Reefmack's Red Sea Max

[StevieT]

Coralline master- what did you do with all the scrapings? Did you leave them in the tank or did you remove some or most of them?

 

I usually leave them in there but I have never done the equivalent of 20 lbs of scrapping before.

[rhogeo]

I tell ya, Reefmack. The combination of the clean black background and the new bulb makes all the colors just pop like crazy. The tank looks super.

[Reefmack]

StevieT - funny on the "Coralline master" Well, I drained a few gallons out for my weekly water change, and this allows me to get my gloved arm in the tank without sloshing water over the sides. Most of the coralline comes off as a powder so it all stayed in the tank. Even "20 lbs." of powdered coralline would be tough to remove without sucking out all my substrate too! Surprisingly the substrate didn't turn pink, but the water was a cloudy pink for a few hours. A lot of it stays suspended and gets caught in the filter pad and removed that way. Maybe I should just bottle the stuff next time and sell to newbies who want to quick start their rock with a live coralline dose? Or i could send it all to you to include in your product line - StevieT's Quick Coralline! But, it would probably need to be refrigerated and shipped soon with cold packs - maybe $20 an ounce? And I could be given StevieT points? Of course I'm kidding!

 

rhogeo - thanks. It almost looks like I just set up the tank now. But, I wonder if I can stick with the program and keep after the coralline, or if I'll just let it take over again and wish I did!

[snake plissken]

Snake - I may be wrong, but I don't think that coralline algae consumes nitrates to grow - at least not anywhere even close to something like chaeto or green hair algae do. It does need calcium though and is basically like limestone in nature. Very good question though! I'm guessing it needs calcium, magnesium & light energy, but surely it needs more than those to thrive. I guess I'll see if I get any green algae showing up on the glass now- I haven't had any in ages. Anyone know what the requirements are for coralline growth, other than the obvious calcium, etc.?

 

i don't think it consumes nitrates, per se. again, i am no marine bioligist. usually i throw out blanket staements like this, and somebody much more intelligent will come along and make me look good with a supporting, clarifying statement. where are those guys anyway?

 

i did find this on another site:

"Coralline algae are considered a vital part in every reef and marine system. The algae produce chemicals that promote herbivorous invertebrates. These in turn keep various sea weeds from growing which would otherwise smother the algae or keep them in the shade.

 

These “algae” take up carbon for photosynthesis, and calcification where calcium is stored as calcium carbonate within the cell walls. It is also these cell walls that grow across the rock, structuring and holding together the reef set up. Corallines produce a form of magnesium that is beneficial for the invertebrates and the reef environment.

 

In summary the advantages of coralline algae are that it outgrows the nuisance algae. The healthier the coralline algae growth, the less likely the nuisance algae will grow. Corallines also add lots of color to the aquarium and help to build up a reef tank. It is not the coral that form the reef, it is the coralline algae that cements the particles together thus building the reef.

 

Last but not least, growing coralline algae is a sign of a healthy environment with good water values. And of course the display of a healthy reef tank is simply stunning."

 

from this site -->http://www.algone.com/coralline_algae.php

[Reefmack]

Nice, informative article snake! I know the coralline will cover a surface & prevent green algae growth in that manner. I posted a question in the RC forum on what coralline needs to grow, other than light, calcium & trace elements, but never did get a good answer. Probably not nitrates, but something with carbon I would think, since most, if not all, life forms are carbon based. On this planet anyway Lots of articles on coralline and many way over my head, but I got the feeling that there's a lot we don't know about coralline. I found there are all kinds of coralline - branching, plating, etc., and even found pictures of branching coralline:

 

Branched Coralline

 

Pretty weird looking stuff!

[StevieT]

I have been offered by noobs to buy some of my coralline

 

You are right, it seems to get suspended in the water, after I scrape I never can find much on the sand, I suppose that is a good thing.

[Reefmack]

StevieT - actually I spotted a piece of coralline - a squarish piece about 1/4", stuck in the branches of one of my acros. I guess 100% of it didn't end up as suspended powder.

