Tank of the Month - February 2003
- Thread starter Skipper
- Start date
here here. i also love that all that was done with 175w mhs and 110w vhos. as i start to get into acros and clams i was thinking of changing over to more intense light but will now stick with what i've got - this will be a big help financially and electricity and heat wise.
have you ever felt light envy though? has there ever been a coral you felt you could not keep or that bleached out (or browned out or otherwise did not maintain its color) due to lack of sufficient light intensity?
also, one more quick question - how frequently do you need to clean your glass?
nice job,
jon
have you ever felt light envy though? has there ever been a coral you felt you could not keep or that bleached out (or browned out or otherwise did not maintain its color) due to lack of sufficient light intensity?
also, one more quick question - how frequently do you need to clean your glass?
nice job,
jon
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
Congrats on being 'revisited', Dave! Would we expect anything less from a founding father of the "Upstate Reef Society"?
http://www.upstatereef.com/
You'll be featured here again when the URS successfully puts together the big reef display aquarium at the 'Seneca Park Zoo' in Rochester, NY, with your assistance.
I hope every reefkeeper cares for their aquarium's inhabitants well-being as much you do.
http://www.upstatereef.com/
You'll be featured here again when the URS successfully puts together the big reef display aquarium at the 'Seneca Park Zoo' in Rochester, NY, with your assistance.
I hope every reefkeeper cares for their aquarium's inhabitants well-being as much you do.
Playfair
Premium Member
*snif* :twitch:
Gary- lol Shameless plug!
Once a month (or when expecting company), I use a fresh razor blade in a DIY holder on the edges and along the sand.
Lighting- Yes (doesn't everyone?), and yes. Little history: When I set up, people on the boards were starting with 250w (and higher) MH, but I didn't know anyone personally. My trusted LFS was solely PC & VHO, and of course said the tank would 'fry' with MH, so I decided to "compromised" with 175w.
So, why not upgrade? Mainly, I question the return of more light weighed against the added expense of electrical consumption, more costly lamps, excess heat, evaporation, and fear that many "lower light" established corals would negatively respond. If not for the latter, I would have surely "experimented" by now, just to see what would happen.
As far as coloration, I do have corals from brighter systems that look identical. My biggest peave is an A. millepora that should have pink with intense blue tips (it did under Thermans 400w). This coral is super healthy, but there is only a slight hint of blue. On the "brighter side", there are only 1 or 2 others that have sucessfully brought the tip color out (regardless of light intensity), so who knows. No matter how much it hurts, every coral does not do well in every reef...
Would I choose 175's again? Maybe not. But at this point, the relatively low light supporting stereotypically high demand corals has drawn welcome attention!
Gary- lol Shameless plug!
Glass cleaning- I use a Tunze magnet cleaner pretty much every day. Confuscious say, "a snail on the glass is one less on the rock." lolJonF said:
Once a month (or when expecting company), I use a fresh razor blade in a DIY holder on the edges and along the sand.
Lighting- Yes (doesn't everyone?), and yes. Little history: When I set up, people on the boards were starting with 250w (and higher) MH, but I didn't know anyone personally. My trusted LFS was solely PC & VHO, and of course said the tank would 'fry' with MH, so I decided to "compromised" with 175w.
So, why not upgrade? Mainly, I question the return of more light weighed against the added expense of electrical consumption, more costly lamps, excess heat, evaporation, and fear that many "lower light" established corals would negatively respond. If not for the latter, I would have surely "experimented" by now, just to see what would happen.
As far as coloration, I do have corals from brighter systems that look identical. My biggest peave is an A. millepora that should have pink with intense blue tips (it did under Thermans 400w). This coral is super healthy, but there is only a slight hint of blue. On the "brighter side", there are only 1 or 2 others that have sucessfully brought the tip color out (regardless of light intensity), so who knows. No matter how much it hurts, every coral does not do well in every reef...
Would I choose 175's again? Maybe not. But at this point, the relatively low light supporting stereotypically high demand corals has drawn welcome attention!
Bender
Premium Member
I have also had the priveledge of seeing Dave's tank in person and as some others have stated, the pictures don't do it justice. I was in the area for Thanksgiving and contacted Dave about any LFS near Rochester. He was gracious enough to invite me over to see his tank and it was quite a treat.
Dave, thanks for the pink milipora frag. It made it all the way home to Indiana (30 hours total in the bag) in great shape. It is growing nicely and the tips are indeed turning blue under 250w AB bulbs and VHO actinic. Thanks again.
Bender
Dave, thanks for the pink milipora frag. It made it all the way home to Indiana (30 hours total in the bag) in great shape. It is growing nicely and the tips are indeed turning blue under 250w AB bulbs and VHO actinic. Thanks again.
Bender
Andrewsreef
New member
Playfair, its Andrewsreef here. A couple of questions if you can. You mentioned "a general decline in the tank about 1 year back". You mentioned changing out the filter pad more often. Can you go into more detail here?
I have noticed a decline in my reef over the past month or so and I am very detailed with the maintance (it seems like it just peaked and now is declining a little overall). I do the routine maintance (including water changes, B-ionic, new bulbs and a larger skimmer).
