65G Reef Tank Build
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samba_dad
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I have not provided a build update in a while. So, I thought I would provide a new post. I have been busy stocking the tank with coral. I have about 53 frags in the tank now - mostly from Aqua SD and WWC due to some great summer coral sales. Some corals have done great and some, unfortuantely, have not. I attribute all of the losses to screwups on my part by either 1) not keeping Ca, Alk, Mag & pH as consistent as they need to be, and 2) not successfully light acclimating the more delicate corals. I have had 4 corals bleach out and die (1 during shipping) - 2 of these were acros, 1 pocillopora and 1 a leptastrea. On a positive note, I have been successful with several acros and a montipora cap. So, my tank is not LPS and softies only. I am determined to get better and improve the number of acros I am keeping.
I have decided to switch over to the Red Sea Reef Care Program to include Coral Pro Salt. I am posting pictures of my corals to help document the before and after the Red Sea Reef Care Program.
Some of my Acans...
Some of my Acros...
My bleaching pocillopora
...
My green branching psammacora...
My candy cane (first coral I bought)...
My clepto lepto...
I have decided to switch over to the Red Sea Reef Care Program to include Coral Pro Salt. I am posting pictures of my corals to help document the before and after the Red Sea Reef Care Program.
Some of my Acans...
Some of my Acros...
My bleaching pocillopora
...
My green branching psammacora...
My candy cane (first coral I bought)...
My clepto lepto...
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samba_dad
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Some more pics of my corals.
My eagle eye zoas (growing like crazy)
...
My frogspawn...
My green eyed favia...
My green monti cap (with my clown photo bombing)...
My not-green slimer - it appeared to completely die off but appears to be coming back since using Red Sea Reef Foundations...
Hammer time (with heavy blue lights)...
My long-tentacle plate coral...
My eagle eye zoas (growing like crazy)
...
My frogspawn...
My green eyed favia...
My green monti cap (with my clown photo bombing)...
My not-green slimer - it appeared to completely die off but appears to be coming back since using Red Sea Reef Foundations...
Hammer time (with heavy blue lights)...
My long-tentacle plate coral...
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samba_dad
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A few more pics...
My minefield astreopora...
The bleaching orange leptastrea :mad: - so bummed about this one - it was completely orange and beautiful...
My orange litho...
My orange zoas (from reefs2go - they were shipped 2 day mail thought they were dead when I received them and almost threw them away)...
My blue/green pavona...
My pink acro frag doing well...
My pink chalice...
My minefield astreopora...
The bleaching orange leptastrea :mad: - so bummed about this one - it was completely orange and beautiful...
My orange litho...
My orange zoas (from reefs2go - they were shipped 2 day mail thought they were dead when I received them and almost threw them away)...
My blue/green pavona...
My pink acro frag doing well...
My pink chalice...
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samba_dad
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Last post...
My pink/green favia...
My pink bower (accidentally tore him when trying to remove him from the plug and glued him up and appears to be okay)...
Another chalice...
My only shroom - a ricordea...
Love this little red setosa frag...
My SPS ledge with several corals including an orange pocillopora which is doing awesome! Clown goby trying to photo-bomb!
My pink/green favia...
My pink bower (accidentally tore him when trying to remove him from the plug and glued him up and appears to be okay)...
Another chalice...
My only shroom - a ricordea...
Love this little red setosa frag...
My SPS ledge with several corals including an orange pocillopora which is doing awesome! Clown goby trying to photo-bomb!
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samba_dad
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samba_dad
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Just added another Neptune Systems PB8 bar - that is 24 outlet control now. This latest PB8 is used to control my pumps and heaters to mix my salt and to pump the new saltwater and RO/DI freshwater it into the house containers from the garage. This level of control is truly awesome! Love my Apex!
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Davy Jones
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Update on reef care program..?
