The Family Coral Tank
- Thread starter bif24701
- Start date
bif24701
New member
A video update. Things are looking great! https://vimeo.com/184077741
Not as grown out or clean as some but healthy. You can see a few corals there at the beginning that are recovering. Those where gifted to me when they didn't do well in a friends system.
Aaron
Not as grown out or clean as some but healthy. You can see a few corals there at the beginning that are recovering. Those where gifted to me when they didn't do well in a friends system.
Aaron
CorbinSawyer
New member
Looking good Aaron, now just some patience. I'm looking forward to seeing where you place those frags
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Lilly45nano
New member
Looks really good Aaron...all it needs is time to mature now and it will be a real showcase you and your family will enjoy for a long time
bif24701
New member
The Family Coral Tank
Thank you both!
Patience...Yes, the one things I have in short supply. I've learned however when things are going well, do nothing. So this weekend I've decided I don't need a water change and will spend more time on family.
Have a good weekend all!
Aaron
Thank you both!
Patience...Yes, the one things I have in short supply. I've learned however when things are going well, do nothing. So this weekend I've decided I don't need a water change and will spend more time on family.
Have a good weekend all!
Aaron
Last edited:
bif24701
New member
bif24701
New member
So I'm getting upset with my ph always being low and hit 7.5 sometimes. My ALK is on the high end (9.8-10). So must be CO2, we have a lot of tanks, animals, and a new tight house. I had a CO2 scrubber on my old system but when I up graded skimmers it restricted air flow too much.
Decided I'm going to DIY the **** out of this damn thing to make it work. Actually didn't take much, just drilled a hole large enough in the fitting to fit my larger hose to the skimmer hose.
I think it still restricts the air too much but it isn't too bad. I think I'm going to get a second one and that should solve it.
So I've gone from a 7.84 daily average to a 8.03. Much better!
Hopefully this is the final key I have to turn for that great SPS speed and colorful growth.
Aaron
Decided I'm going to DIY the **** out of this damn thing to make it work. Actually didn't take much, just drilled a hole large enough in the fitting to fit my larger hose to the skimmer hose.
I think it still restricts the air too much but it isn't too bad. I think I'm going to get a second one and that should solve it.
So I've gone from a 7.84 daily average to a 8.03. Much better!
Hopefully this is the final key I have to turn for that great SPS speed and colorful growth.
Aaron
jason2459
Well-known member
No need to drill it. Just get a T and a ball valve.
Here's my setup which also includes an ozone generator so just ignore it.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=24679460
Here's my setup which also includes an ozone generator so just ignore it.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=24679460
bif24701
New member
You did a great job on that!
My problem is that I just don't get enough air flow through the reactor, I think I'll have to purchase a second.
Aaron
jason2459
Well-known member
Ah, I was reading it as the reactor was restricting the air so the skimmer wasn't getting enough airflow. Or its both?
I purposefully restricted the air flow through the Sodalime to reduce how fast it gets used up. The T is to make sure the skimmer's air intake isn't restricted.
bif24701
New member
The tubing and reactor both I think. It just needs a lot of air. When air is restricted to the skimmer it affects the performance, at least for mine. Then again I think my skimmer is just very large this requiring more air.
Aaron
bif24701
New member
Naso and Blue Tangs added form QT! Love these fish. My other two tangs are now coming out more and swimming around while I'm around. Very good day for me!
Here is the Naso
https://youtu.be/__pf2ApDciQ
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Here is the Naso
https://youtu.be/__pf2ApDciQ
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Anthony357
New member
nice one!
bif24701
New member
Thank you! Love this fish. Everything I have done with this system I had this fish in mind. I kept my LR in the display to a minimum, lots of flow (over 60 times turnover), extra large skimmer, straight runs to swim end to end in the front and back.
I'm counting on this fish doing well. I QT'd them, parizopro, hypo, and they where eating nori already.
The Blue Tang is the best looking blue I have ever had.
Everyone is getting along too.
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bif24701
New member
Major development.
