Anirban's Aquaforest journey

[Anirban]

Anirban,
Thanks for the update and sorry about the re-boot.
I understand that it does not help but we've all been there, and we're all family.

The "new" scape looks really great and your back.

Freddie

Thanks Freddie,
Reboot is fun only stability is the issue but this time my seeded siporax did a miracle. No loss, no unwanted spike and just smooth. If I ever do a biiiiiggggg tank I will run siporax. My system keeps PO4 down without even GFO.

 

[jsker]

Just imaging right now I have almost 50 of those stickies there...I think it will be a stick heaven soon.

Kind like grass, wait for it to grow It is going to be interesting watching the frags grow in.

 

[Anirban]

Kind like grass, wait for it to grow It is going to be interesting watching the frags grow in.

Lol...this will be quite costly grass. I got some big names in the game...

 

[jsker]

Lol...this will be quite costly grass. I got some big names in the game...

LOL go big or go home

 

[Anirban]

LOL go big or go home

;Nailbiting;Hilarious;Hilarious;Hilarious;Hilarious

 

[VJV]

Hi Anirban, what a journey. Like your perseverance . I also constantly battle 0 Nitrates. I have turned to dosing Seachem Nitrogen Flourish but do it manually and only when it goes back to zero. I add a capful (200gallons) and it rises to about 2ppm. When my NO3 gets to zero (Salifert) and I have some PO4 (some meaning 0,02 or lower in Hanna ULR phosphorus checker) sometimes I get cyano.
I have noticed that you dose AF Energy and AF Build, but have not seen you dosing AF Aminomix neither AF Vitality. Any reason for this? Also, have you switched entirely from the zeolites to AF Life Bio Fill? What is your experience with these? As I understand each should do different things as zeolites typically absorb amonia directly from the water before it breaks down into Nitrites and Nitrates, while AF Life Bio Fill seems to be just another filter medium such as Seachem Matrix or syporax, used to house nitrifying and (potentially) de nitrifying bacteria.... Even though each does a different thing both deal with nutrients at different stages so.... which do you recommend based on your experience?

 

[Anirban]

Hi Anirban, what a journey. Like your perseverance . I also constantly battle 0 Nitrates. I have turned to dosing Seachem Nitrogen Flourish but do it manually and only when it goes back to zero. I add a capful (200gallons) and it rises to about 2ppm. When my NO3 gets to zero (Salifert) and I have some PO4 (some meaning 0,02 or lower in Hanna ULR phosphorus checker) sometimes I get cyano.
I have noticed that you dose AF Energy and AF Build, but have not seen you dosing AF Aminomix neither AF Vitality. Any reason for this? Also, have you switched entirely from the zeolites to AF Life Bio Fill? What is your experience with these? As I understand each should do different things as zeolites typically absorb amonia directly from the water before it breaks down into Nitrites and Nitrates, while AF Life Bio Fill seems to be just another filter medium such as Seachem Matrix or syporax, used to house nitrifying and (potentially) de nitrifying bacteria.... Even though each does a different thing both deal with nutrients at different stages so.... which do you recommend based on your experience?

Thanks for the complements. Reefing is all about understanding how biology works in that small box and how life evolve in a ecosystem.
To start with your answer...I dont use ABEV. None of them.
My system don't need them as it is not nutrient deprived. Twice a week i soak my fish food (home mix it has a looootttt of stuffs including coral foods) with aquaforest fish vitamin and feed that. I do feed aquaforest pure food once a week. Also I feed 3 time a day twice pellet and once frozen.
I don't dose Pro bio S daily only once or twice a week. Again my system don't need more than that.I dose NP Pro thrice a week.
Now, coming back to your question about biofill and zeo. You were right in saying that biofill is exactly media like siporax but it comes with prepacked probiotics. So you can jumpstart the bacterial process. I use it but don't depend on it solely. My siporax over a year period is so well seeded that I don't need any more bacteria. I also use zeolite but interestingly not in a media reactor. Its just in a media bag in my return chamber. I use carbon but no phosminus and still I don't have any high PO4 issue. I always wanted my system to be bacteria driven instead of chemicals and it works fine for me.
One thing I really like to dose is the life source. Its a refugium mud but I believe that due to its natural origin it gives system a lot of biodiversity as well ionic variation.

 

[john.m.cole3]

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[Anirban]

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Welcome sir.....

 

[Anirban]

Helloooo everyone,

Hope you all are doing great. its time for monthly update. So, I went through a diatom bloom due to my tank reset but handled it perfectly. The tank is doing great now and my component consumption is jumping daily. My colours are good and steady so moving well. Currently I am running the tank with a bit low Alk (dKH-7.3) possibly will bring it upto 7.5 eventually. My sticks are going good so happy camper here. Now time for pics...

 

[Anirban]

Some more...

 

[120reefkeeper]

Looking awesome!!

 

[jsker]

The Solo Cupping coral is Awesome dude!

All kidding aside the turn around result look great!!

 

[Anirban]

Looking awesome!!

Thanks man, things are going strong and I hope to keep it in that way....

 

[Anirban]

The Solo Cupping coral is Awesome dude!

All kidding aside the turn around result look great!!

Ha ha ....my rock anemone is currently held inside that cup. I ordered a Octo SHU from Octo aqautics. So, for the time being he is a prisoner inside that cup. He was hosting a rock where my torch is which I dont like so I moved him there. I will move him once I get that SHU.

 

[jsker]

I was thinking, this morning how I/we, were fighting all kinds of things last year at this time. What a difference a year makes.

 

[Anirban]

I was thinking, this morning how I/we, were fighting all kinds of things last year at this time. What a difference a year makes.

Yes my friend, quite a few ups and downs. My tank crash, your cyano battle but thats part of this business. without these there is no fun. I think looking at your tank everyday watching your corals and fishes gives much better idea than any testing. You spend 10 minutes with your tank just like gardening and see it blossom with many colours and there is no fall or winter...

 

[jsker]

Yes my friend, quite a few ups and downs. My tank crash, your cyano battle but thats part of this business. without these there is no fun. I think looking at your tank everyday watching your corals and fishes gives much better idea than any testing. You spend 10 minutes with your tank just like gardening and see it blossom with many colours and there is no fall or winter...

Nicely put!!

 

[Anirban]

I am back with updates. Things are going steady. I plan to change my t5s from Giesseman azure and 6500K to ATI Blue plus and coral plus. I already changed the azure with blue plus last Wednesday so its almost a week now. Friday I am going to change my 6500K with the Coral+. The colours are nice now and system is quite balanced and growing well. So, lets kick off this update with a FTS...

 

[Anirban]

Now time for my beloved stickssss...
First one is a mix of everything...