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samba_dad
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I have not provided an update on my tank in awhile, and thought I would provide an update on my mixed success use of the Red Sea Reef Care Program. I continue to learn how to improve my reef keeping skills on R2R. The struggles I have had are not due to Red Sea (at least not mostly), but rather my amateur-ish ability to maintaincorrect Ca, Alk, NO3 & PO4 levels. As it turns out, I was keeping NO3 & PO4 levels too low for quite awhile and perhaps even worse been dealing with massive spikes in Alk & Ca that I have captured on this thread...http://reef2reef.com/threads/stabilizing-alkalinity-calcium-levels-help.226911/.
However, I have had some success looking back over previous pictures from last summer. Pictures are not awesome, but do show growth & improvement. I have noticed color has improved substantially as I have improved my Alk, Ca, NO3 & PO4 management. I feel like my skills have improved substantially since last summer and I am going to have a very good 2016. I will keep posting on my build.
Leptastrea June 2015
Leptastrea January 2016
Psammacora June 2015
Psammacora Jan 2016
Green Eyed Favia June 2015
Green Eyed Favia Jan 2016
Zoa Island June 2015
Zoa Island Jan 2016 (covers more of backside of rock in 2nd pic)
However, I have had some success looking back over previous pictures from last summer. Pictures are not awesome, but do show growth & improvement. I have noticed color has improved substantially as I have improved my Alk, Ca, NO3 & PO4 management. I feel like my skills have improved substantially since last summer and I am going to have a very good 2016. I will keep posting on my build.
Leptastrea June 2015
Leptastrea January 2016
Psammacora June 2015
Psammacora Jan 2016
Green Eyed Favia June 2015
Green Eyed Favia Jan 2016
Zoa Island June 2015
Zoa Island Jan 2016 (covers more of backside of rock in 2nd pic)
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Looking pretty good!
That Leptastrea really turned around - do you attribute that to Red Sea, or??? You'd said "mixed success", which has me curious about the good and the bad, the up and the down . . .
~Bruce
That Leptastrea really turned around - do you attribute that to Red Sea, or??? You'd said "mixed success", which has me curious about the good and the bad, the up and the down . . .
~Bruce
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samba_dad
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Bruce -
Overall, I think the Red Sea Reef Care Program has lots of potential. I think if you were able to follow it exactly, you would have a very successful reef. However...there have been a few things that have caused me a lot of frustration and kept me from following the program exactly. As I mentioned previously, I am still learning and not what I would consider an advanced hobbyist. So, to be fair, I have to say that a lot of the problems are of my own making and get worked out as I gain more experience. I still struggle to dial in the correct 2-part dosage and to stabilize the critical 4 parameters: Alk, Ca, NO3 & PO4. Below are the major areas I get frustrated with the Red Sea Reef Care Program.
1) Phosphate Test Kit. Probably the most frustrating Red Sea component for me is their phosphate test kit. I literally cannot tell the difference between 0, 0.02ppm, 0.04ppm and you have to get to a fairly high level to determine that you have any phosphate. I have recently switched to Hannah's colorimeter test kit to measure phosphate. The nitrate test kit is very good and is the other test included as part of the Red Sea Algae Control test kit. I think a very substantial reason for my more significant setbacks are thinking I had measurable phosphate when I did not (at least according to Hannah).
2) NoPox Dosing. The other component that frustrated me was the dosing directions on the NoPox. It drove my nitrate and phosphate to zero almost immediately - at least I just could not measure any NO3 or PO4. Even when I reduced the dosing as they suggested, I still drove NO3 and PO4 to zero and could not get it back up. I have been putting high phosphate flake food in my tank just to try to get to a measurable level of phosphate. The nitrate is slowly coming back up after shutting the NoPox down for a few days.
3) Expensive. It costs a lot more to use the Red Sea program. The Coral Pro salt is $80, 2-liter Alk is $20, reef foundation A & B is $20 each, etc.
4) High Alk & Zero PO4. This one always has always had me concerned given most reefers keep Alk at 8-10 dKH. I was trying to run 12 dKH as is recommended. However, I also had near zero PO4 and it caused me problems - like lots of dead SPS corals. So, the potential to kill coral is very significant by keeping Alk this high while the phosphate test kit cannot accurately help you determine if you are at the recommended PO4 levels.
