Perry's 120 Gallon Reef
- Thread starter plyle02
- Start date
plyle02
Active member
Thanks Wazzel 
I could not agree more...
But, this is on the sps forum, so, here are some shots today. Colors are really coming along, all sps very happy with great PE and color. Some of the transfers have gone from brown to green, now showing different hues, mostly blue and purple at the tips. I cannot believe the color up in just a few weeks. Here are some goodies
Cali Tort:
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Was brown, now green with hues of purple at tips:
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Tyree Tricolor:
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Most Red, Red Planet I have seen:
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Red Robin Stag(Transitioning to red from brown) and Green Slimer:
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Acropora Valida:
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Hawkins Echinata:
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I could not agree more...But, this is on the sps forum, so, here are some shots today. Colors are really coming along, all sps very happy with great PE and color. Some of the transfers have gone from brown to green, now showing different hues, mostly blue and purple at the tips. I cannot believe the color up in just a few weeks. Here are some goodies
Cali Tort:
Was brown, now green with hues of purple at tips:
Tyree Tricolor:
Most Red, Red Planet I have seen:
Red Robin Stag(Transitioning to red from brown) and Green Slimer:
Acropora Valida:
Hawkins Echinata:
plyle02
Active member
looks like a dead ringer for Chips Acropora:
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Bonsai:
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Supposedly Blue Monster, or maybe roscoes blue:
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Random:
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Beautiful Miami Orchid:
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Green Pocci:
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Mint Pavona and Orange Digi:
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Huge Seasons Greetings:
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Bonsai:
Supposedly Blue Monster, or maybe roscoes blue:
Random:
Beautiful Miami Orchid:
Green Pocci:
Mint Pavona and Orange Digi:
Huge Seasons Greetings:
sahin
Ultimate Reefer
Thanks Sahin,
I am using Seachem Reef Fusion, I have found it's concentration to be well worth it. I recently bought the Eshopps Liquid IV doser to deliver. Here is the unit
That looks like a pretty decent doser. How much did that cost?
plyle02
Active member
Had to remove a RBTA that came attached to a piece of live rock from my buddy's tank, so I did a bit of a re-scape, the diamond goby of course was pretty irratated, but the look is much more open, and eye pleasing. Colors are coming, excited to see growth too
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plyle02
Active member
Thanks Matt and Mark!
Colors are coming from low nutrients, I am testing with Salifert NO3, 2ppm is my number. Hanna PO4 yields no result. I brush the glass every 3 days. I have been dosing 1 ml zeostart3 every couple of days, it keeps the skimmer tugging away. Running Chaeto in center chamber of sump, I have a massive amount lit under led 6500k at 25watts in reverse of display lit hours. I have been running a small amount of Dr. G's GFO, and GAC actively in a rx, but have not changed, likely will just keep adding small amounts of zeostart, bak, and use the chaeto and skimmer the majority of nutrient control, while suspending GFO, and moving towards passive GAC in a sock. If PO4 rises, I can always add back online I have 12 fish that are fed 3 times per day, using spectrum pellets, and every 3 days Larry's Reef Frenzy and Cyclopeeze.
Regards
Colors are coming from low nutrients, I am testing with Salifert NO3, 2ppm is my number. Hanna PO4 yields no result. I brush the glass every 3 days. I have been dosing 1 ml zeostart3 every couple of days, it keeps the skimmer tugging away. Running Chaeto in center chamber of sump, I have a massive amount lit under led 6500k at 25watts in reverse of display lit hours. I have been running a small amount of Dr. G's GFO, and GAC actively in a rx, but have not changed, likely will just keep adding small amounts of zeostart, bak, and use the chaeto and skimmer the majority of nutrient control, while suspending GFO, and moving towards passive GAC in a sock. If PO4 rises, I can always add back online
I have 12 fish that are fed 3 times per day, using spectrum pellets, and every 3 days Larry's Reef Frenzy and Cyclopeeze. Regards
plyle02
Active member
So before the restart, anything in particular happen to result in the coral loss? I know you talks a little about it and trying to go simpler.