 

Hmmmmm - sounds like yet another new business opportunity for you. Early retirement as a wealthy reef entrepreneur? Let me know when StevieT shares get offerered on the stock market. Hey - ya never know what the future holds!

[EnjoiFish]

one thing I've noticed with coraline is that it affects the color spectrum, so to speak.

 

I did a little experiment with my tank and my gfs

 

her tank is covered in coraline and she just switched over to a 150w sunpod, the tank looks great but it has a blue/purple tint to everything.

 

So I switched the lighting units I have a current compact with 1 dual 50/50 bulb just to see the difference, and since my tank is prodominately white the sunpod didn't make much of a difference it was just brighter. But. with the compact on her tank it was less pink/blue tint.

 

u can see a difference in the photos you have, certain corals don't "pop" without the coraline

[StevieT]

I am going to put purple up out of business with my coralline tanks.

[iglowce]

very nice tank progression. i see you start with softies and moving slowly to sps. what happened to the old corals? did you return them, or did they die off?

[StevieT]

Nice tank, love it. Can you tell me what kind of sand you are using? Do you think beach sand is ok to use? I really want a clam in my tank, can you keep them under the stock lighting? How often are you dosing with StevieTup, I am looking to increase my coralline growth.

[Reefmack]

EnjoiFish - yep heavy coralline can affect the look of the tank and even makes pictures take on a pink cast. Actually I think my corals now pop more, rather than less, with the coralline gone in the back, and they show up more now as there's more contrast with the background. It kinda adds a "deep water" look in the background, rather than a bit unnatural looking "flat pink wall" in back. But, JMO and personal preference. A lot of the "coral pop" is also due to the spectrum of the bulb. I got rid of my 10k MH bulb, then went to a 20k and saw more pop doing that. But now that I've gone to the whiter 14k lamp I really like it - not yellow like a 10k, and not quite as blue as a 20k. But, I changed 2 things at once (switched bulbs and got rid of coralline) so it's hard to pin any differences on either as both were done at the same time.

[hxcaquaman]

I see, I replyed on here under my gf's screen name. it was I who posted not enjoifish, I forgot to sign her out. haha.

 

Stevet watch out with the purple up, its got iodine in it. don't go too crazy with it

[StevieT]

Stevet watch out with the purple up, its got iodine in it. don't go too crazy with it

 

 

no, StevieTup, not purple up. I dumped an entier bottle of StevieTup in my tank this morning, do you think I need to worry? I dont' want to over do it, but I can't wait to grow my own coralline algae. I want it NOW! my tangs love eating the extras that float around.

[Reefmack]

Oh nooooooo - not a whole bottle of StevieTup! Track your ammonia from all those dead organisms that will be showing up from a coralline OD! Hahahahaha!

[HankB]

rhogeo - yep - that's a blue Linkia star on the left side. I've had it at least a year, but it's gradually getting smaller - not enough to eat. They say the Linkias usually don't last much more than a few months to a year, especially in a small tank. My wife wanted one so anything that makes her happy with the tank I do! If it last a few more months that'll probably be the end of it. No replacement either - it can do a great job of blocking the gate and dropping the flow in back, messing up my ATO and starving the pumps.

 

Maybe the Linkia just wants a little drink of fresh water.

 

Do you have the Tunze ATO? I've seen those (the sensor) mounted in the tank itself using a custom bracket instead of the monster (fits anything) bracket that Tunze supplies. That wouldn't solve the pump starvation problem but would prevent an overactive ATO. The Tunze sensor is pretty small so it would be unobtrusive in the tank.

 

After checking out the results of a clean back, I'm thinking of suggesting that to SWMBO. Looks good! I think it gives more visual depth rather than providing a highly visible back wall.

