OK! Enough chat...Starting a 1000g+ Reef
- Thread starter JohnL
- Start date
jnarowe
New member
well when they get bad, let me know. I have an elaborate but sure cure! :eek2:
Catherine: Honestly tht is a question for a marine scientist. I hear a lot of conflicting views on this with some saying that corals need fish waste to survive, and others saying that fish waste increases nutrients in the system and will cause corals to decline.
The answer is probably somehwere in between, but since there is no lack of fish waste in our captive systems, I would lean towards trying to eliminate whatever waste we can, hence a variety of husbandry methods, not the least of which is strong skimming, and/or well balanced reefs that otherwise process the waste.
As far as coloration specifically is concerned, when I have such an issue I examine water quality/ORP, etc. and the amount of light the coral is getting. I just moved a couple corals tonight because their color was not what it should be. And because I keep a fairly clean system, this is where my attention is focused when trying to get the best coloration.
So I move the coral around until I find a good combo of light and flow. Usually this leaves behind some that has encrusted onto neighboring rocks, and often I end up with another colony that for some reason, does quite well in the original location.
Also please note that my mentor gave me some sage advice:
"Some corals will just not do well in your system, so rather than fixate on those, work with ones that will thrive in it."
Catherine: Honestly tht is a question for a marine scientist. I hear a lot of conflicting views on this with some saying that corals need fish waste to survive, and others saying that fish waste increases nutrients in the system and will cause corals to decline.
The answer is probably somehwere in between, but since there is no lack of fish waste in our captive systems, I would lean towards trying to eliminate whatever waste we can, hence a variety of husbandry methods, not the least of which is strong skimming, and/or well balanced reefs that otherwise process the waste.
As far as coloration specifically is concerned, when I have such an issue I examine water quality/ORP, etc. and the amount of light the coral is getting. I just moved a couple corals tonight because their color was not what it should be. And because I keep a fairly clean system, this is where my attention is focused when trying to get the best coloration.
So I move the coral around until I find a good combo of light and flow. Usually this leaves behind some that has encrusted onto neighboring rocks, and often I end up with another colony that for some reason, does quite well in the original location.
Also please note that my mentor gave me some sage advice:
"Some corals will just not do well in your system, so rather than fixate on those, work with ones that will thrive in it."
Bax
Premium Member
SO the results are in.
I took an equal measure of Marineland Black Diamond ( the only brand of GAC I've ever used in an SW tank) and the stuff I buy for water treatment systems by the pallet, Weststates AC830 and soaked them in RO/DI water for about 24 hours.
Each sample got a single rinse with the RO water before soaking. I can tell you that the Black Diamond was filthy compared to the bulk product which barely produced any fines. That could be do in part to the fact that the Black Diamond is ground to a much finer size than the bulk product. The average particle size in the bulk GAC is easily twice the size of the largest pieces of the Black Diamond. I supposed particle size is not critical given that our primary use of GAC in a Reef is absorption of organics? At any rate I filtered the sample water through floss before testing to be sure no particles were in there to mess up the results.
Anyway, using a D-D test kit, (wish I had a Hanna low range meter, it's on my wish list) the plain RO/DI water, Black Diamond water and the Weststates AC830 water all tested zero on the kit.
Now I know these kits, even the D-D kits are crap, but, it does indicate that there is no real significant difference and I've been spending lots of unnecessary cash at Dr Foster & Smith for Black Diamond Gac when I have about 1,000 pounds of perfectly good GAC sitting right here.
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Bax
Premium Member
Wow! 10% now that's crazy!
Heck! I am using the bulk from now on! It is 100% virgin, no question. And, it rinses in seconds, I have only a small amount of the Black Diamond left and I think I'll donate it to by Bro in Law's pond. Kind iof ironic since I've been giving him the free bulk stuff thinking I was doing the right thing by my reef!
Heck! I am using the bulk from now on! It is 100% virgin, no question. And, it rinses in seconds, I have only a small amount of the Black Diamond left and I think I'll donate it to by Bro in Law's pond. Kind iof ironic since I've been giving him the free bulk stuff thinking I was doing the right thing by my reef!
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