25-gallon Lagoon Mixed reef Build

[Dragen Fiend]

Got the lights up and going. Just running their LPS schedule for now until I get it it tweaked the way I want it or find a schedule that works for me. This is morning blues and there is not a lot of light spillage.

Looks good. Eagerly waiting on those par numbers!

 

[DDenny]

Going to try and get the PAR meter tomorrow and test the lights.

 

[DDenny]

Got to love it when macro grows crazy. Started with a tennis ball size ball of chaeto and 10 days later it filled the InTake refugium basket. Good thing is my PO4 is down to 0.132 and NO3 is down to 25ppm. Along with pH being fairly stable at 8.0
Start size

10 days later

 

[DDenny]

Been playing with the light trying to get the spectrum dialed in. I like a more daylight durning the day when Im not around but in the evening I want color pop. Here is what the tank looks like at this time 2pm CST. Still need to get the LFS and rent that PAR meter.

 

[DDenny]

Well the chaeto is working overtime. It has brought my NO3 and PO4 down in less than two weeks. I can go back to feeding a little more. The June 10th test date was when I can back after a 4 trip for work with no Alk dosing because I haven’t received my dosing pump yet.

 

[DDenny]

Things seem to be doing good getting a little diatoms bloom(going double check with microscope). Added a coral banded shrimp and a chalice will see how things go.

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

Tanks coming along nice.

 

[DDenny]

Tanks coming along nice.

Thanks just got numbers NO3 at 10 and PO4 this morning on 2 tests were at zero. I started dosing NP bacto balance as I had it but it dropped my PO4 to zero I’m afraid. Going to stop dosing it and see if PO4 goes up. Might have to dose some phosphates now. Ugh never ending cycle.

 

[DDenny]

Now I’m afraid my Dino’s are going to return or have returned that N&P are out of whack

 

[Dragen Fiend]

Glad to see it coming all together. Just got my IM 25 this weekend. Eager to setup myself lol.

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

Thanks just got numbers NO3 at 10 and PO4 this morning on 2 tests were at zero. I started dosing NP bacto balance as I had it but it dropped my PO4 to zero I’m afraid. Going to stop dosing it and see if PO4 goes up. Might have to dose some phosphates now. Ugh never ending cycle.

I'm telling you, mine is screaming now. I dose a ton of AFR, 40 ml a day. That's holding my alk around 9.5 +/-.5. all of that alk means I need nitrates, quite a lot of them. So I was dosing up with kno4 until Randy told me I was gonna bork my tank by raising potassium to high. So I backed off and used ammonia bicarb instead. Nitrates have been hovering right at 10 and holding without added ammonia. Just regular feedings now. I need to do the whole array of tests tonight. Probably phos is creeping up around 1.



On that par meter thing. Keep an eye on ebay and growers forums. Apogee Sq-420's turn up for about half price from time to time. I think they are around 250 new. I have to apply about a 8% correction on par. Because this one is for "flowering plants", it is looking for a slightly different spectrum. But it's been the most invaluable tool I don't lose coral anymore.

 

[DDenny]

I'm telling you, mine is screaming now. I dose a ton of AFR, 40 ml a day. That's holding my alk around 9.5 +/-.5. all of that alk means I need nitrates, quite a lot of them. So I was dosing up with kno4 until Randy told me I was gonna bork my tank by raising potassium to high. So I backed off and used ammonia bicarb instead. Nitrates have been hovering right at 10 and holding without added ammonia. Just regular feedings now. I need to do the whole array of tests tonight. Probably phos is creeping up around 1.



On that par meter thing. Keep an eye on ebay and growers forums. Apogee Sq-420's turn up for about half price from time to time. I think they are around 250 new. I have to apply about a 8% correction on par. Because this one is for "flowering plants", it is looking for a slightly different spectrum. But it's been the most invaluable tool I don't lose coral anymore.

Just could t believe the PO4 dropped that fast was sitting at .1-.08 easily even with the chaeto. Didn’t dose any of the NP bacto balance this morning to see if it comes up. I think it brought up my Alk as well usually in the mornings I’m at 8.0-8.1 and dose to bring it up to 8.5, this morning it was 8.6. Only thing different was the NP bacto balance. Definitely stoping that dosing for sure. I have a 1000ml bottle of AFR that was given to me and I have a kamoer doser coming in soon as well.

Will keep my eye out for the PAR meter and see what I can find.

 

[DDenny]

Received the Kamoer X1 Pro 2 dosing pump this afternoon and have it set up and going. Tested it at 5ml and it dosed exactly 5ml. Was extremely easy to set up and get going but I need to order a line holder for the dosing line. Will check all on the morning like I usually do and will adjust accordingly for 8.5dkh. One less thing my wife (really me) have to worry about when I travel.

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

Received the Kamoer X1 Pro 2 dosing pump this afternoon and have it set up and going. Tested it at 5ml and it dosed exactly 5ml. Was extremely easy to set up and get going but I need to order a line holder for the dosing line. Will check all on the morning like I usually do and will adjust accordingly for 8.5dkh. One less thing my wife (really me) have to worry about when I travel.

I used a f1 (the cheap wifi kamoer). The app has a big of a learning curve. Yoh have to learn to wait. It's responsive to inputs but takes a minute to push that to the pump. If you don't get a "update successful" message, go back and check that it made the change in a minute or so. It can dupe Yoh intatacking multiple identical doses be both showing them on the schedule immediately.

Once you figure that out it is a piece of cake. I prefer the auto program. Tell it how many dosed over 24 hrs and a total amount. It will split them up into equal doses and space the across your time frame.

Hook 'em

 

[DDenny]

You had to put the Hook ‘Em in there did you hahahahahaha

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

You had to put the Hook ‘Em in there did you hahahahahaha

You know I did. Baseball burned me up this year. You guys are getting consistently good to great on the diamond.

 

[DDenny]

 

[DDenny]

You know I did. Baseball burned me up this year. You guys are getting consistently good to great on the diamond.

Still think we got lucky a few times but it takes luck sometimes. I was so worried that game. Football is right around the corner.

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

Still think we got lucky a few times but it takes luck sometimes. I was so worried that game. Football is right around the corner.

Yes it is. Yes it is.
That could be ugly. But I suspect you guys get fired up for this one. All bets are off. But I can't wait. It's been a long time since Case McCoy ripped your hearts out.

 

[DDenny]

Yes it is. Yes it is.
That could be ugly. But I suspect you guys get fired up for this one. All bets are off. But I can't wait. It's been a long time since Case McCoy ripped your hearts out.

Yes you never know about that game last game I attended was the game after bonfire fell. I graduated that December as well.