I have been struggling with severely low pH, for me. Lows kept hitting 7.75 or so, highs didn't even crack 8.0. I added a CO2 scrubber but it restricted air significantly to my skimmer and caused me to have to tune constantly tune it, also kept losing its head or over flow. Just didn't skimm correctly. I did modify the scrubber and it helped a lot on keeping the skimmer functional but did not do much for the pH. Lows where still hitting about 7.85/Highs 8.05.
The breakthrough happened when I cracked open my garage door open one evening a couple nights ago when the temps started dipping. Here in Florida it's still very hot a night in summer early fall. Instantly my pH began to rise significantly. I have now kept the garage door open for now and noticed two great things.
1, pH has stayed up, low 8.2/high 8.3!
2, most significantly my ALK consumption has increased also, a lot. I've been on the look out for precipitation on my heater but there is none I can see. Magnesium is 1500 so I don't think it will become a problem with my ALK being only 9.5 dKH.
I have increased Kalk dosing and still my ALK has dropped by .2-.3.
So I am very hopeful, possibly naive, this means I have completed the puzzle for SPS growth.
Time will tell
For now I'll keep my garage door cracked hoping a bunch of cats don't take up residents. While I plan out how to plumb a 1" line from my skimmer to the out side.
Here on the far wall I think I can use this to the outside with out damaging this new hose and not drilling through anymore insulated walls.
I think it shares the same stud space as this. It's the communications box for the home and I think it was meant to be used to access outside/inside.
I'm going 1" irrigation line to reduce any friction to air coming into the skimmer. Reducing air flow to the skimmer will affect its performance.
Has anyone else noticed a significant and immediate boost to stony coral growth with increasing the pH? My average pH has gone from 7.8 to 8.22. That has to help something. Right!?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I have been struggling with severely low pH, for me. Lows kept hitting 7.75 or so, highs didn't even crack 8.0. I added a CO2 scrubber but it restricted air significantly to my skimmer and caused me to have to tune constantly tune it, also kept losing its head or over flow. Just didn't skimm correctly. I did modify the scrubber and it helped a lot on keeping the skimmer functional but did not do much for the pH. Lows where still hitting about 7.85/Highs 8.05.
The breakthrough happened when I cracked open my garage door open one evening a couple nights ago when the temps started dipping. Here in Florida it's still very hot a night in summer early fall. Instantly my pH began to rise significantly. I have now kept the garage door open for now and noticed two great things.
1, pH has stayed up, low 8.2/high 8.3!
2, most significantly my ALK consumption has increased also, a lot. I've been on the look out for precipitation on my heater but there is none I can see. Magnesium is 1500 so I don't think it will become a problem with my ALK being only 9.5 dKH.
I have increased Kalk dosing and still my ALK has dropped by .2-.3.
So I am very hopeful, possibly naive, this means I have completed the puzzle for SPS growth.
Time will tell
For now I'll keep my garage door cracked hoping a bunch of cats don't take up residents. While I plan out how to plumb a 1" line from my skimmer to the out side.
Here on the far wall I think I can use this to the outside with out damaging this new hose and not drilling through anymore insulated walls.
I think it shares the same stud space as this. It's the communications box for the home and I think it was meant to be used to access outside/inside.
I'm going 1" irrigation line to reduce any friction to air coming into the skimmer. Reducing air flow to the skimmer will affect its performance.
Has anyone else noticed a significant and immediate boost to stony coral growth with increasing the pH? My average pH has gone from 7.8 to 8.22. That has to help something. Right!?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
bif24701
New member
dKH dropped again and PH peaked today at 8.38. I doubled the amount of Kalk going in every hour last night. I am failing to see where this ALK is going. Last night tested at 10.3, just now 9.6.
Ideas where my ALK is going?
Mag 1600, increased today
Cal 430
ALK 9.6
I add saturated Kalk every hour via APEX, it's working fine. I can verify tat because the pH spikes slightly with each dose.
For now I will increase ALK additions.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Ideas where my ALK is going?
Mag 1600, increased today
Cal 430
ALK 9.6
I add saturated Kalk every hour via APEX, it's working fine. I can verify tat because the pH spikes slightly with each dose.
For now I will increase ALK additions.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
