Sonny's Rimless Shallow Reef.

Status
Not open for further replies.
Very very nice!! Great growth!! :thumbsup::thumbsup:

If able, can you provide some pics from the sides looking along the back and front. Interested in seeing the rock-work, space etc.

Thanks,
Andrew

I rarely take side shots, especially while my corals are still so small. Here is one, its not the best of pics:

DSC_0212-1.jpg


Here is another shot:
DSC_0255.jpg


And some more from different angles:
DSC_0296.jpg


DSC_0080.jpg
 
Also the acro has much better PE during day time and crazy PE at night. The vodka and MB7 are definatly working. Thanks for all your help Sunny.

Glad to hear that it is working out well for you/ :thumbsup: Just make sure that the corals dont get too light. ;)

sonny, when you test for Nitrate & PO4 are you using test kits or meters? the reason i ask is when you use a test kit, for PO4, the reading is zero but on my meter it is 0.09. so if using the meters reading is that low enough to consider it zero and move on with the MB7 low nutrient dosage? neil

The NO3 is tested by a Salifert Test kit, the Po4 is tested with a Hanna meter at my friends home. I wouldn't look into the tests all that much. I usually look to the corals to indicate weather I need to dose more or less.

From my post I'm quoting above, I'm using MB7 (14 drops/day). I also started dosing 1 drop of Kents Lugols per day and 3 drops Zeo AAHC twice a week. I still have a few small patches of green HA, I have the "peach fuzz" on my overflows and some on the LR, and I still have the deep red colored stuff on some of my LR. I am still not dosing Vodka. I'm not dosing Vodka because of the HA, peach fuzz and red stuff. Am I wrong for doing that? Maybe the Vodka would help. Please let me know.

I would stop the AA's and continue on with the MB7. Adding vodka at this point can be tricky, as the "red stuff" may use the vodka as fuel. Once the red stuff is under control then it would be a good idea to start up vodka. You may have a Po4 issues and a round of GFO may help get you back on track.

Awesome tank. I had to tag along...

Welcome aboard! :D
 
Sunny,

I have been dosing vodka for almost a month, started (9.17.2009), I started dosing MB7 (10.04.2009) everything seems to be going good, I did the normal routine and was at 1.3ml for 50gal of water. My HA is diminishing, my PO4 is at .01 as of 10.16.2009 I dropped the dose to .9ml since the PO4 was soo low.

My corals were fading pretty bad so I raised the light, and I have now been dosing AA's daily, at 1.5ml. I've now noticed that the bases of allot of my corals are turning a dark brownish red color, any ideas why they would turn that color instead of the color they should be? None of my corals really look great except my greens and yellows. Everything else looks kind of drab.

My dosing schedule is as follows:

Alk- 30ml daily through out the day
cal- 5ml daily in morning
WM Loguls plus- 5 drops daily
vodka- .9ml daily split in half morning and night
MB7- 10ml daily, still in the first two weeks
Potassium- 5ml daily
AA's- 1.5ml daily
cyclopes- 1 weekly
Rotifers- 1 weekly

My parameters:

Salinity- 1.025-1.026
Mag- 1550
Alk- 7-7.5
Cal- 420
PO4- .01

Please let me know if you think I may be doing something wrong and or if there is something I should be doing.

Thank you,
Adam
 
Sunny,
After reading all the info I can find on vodka dosing, im kind of nervous about it. Recently my nitrates have shot up to around 20. What scares me about vodka is Ive read about loss of delicate fish associated with dosing. I have a powderblue that doesn't take to changes well. Im really supprised he hasn't had any problem with my nitrates, but nothing in the tank has really shown any negative signs. I plan to start mb7 in the next week and see how it goes before maybe adding vodka. Do you have any experience with fish loss associated with vodka? Also, have you ever posted any pics of your sump? If not I would love to see how you set it all up sometime in the future. On behalf everyone whos visited this post I would like to thank you for all you time and patience sharing info and answering and uncountable ammount of questions. You truely are the peoples reefer. I cant wait to see and learn more from you in the future. Great post!!!!
 
Sunny,

I have been dosing vodka for almost a month, started (9.17.2009), I started dosing MB7 (10.04.2009) everything seems to be going good, I did the normal routine and was at 1.3ml for 50gal of water. My HA is diminishing, my PO4 is at .01 as of 10.16.2009 I dropped the dose to .9ml since the PO4 was soo low.

My corals were fading pretty bad so I raised the light, and I have now been dosing AA's daily, at 1.5ml. I've now noticed that the bases of allot of my corals are turning a dark brownish red color, any ideas why they would turn that color instead of the color they should be? None of my corals really look great except my greens and yellows. Everything else looks kind of drab.

My dosing schedule is as follows:

Alk- 30ml daily through out the day
cal- 5ml daily in morning
WM Loguls plus- 5 drops daily
vodka- .9ml daily split in half morning and night
MB7- 10ml daily, still in the first two weeks
Potassium- 5ml daily
AA's- 1.5ml daily
cyclopes- 1 weekly
Rotifers- 1 weekly

My parameters:

Salinity- 1.025-1.026
Mag- 1550
Alk- 7-7.5
Cal- 420
PO4- .01

Please let me know if you think I may be doing something wrong and or if there is something I should be doing.

Thank you,
Adam

Everything looks good. Why dose only 5ml of CA while dosing 30ml of ALK? Also, Lugols has potassium in it so you probably shouldn't be dosing a separate source of it.

