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Viewpoints - A Photographic Journal of my Reef Tank


urbaneks

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BattleAthletics

January 24th, 2014 - Response to Feedback

 

 

Whoops, I guess I should have picked up on that.

 

I'm way early in the planning but my next tank will be in the neighborhood of 60x48x20 (~250 gallons) . The tank will sit on a tall (~40") stand. I'm thinking of a peninsula style tank where one of the 48" sides would marry up against a false wall that leads into an existing closet. That same 48" side will have a coast to coast overflow that leads to the sump/equipment which will be housed in a combination of the stand and closet. That's about as far as I've gotten.

I see you are going deep dimension, who would be the manufacture? Kind of like what mastermind has done with his new(not so new) build? I love your documentation on the tank, that's what im going for in my new build.

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Urbaneks,

 

So nice to meet you today !!! Thanks for the hook up on the corals and kalk reactor!!! I know all you nano reefers have seen all the photos and videos of his tank but damn pictures don't do this tank justice!!! Really a beautiful / a work of art tank !!! This tank is worth the title of TOTM in my opinion !!! You got my vote!!

 

Thanks again - Jose

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January 27th, 2014 - Response to Feedback

 

I see you are going deep dimension, who would be the manufacture? Kind of like what mastermind has done with his new(not so new) build? I love your documentation on the tank, that's what im going for in my new build.

 

I am not far enough in the process to consider a manufacturer. The idea of a new tank is really just that (an idea). Thanks for the kind words on my documentation. I'm glad there are people out there that appreciate and use it.

 

Urbaneks,

So nice to meet you today !!! Thanks for the hook up on the corals and kalk reactor!!! I know all you nano reefers have seen all the photos and videos of his tank but damn pictures don't do this tank justice!!! Really a beautiful / a work of art tank !!! This tank is worth the title of TOTM in my opinion !!! You got my vote!!

Thanks again - Jose

 

Jose - Thank you for making the drive over and checking out the tank. It's always good to talk Reefing with another hobbyist. As we all know, our family members don't really get it! I hope the new corals, I sent you home with do great for you. I think you will really like the Oregon Tort.

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January 28th, 2014 - Response to Feedback

 

 

Definetly totm worthy

 

 

Cameron - Thanks for the vote of confidence. My tank has been mentioned in that conversation in the past but the size seems to be the limiting factor. Personally, I think the TOTM's should be based on content in the journal, knowledge shared with other reefers and then the tank itself. After all, the reason, we are on this forum is to collaborate and share knowledge.

 

Again, thanks for taking the time to view and comment!

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BattleAthletics

Personally, I think the TOTM's should be based on content in the journal, knowledge shared with other reefers and then the tank itself. After all, the reason, we are on this forum is to collaborate and share knowledge.

 

For that alone, it should be up there in the TOTM tier, they could, should consider you for a special TOTM, not necessarily a nTOTM. You have been on this forum for 4+ years, and you have been helped, have helped reefers countless times. Good luck though.

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January 28th, 2014 - Photo Update

 

Here are a couple new photos of the aquarium.

Reflections2_zps1d920e9e.jpg

Photo taken with MP40s in Feed Mode. I've been enjoying taking reflection shots here lately.

FRS_zps03d45ec3.jpg

Most of the FTS that I have of the tank don't include any of the library where the tank is located. I've attempted to show a bit of the room so you can see how the tank looks as part of the overall room.

SideViewCapTort_zps0be2dae1.jpg

Photo taken from the right side of the aquarium. This photo shows the size of the Oregon Tort.

MontiCap_zps2c5a3ff6.jpg

Here is a top down shot of the large Monti Cap. This coral is now 18"x 14"x12". I will be attempting to separate the center cone from the rest of the colony this weekend. One of the LFS in my area will be taking the rest of the coral

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Urbaneks - you take some awesome pictures . And yes I love the Oregon tort piece ! All the corals have some great PE on my frag rack !! And thanks for that huge green psammocora. Good luck with seperating the monti (man that thing is freaking huge) / just take you time when removing it.

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January 29th, 2014 - Response to Feedback

 

 

if you're ever willing to make a little (or large) frag pack, don't hesitate to let me know. :)

 

I may just take you up on that. Look through my photos and let me know what you have in mind. Just send me a PM and we can chat through the PM on what you want and what it will cost.

 

For that alone, it should be up there in the TOTM tier, they could, should consider you for a special TOTM, not necessarily a nTOTM. You have been on this forum for 4+ years, and you have been helped, have helped reefers countless times. Good luck though.

 

BA - Appreciate those kind words, that's a really cool idea. I'd like that.

 

Urbaneks - you take some awesome pictures . And yes I love the Oregon tort piece ! All the corals have some great PE on my frag rack !! And thanks for that huge green psammocora. Good luck with seperating the monti (man that thing is freaking huge) / just take you time when removing it.

