AJ_Tsin's Zeo 47g Shallow. NEW FTS

[AJ_Tsin]

Added a few more frags yesterday from easily the most beautiful LFS I have ever been to: Canada Corals. Will post a new FTS and some photos later when the lights are on.

The Vertex Omega 130 is really starting to pull gunk now. It broke in after a week or two of finicking post Prazi-Pro quarrels and is everything its cracked up to be and more. Amazing piece of equipment for the price.

[Mr. Microscope]

 

This could be a Prostrata

I'm thinking A. Saramentosa.

[Arkayology]

I'm thinking A. Saramentosa.

I think that the coralites on A. sarmentosa are a bit more rounded aren't they? I am kinda thinking prostrata as well, but that is just my opinion.

[Mr. Microscope]

I think that the coralites on A. sarmentosa are a bit more rounded aren't they? I am kinda thinking prostrata as well, but that is just my opinion.

Usually, yes. But my frag of saramentosa started off looking like that.

[AJ_Tsin]

So things are looking a bit more "reef like." Here's a FTS and a few frags. Some with names and some more IDs needed. The frags are a bit brown still, but are colouring up nicely.

 

 

Miyagi Tortuosa

 

ORA Bellina Acropora

ID Needed?

 

ORA Red Planet

 

Yellow Millepora

[Reefmaster1996]

I'm getting rid of most of my frags, most are pretty ugly, thanks for the advice, I did a 7 gallon water change but it made the water a bit cloudier so I think I'll just let things go on thier own course, also dosed some potassium.

[AJ_Tsin]

I'm getting rid of most of my frags, most are pretty ugly, thanks for the advice, I did a 7 gallon water change but it made the water a bit cloudier so I think I'll just let things go on thier own course, also dosed some potassium.

 

No problem, it will work out. I think when you water change with a bacterial bloom it gets worse before it gets better because the bacteria has fresh water to populate, however you are getting to the root of the problem by removing detritus, keep at it it will get better. Coral Snow will help too, I would dose Coral Snow each night or every other night this week.

[Reefmaster1996]

That's exactly what I was going to do every night, I'll do a 5 gallon water change Wednesday, and keep an eye on it, we'll see how that hoes, I'll keep you updated on my thread.

 

By the way your reefs looking good

[JR!]

dat yellow milli.....

 

when it grows out i need to have some

[Arkayology]

Nice frags man!

[AJ_Tsin]

Side View

[AJ_Tsin]

By the way your reefs looking good

 

 

dat yellow milli.....

 

when it grows out i need to have some

 

Thanks guys. It is shaping up nicely. If you are in Canada a frag is all yours.

 

My camera/iPhoto settings are very flat in an effort to stay true to T5 fluorescent light and the coral colours. I have no actinic only bulbs so it is pretty easy to get a colour match. Should be very interesting to compare frag colours in 1 month. I plan on doing some side by sides of the same shots. Already noticing quite a bit of difference, but in a month colour and growth should be noticeable on many of them.

[Reefmaster1996]

Can't waiting I'm going to trade some stunner chalice for sps this week, and get some colonies this summer

[AJ_Tsin]

Nice frags man!

 

Thanks dude. It is strange buying frags at the LFS knowing they are going to eventually look better in your setup. I think usually its the other way around.

[BattleAthletics]

Your old build was one of the first that I wanted to replicate, glad you are rebuilding, can wait to see this grow out.

[Arkayology]

Thanks dude. It is strange buying frags at the LFS knowing they are going to eventually look better in your setup. I think usually its the other way around.

Really? I've never had that been the case. I guess I usually get them to be the same level of awesome or they improve in my tanks. I guess you know you are doing something right then.

[AJ_Tsin]

Really? I've never had that been the case. I guess I usually get them to be the same level of awesome or they improve in my tanks. I guess you know you are doing something right then.

 

I usually do as well, but I think many reefers are skeptical in the LFS because things look nice and then they brown out in their home system because of excess nutrients.

[AJ_Tsin]

Just emptied the Omega skimmer last night, here it is about 10 hrs later.

 

[Reefmaster1996]

Reminds me I have to empty mine, been skimming wet lately, are you skimming wet or dry, should it be wet for zeovit, I've been skimming dry this whole time until I had the clarity issue, could that be a cause, form not getting excess bacteria out quick enough?

