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Knocking off the dust, after a decade... (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Ulric
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Welcome back. As someone who left in 2012 and came back in 22 (or thereabouts) a lot of what I remembered had changed. how has your experience been?
Dude... think I shutdown shortly after LED fixtures were just coming out... and now there seems to be hordes of em, Maxijets are 'good' and 'not so good' depending which version/mfg? Seems 'powerhead' and 'wavemaker' have been..conflated. I saw that TBS changed hands with the original owner(?) having retired....
Yea it took me a minute to get a grasp of what’s new. Everything has really come a long ways. The waver makers/ powerheads are super and the understanding of how to approach a successful reef tank has really been fine tuned.
Of particular note gyre technology. The way it moves water is incredible. Dosing and controllers have evolved as well and almost everything comes with its own controlling software so you can choose what you want. As far as tank parameters are concerned, the goal used to be to just keep No3 and Po4 as low as possible with regular water changes. That’s changed and lots of people are actually adding those parts into the system because the lack has been determined to causes dinos (a super algae strain that pops up if running 0 nitrates and 0 phosphate) as well as diminishing growth and color.
Of particular note gyre technology. The way it moves water is incredible. Dosing and controllers have evolved as well and almost everything comes with its own controlling software so you can choose what you want. As far as tank parameters are concerned, the goal used to be to just keep No3 and Po4 as low as possible with regular water changes. That’s changed and lots of people are actually adding those parts into the system because the lack has been determined to causes dinos (a super algae strain that pops up if running 0 nitrates and 0 phosphate) as well as diminishing growth and color.
The other noteworthy thing that deserves a closer look is the way water chemistry is handled. The basic 2 part and 3 part now works so well that a lot of people have given up their Ca reactors and moved to dosing elements. The availability and accuracy of ICP tests has improved as well allowing folks to measure and adjust individual elemental deficiencies resulting in growth and colors previously unimaginable. Sort of like balling but taken to a whole ’nother level. There are at least 3 options that I know of (Fauna Marin, ATI and Moonshiners Reef) that use this approach. There are even single part solutions like Tropic Marin ”All for Reef”.
Had an....encounter today that brought this to mind...
We made a 2 hour road trip out to Hot Springs to check out a not so 'local' LFS, that apparently has been in business since '71... had an nice selection of stuff and was fun to talk to... nitrogen cycle, coral growth, macro algae for nutrient uptake and control of hair algea etc al.
We made a 2 hour road trip out to Hot Springs to check out a not so 'local' LFS, that apparently has been in business since '71... had an nice selection of stuff and was fun to talk to... nitrogen cycle, coral growth, macro algae for nutrient uptake and control of hair algea etc al.
...and yea diatoms and signs of hair algae.
Ultimately I'm going to try to go with macro & softies and eventually a bta.
Running at 79-80 with the lid and supplemental fans. Giving thought to supplemental blue or removing the lid and alternate (adjustable) lighting (suggestions welcome)
Ultimately I'm going to try to go with macro & softies and eventually a bta.
Running at 79-80 with the lid and supplemental fans. Giving thought to supplemental blue or removing the lid and alternate (adjustable) lighting (suggestions welcome)
Nice start. Love the macro.
Cody
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So your tank has a lid?
It's a Biocube 32, return pump had issues so swapped for an Mj12, added pair of 50mm fans to the back (1 in/1 out).
VCA RFG on the return, lil 790gph 'wavemaker' off center.
Cody
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Ah ok. I was thinking maybe that's the case. But to one of your previous points, simply removing that lid will make a world of difference! Or is there a way to cut holes or slits to let it circulate more air?
If you can, Dump the lid and switch to a pendant led like Kessil or whatever. that should resolve the heat issue. It seems a lot of people mod the hood with stronger computer fans (around $30) and/or additional vents but looks like you already figured that out lol.
Extra fan didn't help all that much, and wasn't thrilled with the look nor did the supplemental light seem to help all that much.
Stumbled on an AI Prime 16hd for 234 and change, so pulled the trigger on the light, mount and mesh lid.
On another note, added some G. Blodgetti & C. Prolifera... also found some sort of dark brown macro, think what vendor refers to as Dark Gracilaria mixed in with the other and planted that. Put a jar of galaxy pods into the fuge section.
Added couple mollies, Yellow head jawfish, Yellow watchman and tiger pistol. Jawfish and pistol have selected their respective sides of the tank... no sign of the ywg since acclimation night....but man did I forget the 'dust storm' either of them, much 2-3 burrowers can stir up.
Also ad a whim, took an old Fluval Spec, tossed my extra sand, rock pieces etc, ...using it to 'store' macro fragments.
Stumbled on an AI Prime 16hd for 234 and change, so pulled the trigger on the light, mount and mesh lid.
On another note, added some G. Blodgetti & C. Prolifera... also found some sort of dark brown macro, think what vendor refers to as Dark Gracilaria mixed in with the other and planted that. Put a jar of galaxy pods into the fuge section.
Added couple mollies, Yellow head jawfish, Yellow watchman and tiger pistol. Jawfish and pistol have selected their respective sides of the tank... no sign of the ywg since acclimation night....but man did I forget the 'dust storm' either of them, much 2-3 burrowers can stir up.
Also ad a whim, took an old Fluval Spec, tossed my extra sand, rock pieces etc, ...using it to 'store' macro fragments.
cstewart79
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WELCOME BACK!!!!
This is likely 'it' for awhile .. dragons breath melted within 48 hours. Water in its bag was deep pink, think 2 days in transit and temp in shipping was too much. Going to be near two weeks B4 daytime temps are over 45.
So, aside maybe some placement tweaks, time to settle in and leave alone until the lid comes in and temps improve.
So, aside maybe some placement tweaks, time to settle in and leave alone until the lid comes in and temps improve.
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