my PH levels above 8 at all times. I dose Kalk at night using LM3 via kalk reactor.

Lastly, I feed my tank really really heavy while doing water changes every other day in small amounts. I feed oyster eggs, phyto feast, roti feast, cyclopeeze to my LPS, and Pappone once a week.

 

[jnarowe]

Thanks! very heavy feeding then coupled with intensive water changes. I have found that out of all the things we can test for, alk seems to have the most dramatic affect on corals.

And you can keep your PO4 down low enough with all that going into the water column?

 

[GSMguy]

what alk kit would you say is most accurate?

 

[naka]

yeap, bb w/ lots and lots of flow. I change out my micron bag 2 times a week.

 

[clownnrnd]

Got my fingers crossed for the six line. Be nice just to see it keep things in check. Does'nt sound like things are suffering too much becouse of the AEFW's.

Chad

 

[naka]

I like lamotte and API to be most accurate. Tropic Marin doesn't get accurate readings for me when DKH gets above 10 for some reason. Salifert was my no. 1 until last couple of batches gave me faulty readings. I haven't tried Elos, but I heard it's really easy to use just like TM and API.

Chad, I didn't forget about you bro. I'll keep you updated.

 

[jnarowe]

I haven't tried the LaMotte kit yet.

 

[clownnrnd]

No problem James, Sera test kits are nice as well. I think the are made by Merck 1drop = 1dkh.

My daughter said she saw your nephew (??? /avatar) on Ellen Degenerous

Chad

 

[fishfanatic06]

I have API alk kitt too. Definetly the best I have ever used by far.

 

[GSMguy]

i heard elos were good, my semiLFS carries them, do you use AWT?

 

[jnarowe]

The Elos looks good but I am waiting to hear more about it.

 

[clownnrnd]

I'm using Elos now and it is the same procedure as Sera. 5ml. sample add drop by drop reagent. goes from blue > yellow. midpoint (green) I consider .5 value

I like Elos as well. My LFS just started carrying Sera so I will be going back to that seeing I don't have to order it.

Chad

 

[jnarowe]

Thanks for the input Chad!

 

[Canarygirl]

I find Lamotte and API to be accurate and they will agree with eachother, while Salifert has been way off recently.

 

[gkarshens]

I am using Elos as well and really like it.

 

[chris wright]

I use Seachem. The readings are in meq/l, but from what I have read about accuracy, this is supposed to be the most accurate measurement.

Also Seachem test are for total alkalinity. I saw that Randy Homes Farley done a test and liked the Seachem kits. Salifert always comes in a little high, where as Seachem is a little low, but the variation is minimal.

 

[reefsahoy]

naka, what kind of camera are you using? you take some awesome pic man. i haven't read any of the thread yet just flipping through looking on those pics.

 

[naka]

I added the six line wrasse along with 2 spot hog fish yesterday. This morning my flame wrasse started to flash his fins like crazy, so I took some pics.

I never realized how much he changed.

This was my juv. flame that I got last year 2007

Here he is now! He's a stud flasher

 

[JohnL]

This thread was automatically split due to performance issues. You can find the rest of the thread here: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1302400