Those are my primary frustrations with the program. It is a complete program and the directions are relatively straight-forward and better than I expected. Now that I have a better PO4 test kit (i.e. Hannah), I am still planning on following the program this year. I expect 2016 will be a very successful year for me. I will keep my progress posted.
Overall, I think the Red Sea Reef Care Program has lots of potential. I think if you were able to follow it exactly, you would have a very successful reef. However...there have been a few things that have caused me a lot of frustration and kept me from following the program exactly. As I mentioned previously, I am still learning and not what I would consider an advanced hobbyist. So, to be fair, I have to say that a lot of the problems are of my own making and get worked out as I gain more experience. I still struggle to dial in the correct 2-part dosage and to stabilize the critical 4 parameters: Alk, Ca, NO3 & PO4. Below are the major areas I get frustrated with the Red Sea Reef Care Program.
1) Phosphate Test Kit. Probably the most frustrating Red Sea component for me is their phosphate test kit. I literally cannot tell the difference between 0, 0.02ppm, 0.04ppm and you have to get to a fairly high level to determine that you have any phosphate. I have recently switched to Hannah's colorimeter test kit to measure phosphate. The nitrate test kit is very good and is the other test included as part of the Red Sea Algae Control test kit. I think a very substantial reason for my more significant setbacks are thinking I had measurable phosphate when I did not (at least according to Hannah).
2) NoPox Dosing. The other component that frustrated me was the dosing directions on the NoPox. It drove my nitrate and phosphate to zero almost immediately - at least I just could not measure any NO3 or PO4. Even when I reduced the dosing as they suggested, I still drove NO3 and PO4 to zero and could not get it back up. I have been putting high phosphate flake food in my tank just to try to get to a measurable level of phosphate. The nitrate is slowly coming back up after shutting the NoPox down for a few days.
3) Expensive. It costs a lot more to use the Red Sea program. The Coral Pro salt is $80, 2-liter Alk is $20, reef foundation A & B is $20 each, etc.
4) High Alk & Zero PO4. This one always has always had me concerned given most reefers keep Alk at 8-10 dKH. I was trying to run 12 dKH as is recommended. However, I also had near zero PO4 and it caused me problems - like lots of dead SPS corals. So, the potential to kill coral is very significant by keeping Alk this high while the phosphate test kit cannot accurately help you determine if you are at the recommended PO4 levels.
Those are my primary frustrations with the program. It is a complete program and the directions are relatively straight-forward and better than I expected. Now that I have a better PO4 test kit (i.e. Hannah), I am still planning on following the program this year. I expect 2016 will be a very successful year for me. I will keep my progress posted.
Interesting insights, these . . .
I haven't been using most of the items mentioned - do have two (non-API, LOL!) test kits inbound, but they're Salifert. I _have_ been using the CoralPro salt, as when I started up, it was the brand most folks seemed to be using. Can't say I have any major complaints about it . . . Sounds as though you switched though?
~Bruce
I haven't been using most of the items mentioned - do have two (non-API, LOL!) test kits inbound, but they're Salifert. I _have_ been using the CoralPro salt, as when I started up, it was the brand most folks seemed to be using. Can't say I have any major complaints about it . . . Sounds as though you switched though?
~Bruce
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samba_dad
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No - I still use the Coral Pro Salt but I am attempting to keep the Alk lower until I get better control over NO3 & PO4. Once I get to stable levels of NO3 & PO4, then I plan on raising the Alk up to the Red Sea recommended levels.
How is your tank doing on the Red Sea Reef Care Program? Do you have any pics?
How is your tank doing on the Red Sea Reef Care Program? Do you have any pics?
