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

[Reefkid88]

This is the right stuff right ?

 

http://www.uwcmn.com/product-page/0c984147-33f1-2b99-c7bc-a5fbe555923a

[teenyreef]

This is the right stuff right ?

 

http://www.uwcmn.com/product-page/0c984147-33f1-2b99-c7bc-a5fbe555923a

Yep, that's it!

[holy carp]

I'm curious if the Vibrant cleaner is much different from Dr. Tim's Waste Away. I haven't used either, but the described effects sound very similar.

 

I'm battling a bit of turf algae, so I recently ordered some Waste Away to try. If that doesn't work, I'll probably try Vibrant after.

[teenyreef]

I'm curious if the Vibrant cleaner is much different from Dr. Tim's Waste Away. I haven't used either, but the described effects sound very similar.

 

I'm battling a bit of turf algae, so I recently ordered some Waste Away to try. If that doesn't work, I'll probably try Vibrant after.

It's hard to say if it's truly different, of course the manufacturer claims it's different, with some special bacteria that specifically attacks algae. Although many of the folks reporting on it in the R2R thread have tried other bacterial additives with no luck, so that may indicate an actual difference.

 

I will say - one difference I've noted is the frequency and amount of recommended dosing. I've never used Dr. Tims but I know the MB7 stuff needs to be dosed daily if you are dealing with a dirty tank. The standard dose for Vibrant is 1 ml/10g every two weeks. If you are cleaning up algae infestations, they recommend either once a week or twice a week depending on the type of algae.

I got back from Thanksgiving vacation last night, and the tank did fine. I fed heavily before leaving Wednesday, and fed again Saturday night when I got back.

 

There was some algae on the glass, enough to need cleaning, and just a touch of diatoms on the sand, not much at all. So the Vibrant treatment last about six days, not bad at all. I'll probably do another dose tonight after the water change, and see if I can go to the recommend once ever two weeks dosage after that.

[Kyl]

Hmm, just spent the past hour reading up on that product (Vibrant), think I might try a bottle of it. If it kills off this bubble algae that the emerald crab can't keep up with, great. if it helps with the dinos, even better!

 

Grats on the MP10, that tank is still a stunner!

[teenyreef]

Hmm, just spent the past hour reading up on that product (Vibrant), think I might try a bottle of it. If it kills off this bubble algae that the emerald crab can't keep up with, great. if it helps with the dinos, even better!

 

Grats on the MP10, that tank is still a stunner!

Thanks! I'm looking forward to getting the MP10 and replacing the MP40. Even on the lowest setting it is a little too much flow.

 

 

So I'm sitting at the airport on the way for a quick trip to Orlando. I'll be back Wednesday night so I'm just letting the tanks alone while I'm gone.

 

Anybody have suggestions on can't miss coral shops in Orlando? I'll probably visit WWC but I'm more interested in places that sell good corals cheap

[DaveFason]

Thanks! I'm looking forward to getting the MP10 and replacing the MP40. Even on the lowest setting it is a little too much flow.

 

 

So I'm sitting at the airport on the way for a quick trip to Orlando. I'll be back Wednesday night so I'm just letting the tanks alone while I'm gone.

 

Anybody have suggestions on can't miss coral shops in Orlando? I'll probably visit WWC but I'm more interested in places that sell good corals cheap

 

Go today - super sales! WWC has great stuff for good prices. You just always see the $$$ being sold online. Prepare to be blown away.

[teenyreef]

 

Go today - super sales! WWC has great stuff for good prices. You just always see the $$$ being sold online. Prepare to be blown away.

Thanks Dave, that's good to know. I'll try to stop by on the way to the hotel

[Biggen]

We were just down in Orlando two weeks ago for Disney but I couldn't convince anyone to take a couple hours away from "play time" to go to WWC. Imagine that?!?

[teenyreef]

We were just down in Orlando two weeks ago for Disney but I couldn't convince anyone to take a couple hours away from "play time" to go to WWC. Imagine that?!?

You should have told them you were going to see the Walt Disney frag

[Nola Bear]

Wwc all the way. If you were coming across to Tampa/St Pete, I would be able to hook you up with a couple great locals and local shops.

 

 

Btw, how is the coral beauty behaving so far?

[teenyreef]

Wwc all the way. If you were coming across to Tampa/St Pete, I would be able to hook you up with a couple great locals and local shops.

 

 

Btw, how is the coral beauty behaving so far?

I went to WWC but didn't buy anything. Their display tanks were amazing and although I couldn't view them top down, I'm willing to believe the corals in their probably look pretty much like they do in their frag pictures.

 

The frags in the frag tanks, on the other hand pretty much looked like fairly ordinary corals with fancy names

[teenyreef]

Just realized I forgot to post a picture from my visit to World Wide Corals. Since they were cell phone shots most of them were just solid blue, but this one turned out semi-OK.

 

20161128_174705.jpg by TeenyReef, on Flickr

Wwc all the way. If you were coming across to Tampa/St Pete, I would be able to hook you up with a couple great locals and local shops.


Btw, how is the coral beauty behaving so far?

I missed your question about the CB, sorry! He's behaving very well. He doesn't pick on the corals, but he has learned that when I target feed the acans it's a good place to hang out. Fortunately the acans slurp up their food pretty quickly so he can't steal too much of it.

