Teenyreef's IM40 Not-So-Teeny Tank - August FTS

[RollaJase]

The day after I fed reef roids and dosed calcium carbonate, PO4 was down to .12 (from .24 right after the feeding), and was at .11 the next day. So I think my "real" PO4 level is around .12 and it seems to be slowly decreasing from the Xport PO4 stuff.

 

By comparison, when I looked at PO4 levels in the days after feeding reef roids without the calcium carbonate, it took about three days for the measurements to get back down. So it really does seem to help.

 

Of course, I don't know if any it this really matters. I think the base level reading is what's important. I'm not trying to chase numbers to get PO4 at a low reading every day.

Well, glad to see it helped to some degree mate. At the very least, it will make the water clearer after the feeding lol .

[metrokat]

Glad the Xport is working for you Teeny. I'm in agreement with Markalots observation. Reef roids does increase phosphates.

[teenyreef]

Well, glad to see it helped to some degree mate. At the very least, it will make the water clearer after the feeding lol .

Yes, it definitely helped - phosphates were almost back to normal the next day. Without it, they didn't go back to normal for about two or three days.

Glad the Xport is working for you Teeny. I'm in agreement with Markalots observation. Reef roids does increase phosphates.

So far so good! I'm looking forward to seeing if phosphates and nitrates continue to go down next week.

 

I'm definitely more cautious about reef roids now. I'll probably only feed them once or twice a week.

[teenyreef]

I got busy working on installing the Apex Lite and the new dosers on the 10g tank this weekend, so I didn't set up the camera for a new FTS.

 

But I did get sort of an FTS, with a sleeping puppy photobomb

 

20160810_181500.jpg by TeenyReef, on Flickr

 

Glad you are pumping it full of flow. Your corals will love you!

 

-Dave

Yep! Originally I planned to just replace the MP40 with the MP10 so that I could turn the MP10 up higher and get more variation in the flow. But I think that would still have blown the sand around too much. This way the flow is much more random plus there's much more reserve power for when things start to fill in.

I think you can get more flow in there

Moar power!!!

[teenyreef]

That's just about right for a ritteri anemone, you would need more light though.

Don't they get really big? And I agree, it would have to live near the top to get enough light since I don't want the PAR to be super high on the sand bed.

 

I have thought about an RBTA but I'm a little nervous about it moving around too much or getting sucked up in a power head. But it would be nice to move the clowns into this tank to host it.

[dropped]

Have you tested par on this new light yet?

And yea, a BTA will move till its found the worst place in the tank where you will never see it!

 

But only after its said hello to your power heads.

[gena]

Thanks, Gena! He's a little bit bigger than my Fitzgerald in the 10g tank, and the red color really pops. I can see him from all the way across the room when he comes out

I'm almost tempted to get one of those instead. But then I might regret it since I love the PSW so much!!!!! I can only choose one and it's at least a 5 year commitment. I'll probably stick with my beloved PSW .

[StinkyBunny]

Don't they get really big? And I agree, it would have to live near the top to get enough light since I don't want the PAR to be super high on the sand bed.

 

I have thought about an RBTA but I'm a little nervous about it moving around too much or getting sucked up in a power head. But it would be nice to move the clowns into this tank to host it.

If you can't handle the possibility of an 18-30" anemone, ritteris are not for you, lol. My BTAs are down towards the bottom, they're not too fond of super bright lights. I've always said that a ritteri anemone would be at home in a washing machine on the surface of the sun, they LOVE flow and LOVE high light. The one in the shop is camped out dead centre of a 150W metal halide 8" off the water right in line with the gyre. Since installing the gyre, it hasn't moved once. Usually they go on walk about once a week and end up back in the same damn place they came from, but not with the gyre.

[jedimasterben]

If you can't handle the possibility of an 18-30" anemone, ritteris are not for you, lol. My BTAs are down towards the bottom, they're not too fond of super bright lights. I've always said that a ritteri anemone would be at home in a washing machine on the surface of the sun, they LOVE flow and LOVE high light. The one in the shop is camped out dead centre of a 150W metal halide 8" off the water right in line with the gyre. Since installing the gyre, it hasn't moved once. Usually they go on walk about once a week and end up back in the same damn place they came from, but not with the gyre.

can verify all of this. I miss my magnifica

[ReefWeeds]

Teeny! I missed a lot! Tank is looking great!

