Sonny's Rimless Shallow Reef.

[Ancelot]

SunnyX,

just a question,

How do you accurately determine that you need 14 drops of MB7 to efficiently outcompete the bad bacteria in your tank?

I'm dosing vodka, starting at 0.2ml for my 1st week. how many drops of mb7 you think I should drop? and what's the increment per week?

Please advise. thanks

 

[KEEPERZ]

Kudos to Sunny for spending your time helping out so many reefers with reefing knowledge- always been great that way =)

 

[capture]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15431803#post15431803 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by KEEPERZ
Kudos to Sunny for spending your time helping out so many reefers with reefing knowledge- always been great that way =)

Hip, hip, hooray!

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15429694#post15429694 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Lyfey
Quick question Sunny,
I am cooking about 75 lbs of live rock in a 35 gallon tub since July 1, 2009. I am thinking about taking another 30-40 lbs of live rock out of my current system (running about 90lbs) to make a more open aquascaping for my corals to grow into. I am also running a 1 1/2 inch sand bed right now that I plan on upgrading to a deep sand bed ~4 inches.

Lets say I took all the rock out of my system and placed it into a tub for temporary holding. I then added another 40-60 lbs of sand (cleaned dead sand or live) I left all corals and frags in my system, except for the ones attached to the large pieces of rock themselves (a few zoas ect.)

Would I do any harm in doing so? I would only put back around 50lbs of the nicer live rock and the rest will go into the cooking tub. I am cooking that rock for my upgrade that I am planning. Not sure on how big we are going, probably a 60"x24"x25" Oceanic Starfire Reef Ready. I plan on cooking the rock in that tub for at least three months then till I get my new system. Water changes will be done periodically on the cooking tub. I have a mix of Tonga branch, nice Fiji and my favorite Bali. I'm sure I have some other nice rock mixed in too Am I correct in, the longer you cook the rock, the better? Will all bad algae's die in the cooking tub and I will not re-introduce them to my new system?

So on the issue of removing the live rock, placing the new sand in, and then putting the rock back into the tank. Besides stirring up some detritus, will I do any harm to the tank? Tank has been up and running for just under 2 1/2 months now since my move. I will keep the flow off while removing the rocks and adding the sand.

I will turn the flow back to full throttle after I scrubbed and dunked the rock I plan on re-using in tank water. I will then let the system settle for an hour or so with a wet skim setting, some mechanical filtration and full throttle flow before I place the rock back into the tank and attempt another design. What do you think? I have noticed that my 75 gallon is currently too small for all my frags (don't have any colonies yet, still growing) and we need to make some changes before our system matures too much. Thanks Sonny.

-Chris / Katie

Hello

Anytime you are moving out liverock and stirring up the sandbed you can have issues. You could do what you are planning to do and move out the rock but you may risk raising your nutrients by removing the rocks so quickly.

The best method would be take the rocks out slowly. But, then again your system is only two months old so the changes may not have that much of a negative effect.

Cooking the rock is great as it can rejuvenate the rock and kill off any harmful algae. You will have to do weekly water changes in the tub and shake the rocks up daily. See if you can place some PVC and eggcrate so you can create a platform for the rocks to rest on in order to receive all around flow. Be sure and scrub the rocks down with a tooth brush and remove all visible algae.

You guys are going to be amazed at how much crud the rocks will shed.

Good luck! :thumbsup:

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15429706#post15429706 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Tobit
Sonny, I'm sorry if I missed this earlier in your threads. I'm wondering which test kit you use for Nitrate monitoring?

I dont test that often but I use the Salifert Kits. Some local fish stores will test out your water for free so you may want to give that a try.

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15429774#post15429774 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Lowredranger
Hey Sunny,

I got my 2L of MB7 in and I have been dosing according to the bottle for a 300g system daily which was coming out to 60ml for about a week and a half. I had been dosing 2ml of 80proof vodka a day just to get started and 2 days ago I had the slimy algae/bacteria on everything and it clogged up the filter sock, carbon reactor and phosphate reactor.

I stopped the vodka dosing and changed 40g of water and now today the water is kinda cloudy. I did not stop the bacteria dosage as my nitrates before the water change were about 10 and reading 0 phosphates. As far as particles in the water column it seemed very clean just kinda white cloudy.

Any advice on my next step? Should I slow down the dosage or will it just dissipate on its own.

Thanks
Jason

Hello,

Excess slime is a sign of excess bacteria in the system. I would stop all dosing of MB7/vodka for a few days until the water clears up. When you start back up go with low nutrient dosage on the MB7 bottle but continue with the vodka as you were dosing.

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15429919#post15429919 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by platax88
Hey Sunny, have you ever noticed your alk and calcium levels rise after a water change? I know you are keeping those on the low range because of vodka, and RC is much higher.

I checked my levels yesterday and my CA 430 ALK 10.6 so I have stopped dosing the ALK solution for a few days. My acans were not as open as they usually were so I knew something was wrong. Hopefully in a few days I can get it back down to 9 DKH.

I only do water changes once a month but I have sold quite a few frags recently and replaced the displaced water with fresh RC water. Apparently the new water had too much ALK.

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15430159#post15430159 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by FiSHy sAy HeY
Do you use Kent Lugols?

Do you have a link?

I plan on starting this...how much should I dose?

Hello,

I do dose Kent Lugols Solution. You should be able to pick it up at your local fish store.

The dosage is 1 drop per 25gl PER WEEK.

Good luck!

