OneReef's 120g DreamReef
- Thread starter OneReef
- Start date
OneReef
Reef Guru
I am starting to see fast results from a few minor changes I made a week or so ago. I bumped up my coral feeding to twice a day, and increased my lighting intensity for a short burst, as well as increased the blue in the actinic periods of lighting. I have see faster growth over the last week or two than I have seen since I started. My biopellets and skimmer are keeping up up with the increased feeding, so I think so far so good with the changes.
ReefersEdge
New member
Beautiful tank! What are you feeding your coral?
OneReef
Reef Guru
Acropolooza
New member
How do you like the calcium reactor...is it better than dosing 2-part?
OneReef
Reef Guru
I love it. Been using one for 2-3 years. I used to dose 2-part. The Ca reactor keeps levels more consistent, is easier cause its set and forget, and I noticed faster growth when added.
Defuse
New member
How were you dosing 2 part previously? I just started dosing Randy's two part with some 1.1mL pumps and in my eyes it's set and forget as well.
Granted I have to make the two part solution but that takes about 20 minutes and you can have gallons at your disposal.
OneReef
Reef Guru
I tested for a week to see what my tank consumed daily. Then I just started dosing that amount daily with A/B by hand. Dosing a,b is fine, but I personally like to not worry about the alk part. I think someone local here had a dosing pump issue that dumped a bunch of alk in their SPS tank and crashed it. I like my Ca reactor running on autopilot. Works better for me.
OneReef
Reef Guru
Awesome Scoly Change:
Somehow, within the last couple of weeks, with my increased blue lighting and increased coral feeding, my red/green scoly has added a purple streak in it from out of nowhere. It was never there before, I just noticed it this morning. Pretty cool to see if any other colors develop. I guess I will have to attribute it to the change in actinic lighting and the feeding. I really turned up the blue spectrum in my actinic lighting over the last couple of weeks, and that is when this happened. I also bumped up my amino acid feeding.
Somehow, within the last couple of weeks, with my increased blue lighting and increased coral feeding, my red/green scoly has added a purple streak in it from out of nowhere. It was never there before, I just noticed it this morning. Pretty cool to see if any other colors develop. I guess I will have to attribute it to the change in actinic lighting and the feeding. I really turned up the blue spectrum in my actinic lighting over the last couple of weeks, and that is when this happened. I also bumped up my amino acid feeding.
OneReef
Reef Guru
Good news on the water stability front, I tested my phosphates this morning with the Hanna digital phosphate meter and the results came back .03. I strive to keep my phosphates at .03 or less. I haven't changed my filter sock in a couple of days, have been feeding heavily, and its been about 1 1/2 weeks since a water change. So I am very happy with the levels. It should help my SPS continue to thrive.
OneReef
Reef Guru
SaltH2OLover
New member
I've been looking for the Strawberry ShortCake!! NICE pieces!
tmb22
New member
Your tank looks great! I have several questions for you... Why did you decide to run a bio-pellet reactor instead of GFO? I'm guessing it might be the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality, which would make sense. Also, from the pictures of your sump, it doesn't look like you are running any carbon. Is that true? I don't use any either, but I'm interested to hear your reasoning. Also, do you think feeding your corals amino acids, oysterfeast, and rotifeast makes a difference in color/growth for you? Lastly, you strive for a phosphate reading of .03 or less. Do you think a reading of 0.00 on your Hannah meter would alarm you? If you did reach 0.00, would you take any action to raise it slightly? Or would you throw yourself a party haha :celeb2:
Sorry for all the questions...
Sorry for all the questions...
OneReef
Reef Guru
Your tank looks great! I have several questions for you... Why did you decide to run a bio-pellet reactor instead of GFO?
I am running biopllets in place of a fuge, but since running them, I don't see the need for GFO to keep phosphates down, since the biopellets do a great job at it. I think most people that are successful with biopellets don't run GFO. Some sources will tell you that you should not run it with biopellets.
Also, from the pictures of your sump, it doesn't look like you are running any carbon. Is that true?
That is true, I do not run carbon. I don't feel the need for it with my biopellets and my skimmer working great. I have tried to keep my system as simple as possible, and I have not seen any indication that carbon would further help me. Again, I think the biopellets/skimmer reduce the need for it. I also run a filter sock that I change every few days. I think that takes alot of crud out of the tank as well.
Also, do you think feeding your corals amino acids, oysterfeast, and rotifeast makes a difference in color/growth for you?
Yes, I do think it has helped in both coloration and in growth. I am pretty early in the stages of increased feedings. Close to a month maybe, but I have seen better colors and growth in that time period of feeding these than ever before. You just need to find the balance of enough and not enough for your tank
Lastly, you strive for a phosphate reading of .03 or less. Do you think a reading of 0.00 on your Hannah meter would alarm you? If you did reach 0.00, would you take any action to raise it slightly? Or would you throw yourself a party haha :celeb2:
Hmmm, I might throw a party, as I have never seen them below .03. Well, except for the false reading normal powder test kits give of 0....ha. I have been using Hanna digital phosphate meters for 2-3 years, and they are so much better than the powder test kits. They still have an error range, but mine seems pretty accurate. If I go awhile without a water change, or changing my filter sock, or feed too much, I will see phosphates of up to .08. When I am on top of things, it stays at .03. I am not sure it would be possible to get to a true 0, as I think there will always be some present. But the rule of thumb is .03 or less is good, and anything higher starts to reduce calcification of corals and coloration. Not saying that you can't grow coral with higher phosphates and have them look great, but I think below .03 you get optimal growth and coloration. Being below .03 would not alarm me, as I feel that me feeding the coral would make up for the stripped down water. Just for note for anyone reading this, Hanna digital meters are not out of price range anymore. I am using a new pocket version that Hanna released that was around $45. Works great.
Sorry for all the questions...
No problem, anytime...
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OneReef
Reef Guru
ORA Derasa Clam:
I have been wanting to add a couple of clams to my tank. I found an ORA Derasa that I liked, but I am still looking for a large blue Maxima/Crocea, all I can find right now are tiny ones. I'll keep looking, but here's the Derasa that I just added, it's about 4-5".
I have been wanting to add a couple of clams to my tank. I found an ORA Derasa that I liked, but I am still looking for a large blue Maxima/Crocea, all I can find right now are tiny ones. I'll keep looking, but here's the Derasa that I just added, it's about 4-5".