[cuboy]

Tank is looking great. How is the skimmer working out for you?

[teenyreef]

I'm almost tempted to get one of those instead. But then I might regret it since I love the PSW so much!!!!! I can only choose one and it's at least a 5 year commitment. I'll probably stick with my beloved PSW .

I don't blame you! I only got the Tanaka's because I already have my PSW in the 10g tank

If you can't handle the possibility of an 18-30" anemone, ritteris are not for you, lol. My BTAs are down towards the bottom, they're not too fond of super bright lights. I've always said that a ritteri anemone would be at home in a washing machine on the surface of the sun, they LOVE flow and LOVE high light. The one in the shop is camped out dead centre of a 150W metal halide 8" off the water right in line with the gyre. Since installing the gyre, it hasn't moved once. Usually they go on walk about once a week and end up back in the same damn place they came from, but not with the gyre.

can verify all of this. I miss my magnifica

Omg, can you imagine an 18" anemone in my 24x20" tank?

 

Still thinking about the RBTA, though. I hardly have any corals in the tank so far, since I'm waiting to get the parameters right before I put a bunch of frags at risk. Maybe the way to go is to try the RBTA now. That way if it walks all over everything or blows itself up in one of the powerheads I haven't put much at risk.

Teeny! I missed a lot! Tank is looking great!

Thanks, Rachel! I need to go catch up on your threads, I've been so busy with work I keep falling behind

Tank is looking great. How is the skimmer working out for you?

Thanks! The skimmer is doing very well. It produces a wet skimmate that I empty every three or four days. The only thing I don't like about it is you can't adjust the collection cup up or down. So if you want to tune it for a wetter or drier skimmate, you have to move the whole skimmer up or down. Since it's attached with magnets on the wall that's a reasonable approach, but it's still kind of a pain.

 

Somehow I fell behind in your thread, I see you have an RBTA now - how's it doing?

[ReefWeeds]

I don't blame you! I only got the Tanaka's because I already have my PSW in the 10g tank

 

 

Omg, can you imagine an 18" anemone in my 24x20" tank?

 

Still thinking about the RBTA, though. I hardly have any corals in the tank so far, since I'm waiting to get the parameters right before I put a bunch of frags at risk. Maybe the way to go is to try the RBTA now. That way if it walks all over everything or blows itself up in one of the powerheads I haven't put much at risk.

 

Thanks, Rachel! I need to go catch up on your threads, I've been so busy with work I keep falling behind

Thanks! The skimmer is doing very well. It produces a wet skimmate that I empty every three or four days. The only thing I don't like about it is you can't adjust the collection cup up or down. So if you want to tune it for a wetter or drier skimmate, you have to move the whole skimmer up or down. Since it's attached with magnets on the wall that's a reasonable approach, but it's still kind of a pain.

 

Somehow I fell behind in your thread, I see you have an RBTA now - how's it doing?

Well not much to catch up on!! I haven't posted on weeks

[yoshii]

When you get the Quiet Drive upgrade kit, it comes with the new black controller. Basically it's just a new controller card and case that you just plug your old driver into.

I took a quick cell phone video to show the flow with the two pumps. This is tidal swell at 25%.

 

Wow the CB looks huge!

[teenyreef]

Well not much to catch up on!! I haven't posted on weeks

Well, your new FTS is amazing - you need to post it if you haven't already

Wow the CB looks huge!

Yeah, he's a good size, about 3 1/2" long. He seems to be very happy and swims all over the tank all day long.

I checked parameters before doing water changes tonight and the results were a little disappointing.

 

Nitrates are holding steady at 4, and phosphates went up from .11 to .17. The phosphates are pretty surprising since I haven't feed any reef roids since I measured it last time. I did feed a tiny bit of liquid phyto and polyp-booster yesterday, but I wouldn't expect that to change things much.

 

I've decided to start dosing NoPox just to get things going a little better. But I'd like to eventually back off from using the NoPox and only use the Xport stuff. Right now it's hard to say whether it just needs more time, or if I need to use a higher quantity, or if it's been exhausted already.