 

Evo - Thanks for the compliment. I'm glad you like the Tort. The coral you called a psammocora is actually a Pavona Coral. I'm not looking foward to the work that needs to be done on the Monti Cap but, it's outgrown my tank and is really sucking down the alk.

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January 29th, 2014 - Photo Update

 

It seems like most people post pictures with very high blue/actinic lighting so I thought I would post a picture under the same high blue lighting. Again, sticking with the reflection shot theme.

 

Thanks for looking.

 

FTSReflection_zps06c18768.jpg

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January 29th, 2014 - Thoughts on Dosing the Big 3 (Cal, Alk and Mag)

 

I received a PM today asking me about my thoughts on dosing. Rather than reply to one person, I told them I would make a journal entry and they could get my thoughts along with anyone else that cares to know.

 

My Dosing Method

For dosing, I use the balling method which is nothing more than the use of two part with a dosing pump. I use a Bubble Magus dosing pump and have been doing so for 2 years now. I would recommend the dosing pump for anyone that wants to use two part.

 

Dose3.jpg

Bubble Magus Dosing Pump

 

My daily dose for each of the 3 components is split up into 12 small doses and dosed every two hours. Alk goes in the tank on odd hours and Cal and Mag does in on even hours. I've tested my tank just before an Alk dose and shortly after a dose and my tank does not swing by more than .1 dKH every two hours. In otherwords, my tank is near 8.0 at 11am and by 1pm, it's drifted down to 7.9 and then gets dosed back to 8.0. Compare this to someone who only doses once per day, my tank would be seeing a full dKH swing each day. If you want to successfully keep SPS, keeping Alk stable is the the most important thing you can do.

 

My Dosing Product of Choice

For two part solution, I use the BRS products that you mix yourself. I've been using this same product for more than two years now. The product comes pre-partitioned for a gallon of water. I simply use a gallon of RODI water, add the Cal, Mag or Alk powder in and shake. A gallon of Alk and a gallon of Cal solution cost me $6 to make and will last about a month. A gallon of Mag will last about 6 months. So for about $6 I can keep my tank dosed perfectly with very little work on my behalf.

 

My Parameters

The targets that I run my tank at are as follows:

 

Alkalinity - 8.0 dKH (Range +/- .5)

Calcium - 430 ppm (Range +/- 50)

Magnesium - 1310 ppm (Range +/- 50)

 

I will stress that these are only targets and that with each parameter I have an acceptable range which are also listed. I test each of these parameters once per week and only take actions on them if they are falling outside of my range or if there was an unexpected swing from one reading to the next. As an example, when I test my Alk, if it tests at 8.3, I would not do anything. If a week later, it tested at 7.8, again, I would not do anything about it. I can't stress enough that you don't need to and should not chase a perfect value. This will just drive you crazy and you will never hit it. The other urge that you need to stay away from is dosing two different values for your Cal and Alk. Two part products are meant to be used in equal amounts.

 

Setting up your Doser

When you are first setting your dosages, I recommend testing Cal and Alk. Once you have your initial values dose your tank manually to the values you wish to run your tank at. For this example, I will say 8.0 on Alk and 450 on Cal. After the manual dose test again to ensure you hit your mark. Once you know your values are spot on do nothing for the next 24 hours. Don't test, don't dose, just enjoy the tank. Exactly 24 hours later test your Alk again (only test Alk, no need to test Cal), this value should give you a good idea of how much Alk your tank uses each day. Based on the product you are using and the size of your tank, determine how much solution you need to dose back to 8.0. Go ahead and dose that amount manually and then set your doser to dose that amount each day. Match your Cal dose to the Alk dose. From this point, let the tank run with the dose you set for 3 days without any manual intervention. On the 3rd day, test Alk again to see if your initial dose was too much or not enough. Make the small adjust on your doser needed to be on target again, match your Cal dose to your Alk dose. Manually get the tank back to 8 and you should have a very good dose in place. Let your Alk dictate where your Cal runs. In my tank, I wanted to run at 8 and 450 but what I've found is that to run equal dosages, my Cal runs at 430 which is perfectly fine. That is my tank's balance, each tank will have their own. From this point forward, test once per week and only change your dose when you see that your consumption has gone up significantly. I find that my tank will run at the same dosage for 6 months at a time and then just one week the consumption changes and an adjustment needs to be made. When I need to make an adjustment, I will follow the process above.

 

Magnesium Doser Setup

For Mag, just test the tank, manually dose the tank to your target value, set an initial dose based on the product's directions and let it dose for the week. After a week, test your Mag and adjust up or down as needed. It is important to keep your Mag up so that your Cal and Alk balance remains in check.

