I do believe water changes make a difference, but I also believe that water changes can be delayed with an increase in filtration by biological, chemical and mechanical means.

I just got home from camping (4 days) and today my tank hasn't had a water change in 2 weeks and 2 days. I've noticed no effects from prolonging my water change other than an increase in film algae on my walls. I know that 2 weeks is about my maximum right now based on the film algae, but hopefully with my new GFO/ ROX combo and possibly carbon dosing I'll have no problem with 2 weeks and hope to push it up to a month if possible. If I could do a monthly 20g water change I would be stoked!


Now I have a question for you.....

(2) BRS 2 part dosers (1.1mL per minute) OR Bubble Magus Dosing Pump BM-T01?

Alright I decided I'm going to get a Bubble Magus triple doser. I was planning on getting (2) BRS 2 part dosers and hook them up to my RKL, but I'd have to buy another PC4 so that would cost another $90. All in all it's more economical due to the bubble magus being self controllable, and I'd get one more pump for around the same price I was initially looking at. IM EXCITED!

Found a killer deal too!
http://www.nuocean.com/pumps/bubble-magus-bmt-01-kit.html

Just snapped a quick pick with the phone....guess my snail laid some eggs! If I didn't already have a thousand baby turbos as it is!

hip hip hooray for your acrylic tank and your midas blenny.
best fish in the hobby IMO.

...no vid of your midas swimming?! ... boooo!

My midas is definitely one of my favorite fish. I really wish I could have like 10 fish in this tank. I want a blue hippo tang sooo bad.

And as for the video....I'm still figuring out how to use Adobe premiere haha

Hey great looking tank, just subscribed!

Hey there medic. For the most part I think that the ruling is still out on the pellets. there seem to be some great pros to them but equally plentiful are the cons. found a couple good reads that may shed some light as we wait for time to give us better answers on things.

http://pomakantha.wordpress.com/2011/02/18...s-and-the-reef/

http://pomakantha.wordpress.com/2011/02/13...-wonder-tonics/

I like dosing for the most part & the control that comes with it. If I where to do the pellets I would still dose, based on they seem to handle deferent aspects.

Thanks for those articles they definitely shed light on some things that I never even thought about. I have reached the conclusion that I don't have an ULNS and I probably never did. I'm still interested in running biopellets, but I'm concerned about their being basically an unlimited supply of carbon coupled with my nutrient levels. If afraid this will cause a bacterial bloom depleting all available oxygen in the water column.

Tonight is my last night of dosing manually

Just picked up a Bubble Magus triple doser! I can't wait to set this thing up!

i'll be looking forward on how things goes for you on that doser

You suck!

^ lol

Nice!

Hehe now the fun part of narrowing in where I need to be. I was amazed at how easy it was to set up. I'd say it took me no longer than 10 minutes. So far I've got 17mL or both 2-part b-ionic set up to run 12 cycles starting at 10:00am. I'll probably test in 3-4 days and see where I stand.

i hope everything turns out for you, which i don't think you won't have a problem with the doser

haha double negative....I know what you mean. It should be fairly easy with a little tweaking.

So far I'm at
Ca 420
kH 8

I'm going to test for Mag later and then Ca/Alk in 3 days.

wish i could get my Alk at a 8.
Mine is never moves from a 7 no matter I have tried.

7 isn't a bad number....have you tried baking soda?

I just tested and my numbers are the same. Ca 420 Alk 8. I'm going to test again in 5 days and hopefully they are the same.

I also picked up a bottle of KZ Pohl's Coral Vitalizer....my PE is NUTS! I thought this stuff was snake oil, but after a couple days I've never seen my polyps like this before. I'll have to get some pics up soon.

Installed my BRS dual reactor last night running HC GFO and ROX 0.8. I am really pleased with the ease of installation, and the quality of this product. One thing that seems weird is my skimmer is barely putting out compared to how it ran before the reactor.

Next up is converting my TLF reactor for biopellets. I'm going to wait a couple weeks so my GFO/carbon can reduce nutrients so I don't get a bac bloom.

I'll have pictures of my set up and a March FTS in a week or so.

So 7 isn't that bad. I was told it was low

I've just heard about using baking soda to raise my alk.

Yeah try baking soda.....works like a charm!

My tank is almost a year old! WOW

Question: What's the recommended time that t5 bulbs should be changed out? I'm guessing 12 months?

depends on use & who you ask. 12-24 months. best to stager the replacement by a couple months as well.

reason for the change is. that rox is eating almost every thing the skimmer was pulling out. great stuff isn't it.

Yeah I'm going to start changing out my bulbs. I'm going to pick up a new ATI purple plus and a couple blue plus.

I didn't have any skimate for like 2 days! I was amazed and concerned at the same time, but that makes sense now. My skimmer is working as normal now so I'll probably change out my ROX in a week or so.

Just busted out the Hanna phosphate checker again and it read 0.00

I'm pretty sure my nitrates are high though because my cheato is growing out of control. I'll have to pick up a test kit for that since I haven't tested No3 in like 8 months! haha
Any suggestions Salifert? Elos?

Ughh I just found my yellow tang stuck agains my mp40. When I turned it off he swam off, but his beautiful yellow scales and fin are trashed! This is going to take a looong time to heal.

RIP Yellow tang....

You will be missed.

That sucks.

Sorry.

