Roger’s Cursed 65g

[markalot]

(max i 4 bulbs) ?? what does this mean?

[TheKleinReef]

(max i 4 bulbs) ?? what does this mean?

 

really? lol

 

is*

[1.0reef]

I heard someone wants high end zoas, palys, and shrooms?

[TheKleinReef]

I heard someone wants high end zoas, palys, and shrooms?

 

next tank. not this one.

[Dark_ice]

Makes me wonder what zoas you would pick.

[PODPIMP]

he's the difference:

 

Ok Looking at this the obvious difference is the lighting. 2x250w is crazy bright on a 50g. How is the color and growth on SPS in this tank? Are colors pastel or darker?

 

I'm curious why you're running the 6 bulb T5 for only 2 hours with all bulbs on? How long is the total photoperiod? Even in ULN tanks I ran ATI T5's 5-6 hours with all bulbs on with a tool photoperiod of 10-12hrs.

 

Do you have phosphate reading for each tank?

[TheKleinReef]

Ok Looking at this the obvious difference is the lighting. 2x250w is crazy bright on a 50g. How is the color and growth on SPS in this tank? Are colors pastel or darker?

 

I'm curious why you're running the 6 bulb T5 for only 2 hours with all bulbs on? How long is the total photoperiod? Even in ULN tanks I ran ATI T5's 5-6 hours with all bulbs on with a tool photoperiod of 10-12hrs.

 

Do you have phosphate reading for each tank?

 

coral in the frag tank are decent looking imo. PE and growth is insane in that tank. visible growth withina week. colors are a little on lighther side, but most of them are darkening/coloring up a bunch.

 

i decreased the photoperiod cause i noticed my montis/sps up top where turning white. so i had a parabola type set up. to where 6 bulbs would be a high noon. and 4 bulbs would be the majority of the day.

 

no phosphate readings, but a few months ago i never had to scrape theglass, no micro or macro algae. hell i couldn't even get caulerpa to grow. since then i've increased feedings and actually run the skimmer 16H to keep some nutrients in the display. since i've done that, i've actually had some nice film on the glass and LPS color has improved immensely.

[PODPIMP]

Roger you have me at a lack of suggestions for the current situation The damage in the display is already done. If you restock this tank with SPS again I would try a different approach. Feed the tank and fish often. Make sure that you have detectable nitrate, if not add more fish. You should be able to grow diatom on your glass in a day or two. Looking back at your thread, every pic is showing "starved" looking SPS. I see this all too often these days, usually from GFO use when it's not needed or powerful skimming with no bioload.

 

Some people rely on amino supplements and corals food but NOTHING darkens SPS colors and adds more zooxanthelle better than fish crap. You really need more dissolved organics in your reef so you don't choke out your SPS again. This is a KISS method but can be surprisingly effective at producing some of the best color SPS that you ever had. You will also get a better feel for the nutrient balance and can later, safely, tweak colors even more with various supplements. You will find the need to have at least a 6 hr photoperiod with all bulbs on, and 10-12hrs overall at this nutrient level. Actually if you put your halides over a tank like this the colors would be insane!!!… Just saying

Also, at this nutrient level, if you keep a DKH of 7 your corals won't grow for squat. You will need to be around 9.

 

 

What is your feeding in this tank on a daily basis?

What are the 5 fish in here?

[TheKleinReef]

Roger you have me at a lack of suggestions for the current situation The damage in the display is already done. If you restock this tank with SPS again I would try a different approach. Feed the tank and fish often. Make sure that you have detectable nitrate, if not add more fish. You should be able to grow diatom on your glass in a day or two. Looking back at your thread, every pic is showing "starved" looking SPS. I see this all too often these days, usually from GFO use when it's not needed or powerful skimming with no bioload.