One thing I do not do often enough is clean the overflow sponge. Was wondering if you can tell me more about this setup as I think mine is in need of an upgrade (some sort of filter pad as the sponge is not enough)? I have an open rubbermaid sump and need some sugestions of where the pad could be placed. Also, how do you "blow off the rocks and sand"?
Thank you and congratulations again on an unreal tank. There is nothing like this that I know about in my area. Truely awsome!!
Andrewsreef
I have noticed a decline in my reef over the past month or so and I am very detailed with the maintance (it seems like it just peaked and now is declining a little overall). I do the routine maintance (including water changes, B-ionic, new bulbs and a larger skimmer).
One thing I do not do often enough is clean the overflow sponge. Was wondering if you can tell me more about this setup as I think mine is in need of an upgrade (some sort of filter pad as the sponge is not enough)? I have an open rubbermaid sump and need some sugestions of where the pad could be placed. Also, how do you "blow off the rocks and sand"?
Thank you and congratulations again on an unreal tank. There is nothing like this that I know about in my area. Truely awsome!!
Andrewsreef
Andrewsreef
New member
One more thing? Why would anyone request you to change anything???? Lighting??? What makes your tank interesting/superior to any others I have seen is the diversity of corals (soft, LPS, SPS). Why spend the money on something that may not even make a difference or cause problems???? Your lighting is working quite well!!!!!!!!!!!
Andrewsreef
Andrewsreef
Playfair
Premium Member
That's great, Bender! Send me a pic of that mille when you can 
Andrewsreef,
Midway through last year I noticed growth and especially healing had substantially slowed (not an overnight type of thing). This wasn't just with one coral, but many species. When all the talk came out about liverock mortality, I got nervous (especially having promised the wife that liverock is an 'investment', and will only increase in value!)... Couple this with "old tank syndrom" theory, and you might say the concern grew to a dull panic!
There's been a huge push for no mechanical filtration on our tanks, and to a point it does make sense... Somebody once said, "if a particulate is large enough to be captured in a filter, there is something that will devour it." . However, I think a little extra help removing particulate waste and preventing it's accumulation over time (A DSB is supposed to help with this, but I can't speak to that) goes a long way. I always filtered the sump water periodically during "storming" (simply blowing the rock off via a turkey baster to dislodge detritus). Add to this a few 20% water changes (90% of water removed during a WC is siphoned out of the sump, removing as much micro algae and detritus as possible), and I believe the tank has made a nice comback. I don't touch the sand, but the pesky pistol shrimp can sure cloud things up when it goes on a rampage!
I don't believe in "polishing" reef water, as there are obviously a lot of mouths to feed, so the filter tray is set up with water passively moving across the pad. As it clogs, it's bypassed to the sides, which helps prevent all particulates and pods from getting trapped. Guess I try to not take a wing approach to reefkeeping, but follow the "everything in moderation" rule.!
I don't use the AGA overflow sponges, as my access is difficult. I don't expect them to help filtration, as only relatively giant particles will be captured, and the micro critters may have a difficult time negotiating the flow at the standpipe to do their job.
Andrewsreef,
Midway through last year I noticed growth and especially healing had substantially slowed (not an overnight type of thing). This wasn't just with one coral, but many species. When all the talk came out about liverock mortality, I got nervous (especially having promised the wife that liverock is an 'investment', and will only increase in value!)... Couple this with "old tank syndrom" theory, and you might say the concern grew to a dull panic!
There's been a huge push for no mechanical filtration on our tanks, and to a point it does make sense... Somebody once said, "if a particulate is large enough to be captured in a filter, there is something that will devour it." . However, I think a little extra help removing particulate waste and preventing it's accumulation over time (A DSB is supposed to help with this, but I can't speak to that) goes a long way. I always filtered the sump water periodically during "storming" (simply blowing the rock off via a turkey baster to dislodge detritus). Add to this a few 20% water changes (90% of water removed during a WC is siphoned out of the sump, removing as much micro algae and detritus as possible), and I believe the tank has made a nice comback. I don't touch the sand, but the pesky pistol shrimp can sure cloud things up when it goes on a rampage!
I don't believe in "polishing" reef water, as there are obviously a lot of mouths to feed, so the filter tray is set up with water passively moving across the pad. As it clogs, it's bypassed to the sides, which helps prevent all particulates and pods from getting trapped. Guess I try to not take a wing approach to reefkeeping, but follow the "everything in moderation" rule.!
I don't use the AGA overflow sponges, as my access is difficult. I don't expect them to help filtration, as only relatively giant particles will be captured, and the micro critters may have a difficult time negotiating the flow at the standpipe to do their job.
Andrewsreef
New member
Water changes from the sump. That is a great idea. To be honest, never crossed my mind but makes great sense as that is were all the detritus ends up. I will start doing that from now on!!
Thanks for the input.
Andrewsreef
Thanks for the input.
Andrewsreef
Frick-n-Frags
New member
I said it before" Playfair, you don't play fair" That tank defies description. Definitely one of my all time favorites (I like smiller's too)
How to care for my orange tree sponge
reeferaddict
New member
Whats that beautiful two tone blue encrusting coral in the left lower middle of the tank? It looks like a color variant of a Hydrophora(?Horn?) , but I've only seen the flourescent green.
Amazing Tank:eek1:
Amazing Tank:eek1:
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