SPS domination underway

[dowtish]

Thanks for showing off the tank.

My pleasure!

I would love to have that milli.....

Still dont know what it is exactly, but it is beautiful.

Looking good, just went through the thread, I am wanting to set up a SPS tank, getting all of my equipment ready. What would you recommend on how to start?

Start like you would any other tank, but be sure you have more than efficient Lighting, flow, and skimming and method of dosing. Don't be cheap on these pieces of equipment, buy quality the first time. Choose your method of nitrate/phos reduction. Get proper test kits and use them. And above all read, read, and read some more.

 

[88rxna]

I bought a giesmenn acintic + today. Cant really tell the difference between this and a blue + from ATI but i still really like the color!
I swapped an ATI purple + and aquablue special for the ATI coral + and giesmenn acintic +. I like the color SO much better. Better pop!

 

[Sweatervest13]

Beautiful tank!!!

I am researching BP's and this tank is a great reason to consider them. Do you have any pics of your reactor??

 

[dowtish]

I bought a giesmenn acintic + today. Cant really tell the difference between this and a blue + from ATI but i still really like the color!
I swapped an ATI purple + and aquablue special for the ATI coral + and giesmenn acintic +. I like the color SO much better. Better pop!

There really isnt too much difference between the 2 bulbs, but I think you might get just a bit more "pop" from the actinic plus.

Beautiful tank!!!

I am researching BP's and this tank is a great reason to consider them. Do you have any pics of your reactor??

Here is a quick video I took a while back. I run a lot more pellets than this now, but this shows the Avast MR5 reactor.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0aZvSzpl-Q

 

[neuro]

hey dowtish, i see that you broadcast amino acids, what is your take on this supplement?
do you feel it is necessary? when you started dosing this, did you notice any changes?

 

[dowtish]

hey dowtish, i see that you broadcast amino acids, what is your take on this supplement?
do you feel it is necessary? when you started dosing this, did you notice any changes?

From what I understand there is more benefit to dosing aminos once you have established that your SPS corals are happy enough in your tank and have grown to a decent size. Light and flow will get you there, but a little food/aminos are the last thing to make them color up just that little bit more. I have used a few aminos in the last year or so, and by far my favorite is Warner Marine's Aminos. It is clear like water going into the tank, and I dont see a spike in P04 after dosing it. I did get a little over zealous with it, and began to see cyano crop up in places. So 2 times over 7 days is plenty.

Can I say for sure that I saw a huge difference? Not really. But I like the thought that my corals are getting everything they need to be happy, healthy, and possibly stronger to handle any mistakes I might possibly make along the way.

 

[neuro]

From what I understand there is more benefit to dosing aminos once you have established that your SPS corals are happy enough in your tank and have grown to a decent size. Light and flow will get you there, but a little food/aminos are the last thing to make them color up just that little bit more. I have used a few aminos in the last year or so, and by far my favorite is Warner Marine's Aminos. It is clear like water going into the tank, and I dont see a spike in P04 after dosing it. I did get a little over zealous with it, and began to see cyano crop up in places. So 2 times over 7 days is plenty.

Can I say for sure that I saw a huge difference? Not really. But I like the thought that my corals are getting everything they need to be happy, healthy, and possibly stronger to handle any mistakes I might possibly make along the way.

that's great info.

can you mention any of the other brands you've tried?

 

[dowtish]

that's great info.

can you mention any of the other brands you've tried?

Brightwells and Red Sea Energy A and B

Both clouded the water a bit, and the Red Sea A and B made my skimmer overflow after I had it for awhile. I think it had gone bad. But my skimmer overflowed for 48 hours straight. No problems with the Warner Marine Aminos though.

 

[jroovers]

What skimmer do you have? Sounds similar to my super reef overflower 2000 int...

 

[dowtish]

What skimmer do you have? Sounds similar to my super reef overflower 2000 int...

On my display I'm running a SWC Xtreme 230 Cone.

On my Frag tank I run a SWC 160 cone

 

[footballdude2k3]

Some great sticks in here, love it.

 

[88rxna]

Wow, thats a big skimmer!
I use the SWC 160 on my display/sump.

 

[NegroModelo]

Man that efflo looks great

 

[dowtish]

Some great sticks in here, love it.

Thanks!

Wow, thats a big skimmer!
I use the SWC 160 on my display/sump.

It is quite large compared to the 160. It is total overkill for my tank, but I got a great deal on it. And compared to the 160, it pulls out twice as much and is dead silent.

Man that efflo looks great

I really am hoping to get a good shot of it soon. My buddy has the right lenses and skillz that I dont have. But thanks for the comment.

 

[neuro]

Brightwells and Red Sea Energy A and B

Both clouded the water a bit, and the Red Sea A and B made my skimmer overflow after I had it for awhile. I think it had gone bad. But my skimmer overflowed for 48 hours straight. No problems with the Warner Marine Aminos though.

woo great ok. thank you! i might try warner along with a few others

 

[dowtish]

I rescued this from a tank that was full of algae and about to crash. I believe it is beginning to heal up now. Amazing color change from green to purple, but I'm not sure this is it's true color. we will see...

 

[neuro]

ahh how cool! it's like watching paint change colors on their own

 

[Sparkpaul]

Your tank is awesome. My sps just started taking off two months ago and I can see new white tips pop up everyday from different colonies. My tank is a little more than a year old.

What test kits do you use?

 

[dowtish]

Your tank is awesome. My sps just started taking off two months ago and I can see new white tips pop up everyday from different colonies. My tank is a little more than a year old.

What test kits do you use?

Thanks

I use Hanna checkers for ALK and Phos
Salifert for Mag,Cal, and Nitrate

 

[dowtish]

Big changes coming my way. I am buying a home and will be moving in October. The tank will be upgraded at that time from my 85 bowfront to a 4x2x2 Oceanic Tec tank. I will also be going from 6 bulb T5 to a 48" Giesmann Spectra w/2 400W SE Radiums with 4 54w T5's(ATI Blue+ and Purple+). I am also planning on adding a 56 gallon(3x2x15) frag tank to the main system....

I'm super excited and a little freaked out at the same time.