 

FTSLookingUp_zpsfb54b484.jpg

A recent FTS to show that the method to my madness has some merit

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A fantastic insight into your dosing regime, thanks for sharing. I'm looking at getting a dosing pump sooner rather than later as I am adding more and more SPS/LPS to my system.

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January 30th,, 2014 - Response to Feedback

 

A fantastic insight into your dosing regime, thanks for sharing. I'm looking at getting a dosing pump sooner rather than later as I am adding more and more SPS/LPS to my system.

 

Rollajase - Thanks for the comment. You will see a big difference in your tank, once you start the small and frequent doses. I did not specifiy this but with the BM dosing pump, you just enter in your daily dose and the number of time you want to dose per day and the pump does the rest.

 

If you have any questions when you are setting up your dosing pump don't hesitate to PM me here on Nano Reef.

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Thanks for the insight into your dosing regimen. Very helpful info there into trying to keep your alk and cal amounts the same. Love reading through your journal it's full of helpful info. Totm!!

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Rollajase - Thanks for the comment. You will see a big difference in your tank, once you start the small and frequent doses. I did not specifiy this but with the BM dosing pump, you just enter in your daily dose and the number of time you want to dose per day and the pump does the rest.

 

If you have any questions when you are setting up your dosing pump don't hesitate to PM me here on Nano Reef.

Thank you very much, I'll definitely keep that in mind when I decide to take the plunge into dosing. I keep an eye on my levels and I can currently keep on top of things with weekly water changes. I do agree though, once I can get the levels to maintain stability I think there will be a big improvement.

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I've lurked on your thread for a good bit and well since you were kind enough to comment on mine I figured I should be less of a lurker and say how much I enjoy looking at your tank and photography. You really have quite the showpiece of a tank going on here.

 

Your photography is great I really enjoy reflection photography, mostly with water reflections, they are quite fun to mess with.

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January 31st, 201 - Response to Feedback

 

 

I've lurked on your thread for a good bit and well since you were kind enough to comment on mine I figured I should be less of a lurker and say how much I enjoy looking at your tank and photography. You really have quite the showpiece of a tank going on here.

 

Your photography is great I really enjoy reflection photography, mostly with water reflections, they are quite fun to mess with.

 

Thanks for stopping in and making a comment. I'm glad you have enjoyed the journal. You have a good start going on yours. Keep it up.

 

Yeah the reflection fts is definetly a keeper

 

Thanks!

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January 31st, 201 - Response to Feedback

 

 

 

Thanks for stopping in and making a comment. I'm glad you have enjoyed the journal. You have a good start going on yours. Keep it up.

 

 

Thanks!

 

Thanks a ton, I don't do sps but am pretty familiar with the care involved and have a ton of respect to anyone who can get a tank looking this good with the system dominated by it. Keep the pics coming we can all use the inspiration.

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February 1st, 2014 - Thoughts on Nutrient Control

As a follow up to the journal entry on dosing Cal/Mag/Alk, I thought I would share my thoughts on nutrient control for Phosphates and Nitrates.

 

Nutrient Water Parameter Targets and Ranges

  • Phosphates - Target of 0, acceptable range up to .03
  • Nitrates - Target of 1, acceptable range up to 8

Phosphates - I test my phosphates once per week and look for a value that is below .03. Using a simple eye test, I can typically see a a change in a couple of my corals when my phosphate values are on the rise. Specifically, my X-Factor Monti Cap and Pavona Coral both change shades of green when phosphates are elevated.

 

Nitrates - I've become a bit unconventional with nitrates over the year or so. Rather than keep nitrates at 0 like most recommend, I strive to keep them at 1ppm. A value of 1 lets me know that I'm feeding my tank at the upper limit and still achieving the nutrient control that I'm after. I believe that if you are returning nitrate values at 0, you are missing an opportunity to nourish your reef. Again, sticking with the eye test, my coral coloration is at it's best when my nitrates are detectable. I don't credit this to nitrates but the extra food/amino, etc that drives the nitrates up.

 

Filtration Methods in Order of Importance

You will see from the description below that I employ a multifaceted filtration method. I've listed them below in the order that I find them most important with a brief description of how I use each one. You will notice that I don't run a refugium this is mainly due to the setup of my sump and lack of space to properly house a fuge. I plan to incorporate a fuge on my next tank.

 

Live Rock - I believe that live rock is the most important component of our filtration systems. I recommend you push your live rock usage as close to 1lb per gallon as your aquascaping and sump will allow. I started my tank with 100 lbs of live rock vs. 110g of actual water volume. Over the last three years I've removed 2 pieces totaling about 20lbs to free up room in my display. In my next system, I plan to incorporate a large section of the sump that will hose extra live rock.

