Surprise, Another SPS Tank (1 Viewer)

[spsick]

Shoot I guess I haven’t updated much.

Nyos salt seems to be doing ok although I’m only half a bucket in. Mixes fast and clean.

Started ammonia dosing on the display as Nitrates bottomed out after cleaning the skimmer. I think my tank is ideal as it’s full of coral so it should rapidly utilize it.

My other striped Blenny died so I’m down to 4 fish. I want try try add maybe some Chromis and a Royal Gramma from Dr Reefs.

Tested PAR and many acros are getting like 180-200 mmol. I should really pull out the actinic and replace with a blue+ at least. It’s amazing my tank is doing so well given the low PAR, low pH, low nutrients, etc but I think they all go together.

Anywho…some pics

 

[spsick]

As we were talking about the CO2 scrubber on the other thread I created, I said: 'Uhhh, maybe I'll hook up a tube to get the outside air to my skimmer!' .. .. Then this morning, I woke up and thought: 'Uhhh, I dunno, things look fine, do I really need it? It's just me and my little dog in a 3 bedroom house. How much CO2 could there be? Do I need to spend money on something to read the CO2 level in the house that I probably will use once?' ... I was looking at some CO2 measuring thing on Ebay that costs $18 - 30 (cheapest thing I could find, I guess). ... ... You must have a large household or something? ... Hmmm ... I'm kind of on the fence

Get the Vitalight for $38 and then you know!! Less than most other testing equipment we buy.

And yes, 2 adults, a toddler a cat, and a reef tank in a small 3 bed bungalow….

 

[reef junkie]

Shoot I guess I haven’t updated much.

Nyos salt seems to be doing ok although I’m only half a bucket in. Mixes fast and clean.

Started ammonia dosing on the display as Nitrates bottomed out after cleaning the skimmer. I think my tank is ideal as it’s full of coral so it should rapidly utilize it.

My other striped Blenny died so I’m down to 4 fish. I want try try add maybe some Chromis and a Royal Gramma from Dr Reefs.

Tested PAR and many acros are getting like 180-200 mmol. I should really pull out the actinic and replace with a blue+ at least. It’s amazing my tank is doing so well given the low PAR, low pH, low nutrients, etc but I think they all go together.

Anywho…some pics
View attachment 64134
View attachment 64135View attachment 64136View attachment 64137View attachment 64138

So pretty!!

 

[reef junkie]

This one??

 

[spsick]

This one?? View attachment 64139

Yep apparently it reads very consistent with the Aranet etc!

 

[Varig]

Absolutely beautiful Ben. Clearly you're doing something right! I dream of having some of those shaggy acros some day

 

[spsick]

We be scrubbin’




Installed in the basement tapped into my fresh air line so I pull through the scrubber at night from the basement which is unoccupied so has way lower co2 and fresh air from outside during the day. I’ll try scrubbin 7pm to 7am and see where that gets me.

I did not go the recirculating route, trying this with water in the bottom of the canisters first.

 

[Chris Goetz]

We be scrubbin’

View attachment 64302


Installed in the basement tapped into my fresh air line so I pull through the scrubber at night from the basement which is unoccupied so has way lower co2 and fresh air from outside during the day. I’ll try scrubbin 7pm to 7am and see where that gets me.

I did not go the recirculating route, trying this with water in the bottom of the canisters first.

Looks good Ben.

One thing worth mentioning - co2 is heavier than air and will concentrate in basements even if unoccupied without adequate air circulation. I’m curious, did your co2 monitor say otherwise?

 

[spsick]

Looks good Ben.

One thing worth mentioning - co2 is heavier than air and will concentrate in basements even if unoccupied without adequate air circulation. I’m curious, did your co2 monitor say otherwise?

It did! It’s around 600-700ppm in the basement vs 800-1200ppm on the main floor.

Randy Holmes Farley noted that while co2 is heavier than air it would take a lot of circulation for it to all find it’s way to the basement.

 

[spsick]

First canister of scrubber media lasted 5 weeks which is an acceptable cost for me if I feel like the results are good after 6 months of running it.

 

[Fishfoo]

Shoot I guess I haven’t updated much.

Nyos salt seems to be doing ok although I’m only half a bucket in. Mixes fast and clean.

