Sonny's Rimless Shallow Reef.

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<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14594761#post14594761 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tatoofr
Thanks, Sunny.
When you say aminos, do you mean the reef booster or do you use a different amino. Question for a friend if you dont mind. Can you use vodka with a plemum.
Did the red slime remover do any harm to the tank.
Thank you ,
Frank
Click to expand...

Yes, Reef Booster is a good Amino Acid that I use.

Concerning the pelaum, I dont see why cant use vodka.

The red slime remover did brown out a few corals but they rebounded quickly.
 
Sonny, I've been following your thread for a while. Its freakin' awesome.

As for lighting, what are your overall feelings with your move from MH to T5?
I notice that you shift bulbs quite a lot. Are you trying to achieve the look you had with you MH's or just an aesthetic/growth thing?

I'm trying to figure out the route I'm going to go with my next tank and debating T5 vs. MH. I love MH but depending on the tank I go with next T5 may suite my needs coverage wise.

Thanks for any input.
 
when to stop at current vodka dosing level

when to stop at current vodka dosing level

Hello Sonny.
Love your tank. Keep read and rereading this thread like ten times already. I recently dosing vodka and biodigest. My SPS seems to love it, extending their PE all the time. However, like you, I have clumping sand and red slime on the sand. and hairy algae on glass. I have been dosing for one month now and my vodka dosing is at 2ml for my 125g tank (total volume). Should I keep increase dosage of vodka or should I stop at this level at 2ml. My NO3 annd PO4 level at the begining was 2.5 and 0 respectively and came down to 0 at .5ml of vodka dosing. Also, I still see film of algae or white film on glass every day even at this level. at what level do you know that you have enough of adding vodka to the tank and stop there. I did not see you mentioned in the thread.
THank you for your help.
Joey
 
Hey Sunny, When you got rid of the old tank did you start all over with this new one or did you use any left over live rock and even water so that you didn't have to cycle all over again?
I am in the middle of an upgrade and thinking of starting almost from scratch. It's an opportunity to get better shaped rocks, get rid of pests etc.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14442822#post14442822 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jennmac415
Avgou... any chance I could see some pics of your tank running those bulbs?
Click to expand...

http://picasaweb.google.com/javgoustakis/ReefTank1YearAnniversary?feat=directlink

sorry to hijack your post sunny.

P2250068.JPG
 
Thanks, Avgou!!! Sorry, had a momentary memory loss as to why you were showing me your tank, but I figured it out now...your tank is amazing! Are those pics with all the bulbs running or just the blue plus?? If it is just the blue plus, do you have a pic with all the bulbs?? It doesn't look like it makes it too white running 4 aquablue specials like I thought it would... I am really wanting a bluer look than I had last time, so I think I may just go with this... I have seen enough tanks running these bulbs now to convince me...
 
Incredible tank Sonny... I myself have been using brightwell's microbakter7(2x a week) now for a few weeks along side a pinch of sugar on the days I am not dosing the microbakter. Like you i switched from prodigest. Clarity and results have been astounding. I just wish i went w/ similar sand as my mp20 has caused an endless sandstorm of micro particles floating around.

Anyways my question is, I'm considering stepping up to aminos. How similar do you think CoralAmino(Brightwell) to Prodibio's Reefbooster and are you dosing the whole tank w/ it or target dosing. Thanx...

Can't wait for more photos...
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14597287#post14597287 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jennmac415
Thanks, Avgou!!! Sorry, had a momentary memory loss as to why you were showing me your tank, but I figured it out now...your tank is amazing! Are those pics with all the bulbs running or just the blue plus?? If it is just the blue plus, do you have a pic with all the bulbs?? It doesn't look like it makes it too white running 4 aquablue specials like I thought it would... I am really wanting a bluer look than I had last time, so I think I may just go with this... I have seen enough tanks running these bulbs now to convince me...
Click to expand...
My camera is not as good as Sunny's!! It's the same set up as Sunny's and all the lights are on, the room itself has no lights on...In the beginning the first week or so the bulbs were super powerful and still breaking in, this hurt a couple corals and they are still rebounding...one left to color back up. My Joe the Coral is back to it's original form. I should have acclimated better. Blues, Greens, and event my ORA Rose Mili and Red Planet are popping with pink florescence...My ORA Green Slimer is glowing under these lights.

Sunny's pictures are dead on with the color, a white color with a nice light blue tint. I don't run two of the switches with the Aquablues for long, one for 5 hours and the other for 4.5, the blue plus switch is on for 11 hours...(Somewhat Sunny's Suggestion)

Sunny check out my Vortech, I have guidance (for once!) on how to place it from the Ecotech folks.

They suggest about 4 to 5 inches below your water line and 4 to 5 inches from the front side of the tank, if you look at my FTS you can see this, my returns are on the left back side of the tank while my vortech is on the right front side, this helps create a circular flow in the tank and works with the Long Pulse mode to create a Gyre effect. The undertow is amazing going back to the vortech, this has helped my tank out so much. Plus, the vortech moves wastes to my overflow, all of this and extra oxygenation has helped reduce red slime to just a few spots were food gets trapped between my rocks and the sand bed.
 
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<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14594818#post14594818 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by capture
Sonny, I've been following your thread for a while. Its freakin' awesome.

As for lighting, what are your overall feelings with your move from MH to T5?
I notice that you shift bulbs quite a lot. Are you trying to achieve the look you had with you MH's or just an aesthetic/growth thing?

I'm trying to figure out the route I'm going to go with my next tank and debating T5 vs. MH. I love MH but depending on the tank I go with next T5 may suite my needs coverage wise.

Thanks for any input.
Click to expand...