 

[MSHUR]

Sonny,
why do you prefer 2part vs. CARX?

mike

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15430913#post15430913 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by t5Nitro
I don't have any blue corals to try it on but it would be cool to try if I get one.

I had a quick question Sonny, I increased the vodka to 1.3mL/day and have kept on the "stable system" dosing for the MB7 of 2 drops daily. Should I be increasing this as I increase the vodka? How much should I be dosing daily (MB7) to my tank assuming 100 gallons net volume?

Thanks.

Hello

On a 100gl net I would do about 8 drops per day of MB7 and then +/- from there based on your observations. If you start seeing brown slime then decrease MB7.

Add a drop a day for now until you have reached 8 drops.

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15430925#post15430925 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reefman76
Hello Sunny,
I have always admired your tank. It's the cleanest looking tank I have ever seen. I have been reading up on your thread and am considering dosing vodka. I have a 180 with a light load of sps and have recently been having problems with algae. Specifically green hair algae and red algae that looks like cotton. My nitrates are at 40 and thats with doing 30 gallon water changes every other week. Will dosing vodka bring my nitrates down and help eliminate the algae? If so how mucu should I dose on around a total volume of 180 gallons? Any info would be appreciated.
Thanks

Hello and thank you

Since you have red cotton/cyano algae I would dose MB7(Brightwell Microbacter7) for two weeks prior to dosing vodka. If you start up vodka alone now you will be feeding the red cotton.

I would dose the medium dosage as instructed on the bottle. As for the vodka, be sure to follow the instructions in this article: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/index.php

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15431167#post15431167 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ancelot
SunnyX,

just a question,

How do you accurately determine that you need 14 drops of MB7 to efficiently out compete the bad bacteria in your tank?

I'm dosing vodka, starting at 0.2ml for my 1st week. how many drops of mb7 you think I should drop? and what's the increment per week?

Please advise. thanks

Hello,

There really isn't a formula when dosing MB7. I started out with what was recommended on the bottle and increased from there based on my skimmers output, water clarity, and appearance of red cyano.

What is you net gl for the system?

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15433124#post15433124 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MSHUR
Sonny,
why do you prefer 2part vs. CARX?

mike

Hello

I used to use a CA RX and Deltec Kalk stirrer and always had PH issues. With the two part I have had a much easier time maintaining PH, CA, and ALK levels.

I have been dosing the two part daily with no problems but I will be adding a couple dosing pumps when I go to a larger tank again.

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15431803#post15431803 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by KEEPERZ
Kudos to Sunny for spending your time helping out so many reefers with reefing knowledge- always been great that way =)

Thanks!

I do it all for you guys! :thumbsup:

 

[MSHUR]

I was thinking of balling method lately since i have profilux doser.
Since i got GEO reactor after my Schuran , i am getting problems to mantain KH. this problem cost me TN on some nice LE corals
So, i am debating..))

 

[mg426]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15424926#post15424926 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mg426
Hello Sunny, I have been following this thread for a couple of weeks now. In the process I have been reading as much as I can about carbon dosing (Vodka) It is a lot of info to sort through. I currently am Running GFO and it is just about time for me to Change the Reactors Media. I am seriously considering starting Vodka dosing. I have some spots in my tank with just a bit of Algae. Would you suggest That I let my tank run a couple days(several??) W/O GFO before starting with Vodka?
My nitrates are running around 5 PPM (Salifert)
My PO4 Runs @ ) PPM (salifert)
I also run a Remote DSB. That I just Cleaned out about a month ago. Thanks for any info.

Any suggestions ?????

 

[trueblackpercula]

hello sonny
I started to dose vodka today and I just want to check one more time I got this right. I have a net volume of 77 gallons so that's 1 ml of vodka for every 25 gallons. So for the first three days I add 3 mls and days 4,5,6 and 7 add 6 ml and each week after the first add 1/2 ml or .5 to the 6mls until I see my P and N go down to zero.

 

[reefman76]

I will start dosing mb7 asap. I am really annoyed with this algae.
Thanks for the help Sunny

 

[Ancelot]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15433212#post15433212 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SunnyX
Hello,

There really isn't a formula when dosing MB7. I started out with what was recommended on the bottle and increased from there based on my skimmers output, water clarity, and appearance of red cyano.

What is you net gl for the system?

My net gallon is approximately 45 US gallons. My tank is 3 by 1.5 by 1.5 so minus 10% equivalent to rocks and sand, should be about 45

You see brother, the problem with my tank is that I start off with Prodibio BioDigest instead of MB7. So I am kinda confused with which set of instructions should I follow for my MB7 dosage; the medium to high nutrient system or the stable, low nutrient system. Technically, my tank is already seeded with BioDigest bacteria so I was hoping that I can go ahead with the "stable, low nutrient" dosage.
Let me know what you think.

P.S: Just to share,
I just got my hands on a lux-meter yesterday night. Got some readings for my 6x39watts retrofit.

Under the tubes: 47000 lux
Below water surface: 7650 lux
Midway down the tank: 2600 lux
On the bottom: 1000 lux

Understand that unlike for par meter's probe, the lux meter's probe cannot be submerged underwater so for the latter 3 readings, I did it outside of my tank with the probe sticking to the tank's wall. Yeap.
what do you all think for a SPS tank? Sufficient? and is there a conversion table for lux to par readings? Let me know too. heh.

Happy Reefing,
Marc J.

 

[rmosqued]

Sonny, you the man! It's awesome how you get those SPS to color up so nicely.