Man that blows.

I know I'm really bummed. I buried him in the back yard and said a few nice words....

A little bit of good news though....After being unemployed for 5 months I finally got a job! I got hired as a Paramedic for AMR Riverside. I really miss lights, sirens and running 911 calls so I can't wait to get started.

Hey congrats buddy!

Thanks!

Well I just got back from marine depot and a couple LFS. I picked up some rotifeast, coral frenzy, warner marine ultimate aminos, and a blue + and purple + bulbs.

As for the nitrate test it definitely is registering a very light pink so I'd say anywhere from 10-25. My goal is to get it 5 or less.....I can't believe at one point I thought I had an ULNS. HAA

Nice tank medic, cant wait to see new FTS w/ new bulb

Thanks lilopop, I only changed out the fiji purp for the pruple plus which to my eye look exactly the same. I also put back in the UVL super actinic in my last slot because I've only been running 5 bulbs for the past 4-5 months.

Nitrate test kits piss me off...So I get a reading of like 2ppm on salifert and 0 on my API, but I'm starting to get a slight problem with nuisance algae. Could be my bulbs? maybe....

I can't wait for hanna to come out with a nitrate checker.

Well my 75 has experience a slight set back. I've had a pretty good out break of nuisance algae, and it doesn't help that I have close to no CUC. I'll be picking up 5 turbo snails, and 5 trochus snails Monday.

Also with the addition of the ROX 0.8 I've lost some color in my sps and lps, but I was expecting that. I'd rather have cleaner clearer water and in a month or so everything will hopefully be nice a colorful again.

Also I pulled the trigger on some pellets. I put about 125mLs of Warner Marine Ecobak in my TLF 150 w/ a mj 600. The suggested amount is 375mLs and over the next 8 weeks I'll add the rest.

Sorry its been like 3 pages with no pic, so thought I'd go back & find one.
hows the new job job.

as to the trates. sounds like its getting to where you want.

Thanks bitts, I know this thread is getting a little boring. I'll change that right now!

I haven't started my new job yet. I've got a 2 week orientation starting Monday which means I won't be on an ambulance till late April.

I went to the Tyree Coral Farmers Market on Sunday and picked up a couple pieces. I got red planet, ORA hawkins, peach millie and a really nice mini colony of montipora spongodes. I also picked up a Hanna Alk checker which I've been wanting for soo long!

Here are some new pics!

Alk checker readings just a couple minutes ago. 144ppm x .056 dKh = 8.064 dKh. Exactly where I want it. I tuned in my doser and now I'm up to 33mL's of b-ionic a day over 24 hours.





Left to right: Neon green millie, peach millie, ORA pink birdnest, ORA hawkins, red planet.





montipora spongodes





Moved over my green humilus/ pokerstar monti colony to fit right behind my setosa! Gives me much more room on that ledge to mount some more SPS.



I took these pics with my Samsung vibrant...excuse me for the poor picture quality. Once I get everything mounted I'll get some better pics up with a March/April FTS once my turbos destroy all this HA.



Enjoy

Brice

Wow! I haven't been on in a while! Almost all settled in at my new job....great to be working again!

I've changed quite a few things in the last month:
-changed out all my t5 bulbs
-took my refugium offline, and turned it into a frag area w/ par30
-added ~100mL's of bio-pellets
-changed from b-ionic to BRS 2-part
-6 eyes of BGM and 5 eyes of EME chalice $40/each!!!!
-switched from TMP to Red Sea Coral Pro salt
-My RBTA split twice! sold those...

Tank is really maturing nicely my algae is all gone. My chemistry is perfect and I cant be more happier with my bubble magus doser. My tank has really never looked better.

I'll have a new updated FTS hopefully this weekend!

nice looking tank and good job on getting that algae under control. quick question: you still happy with the flow you get out of your mp40? i got a 48 x 24 x 12 tank and am trying to figure out if one mp40 will be enough to keep an sps dominant tank.

Yes, I'm very pleased with the mp40. I keep it on 100% reef crest and get decent flow clear on the other side. For now it's sufficient...I'm actually entertaining the idea of adding an mp10 to the other side though.

5/3/2011

ENJOY

mesmerizing. absolutely perfect. great job.

love it man omg!! very nice looking tank!

Thanks so much! I'm finally just sitting back and trying not to F with things. These biopellets are working a little too good. I'm going to add a blue tang and a yellow tang here soon.... my tank is getting a little too clean and my corals don't like it.

awesome, medic. beautiful array of colors you got going.

you know I keep looking at it & its simply amazing what you've pulled off.

Looks great. Like the islands. Very similar to what I will be doing with my rockwork once I'm moved. Keep it up.

Thanks!

I have some good and bad news....

Unfortunately with my new job and without enough time to take care of this tank I have started the breakdown process. Most of my SPS/LR has been sold off.

Good news though is I'm definitely not getting out of the hobby! I'm taking it back to the basics. I picked up a used 34g Solana which I plan to be LPS and some softies and my birdsnest collection. I'll have a build thread coming up within the next month.

I won't be breaking down the 75 till then due to a recent spawning of my Bangaii Cardinals. The male is still carrying the fry. Except for one that managed to escape and I currently have in a breeding net eating freshly hatched brine shrimp.

Here it is!


I'll have more pics one the rest are released.

Can't wait for the 34.