Mark,
I believe that when I exchanged carbon many months ago, I did so without enough rinsing, which I think stripped the nutrients down to the point where acros mainly showed most stress. I recovered some, others ultimately perished, or were tossed into the overflow
At this point, I was low bio-load, feeding less, and using GFO too. When I started adding fish, increasing feedings, then added chaeto to the sump, this is when I saw a remarkable difference. After implementation, all corals were showing tremendous health. At this point I was literally gifted a tank full of corals and a few more fish. My bio-load is kind of high now, 3 tangs, and total of 13 fish. They are fat fish for sure. I am using a bit of zeostart3 as a carbon source, only 1ml every day or two. I feel this helps keep the tank low on both PO4 and NO3, along side of a huge clump of chaeto. To me, I have found a method that is working, I am dialed in with CA/ALK/Mag, very little fluctuation. I have t5's and a chiller, so heat is no concern, the acros love the light I have tried biopellets, but always had to run GFO along side, I found it to work well on nitrates, but still had phosphates. That said, my BP reactor sits empty, chaeto to me is much more effective, seems to remove nitrates and phosphates equally, keeping that N&P uptake ratio in line. The zeostart3 is really a booster, probably not needed, but the chaeto shows no signs of getting lighter or perishing, so my hopes are to monitor it, and my corals color, this is usually the best indicator for me. I also add 5ml per week of Salifert Hard Trace, this is just to keep trace minerals up, as I really only do a 10gallon water change once per month. When I refer to simple, I think it is using a variety of methods that seem to fit my lifestyle and schedule. I use a basic RK Lite for lighting, ATO, Chiller, and 2 part with a doser. This seems to be enough automation for me, still keeps things pretty simple, less room for error.
markalot
...
:thumbsup:
Thanks for the explanation. I am trying all-in-one which is impregnated with GFO so we'll see how well it does. I've also got Fuel, Pohl's, and AcroPower in case I ever get to the point my nutrients get too low.
Unfortunately even though I'm older I've only been reefing for about 3 years, so I don't have a keen eye for acros yet.
Thanks for the explanation. I am trying all-in-one which is impregnated with GFO so we'll see how well it does. I've also got Fuel, Pohl's, and AcroPower in case I ever get to the point my nutrients get too low.
Unfortunately even though I'm older I've only been reefing for about 3 years, so I don't have a keen eye for acros yet.
plyle02
Active member
Mark,
No worries My pleasure.
Although I have been keeping SPS for over 10 years, I did not truly understand the way nutrients in vs. out was truly all about. Although I loved SPS throughout the years, I never truly linked the importance of a balance between fish and corals, and how the overall reef worked. Sure I was lucky with a few tanks in the past, but I always struggled to find that perfect balance, disregarding the importance in the role that fish have with coral coloration. As I give thought to my recent success, I feel that keeping fish fat and happy, using a powerful skimmer, and chaeto for extra uptake seems to keep that balance of nutrients in vs. nutrients out. Of course, keeping the Big 3, temp, and S.G. consistent are the other contributing factors. Also, I do not use filter socks, I truly feel they remove necessary micro foods that corals feed on, particularly during dark hours, as the PE is insane when lights come on in the AM. I am not very interested in keeping socks clean, with possibility of soap contaminants making there way in, just a personal choice. That said, my sump is not pretty, but as long as my corals appear happy, I can live with it
No worries
My pleasure. Although I have been keeping SPS for over 10 years, I did not truly understand the way nutrients in vs. out was truly all about. Although I loved SPS throughout the years, I never truly linked the importance of a balance between fish and corals, and how the overall reef worked. Sure I was lucky with a few tanks in the past, but I always struggled to find that perfect balance, disregarding the importance in the role that fish have with coral coloration. As I give thought to my recent success, I feel that keeping fish fat and happy, using a powerful skimmer, and chaeto for extra uptake seems to keep that balance of nutrients in vs. nutrients out. Of course, keeping the Big 3, temp, and S.G. consistent are the other contributing factors. Also, I do not use filter socks, I truly feel they remove necessary micro foods that corals feed on, particularly during dark hours, as the PE is insane when lights come on in the AM. I am not very interested in keeping socks clean, with possibility of soap contaminants making there way in, just a personal choice. That said, my sump is not pretty, but as long as my corals appear happy, I can live with it
plyle02
Active member
Greg,
Thank you for the compliment!
I am looking forward to seeing these corals as they become larger colonies. I still have a few "must add" corals left on my list, but my focus is on the ones I have right now.