 

Skimmer - Next to live rock, a good skimmer is the next most important element of our filtration. You don't have to look farther than the skimmer cup to know that they remove their fair share of waste from the system. Like many, I started my tank up with a cheaper skimmer, it was quickly one of the first things that I replaced. I currently run a Bubble King Mini 180 and love the job it does. My advice to anyone is to get the best skimmer your money will buy, do not try to save a buck here.

 

Water Changes - Some people may not think of water changes as filtration but a good water change does the same thing as a skimmer, trades dirty water for clean water. I could argue that water changes are more important than a skimmer, moving it up the list however, I'm not willing to water change any more frequent than I already do so the skimmer gets pushed up the list. I complete a 10-15% water change once per week using Reef Crystals. With each weekly water change I vacuum 1/3 of the gravel during the water change or vacuum out the sump. In other words, in a months time, every inch of my aquarium gets cleaned. If you do not currently gravel vac, you will be amazed at the amount of waste that is built up. I know some people will argue that I'm vacuuming out beneficial bacteria but I'm willing to trade this for a nice clean sand bed. This is another reason why I advocate lots of live rock, that way my tank is not dependent on the sand bed for filtration.

 

GFO (Granular Ferric Oxide) - For the life of me, I don't understand whey people struggle with phosphates when we have GFO available. I run 25 tbls of GFO in a Two Little Fishes reactor which typically lasts me 5 weeks. I buy the bulk GFO from Bulk Reef Supply. As mentioned above, I test my phosphates one per week. When I see values above .03, I know it's time to replace my GFO. There are occasions when this is less than 5 weeks but rarely can I get more than 5 weeks. If at the 5 week mark, I'm still getting phosphate readings below .03, I will go ahead and change out the GFO.

 

ROX Carbon - Like GFO, I run 10 tbls of ROX Carbon from Bulk Reef Supply in a second Two Little Fishes reactor. I've tried many different types of carbon over the years but ROX is my favorite. Besides the large capacity to absorb waste, it is nearly dust free which makes changing it out very easy with little rinsing. I replace the carbon every 2 weeks. The biggest reason I use carbon is the crystal clear water which improves the light penetration through the water.

 

Bio Pellets - You notice that the Bio Pellets is near the end of my list in terms of importance. I ran my tank successfully without BPs for nearly two years. It was not until I was getting higher nitrates (10+ppm) that I decided to give BPs a try. When I added them to the tank, I used half the recommended amount and ran that way for 3 months. During that time, I did not see any noticeable difference in my parameters. After 3 months, I doubled the amount of BPs and have been running that way for the past 9 months. The BPs definitely help to reduce nitrates but in the case of my aquarium don't come close to stripping the water column as some describe. The way that I see the BPs is they give me a filtration buffer which allows me to feed a bit more than I could without them. For BPs, I run the BRS bulk brand in a Reef Dynaics BPR-135 Reactor. The reactor is nice as it allows you to control the flow through the reactor and into the tank separately. I've found the BPs to be most effective when the top of the BPs are just slowly tumbling.

 

Mechanical Filtration (Filter Socks and Sponges) - 99% of the time, I do not run any mechanical filtration. From time to time, I will put some sponges in my overflow box but this is more for sound dampening than anything else. My sump is not setup to easily use filter socks so I have never given them an honest try.

 

Here are a couple new photos to add to the journal entry:

 

http://s1195.photobucket.com/user/urbaneks/media/RightSide_zpsc09e9b86.jpg.html'>RightSide_zpsc09e9b86.jpg

ORA Blue Chalice Plates - One of my favorite colors of coral

http://s1195.photobucket.com/user/urbaneks/media/SideViewCapTort_zps0be2dae1.jpg.html'>SideViewCapTort_zps0be2dae1.jpg

Oregon Tort in the background

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Urbaneks,

 

I see you use pohl's xtra. have you used this the entire time since your tank was set up? or did you start for a particular reason? i am experiencing some pale colors in a few of my sps, I am not running a ulns but my skimmer is rated about 3 times the size of my water volume and im running gfo. do you think this would help in addition to feeding the corals more? let me know what you think.

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February 6th, 2014 - Response to Feedback

 

 

Urbaneks,

 

I see you use pohl's xtra. have you used this the entire time since your tank was set up? or did you start for a particular reason? i am experiencing some pale colors in a few of my sps, I am not running a ulns but my skimmer is rated about 3 times the size of my water volume and im running gfo. do you think this would help in addition to feeding the corals more? let me know what you think.

 

I have not used Pohl's Xtra the entire 3 years I've been running this tank but I have been using it for more than a year now. I use the Pohl's Xtra in conjunction with Coral Vitalizer and their Amino Acid. I think that the 3 of these products help to color my coral, I've seen a nice improvement with these products. Don't expect overnight differences, it's the stable addition of these products over time that pays off.

 

As for the large skimmer, I don't believe you can over skim an aquarium. The job of the protein skimmer is to remove protein, once it's gone, there is nothing left to skim.

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