Paul's 40 Gallon Reef

[Macscale]

Man Paul!! The tank is a astunner! I need to start getting some meaty lps in my tank too now.

 

[54seaweed]

Man Paul!! The tank is a astunner! I need to start getting some meaty lps in my tank too now.

I love those hammers

 

[paul87]

Man Paul!! The tank is a astunner! I need to start getting some meaty lps in my tank too now.

Thanks! I always wanted one of those nice Elegance LPS's.

I love those hammers

Thanks, but only one hammer. The big one is the frogspawn.

 

[paul87]

Here are some photos I took yesterday.


Halloween Hermit

Red Linkia

New Acro (actinic top shot)

Zoa Garden (actinic top shot)

 

[Bdonaldson]

Here are some photos I took yesterday.


Halloween Hermit

Red Linkia

New Acro (actinic top shot)

Zoa Garden (actinic top shot)

Beautiful as always. I will have to learn how to take beautiful pictures like you.☺

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[paul87]

Beautiful as always. I will have to learn how to take beautiful pictures like you.☺

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Thank you! All you need is a halfway decent camera and time & tinkering with it.

 

[paul87]

In other news I have been researching dosing an organic carbon source into my aquarium for a "cleaner tank". Here is a very handy article I found (out of the many) that I am going by. Vodka Dosing by 'Genetics' and 'Stony_Corals' - Reefkeeping.com
I started the first does yesterday and will continue the same the next few days, daily. It was hard to figure out roc displacement but I came up with very close to 40 gallons total system volume. I am dosing 0.18mL of 40% Vodka as a starting point. I have been seeing more algae build up on my glass, more green bubble algae growth, & small patches of cyano (or what looks extremely similar IME) here and there. My parameters are good (according to API tests. I know I should get better ones and plan on it real soon.) I do run Rowa-Phos in my BRS reactor and it may about time to change that as well. Here are my parameters as of yesterday.

pH - 8.1
Cal. - 420ppm
Alk. - 140ppm
PO4 - 0.1ppm
NO3 - 0.0ppm
Salinity - 1.025
Temp - 75 F

 

[Bdonaldson]

In other news I have been researching dosing an organic carbon source into my aquarium for a "cleaner tank". Here is a very handy article I found (out of the many) that I am going by. Vodka Dosing by 'Genetics' and 'Stony_Corals' - Reefkeeping.com
I started the first does yesterday and will continue the same the next few days, daily. It was hard to figure out roc displacement but I came up with very close to 40 gallons total system volume. I am dosing 0.18mL of 40% Vodka as a starting point. I have been seeing more algae build up on my glass, more green bubble algae growth, & small patches of cyano (or what looks extremely similar IME) here and there. My parameters are good (according to API tests. I know I should get better ones and plan on it real soon.) I do run Rowa-Phos in my BRS reactor and it may about time to change that as well. Here are my parameters as of yesterday.

pH - 8.1
Cal. - 420ppm
Alk. - 140ppm
PO4 - 0.1ppm
NO3 - 0.0ppm
Salinity - 1.025
Temp - 75 F

Wow! That sounds amazing. Who would have guessed you could dose alcohol into you system ?. Let me know how it works out for you. I would be interested in trying it myself.?

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[Sniperhank]

Have you considered one of the other sources, like sugar or vinegar? I believe that sugar can be safer, though I don't really recall through my reading on the topic.

 

[Cichlid-dude]

Your going to have drunk fish! Lol good luck with it paul!


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[paul87]

Have you considered one of the other sources, like sugar or vinegar? I believe that sugar can be safer, though I don't really recall through my reading on the topic.

Yes, but read better results with the vodka. Just kinda a test trial.

 

[Bdonaldson]

Thank you! All you need is a halfway decent camera and time & tinkering with it.

Yes easier said than done. I'm still trying to figure out how to best use the gel filters. ?

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[paul87]

So today was day 3 on the vodka dosing, tomorrow the dose increases after testing it. No signs of algae dying back, buy water seems to be a little clearer. Skimmer filling up decent. I believe my next upgrade (before frag tank set-up our anything else) will be a new skimmer. I've been looking at the bubble magus NAC 5.5 for a while and the footprint will fit in the first chamber of my acrylic sump (cannot move baffle). Mr.X recommended a similar type, but will not for where I was hoping, without doing away with the fuge, or building a new sump. Any input on this skimmer?

 

[mr_X]

The NAC5.5 has been discontinued. It's been replaced by the BM-C5.5. The new skimmer is the same except that they swapped out the Atman pump for a Rock SP2000. They both pull the same air, so you'll get the same results as far as skimmate, but I wonder why they changed out the pump.....

 

[paul87]

The NAC5.5 has been discontinued. It's been replaced by the BM-C5.5. The new skimmer is the same except that they swapped out the Atman pump for a Rock SP2000. They both pull the same air, so you'll get the same results as far as skimmate, but I wonder why they changed out the pump.....

Looks like most of them use the rocks. Here is the link to the 5.5.
Bubble Magus NAC series Protein Skimmer
Any real difference to the cone skimmer you recommended me besides base size?


Another idea is to get rid of the fuge, out put a small one in the first chamber and use the middle chamber to put as big of as sump as I want in it. I believe the water level there is around 9" in the middle. 13" in first chamber.

 

[mr_X]

What skimmer did I recommend again?

 

[paul87]

Here is a really bad cell photo of my sump I took this morning before I left for work to show what kind of sump I'm dealing with. The chaeto don't grow much, just stays about the same, but the pods are booming.

There are also tons in teeny tiny hair what looks to be stress cracks all over the sump. It was like this when I got it and never had a drop leak anywhere. I've always been a little concerned about it. This sump is a perfect fit. I'm not 100% if I can get a 20 long in without slight modification.

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

What kind of stand do you have? I have a Deep Blue, and fit a 20 long with about 4" to spare side to side and 3" front to back...

 

[paul87]

What kind of stand do you have? I have a Deep Blue, and fit a 20 long with about 4" to spare side to side and 3" front to back...

Custom by me and frame is built like a tank.

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

Ah roger that.