Mine is pretty new, and I can't really say it's "on the program" - I've tested Cal, Alk & Mag a time or two, but didn't feel I had to dose (though I have the bottles...). Most corals, fish and inverts seem to be doing well enough in the salt - except for Actinodiscus mushrooms, which are decidedly unhappy for reasons I don't fully understand. (Think it might be down to NO3, which I'm ... workinig on). Rhodactis mushrooms are fine, Ricordia are OK . . . Cleaner shrimp just came through its first moult with me, I wouldn't have known if I hadn't found half a shell in the powerhead! Most of my corals (Zoas, 'shrooms, and LPS) have been in the tank less than a month, but I am seeing "babies" forming on some of the zoanthid colonies.
There are a few low-quality videos in my build thread in the "Members' Tanks" section.
~Bruce
There are a few low-quality videos in my build thread in the "Members' Tanks" section.
~Bruce
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samba_dad
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I have been making more progress on my tanks water quality with help from the experts here on R2R. @Randy Holmes-Farley and @Battlecorals have been very helpful. Here are the recent changes I have made to the water quality...
Alk & Ca Dosing.
Well it took me awhile, but I discovered Red Sea Reef Foundation A & Reef Foundation B are not balanced dosing products. In other words, you do not add equal amounts of both products. Apparently, they are one of the few companies that do not make a balanced dosing solution. Perhaps it is my newness, but I was under the impression that you should add these products in equal amounts. I had Ca up at 650 ppm over the course of a week because of this issue. Randy Holmes-Farley helped me confirm my suspicions on this topic here ...http://reef2reef.com/threads/stabilizing-alkalinity-calcium-levels-help.226911/page-5#post-2732535. According to Randy, the Ca is ~2.8 times more potent than it should be. I am switching to a different brand as soon as I finish my current inventory.
Help from Battle Corals
I spoke with Adam last week. He recommended a practice that he follows on his 3 systems - test for alkalinity every day. It is the biggest variable we have in our tank outside of temperature or salinity. I have already dialed in temperature and salinity with my Apex and regularly calibrated probes. Adam mentioned if I switch to a balanced Ca/Alk 2-part then checking my Alk daily may result in remarkably stable Ca & Alk. I am looking forward to that as I have struggled to keep acro's alive in my tank. I purchased a starter pack of SPS from Adam and it will arrive tomorrow. I am excited to see if I can get these SPS to thrive successfully.
Starting Dosing NeoPhos
I also am unhappy with the Red Sea PO4 test kit. The colors on the low end are so similar, you are effectively guessing between 0, 0.02 & 0.04 ppm PO4. I switched to Hannah as a result. I was consistently at 0.00 ppm of PO4 and I was concerned I was starving my corals. After discussing this purchase with Randy, I decided to start dosing with NeoPhos. I am still getting this adjusted slowly upward to obtain the 0.02ppm level that I am seeking. I have noticed my tank seems to be absorbing PO4 quickly and my NO3 is starting to drop from 5ppm to 4ppm.
Seneye PAR Meter
For Christmas, I purchased a Seneye Reef Monitor. I was initially using it in my QT to ensure I was not having ammonia spikes which I was not. After soaking in vinegar for 3 days and letting it dry for 3 days, I used it in my DT to test my PAR. In the upper part of the middle of my tank under the plastic rim, I had a huge drop in PAR that I did not realize was so significant. I had my acans at 70 PAR and they were slowly dying off. I moved them over to where they are getting 150 PAR and they seem to be opening more. I also discovered my Montipora setosa was sitting in 230PAR and I needed to be closer to 300PAR. I am fixing both of these problems. I love having a PAR meter to take the guess work out of the lighting issue. All my other corals were receiving the correct PAR and seemed to be happy.
Increased Flow
I also have increased flow significantly in the tank. I got rid of my Gyre because of my massive snail issue. The Gyre impeller broke weekly because of the snails and it was costing way too much to keep it running. I replaced it with Jebao RW-4 pumps and a Voyager 2 Sicce pump that alternates every minute through the Apex. I think this is improving the tank as well.
Alk & Ca Dosing.
