Sonny's Rimless Shallow Reef.

[tmantaylor18]

Hey Sonny, do you have your mp40 turned up at 100%?

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14760589#post14760589 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by IPT
First off your tank is amazing.

I have a question regarding the importance of adding bacteria when dosing Vodka. I am thinking about dosing Vodka due to some algae issues in my tank. Also most of my SPS are dark, or brown in color (though of course test kits (Salifert and API) all read 0 for NO3 PO4).

Is it important to couple dosing Vodka with adding bacteria? I see many people just dose Vodka with good results. Any thought on that either with or without and why (though I think you do both just wondering your thought process to arrive there).

Thanks

Thanks you!

When I first started dosing vodka I was not using bacteria. Within a month I began to have a red cotton like growth on my rock work and sand bed. I looked around and found that this is a common problem found in some Zeo systems. One of the solutions was to add beneficial bacteria to compete with the harmful bacteria.

So, I stopped dosing vodka for a week and began dosing MB7 during the week that I was not dosing vodka. It has been about two months now and I have yet to see the red cotton appear again.

Also, I am not sure how well the bacteria is feeding my corals but they all extend their feeding tentacles when dosing bacteria.

So far the results have been positive with the bacteria additions. My skimmer pull out much more waste then it had with vodka alone, and I feel that my system is much more stable.

The way I see it, why risk having a harmful bacteria take over your tank? The vodka is going to feed the predominant bacteria in the tank, whether it is good or bad. With the bacteria additions at least you will be less likly to encounter a dino, cyano, or red cotton bloom.

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14767501#post14767501 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by volcom69
I guess its like cotton candy lol. I did my water change tonight and i tried to brush it away with a toothbrush, but nothing comes off, and i know its not coraline algea, but whatever it is just wont come off. So is it cyno or is it another type of algea, or was yours that way also.

Yes, this was the same stuff. Try out what I have posted earlier and see how that works out. If that doesn't clear it up I still have a few rabbits in my hat.... :bum:

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14768072#post14768072 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tmantaylor18
Hey Sonny, do you have your mp40 turned up at 100%?

100% on Reef Crest mode

 

[seesick]

+bump+

 

[seesick]

God you are the man even when Your lights are off You Corals Grow.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14759855#post14759855 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SunnyX
KEEPERZ, Dave: Thanks!

I tried something out the other and found some interesting results. I sometimes turn my lights out for a day to simulate storms and such. I figure that on a natural reef there are at least one or two days a month when the sun iisnt shining down at 100%.

So, I decided to turn my lighting off for two days to see what would happen. To my surprise I had many corals put down substantial growth within the two days of darkness. I even had a pink digi that had gone dormant put on nice growth tips. :thumbsup:

I only wish I would have documented the findings with my camera.

Oh, well. I will try this again next month. But this time with pictures!

 

[reefsahoy]

sunnyx, is the light fixture fans quiet? if i were to use it in say a living where there is no ambient noise would i hear it much?

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14776090#post14776090 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reefsahoy
sunnyx, is the light fixture fans quiet? if i were to use it in say a living where there is no ambient noise would i hear it much?

My tank is about 10 feet from our sitting/TV area and the fans noise is not noticeable. I think that they are very quiet, but some people may be more sensitive to noise then I am.

So yes, they would be fine to place in a living area.

 

[DheereCrossing]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14771279#post14771279 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by seesick
God you are the man even when Your lights are off You Corals Grow.

That's what feeding them will do! They've got to get the nutrition from somewhere!

 

[DheereCrossing]

And now that I go back and read that quote - perhaps the algae in the coral 'getting out of the way' when the lights are out gives more room/accessibility for the coral to feed and therefore put the eaten food to better use than relying, (better nutrition than?), on sugars from photosynthesis.

 

[Frozn]

I have my 90g in my bedroom with the same fixture as sunny. My tank is incredibly quite, besides the skimmer, which still isn't that bad.