Thanks. :D

To answer your question I really do like the T5's. The color and growth patterns are much better then with MH. I also like the fact that I can place my corals anywhere in the tank. With MH I had to strategically place the corals to get the best growth and color avoiding the shadows.

Concerning the swapping out of bulbs, I had the Pro Color in at first but it created all sorts of problems in my tank. I then removed it for an Aquablue Special. My corals began to lighten up a bit so I swapped the aquablue with a Blue+. Now, my corals are looking better along with deeper coloration.

For options on your next tank I would say go around and look at T5 tanks. Some people cant live without the shimmer so they may not be for you. Personally, the ability to mix and match bulbs to achieve the color of my liking is the best thing about T5.

Plus, no longer needing to run fans is great. No more noise or daily top offs required. :D
 
Re: when to stop at current vodka dosing level

Re: when to stop at current vodka dosing level

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14595295#post14595295 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by joeyvu
Hello Sonny.
Love your tank. Keep read and rereading this thread like ten times already. I recently dosing vodka and biodigest. My SPS seems to love it, extending their PE all the time. However, like you, I have clumping sand and red slime on the sand. and hairy algae on glass. I have been dosing for one month now and my vodka dosing is at 2ml for my 125g tank (total volume). Should I keep increase dosage of vodka or should I stop at this level at 2ml. My NO3 annd PO4 level at the begining was 2.5 and 0 respectively and came down to 0 at .5ml of vodka dosing. Also, I still see film of algae or white film on glass every day even at this level. at what level do you know that you have enough of adding vodka to the tank and stop there. I did not see you mentioned in the thread.
THank you for your help.
Joey
Click to expand...

Hello :D

Its hard for me to say how much vodka your tank would need. I currently dose around 1.8ml a day. In your case, I would stop dosing for a week and then start dosing again at 1ml. Do that for a week and see if the sand clumps or red algae shows up. If not, slowly increase your dose by .2ml a day and test accordingly. If you see red alagae again then slowly back off the dosing. Eventually you will find the sweet spot. ;)

The white film is normal. I get it on my tank walls too. I take a magnet cleaner every few days and clean it off. It makes for good eating, for the corals that is . :D :p
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14596437#post14596437 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Mike de Leon
Hey Sunny, When you got rid of the old tank did you start all over with this new one or did you use any left over live rock and even water so that you didn't have to cycle all over again?
I am in the middle of an upgrade and thinking of starting almost from scratch. It's an opportunity to get better shaped rocks, get rid of pests etc.
Click to expand...

Well.........

I would never start a new tank COMPLETELY fresh. It has taken me years to culture the bacteria that is now in my tank. I feel that a large part of my success is the age of the water and rocks.
The water and most of the rocks that is in my tank are about 15 years old now.

I "cooked" my rock for about a month before putting it into the new tank. I left it in the dark with high flow and changed the water once a week. I would also shake the rocks daily to free out any detritus.

If you want to get new rocks just transfer ALL the water from your old tank and buy new rocks. As long as thee established water is moving into the new tank you should be fine.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14598521#post14598521 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ThunderousTalon
Incredible tank Sonny... I myself have been using brightwell's microbakter7(2x a week) now for a few weeks along side a pinch of sugar on the days I am not dosing the microbakter. Like you i switched from prodigest. Clarity and results have been astounding. I just wish i went w/ similar sand as my mp20 has caused an endless sandstorm of micro particles floating around.

Anyways my question is, I'm considering stepping up to aminos. How similar do you think CoralAmino(Brightwell) to Prodibio's Reefbooster and are you dosing the whole tank w/ it or target dosing. Thanx...

Can't wait for more photos...
Click to expand...

Thanks! :D

I have not used the brightwells so I am not sure what it would do or how it compares to Reefbooster. I know that the Reefbooster has lots lipeds and fats along with vitamins and minerals. If you can order it online I would. They are currently on sale right now:
http://www.aquariumspecialty.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=86_188_192
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14598692#post14598692 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Avgou


Sunny check out my Vortech, I have guidance (for once!) on how to place it from the Ecotech folks.

They suggest about 4 to 5 inches below your water line and 4 to 5 inches from the front side of the tank, if you look at my FTS you can see this, my returns are on the left back side of the tank while my vortech is on the right front side, this helps create a circular flow in the tank and works with the Long Pulse mode to create a Gyre effect. The undertow is amazing going back to the vortech, this has helped my tank out so much. Plus, the vortech moves wastes to my overflow, all of this and extra oxygenation has helped reduce red slime to just a few spots were food gets trapped between my rocks and the sand bed.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the suggestions. Ill be sure to try it out and post some pictures monday when it arrives. :D
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14451236#post14451236 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SunnyX
Well, many of the tanks in Europe only use these two bulbs. Look at IWAN's, he use only this combo.

The best way I can describe the look of the lighting I have is that it looks like an XM 10K without any yellow and the pop of 20K with actinics rolled all together. It is really quite a looker and covers the entire spectrum.
Click to expand...

Sunnyx, I can't seem to find this person on ReefCentral, can you send a link? I searched for member name IWAN.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14602805#post14602805 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by catastrofe
Good choice! Personally, I'm looking at one of these:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1487970&perpage=25&pagenumber=1

:D
Click to expand...

Seems like cone skimmers are the way to go nowadays. :D

Although, I really don't plan on buying anything else for a while. If I don't fly overseas this summer I have my eye on a 12 day vacation to Hawaii. You wouldn't believe the deals they have going on. So, need to stop spending on the tank for a while to put some money aside for the Vacation. I really need one. I haven't hit the water since Puerto Rico a couple years back. :(

DSC_0196.jpg
 
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