Well it took me awhile, but I discovered Red Sea Reef Foundation A & Reef Foundation B are not balanced dosing products. In other words, you do not add equal amounts of both products. Apparently, they are one of the few companies that do not make a balanced dosing solution. Perhaps it is my newness, but I was under the impression that you should add these products in equal amounts. I had Ca up at 650 ppm over the course of a week because of this issue. Randy Holmes-Farley helped me confirm my suspicions on this topic here ...http://reef2reef.com/threads/stabilizing-alkalinity-calcium-levels-help.226911/page-5#post-2732535. According to Randy, the Ca is ~2.8 times more potent than it should be. I am switching to a different brand as soon as I finish my current inventory.
Help from Battle Corals
I spoke with Adam last week. He recommended a practice that he follows on his 3 systems - test for alkalinity every day. It is the biggest variable we have in our tank outside of temperature or salinity. I have already dialed in temperature and salinity with my Apex and regularly calibrated probes. Adam mentioned if I switch to a balanced Ca/Alk 2-part then checking my Alk daily may result in remarkably stable Ca & Alk. I am looking forward to that as I have struggled to keep acro's alive in my tank. I purchased a starter pack of SPS from Adam and it will arrive tomorrow. I am excited to see if I can get these SPS to thrive successfully.
Starting Dosing NeoPhos
I also am unhappy with the Red Sea PO4 test kit. The colors on the low end are so similar, you are effectively guessing between 0, 0.02 & 0.04 ppm PO4. I switched to Hannah as a result. I was consistently at 0.00 ppm of PO4 and I was concerned I was starving my corals. After discussing this purchase with Randy, I decided to start dosing with NeoPhos. I am still getting this adjusted slowly upward to obtain the 0.02ppm level that I am seeking. I have noticed my tank seems to be absorbing PO4 quickly and my NO3 is starting to drop from 5ppm to 4ppm.
Seneye PAR Meter
For Christmas, I purchased a Seneye Reef Monitor. I was initially using it in my QT to ensure I was not having ammonia spikes which I was not. After soaking in vinegar for 3 days and letting it dry for 3 days, I used it in my DT to test my PAR. In the upper part of the middle of my tank under the plastic rim, I had a huge drop in PAR that I did not realize was so significant. I had my acans at 70 PAR and they were slowly dying off. I moved them over to where they are getting 150 PAR and they seem to be opening more. I also discovered my Montipora setosa was sitting in 230PAR and I needed to be closer to 300PAR. I am fixing both of these problems. I love having a PAR meter to take the guess work out of the lighting issue. All my other corals were receiving the correct PAR and seemed to be happy.
Increased Flow
I also have increased flow significantly in the tank. I got rid of my Gyre because of my massive snail issue. The Gyre impeller broke weekly because of the snails and it was costing way too much to keep it running. I replaced it with Jebao RW-4 pumps and a Voyager 2 Sicce pump that alternates every minute through the Apex. I think this is improving the tank as well.
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Wow!!
That is some pretty serious plumbing!!
Looks like it'll save you some trouble down the road, though...
~Bruce
That is some pretty serious plumbing!!
Looks like it'll save you some trouble down the road, though...
~Bruce
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samba_dad
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I received 5 SPS from Battlecorals today. It was part of Adam's starter pack (5 SPS of varying difficulty for $100). Below is a picture of the corals. I am hopeful these corals will be the turning point in my SPS experience. Adam has agreed to work with me on any issues. From left to right:
blueberry fields, ugly pink milli, orange tip albrog, hell raiser 2 milli, highlighter.
blueberry fields, ugly pink milli, orange tip albrog, hell raiser 2 milli, highlighter.
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samba_dad
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Well I lost 1 SPS due to RTN. It was the hell raiser 2 acro. Adam has provided awesome support! He believes the RTN was due to shipping stress, and not conditions in my tank. The rest of the corals are doing great. I have not had much polyp extension yet though. I am in the process of acclimating them to the light by slowly raising my frag shelf over the next few weeks.
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samba_dad
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I was on the other end of town today and swung by the LFS and purchased a red cap (montipora capricornus) and a blue ridge coral (Heliopora coerulea). I have added them to the rack with the Battle Corals acropora that I added this week.