My corals initially lightened up, but they darkened up after I begun to feed the fish more and by lowering the photoperiod one hour.
 
Tank is looking great as usual and the man cave looks very nice. Does the tank give you a bad glare on the TV?

Thanks! You would think there would be some glare but there isnt. I was afraid there would be some but was surprised when I moved the TV to that side. I guess the TV overpowers the glare when on, plus I think the screen is anti-glare.


Ooooo Ahhhhh Ohhhh Sonny's tank is dope.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Sang in tune to the Pillsbury Dough Boy song

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Sunny,
After reading all the info I can find on vodka dosing, im kind of nervous about it. Recently my nitrates have shot up to around 20. What scares me about vodka is Ive read about loss of delicate fish associated with dosing. I have a powderblue that doesn't take to changes well. Im really supprised he hasn't had any problem with my nitrates, but nothing in the tank has really shown any negative signs. I plan to start mb7 in the next week and see how it goes before maybe adding vodka. Do you have any experience with fish loss associated with vodka? Also, have you ever posted any pics of your sump? If not I would love to see how you set it all up sometime in the future. On behalf everyone whos visited this post I would like to thank you for all you time and patience sharing info and answering and uncountable ammount of questions. You truely are the peoples reefer. I cant wait to see and learn more from you in the future. Great post!!!!

Hello and thank you. :D

I have never lot a fish due to vodka. I know some people have lost fish due to an overdose of bacteria/vodka, but this is not the norm. So long as you have great circulation and a large skimmer you shouldn't have to worry about a thing. Start out with the MB7 and two weeks later slowly work in the vodka.

Good luck and please let us know how it goes. :idea:
 
Sonny, I posted in the Reef Discussion but I got little attention. I'm hoping you have some thoughts ...

I've been dosing Vodka since May. Initially, I saw good results and got to ULNS. NO crept back over 5, and I followed the dosing increase to get them back to zero. I was at 1.8 for my 90 gallon system.
I began MB7 with the vodka in July. No real differences observed with the MB7 when I was dosing daily 6 drops. I cut back to 2 capfuls a week with a 2 days during the week @ 7 drops.

NO crept back up again, so I increased Vodka up to 2ml a day, and I now have them around 2-3.

Problem is I get Green and Brown algae on the glass within 24-36 hours. Powerheads also get the brown algae within a few days of cleaning them. I simply can't seem to get to that squeaky clean.

I don.t have Hair Algae, but I do have some nuisance bubble algae. I also started getting Cyano again. No media reactors run, but I'm wondering if I should start carbon and GFO.

Setup:
75 gal with 30 gal sump, Reef Octopus Extreme 160, Constellation with new bulbs, Vortech mp40w + K3.

Thoughts? Maybe drop Vodka and just go MB7 for a couple weeks, but I'm not sure how much. I saw you hitting 10 drops a day.
 
Sonny time to make a FAQ thread, colors and growth is wonderful,awesome tank.

Thanks! :D

I have a couple members here that I have been speaking to regarding a FAQ or guide. I have not had the time to put one together due to time restraints but my schedule is starting to clear up. I guess the first thing I need to do is put together a list of what I need to cover.

If enough reefers show interest in a FAQ thread of guide then I will be more then happy to create one. Any suggestions on topics you all would like to know more about would appreciated. :thumbsup:

Sonny
 
Sonny, I posted in the Reef Discussion but I got little attention. I'm hoping you have some thoughts ...

I've been dosing Vodka since May. Initially, I saw good results and got to ULNS. NO crept back over 5, and I followed the dosing increase to get them back to zero. I was at 1.8 for my 90 gallon system.
I began MB7 with the vodka in July. No real differences observed with the MB7 when I was dosing daily 6 drops. I cut back to 2 capfuls a week with a 2 days during the week @ 7 drops.

NO crept back up again, so I increased Vodka up to 2ml a day, and I now have them around 2-3.

Problem is I get Green and Brown algae on the glass within 24-36 hours. Powerheads also get the brown algae within a few days of cleaning them. I simply can't seem to get to that squeaky clean.

I don.t have Hair Algae, but I do have some nuisance bubble algae. I also started getting Cyano again. No media reactors run, but I'm wondering if I should start carbon and GFO.

Setup:
75 gal with 30 gal sump, Reef Octopus Extreme 160, Constellation with new bulbs, Vortech mp40w + K3.

Thoughts? Maybe drop Vodka and just go MB7 for a couple weeks, but I'm not sure how much. I saw you hitting 10 drops a day.

Hello,

If you are experiencing brown growth on the pumps, sand and glass then it may be an indication of too much MB7. With Cyano creeping up it will complicate things a bit more concerning dosing. In the past when red slime has showed up I would stop the dosing of vodka and simply increase MB7. After a week or so the slime goes away. If the slime is out of control then other measures such as a "lights out" period may be needed. I run carbon 24/7 and suggest that everyone does so.

Although this system does work well at maintaining nutrient levels, you may run into red slime when dosing. I am not 100% sure on the science, but a form of red cotton candy looking slime does appear from time to time when dosing vodka. I have had to deal with it once last year, and recently got it again when my schedule was busy and I fell off off my dosing schedule. In both occurrences, I stopped dosing of vodka and the problem went away after a week and some manual siphoning of the slime.
 
Nice room you have there Sonny!.. Perfect for tuesday/wednesday Champions league!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top