Started ammonia dosing on the display as Nitrates bottomed out after cleaning the skimmer. I think my tank is ideal as it’s full of coral so it should rapidly utilize it.

My other striped Blenny died so I’m down to 4 fish. I want try try add maybe some Chromis and a Royal Gramma from Dr Reefs.

Tested PAR and many acros are getting like 180-200 mmol. I should really pull out the actinic and replace with a blue+ at least. It’s amazing my tank is doing so well given the low PAR, low pH, low nutrients, etc but I think they all go together.

Anywho…some pics
View attachment 64134
View attachment 64135View attachment 64136View attachment 64137View attachment 64138

Curious as to why you dose ammonia instead of dosing straight sodium chloride or potassium chloride? I’d be nervous dosing ammonia in it but like you said it’s probably totally fine with how quickly it’s converted

 

[spsick]

Curious as to why you dose ammonia instead of dosing straight sodium chloride or potassium chloride? I’d be nervous dosing ammonia in it but like you said it’s probably totally fine with how quickly it’s converted

I’m not familiar with dosing either of those. Isn’t sodium chloride just salt, and kcl just potassium?

I’m dosing ammonia as RHF has said a corals can much more easily convert it to food as ammonium vs nitrate. I take most of what he says as solid given the formulas he’s given the hobby already (2 part etc).

Tank has been doing well with it especially considering I only have 4 fish right now.

 

[Fishfoo]

I’m not familiar with dosing either of those. Isn’t sodium chloride just salt, and kcl just potassium?

I’m dosing ammonia as RHF has said a corals can much more easily convert it to food as ammonium vs nitrate. I take most of what he says as solid given the formulas he’s given the hobby already (2 part etc).

Tank has been doing well with it especially considering I only have 4 fish right now.

Yes lol sorry I was half asleep when I posted this I meant sodium nitrate or potassium nitrate.

And yeah anything from RHF is usually bible, I agree

 

[spsick]

Yes lol sorry I was half asleep when I posted this I meant sodium nitrate or potassium nitrate.

And yeah anything from RHF is usually bible, I agree

Oh that makes more sense!

Speaking of, Randy says Calcium Nitrate is the best one to use if you’re set on nitrate as calcium is present is a much greater ratio than potassium. That’s what ESV nitrate is but it’s not as cheap as DIY of course. I’m dosing the ESV in my frag tank as I don’t feel there’s enough coral tissue to suck up the ammonia without maybe being toxic to the fish. I think ammonia is best suited for a really mature tank that’s just sucking up nutrients like crazy.

 

[Varig]

I was thinking that the nitrifying bacteria would break down the ammonia naturally into nitrates that the coral could use. I was thinking that was why you were dosing that for the coral instead of nitrate? I was planning to try that in coral coral/invert tank, but of course as soon as you mentioned It the silly tank has been pretty stable at 8-10ppm nitrate. I guess there could be worse problems

 

[spsick]

I was thinking that the nitrifying bacteria would break down the ammonia naturally into nitrates that the coral could use. I was thinking that was why you were dosing that for the coral instead of nitrate? I was planning to try that in coral coral/invert tank, but of course as soon as you mentioned It the silly tank has been pretty stable at 8-10ppm nitrate. I guess there could be worse problems

Apparently the coral biology is built to take up ammonium from fish urea, so it is using less energy to take up dosed ammonia vs nitrate. It is a pretty new idea but it makes sense to me.

It has been working for me as I have not seen any negative effects and I’m maintaining a nitrate level now. 14ppm at last check.

 

[spsick]

Got a couple fancy sticks cooking. Hopefully will have some frags next your for my December Corals with Morals drive!

CC Pink Highlighter
JF Jolt
Route 66 Merlin’s Staff

Pink Highlighter really hit the ground running with new branches shooting out already.

 

[Specsgirl]

Got a couple fancy sticks cooking. Hopefully will have some frags next your for my December Corals with Morals drive!

CC Pink Highlighter
JF Jolt
Route 66 Merlin’s Staff

Pink Highlighter really hit the ground running with new branches shooting out already.


View attachment 65195

Gorgeous!

 

[Varig]

Those are awesome Ben. Your skills continue to impress me.

 

[spsick]

Those are awesome Ben. Your skills continue to impress me.

It’s not skills so much as time for an established biome! I can’t even keep a montipora alive in my frag/QT tank!!