Sonny's Rimless Shallow Reef.

[9501gle]

Hey Sunny,

I'm sure you have covered this already but I cant seem to find it. I'm getting some white stringy stuff, kind of looks like short spider webs, on my back glass, rocks and overflow boxes. I think I you said this is bacteria? My nwv is around 250 gal. I have been dosing 16 drops mb7 and 1.5 ml vodka. Should I decrease the mb7.

 

[ECFENCING]

Sonny

Just wondering what your impression of Brightwell's NeoMarine Salt is.

Thinking of switching from RC to the NeoMarine since it's available locally and almost the same price.

 

[BucNtears]

if you do decide to go with this combo, I would like to see pics of it!

+1

I'm trying this combo out, after a more blueish color.
blue+
fiji blue
blue+
blue+
aqua blue+
blue+

 

[SunnyX]

Im planning a tank like yours...Love your lighting setup. Do you think I'll be able to put SPS towards the bottom of the tank with a T5 setup and how come you didn't want the extra hight and go with 24"...I just think it allows for more aquascaping possibilites...

You should have no problems with corals near the bottom of the tank, provided that you are running good bulbs and reflectors. I didn't go with the standard 24" height because I felt that the extra 4" would be wasted and unused space. I didn't use that much rock anyways so the extra height wouldn't have made a difference. Plus, its easier to work in the tank and the corals get more light.

Sonny, how about them sumproom pics now?

Hey Sunny,

I'm sure you have covered this already but I cant seem to find it. I'm getting some white stringy stuff, kind of looks like short spider webs, on my back glass, rocks and overflow boxes. I think I you said this is bacteria? My nwv is around 250 gal. I have been dosing 16 drops mb7 and 1.5 ml vodka. Should I decrease the mb7.

That would be excess bacteria. I would drop your daily dosing down to 12 drops and see if that makes a difference.

Sonny

Just wondering what your impression of Brightwell's NeoMarine Salt is.

Thinking of switching from RC to the NeoMarine since it's available locally and almost the same price.

Im going back to RC. I didn't see much of a difference in the salts. I wanted to run some tests on it before using it but didn't get a chance to. RC is cheaper here so I will stick to it.

 

[BucNtears]

Sunny, your sump is empty, No baffles or extra live rock? I understand that you're also dosing lugols(kent) what has that done with the tank and corals as far as with colors? I'm fixing to start with adding lugols,mb7 I'm already dosing vodka and lastly are you useing any amino acids?

 

[SunnyX]

Sunny, your sump is empty, No baffles or extra live rock? I understand that you're also dosing lugols(kent) what has that done with the tank and corals as far as with colors? I'm fixing to start with adding lugols,mb7 I'm already dosing vodka and lastly are you useing any amino acids?

Yeah, my sump is very simple. Some people like plumbing and working on the "guts" of a system, but I would rather concentrate on the main display.

The Lugol's has brought out my Blue's quite well, and it has improved my overall coral coloration. I am dosing 6 drops of AA's once a week. If you feed enough then the AA's aren't necessary.

 

[ziyaadb]

I didn't go with the standard 24" height because I felt that the extra 4" would be wasted and unused space.

HI Sunny

Can you please tell me what is your water level at?
all you have in your sump is the feed pump for the skimmer and nothing else? No DSB, Cheato, ect?

 

[SunnyX]

HI Sunny

Can you please tell me what is your water level at?
all you have in your sump is the feed pump for the skimmer and nothing else? No DSB, Cheato, ect?

The water level in the main display is about 2-3" from the rim of the tank.

The sump has nothing other then the feed pumps and carbon.

 

[ziyaadb]

So your water level is about 18" max? Can you please tell me what are the pro's and con's to such a water height? As i am building another tank 51Lx27.5Wx21.6H water level to be at 19,6 and after looking again at your tank I may want to have my water level at 18 as well

 

[BucNtears]

Sunny, you still dosing Prodibio Reef Booster? I retraced your thread(page 48) and found you also dose prb.. Also what type of AA you useing?

thanks

 

[Ancelot]

Sunny, you still dosing Prodibio Reef Booster? I retraced your thread(page 48) and found you also dose prb.. Also what type of AA you useing?

thanks

Brightwell Aquatics Coral Aminos

 

[flying_dutchman]

Sonny do you you have any problems with micro bubbles since you don't have a bubble trap in you sump?

 

[SunnyX]

Sonny do you you have any problems with micro bubbles since you don't have a bubble trap in you sump?

No problems with micro bubbles. I run a small return pump so the water coming back into the sump isn't as turbulent.

 

[ryno212]

Just a quick question. I'm dosing MB7 for about 6 weeks now on my 60 cube. I had a little hair algae before I started and some red turf. About 3 weeks in, the hair algae and red turf exploded in growth. My average dose is 4 drops a day of MB7. I wanted to start Vodka but was afraid to do so with all the hair and turf algae. I have 0 TDS in my RODI water. If you need more tank info let me know. Thanks Ryan

 

[zachslow]

Hey Sonny, love your thread and thanks for all of your help so far.

I've been dosing mb7 now for 2 weeks and was about to start with the vodka dosing.

My question is, I do have a bit of diatom algae on my sand bed. Should I hold off on dosing vodka before it's gone? Or, can I go ahead and start dosing vodka? If i have to hold off on the vodka, any tips on how to get rid of it? Will the mb7 help?

Thanks!

 

[Bzar]

Great thread and tank Sunny.

Just another question about your dosing.
1) So does MB7 and vodka replace a refugium? Or is it just the MB7 that replaces the refugium?
2) Is this method more efficient and stable than a refugium?
3) can one have a refugium and vodka dose?

tyvm

 

[DheereCrossing]

I'll throw this out there, sorry to cut in Sonny.

Depends on what the refugium is being used for - there are two main uses for a refugium.
1. Filtration/denitrification
2. Live food growth

A sump is not a refugium and vice versa. You COULD have a sump that contains a refugium section but the terms are not interchangeable.

So, to your questions, bacteria dosing and vodka, in a perfect world, replace the filtration/denitrification use refugium. A fuge growing macro algae in a system that begins nitrate and phosphate carbon dosing will at some point probably become a ULNS and no longer support algae growth.

No, I would not say it's more stable than using a DSB/Macroalgae for nutrient elimination - someone else can comment and add to this.

You can vodka dose and have a refugium. Eventually, you will notice the macroalgae dying back however and that is a good indication that the vodka/carbon dosing is doing what it's supposed to do.

 

[DFason]

Sonny - I would love to see your baby frag tank. Just to see the difference in colors.

-Dave

 

[Lyfey]

I just starting using the neomarine salt this week. I have done 1, 15gallon water change and I plan on doing 15 gallons a night for as long as it takes to get my nitrates down to zero. I am changing over from RC and it is 65$ a bucket before taxes here in central NJ.

 

[BornReefer]

Thanks for the reply! Are you planning on putting any softies in your tank?