Sunny, when dosing your MB7 and Vodka, do you dose when the lights are out? and also do you turn the skimmer off for any amount of time?

I'm going to take up vodka dosing again but this time with MB7

 

[SunnyX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14778583#post14778583 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Frozn
I have my 90g in my bedroom with the same fixture as sunny. My tank is incredibly quite, besides the skimmer, which still isn't that bad.

Sunny, when dosing your MB7 and Vodka, do you dose when the lights are out? and also do you turn the skimmer off for any amount of time?

I'm going to take up vodka dosing again but this time with MB7

Hello

I dose MB7 and Vodka at the same time everyday, 4PM. I leave my skimmer on.

I would dose the MB7 for a week and then integrate vodka dosing.

 

[macreefster]

sunny.....great new site. i for one really appreciate all your insight and have incorporated many of your practices...ie, vodka, mb7 and AA dosing, powerhead in sump and i just got done re-arranging my rockwork and corals giving them all more space for growth ( had to remove about a dozen corals, that wasnt easy!!!LOL). i now want to switch to t-5's when i can afford to. my question is..... while my tank is 24 inches wide, theres only about 18-20 inches of area with coral....would an ATI four bulb power module be enough, or should i go with the six bulb model? i wish aquatinics made a 36" five bulb constellation model. thanks for your help.

 

[volcom69]

I have aquatinics TX5 on my 70 gal tank and love it. I switched from MH to T5 in my transfer to my new tank, and im loving it. So no they dont make a constellation, but they do make the TX5 which is a good unit. Just to let you know.

Sonny now on my 70 gal its close to 90 gals with sump and all, im dosing just 1 drop of mb7 you think that is good or should i go with more. 1 drop = 50 gal, but didnt know if i should just start out slow.

 

[macreefster]

thanks volcom. i looked at the tx5's and they are nice, but i am looking for something more low profile like the constellation or the ati powermodule.

also...i am dosing 3 drops a day of MB7 with 1.8ml a day of vodka and 1 ml a week of amino acid in my 70 gal system with close to 100 gal total water volume. crystal clear water, very low PO4 and NO3, bryopsis all died and the corals are coloring up more. i too am following the sonny method of dosing.... now i need to switch to t-5's!

 

[kaserpick]

Hey again Sonny! I have a question.

Now, I know you probably would never want to put an 8th bulb over your tank, but let's say you had to use an 8 bulb fixture. Given that you'd use the 3 Blue+'s, 3 Aquablue spezials, and 1 Aquascience 22k, what would you choose to use for your 8th bulb?

BTW, I took a look at the website, and you're tank looks awesome! :thumbsup:

 

[snaza]

Thanks for all the tips sonny. 2 questions for you. How much carbon do you run? Secondly I started dosing vodka and bak and found I'm getting a green film on my glass. It needs to be cleaned every second day. Should I stop the vodka and keep going with the bak?

Thanks

 

[dustinP]

if the bak is from brightwell then that is what they call a biofilm and they dont know what causes it but they say not to worry about it and just keep dosing

 

[snaza]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14779438#post14779438 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by macreefster
thanks volcom. i looked at the tx5's and they are nice, but i am looking for something more low profile like the constellation or the ati powermodule.

also...i am dosing 3 drops a day of MB7 with 1.8ml a day of vodka and 1 ml a week of amino acid in my 70 gal system with close to 100 gal total water volume. crystal clear water, very low PO4 and NO3, bryopsis all died and the corals are coloring up more. i too am following the sonny method of dosing.... now i need to switch to t-5's!

Look at the 6 bulb ati sunpower at reefgeek. Looks great and so is the price

 

[snaza]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14781027#post14781027 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dustinP
if the bak is from brightwell then that is what they call a biofilm and they dont know what causes it but they say not to worry about it and just keep dosing

I'm using zeobak but I guess it's the same principle. Can't get brightwell in Australia