Reboot
- Thread starter galleon
- Start date
smtank
New member
I've been following your threads since the "High energy...something" thread. I like your style of reefkeeping! :thumbsup: Honestly, I like the look of your tank.
I have a bare bottom tank myself, so I am very used to "un-natural look". It doesnt bother me at all.
One thing though, and I may have missed it somewhere on the thread; do you get any film algae at all?
I can see the various macro type algaes on the various rocks, but cannot see any of the film type algae that typically grows on the glass and other surfaces.
Is your tank water that pristine? - Or do you carefully wipe/clean the tank?
I can imagine it would be very clean and pristine; next to nothing in terms of liverock, no sand etc etc.
In my tank only in the past few weeks has the growth of film algae REALLY diminished...this is after nearly 9 months of the tank being setup...to get it this clean - lots of water changes and GFO usage has finally made a significant dent.
Interesting thread indeed. Makes for a refreshing change - and I've been on RC for more than a decade!
Agree 100%.
Love to see others step away from the cookie mold.
There are many stunning sps tank, I am envious of many of them wishing I could achieve the same results.
What appeals to me regarding your tank is less ego, more alternatives to the standard.
Thanks!
My favorite lighting look is the super shallow reef, and I just want to have healthy Acropora and Porites corals growing.
Brown corals aren't for everyone, and I get that, but they are fun for me. And usually cheap!
I'd like to add a monticulosa (my favorite species), a tabling acro, and a nice spathulata and millepora, maybe a hyacinthus.
naterealbig
Premium Member
galleon,
I like the 'look' you have achieved. I have always been fond of the minimalistic approach: small amounts of live rock, minimum amount of equipment, strong flow, and strong lighting. There were a couple versions of my 150 gallon tank that I ran very similar (in terms of methodology) to the set up you have here.
I have a question for you.
My set up consisted of: SRO external skimmer, a filter sock (changed daily), 2 medium pieces of live rock, 2xMP60's for flow, 2400gph return pump, and 2 x 400 watt XM 20kK halides. Of the 3 times I set the tank up this way, there was only one time that I would have called it a success (as far as coral coloration and growth goes). In this instance, I had over 50 fish in the tank, and fed 4-6 cubes of frozen food + 2 feedings of PE mysis per day.
When I tried this method with a minimal amount of fish as you have, the corals slowly bleached to almost white, and completely stopped growing. It is apparent that the corals are maintaining (and even improving ) their coloration, without a large amount of feeding. How are you achieving this?
I like the 'look' you have achieved. I have always been fond of the minimalistic approach: small amounts of live rock, minimum amount of equipment, strong flow, and strong lighting. There were a couple versions of my 150 gallon tank that I ran very similar (in terms of methodology) to the set up you have here.
I have a question for you.
My set up consisted of: SRO external skimmer, a filter sock (changed daily), 2 medium pieces of live rock, 2xMP60's for flow, 2400gph return pump, and 2 x 400 watt XM 20kK halides. Of the 3 times I set the tank up this way, there was only one time that I would have called it a success (as far as coral coloration and growth goes). In this instance, I had over 50 fish in the tank, and fed 4-6 cubes of frozen food + 2 feedings of PE mysis per day.
When I tried this method with a minimal amount of fish as you have, the corals slowly bleached to almost white, and completely stopped growing. It is apparent that the corals are maintaining (and even improving ) their coloration, without a large amount of feeding. How are you achieving this?
Thanks Nate for your comments.
Right now I have no fish at all. The damsel has a new home. I will likely get an orchid dottyback in the future.
Honestly, I feed pinches (literally) of the smallest 2 sizes of top dressed Otohime from Reed (APBreed). I add it 1-2 times a week. I dose 0.5 mL/gallon day of 5% acetic acid.
The tank lets me know (almost) right away if I've added too much food, after a few day delay, nice green film.
Some other general husbandry stuff.
I turkey baste the rocks once a week to suspend trapped detritus (there isn't usually much). The skimmer pulls maybe 100 mL of wet, tan-colored skimmate a week.
I top off with RO/DI saturated with kalkwasser, to boost pH up. The issue is preventing it from shooting too high if the top off triggers during daytime... Thus, the topoff is programmed such that no kalkwasser enters the system if the pH is at 8.40 or reaches 8.40 as kalkwasser is being added (i.e., it will cease to top off, with a 60 minute hysteresis). This usually means the ATO runs at night.
I add the vinegar and 5 mL of each part B-Ionic in the morning.
NeilFox
New member
What will happen to the spirobrachus once the porites reclaims it's territory? It appears as though the spirobranchus don't need the porites. I am using a similiar version of your top dressed food called ARC, it is used here to raise shrimp naups. My NPS are loving it so far. Heavy on nutrients though. Unlike a shrimp farm I don't have access to the sea so I have started Vodka dosing. You are using vinegar. I am mainly doing this to increase bacteria levels to see how my NPS respond. I also have a spiny oyster that has been adding new shell over the past three months. The filter feeders normally just fade away but this guy is growing.
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Very cool! Congrats! I was warned at the outset by the maker that the top-dressed food is VERY nutrient dense, so I use it very sparingly.
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