 

Some people rely on amino supplements and corals food but NOTHING darkens SPS colors and adds more zooxanthelle better than fish crap. You really need more dissolved organics in your reef so you don't choke out your SPS again. This is a KISS method but can be surprisingly effective at producing some of the best color SPS that you ever had. You will also get a better feel for the nutrient balance and can later, safely, tweak colors even more with various supplements. You will find the need to have at least a 6 hr photoperiod with all bulbs on, and 10-12hrs overall at this nutrient level. Actually if you put your halides over a tank like this the colors would be insane!!! Just saying

Also, at this nutrient level, if you keep a DKH of 7 your corals won't grow for squat. You will need to be around 9.

 

 

What is your feeding in this tank on a daily basis?

What are the 5 fish in here?

I figured the damage was done which is why I took all the sps out. Lol but the major problem I've been trying to tackle is the low nutrient level. I've believe I'm making progress with feedings and skimmer time.

 

The five fish are a yellow tang, flame angel, two clowns and a swalesi basslet. But I've been contemplating removing the tang and angel for a bunch if more peaceful fish to up the bio load.

 

As for the the dkh I'm getting great growth in te frag tank at 7.3 which is why I left it there. I notice the frag tank naturally stabilized at 7.3-7.5 but the display likes to be at 9.0 which is where it has been at the last few weeks.

 

Christine (nanotopia) thinks I'm having an ionic imbalance problem, do you think that could be a problem I'm having as well?

 

Thanks for the help podpimp! I think The end of my problems is near.

[metrokat]

<----- for pod pimp

[TheKleinReef]

<----- for pod pimp

 

good guy podpimp.

 

[PODPIMP]

<----- for pod pimp

Thanks Kat Feeling is mutual. Your reef is a great example for nano reefers chasing the magic "0" in hopes of getting great SPS color.

 

 

good guy podpimp.

 

Thanks Rog, I try

 

 

 

Christine has a very good understanding of the nutrient balance. She explained to me that she has a nano and chooses to balance her nutrients and colors with supplements, rather than stuffing fish into a small box. I can't disagree with her there at all. I don't have a great understanding of the effects of many of the blue bottles but I would trust her advice if you went that route.

 

Only advice that I can offer if from my experience. I'm comfortable using fish poop because it has a good margin of error and the added benefit of life in the display. You'll know that you're over doing it long before it's overdone. There are some many methods of nutrient control that you can easily correct a high spike in nutrients. A little rowa phos, a larger water change, wet skim, bacteria/carbon dose etc.. Save the bacteria/carbon for much later if you go that route.

 

What I notice about DKH is that the lower your nutrients are, the closer to NSW it needs to be (around 7dkh I believe). I've experienced this in my own tanks and observed in many tanks on these forums. Back in the day (I sound old now ) I used to run my alk at 12-13DKH and I saw much added benefit from this….. the corals would actually grow lol! We had much higher nutrient levels back then and needed bright light and high alk levels to get growth. Today, because of all the nutrient reduction methods, the opposite is true. At least I think it is

I'm currently running my reef at 9 dkh with fast growth and good color.

[TheKleinReef]

Thanks Kat Feeling is mutual. Your reef is a great example for nano reefers chasing the magic "0" in hopes of getting great SPS color.

 

 

Thanks Rog, I try

 

 

 

Christine has a very good understanding of the nutrient balance. She explained to me that she has a nano and chooses to balance her nutrients and colors with supplements, rather than stuffing fish into a small box. I can't disagree with her there at all. I don't have a great understanding of the effects of many of the blue bottles but I would trust her advice if you went that route.

 

Only advice that I can offer if from my experience. I'm comfortable using fish poop because it has a good margin of error and the added benefit of life in the display. You'll know that you're over doing it long before it's overdone. There are some many methods of nutrient control that you can easily correct a high spike in nutrients. A little rowa phos, a larger water change, wet skim, bacteria/carbon dose etc.. Save the bacteria/carbon for much later if you go that route.