[ReefWeeds]

I bet the phosphates may just be the sand and rock settling in. I had a huge phosphate jump about 3 weeks to a month into my 66. Then I got hair alage. Then everything went away!

 

I haven't posted it yet actually. I'll have to tomorrow!! It's so much easier to post on Instagram

 

And thank you

[yoshii]

Teeny, what phosphate test do you use? I wonder if you could test after not feeding the tank and see if you still get a change

Stella, go post that FTS!! It's gorgeous!

[ninjamyst]

I bet the phosphates may just be the sand and rock settling in. I had a huge phosphate jump about 3 weeks to a month into my 66. Then I got hair alage. Then everything went away!

I haven't posted it yet actually. I'll have to tomorrow!! It's so much easier to post on Instagram

And thank you

Excuses. Post it. I don't have instagram...

[teenyreef]

I bet the phosphates may just be the sand and rock settling in. I had a huge phosphate jump about 3 weeks to a month into my 66. Then I got hair alage. Then everything went away!

 

I haven't posted it yet actually. I'll have to tomorrow!! It's so much easier to post on Instagram

 

And thank you

Thanks for the thoughts! I agree, it's probably new sand for at least part of it. But the rocks were uncured so I don't think they should be leaching. At least I think that's how it works

Teeny, what phosphate test do you use? I wonder if you could test after not feeding the tank and see if you still get a change

 

Stella, go post that FTS!! It's gorgeous!

I use the Hanna ultra low range phosphorus checker. It seems to be pretty accurate and consistent.

 

Last week I did a little test and saw that phosphates jumped after feeding reef roids, and dropped back down after a day or two. So I stopped feeding reef roids after the last low reading, and was hoping for something even lower today as a result. But instead I got a big jump.

 

I guess it could still be from feeding. I did feed some coral food last night so maybe that contributed.

 

I just have to be patient and let the tank grow up more than anything

[teenyreef]

Excuses. Post it. I don't have instagram...

I have instagram but I don't it really counts if that's the only place it gets posted

[StinkyBunny]

Looks like I'll be ripping past you tomorrow at Mach 19 with my ass on fire hauling shrimp.

[markalot]

Teeny, so glad you did the PO4 tests with roids, I thought I was going crazy. One of the big things I changed was no longer smoking the tank with a big batch of roids because it appeared to stress the corals a few days afterwards. Now I just pinch some in every few days.

 

I'm still not sure if it actually increased PO4 or just threw off the tests. Using the high rez elos I would still get an elevated reading but not the insane reading the ULR meter was giving me.

 

Oh, tank looks good too.

[ReefWeeds]

Excuses. Post it. I don't have instagram...

well get with th program already! I spied your tank on Instagram

 

I will post it. Just need to load to imgur and stuff.

Thanks for the thoughts! I agree, it's probably new sand for at least part of it. But the rocks were uncured so I don't think they should be leaching. At least I think that's how it works

I use the Hanna ultra low range phosphorus checker. It seems to be pretty accurate and consistent.

 

Last week I did a little test and saw that phosphates jumped after feeding reef roids, and dropped back down after a day or two. So I stopped feeding reef roids after the last low reading, and was hoping for something even lower today as a result. But instead I got a big jump.

 

I guess it could still be from feeding. I did feed some coral food last night so maybe that contributed.

 

I just have to be patient and let the tank grow up more than anything

That's right! I forgot about the cured rock!!

[teenyreef]

Looks like I'll be ripping past you tomorrow at Mach 19 with my ass on fire hauling shrimp.

For some reason I pictured this as flaming shrimp flying out of your butt like a rocket

[teenyreef]

Teeny, so glad you did the PO4 tests with roids, I thought I was going crazy. One of the big things I changed was no longer smoking the tank with a big batch of roids because it appeared to stress the corals a few days afterwards. Now I just pinch some in every few days.

 

I'm still not sure if it actually increased PO4 or just threw off the tests. Using the high rez elos I would still get an elevated reading but not the insane reading the ULR meter was giving me.

 

Oh, tank looks good too.

I've been wondering the same thing - whether it just messes up the measurement in the Hanna checker, or actually truly elevates the phosphates. Either way, I'm pretty much doing the same, a pinch every third or fourth day.