[AJ_Tsin]

Reminds me I have to empty mine, been skimming wet lately, are you skimming wet or dry, should it be wet for zeovit, I've been skimming dry this whole time until I had the clarity issue, could that be a cause, form not getting excess bacteria out quick enough?

I think the wet or dry debate is very subjective with ZeoVit. If you have a nutrient problem or early on in a system I think skimming wet is the way to go, however when you get into ZeoVit Phase C or a stable ULNS then its safer to skim dry so you aren't stripping things like Potassium and the ZeoVit additives.

 

I am skimming somewhere in the middle with the foam head kind of breaking near where the cup connects to the body however wet foam clumps are making their way up the neck into the cup and I am getting the notorious "Tea" colour skimmate. Only about 250 ml a day of this stuff though and there is about a 1/4 inch of gunk built up all around the neck and rim of the cup every couple days.

 

Still fine tuning though.

[Reefmaster1996]

Ok good to know, thanks, I'll be brewing some tea this week then

[FSTanks]

Aj,

This is my first post as I am a brand new N-R member.

I just finished reading this entire thread... Whew!

I have kept fish but not corals, so I am a reefing beginner.

I was researching sumps for a mixed reef build for my office (build to happen this summer) and came across this forum and your build thread in particular.

Loved your tank and videos, looking forward to seeing how the new version of of your tank goes.

I have two questions:

1) What are the current dimensions of your sump and how does your skimmer and zeo reactor fit? I am planning to do a DIY 24" sump so I have space for ATO and dosing containers in the 36" space that I will have under the tank. I was looking at the Omega 130 and 1.5L vertex zeo reactor and hoping it will all fit in an approx. 18"x12" space.

2) It seems like a lot advanced SPS reefers are using MH or T5 lighting... How much heat and noise do your T5's contribute to the system? I was looking at LED options but am now seriously considering T5.

Any thoughts are appreciated!

[AJ_Tsin]

Aj,

This is my first post as I am a brand new N-R member.

I just finished reading this entire thread... Whew!

I have kept fish but not corals, so I am a reefing beginner.

I was researching sumps for a mixed reef build for my office (build to happen this summer) and came across this forum and your build thread in particular.

Loved your tank and videos, looking forward to seeing how the new version of of your tank goes.

I have two questions:

1) What are the current dimensions of your sump and how does your skimmer and zeo reactor fit? I am planning to do a DIY 24" sump so I have space for ATO and dosing containers in the 36" space that I will have under the tank. I was looking at the Omega 130 and 1.5L vertex zeo reactor and hoping it will all fit in an approx. 18"x12" space.

2) It seems like a lot advanced SPS reefers are using MH or T5 lighting... How much heat and noise do your T5's contribute to the system? I was looking at LED options but am now seriously considering T5.

Any thoughts are appreciated!

 

Welcome to Nano-Reef, I am honoured you chose this thread for the first post! Hope reading through wasn't too much of a nightmare, even I haven't ever read it all through in one go.

 

I will measure the specific section of the sump my skimmer and Zeovit Reactor are in tonight (don't know off hand). I have mine both in the same section because of space restrictions however ideally to optimize the additives I would prefer my reactor in a separate section downstream from the skimmer. I may eventually upgrade my ZeoVit Reactor to the newer Vertex model as this has a slightly smaller footprint (no rectangular baseplate) and would likely fit nicely into a different chamber in my sump.

 

The T5's don't really add too much heat especially the fan cooled Powermodule. It is very hard for me to tell as my sump is in a unfinished basement cellar type room. This means I am constantly heating the tank even in the summer months so even if things are contributing to the ambient temperature it is not really notable. Maybe someone else can comment here?

 

I still prefer T5s over Halide, I have never run LED's so I cannot comment however I am very happy with the fixture, the bulbs last very long in an ATI fixture so the extra cost is not a big deal, however power consumption does add up over time. Halides in my experience will definitely heat up a tank.

 

 

[Reefmaster1996]

I'm sure a Jedi will make an appearance shortly, and present you with these neat little light emmitters called leds

[AJ_Tsin]

I'm sure a Jedi will make an appearance shortly, and present you with these neat little light emmitters called leds

Once things get going enough to frag things, I will be setting up a 10 or 15 gallon frag tank in the basement connecting it to the sump with a small overflow and a Maxi Jet pump. I plan on running an LED fixture on this extension to compare the two. Not sure if I am going to buy a fixture or just run a PAR 38... though thoughts?