 

What I notice about DKH is that the lower your nutrients are, the closer to NSW it needs to be (around 7dkh I believe). I've experienced this in my own tanks and observed in many tanks on these forums. Back in the day (I sound old now ) I used to run my alk at 12-13DKH and I actually saw much added benefit from this.. the corals would actually grow lol! We had much higher nutrient levels back then and needed bright light and high alk levels to get growth. Today, because of all the nutrient reduction methods, the opposite is true. At least I think it is

I'm currently running my reef at 9 dkh with fast growth and good color.

So I think I have a plan. Sell the tang and angel. And grab some more fish to get some more nutrients in the system. Combine that with water changes to restabilize the ions and I should see progress.

 

I think you were right. The sps were just slowly starving and I couldn't feed enough to keep them happy.

[PODPIMP]

So I think I have a plan. Sell the tang and angel. And grab some more fish to get some more nutrients in the system. Combine that with water changes to restabilize the ions and I should see progress.

 

I think you were right. The sps were just slowly starving and I couldn't feed enough to keep them happy.

 

 

I've done did what you've done Works better when the corals can populate a higher level of zoox from the nutrients in the display. I wouldn't exactly call it feeding the coral, but it sorta is What's nice is that you have 2 separate systems. You can run them different ways to see what methods work best. Good hands on learning opportunity! None of this stuff really makes total sense until you actually experience it. Keep us posted Rog!

[jedimasterben]

Why are you getting rid of fish to add fish?

[TheKleinReef]

Why are you getting rid of fish to add fish?

Gonna trade in mean fish for nice fish.

 

 

 

I've done did what you've done Works better when the corals can populate a higher level of zoox from the nutrients in the display. I wouldn't exactly call it feeding the coral, but it sorta is What's nice is that you have 2 separate systems. You can run them different ways to see what methods work best. Good hands on learning opportunity! None of this stuff really makes total sense until you actually experience it. Keep us posted Rog!

Will do. Thanks again.

[TheKleinReef]

came home today and found that the STN made it's way into the frag tank.

 

lost 1/2 the ORA nana, and hawkins.

2 colonies and 3 or four frags.

 

i'm giving up.

selling all my acro.

[TheKleinReef]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/113969537@N03/12679885315/'>

http://www.flickr.com/photos/113969537@N03/12679885315/'>FTS 2-21-14 by http://www.flickr.com/people/113969537@N03/'>xMrKleinReef, on Flickr

test acro is doing well.

gonna mount one of my big birdsnest colonies on the right i think. it needs something up there.

[Arkayology]

GL getting things back on track!

[TheKleinReef]

GL getting things back on track!

 

hope i can. i had cyano when i went home last week so hopefully there's enough nutrients in the system again.

i haven't see cyano in a long time.

i still need to do some 20G water changes though. i just haven't been able to do them.

[Arkayology]

hope i can. i had cyano when i went home last week so hopefully there's enough nutrients in the system again.

i haven't see cyano in a long time.

i still need to do some 20G water changes though. i just haven't been able to do them.

I think that is the first time I have read about anyone being happy to see cyno lol. I agree that it might be a good sign that you are heading in the right direction. Get on those water changes!

[TheKleinReef]

I think that is the first time I have read about anyone being happy to see cyno lol. I agree that it might be a good sign that you are heading in the right direction. Get on those water changes!

 

i'm at school now, and i can't convince my parents to do them. so i'm not sure when i'll be able to do a big water change.

i've been behind on them lately cause it's getting towards the end of the term.

 

^^ which is likely another factor of my struggles

[Arkayology]

i'm at school now, and i can't convince my parents to do them. so i'm not sure when i'll be able to do a big water change.

i've been behind on them lately cause it's getting towards the end of the term.

 

^^ which is likely another factor of my struggles

Ahh, ya well that would be a problem lol. GL with your term.

[TheKleinReef]

Ahh, ya well that would be a problem lol. GL with your term.

Thanks. One more then it's off to grad school. I hope :0

[Arkayology]

Thanks. One more then it's off to grad school. I hope :0

Heh, you won't being saying that after the dept and sleepless nights reading and writing lol. Grad school has aged me horribly.