 

-hank

[Reefmack]

Hi Hank. Yes, I have the Tunze ATO. If I could be sure the Linkia or a snail wouldn't be crawling onto the emergency float (providing no buoyancy and no emergency backup) I might be tempted to put the sensors in the tank. That emergency float has saved me twice. If something crawled on the optical sensor the worst that could happen is the tank level would drop and the back too, starving the pumps. I suppose having the optical sensor in the display tank, and the float in back could be a good alternative, and as you said a custom bracket would hide the tiny thing pretty well - good idea. If I can ever find the time I need to determine if I can set up & run the new overflow box, sump/ATO system I still have sitting in boxes, I may not need to worry about any of this stuff anymore. It's really my ultimate goal to get everything out of the back, and have nothing but the 2 RSM pumps back there. No more varying water levels in back to worry about.

[Reefmack]

very nice tank progression. i see you start with softies and moving slowly to sps. what happened to the old corals? did you return them, or did they die off?

 

iglowce - sorry, but I just noticed that I never answered you. A lot of the corals ended up in another tank when I took a lot of the top rock off to furnish the other tank. A couple were given away - my big aggressive tree-like frogspawn and a purple acan colony - both had killed some other corals, as well as the big FS stinging me more than once. I also lost a couple SPS - possibly due to an episode of high nitrates, and possibly not proper light acclimation. I've also come to a conclusion (JMO) that buying wild harvested SPS colonies (such as Divers Den types) often met with them not being able to adjust well - I think small frags, and aquacultured SPS gives a lot better success rate (as well as protects the reefs).

[fierceseaman]

Reefmack, I know you've gone over it before, not in this thread but other threads, how did you install the hydor flo device? I just got mine today and am setting my tank up again and am trying to get an idea of how you did it.

 

EDIT: ok, nevermind, i found your method on the RSMreefers.com website. Are you still doing it this way?

[Reefmack]

fierceseaman - I've only done it once. When I recently replaced the Hydor Flo I just used the original fitting I enlarged to fit over the powerhead fitting. I think Kent (NaCl+H20Fish on the RC forum) managed to fit his on with none of the adapters - but I can't remember how - maybe just force LOL!

[fierceseaman]

yeah I ended up doing to. I have it attached to the loc line coming off the stock pump. I don't like the amount of flow that comes out of it though. I dunno, maybe it has to break in or something but I feel like I need more flow in the tank. We'll see.

[Reefmack]

It may cut the flow a little bit, but it's more that the flow is spread out over a much wider area. The RSM powerhead concentrated the flow coming out - the Hydor Flo gives a much wider flow pattern. Some flow energy is obviously used in moving the gears, but it's mostly a matter of the wider flow pattern. JMO.

[snake plissken]

It may cut the flow a little bit, but it's more that the flow is spread out over a much wider area. The RSM powerhead concentrated the flow coming out - the Hydor Flo gives a much wider flow pattern. Some flow energy is obviously used in moving the gears, but it's mostly a matter of the wider flow pattern. JMO.

 

+1 on that reefmack. folks gotta realize why they are getting the hydor flo. the beauty of it is that is spreads the flow around the tank. its much more turbulent like the real ocean. a regualr (un modified) powerhead may feel liek it has more flow but its all in one direction. its like drinking from the firehose for your corals

 

You get to drink from...The FIRE HOSE!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbbNCWZ2lvA

 

 

with that said, i am getting a little frustrated with my flo. i have to continually take it out and clean it. its always stopping and spraying on one direction. i have had it almost al long as my RSM (over a year) and i have a ton of corraline (your fav stuff, reefmack!). i wonder if its just growing inside and causing it to "stick"

 

anybody else having "endless" stuck-hydor-flo issue?

 

although -- when it works, i love it!

[rhogeo]

I've had mine about 3 months and had to clean it once. Same thing, though. Just stopped turning. Took it apart and cleaned it real well and it worked like a charm. It also has some corraline on it.

 

- geoff

[Reefmack]

I recently replaced my Hydor Flo also - after about 14 months. It was stopping also. I think maybe the gears wear down after a long time, or it's just algae & coralline growth. I kept my first one though - I'll soak it in vinegar for a few days, and clean it up & try it when I pull the other one out for cleaning.

 

Great video Snake!