[vlangel]

Just realized I forgot to post a picture from my visit to World Wide Corals. Since they were cell phone shots most of them were just solid blue, but this one turned out semi-OK. 20161128_174705.jpg by TeenyReef, on FlickrI missed your question about the CB, sorry! He's behaving very well. He doesn't pick on the corals, but he has learned that when I target feed the acans it's a good place to hang out. Fortunately the acans slurp up their food pretty quickly so he can't steal too much of it.

Wow, this tank is filling in very nicely! When some of those colonies get large it is going to be quite impressive.

[teenyreef]

Wow, this tank is filling in very nicely! When some of those colonies get large it is going to be quite impressive.

Thanks! But I hope you weren't talking about that last picture, that was one of the display tanks at World Wide Corals from my trip to Orlando earlier this week.

 

Ecotech put out a little paper/study/promotional thingy recently that talks about the parameters, flow, and lighting at WWC which I thought was very interesting.

 

http://ecotechmarine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/World_Wide_Corals_CoralLab.pdf

[vlangel]

Thanks! But I hope you weren't talking about that last picture, that was one of the display tanks at World Wide Corals from my trip to Orlando earlier this week.

 

Ecotech put out a little paper/study/promotional thingy recently that talks about the parameters, flow, and lighting at WWC which I thought was very interesting.

 

http://ecotechmarine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/World_Wide_Corals_CoralLab.pdf

Oops, aren't I embarrassed. I read the post too fast and thought you got some new coral from World Wide corals. I guess I should have known that if I were more familiar with what your tank looks like...shame on me.

[teenyreef]

Some of the things I thought particularly interesting in the paper:

- MP40/60 pumps at opposite ends of the tank, with one in reefcrest random and the other in constant flow. They swap flow patterns and intensity periodically to keep things random.

- 100% LED lighting on the SPS tanks, mostly T5's on the others. PAR is not crazy high either, 250-275 for SPS, 80-140 for LPS. But this is partly because they run a long photoperiod due to the need to keep tanks lit during business hours.

- Nitrates are quite a bit higher than the usual "best parameters".

Salinity: 1.025

Temp: 77-78 degrees Fahrenheit

Ca: 450

Alk: 8.6

Mg:1400

Nitrate: 10-20 ppm

Phosphates: .03-.08 ppm

Oops, aren't I embarrassed. I read the post too fast and thought you got some new coral from World Wide corals. I guess I should have known that if I were more familiar with what your tank looks like...shame on me.

Ha ha, I wish my tank looked like that! There are some really nice SPS in that tank

[Sharbuckle]

Rough and ready FTS evening shot. Someday I'll figure out how to make it look blue instead of purple.

 

2016-11-21 IM40 FTS by TeenyReef, on Flickr

 

Havent caught up in a while, tank is looking great. Those acan shots are beautiful.

[teenyreef]

Havent caught up in a while, tank is looking great. Those acan shots are beautiful.

Thanks! I need to get an updated shot of the acans, they are growing like crazy and the color is pretty good

[teenyreef]

Here's an update of the acans. It's hard to get good shots of them because parts of them are in the shade. Everything is either too bright or too dark when I take pictures

 

The green ones that are in rough shape came from the 10g tank. They almost died there and I moved them over here about a week ago. The necrosis seems to have stopped and I'm hoping they'll start growing back soon.

 

Acans by TeenyReef, on Flickr

[spectra]

My acans took a hit to...........

 

Looking good though!

[DaveFason]

Remember, WWC feeds a insane amount but also has a insane amount of fish in each tank. They have there own style which works for them. As well most of the tanks are BB.

-Dave

[ReefWeeds]

The not so teeny tank is looking great, John!! I didn't realize I had fallen so far behind!! I love how you are building up the left side

[Reefkid88]

When I read that article,I was surprised that the LPS section had such low par. Made me rethink everything lol.

[teenyreef]

Remember, WWC feeds a insane amount but also has a insane amount of fish in each tank. They have there own style which works for them. As well most of the tanks are BB.

-Dave

I agree. That's actually what I found to be so interesting, that different folks can achieve consistent and impressive results without the traditional and oversimplified "nitrates below 5, phosphates below .03, but make sure you don't hit zero" formula.

 

To contrast, Ecotech did a white paper based on their work with Reef Wholesalers: http://ecotechmarine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Ecotech_CoralLab_WP1.pdf

 

Their nutrient parameters are the complete opposite: 0 nitrates and 0 phosphates. But practically everything else is pretty much the same. Water parameters are similar, as well as high levels of feeding and lots of fish pooping all over the place. Both run bare bottom with lots of flow. And the PAR levels at pretty much the same too - 300/225/150 for SPS and 75/50/40 for LPS.

When I read that article,I was surprised that the LPS section had such low par. Made me rethink everything lol.

Yeah, for a long time all my acans were plain red and orange, and I just figured that's what kind of acans I had. It was only after I got those beautiful rainbow acros from ASD that turned plain red in a week in my 10g tank that I realized it was because I had them in too much light. When I lowered the lighting they eventually regained most of their colors, but it took about six months.

The not so teeny tank is looking great, John!! I didn't realize I had fallen so far behind!! I love how you are building up the left side

Thanks, Rachel! I'm happy with how things are going - just waiting for the SPS to start taking off so I can get more