Have used my KHD for 4-5 years and it's been awesome. It isn't always accurate but is always precise, and that's all I care about so that I can track trending.
Surprise, Another SPS Tank (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter spsick
- Start date
BlindSwordsman
Hiệp Sĩ Mù Nghe Gió Kiếm
Lifetime Member
TCMAS Member
Meeting Host 2022
Meeting Host 2023
Meeting Host 2024
Meeting Host 2025
OP
OP
haha thanks Ken! You do a fine job yourself I'm envious!@spsick : Your tank looks great. When I finish setting up my new one, I'll go back and reread this thread, and ask for your expert advice on how to keep these SPS alive!
Hi Ben! I have a 220g up with water and some rock and some lights. Thinking about adding livestock at some point. lol
Hi Chris! Long time.Speaking of old timers!
I agree Derek - Ben is nailing it!
And he’s going back to halides…
What's old is new again. lol
OP
OP
Consistency and maintenance of this system is what I attribute part of my ongoing success to. I have some snails that are 5+ years old, and many corals getting closer to 10. I’m convinced no surprise impurity events are what have allowed this.
8 stages:
1- 1 Micron Sediment filter changed every other month
2- BRS Universal Carbon Block changed every other month
3- BRS Universal Carbon Block changed every 6 months
4- 75gpd Filmtec membrane flushed every cycle and changed every 18 months
5- 75gpd Filmtec membrane changed every 12 months
6-8: BRS Pro 3 stage DI changed as needed. Typically stage 1 and 2 last 2+ years each. I have never changed the 3rd stage since this setup was added in 2017.
I also have 3 way flush valves after each carbon block so they can be easily flushed after replacement, ensuring carbon doesn’t plug the membrane.
Is this elaborate setup necessary? Probably not. But I’ve developed the filter change schedule out of caution and necessity. I found out the hard way that Chloramine blow through fouls membranes, burns up DI and even sends ammonia into product water. I may be a little aggressive on the membrane changes, but with my main interest being Acropora I simply need to be proactive on water purity.
The carbon block schedule was made by testing the output of each block with a high end Hach CN70 test to identify when Chloramine blow through happens. It’s remarkably fast, and I tested a handful of filters with BRS coming out ahead and being cheaper.
8 stages:
1- 1 Micron Sediment filter changed every other month
2- BRS Universal Carbon Block changed every other month
3- BRS Universal Carbon Block changed every 6 months
4- 75gpd Filmtec membrane flushed every cycle and changed every 18 months
5- 75gpd Filmtec membrane changed every 12 months
6-8: BRS Pro 3 stage DI changed as needed. Typically stage 1 and 2 last 2+ years each. I have never changed the 3rd stage since this setup was added in 2017.
I also have 3 way flush valves after each carbon block so they can be easily flushed after replacement, ensuring carbon doesn’t plug the membrane.
Is this elaborate setup necessary? Probably not. But I’ve developed the filter change schedule out of caution and necessity. I found out the hard way that Chloramine blow through fouls membranes, burns up DI and even sends ammonia into product water. I may be a little aggressive on the membrane changes, but with my main interest being Acropora I simply need to be proactive on water purity.
The carbon block schedule was made by testing the output of each block with a high end Hach CN70 test to identify when Chloramine blow through happens. It’s remarkably fast, and I tested a handful of filters with BRS coming out ahead and being cheaper.
OP
OP
About 100g of product water
OP
OP
Boover I had left of Walt Disney direct from Big R before he passed. It was stagnant basically since the move but decided to put it right under the lights and seems to be waking up.
Hawkins doing great
Booger of JF Jolt starting to color up and grow, albeit much slower than the pink highlighter I got at the same time.
CC Pink Highlighter and Route 66 Merlin Staff
jF Solar Flare outgrowing my porthole
Hawkins doing great
Booger of JF Jolt starting to color up and grow, albeit much slower than the pink highlighter I got at the same time.
CC Pink Highlighter and Route 66 Merlin Staff
jF Solar Flare outgrowing my porthole
OP
OP
You’re too kind Jonathan.
I mostly attribute my success to the system being very mature. About half of the rocks have been wet for exactly 10 years now. The other half is religiously lazily checking alkalinity occasionally and letting the magic reef computer doing maintenance for me haha
OP
OP
Oh neat so that got me looking back and I still have this coral alive since I got back in the hobby in 2014. This is the one that was dinner plate sized when I chopped it up last month.
Tyree Bubblegum Monster
Tyree Bubblegum Monster
OP
OP
Thinking i have my dimension finalized for new tank
reef junkie
Senior Member
Yea buddy!!!!! Is that gonna be custom?
Last edited:
OP
OP
yessir acrylic from Midwest Custom Aquariums.
You’re just happy someone else is upgrading because it makes you seem less crazy haha!
Varig
Senior Member
BOD
Lifetime Member
Event Committee
TCMAS Member
TCMAS Supporter
Meeting Host 2022
Meeting Host 2023
Meeting Host 2024
Meeting Host 2026
Go wider! You’ll never regret the 30” wide buddy . I say this from my massive wealth of experience obvi 
. I say this from my massive wealth of experience obvi
OP
OP
Dude believe me I want bigger but this is already pushing it on what is reasonable for the space. Anything bigger and it has to go in the basement and then I have to finish the basement and also buy a ton of equipment. The rabbit hole would get very big…Go wider! You’ll never regret the 30” wide buddy
Currently my lights, skimmer, Vortechs, and hopefully sump will all scale up to this tank so the cost of admission is low.
Varig
Senior Member
BOD
Lifetime Member
Event Committee
TCMAS Member
TCMAS Supporter
Meeting Host 2022
Meeting Host 2023
Meeting Host 2024
Meeting Host 2026
I hear you. I tried
OP
OP
Weight, cost, and peace of mind. I have a toddler coming in to “throwing stuff and hitting the aquarium with stuff” age.
A comparable glass tank from say CDA for example would cost triple and weigh 5x as much. I’ll build and leak test the setup in the basement and then move it upstairs. Would not be possible with a glass tank this size with my 1926 house.
I’ll probably regret acrylic from a scratching standpoint but I’ve never had one and new things are fun!