Anyone live by the old school ways???

[SaltISlife]

Unless youre dosing heavily and i mean complete dosing of strontium pottassium and everything else 99% of us dont test for then i wouldnt do no water changes.

I tried it and after 4 weeks my acroporas some montis all started bleaching or melting at the tips. Dosing seachems two part didnt help. It helps with alk and calcium but magnesium was getting too low too fast and i bet potassium and all the other stuff was being used up more than the seachem two part could replnish. In fact dosing too much of part 1 just raises calcium alot but not enough of the other stuff even though its in there.

And its way cheaper to do water changes instead of dosing anything other than alk and calcium.

Reef cryatals is 34$ for a 160g bucket. At 1.026 it makes about 130 gallons worth. With 50% water changes that do in my 135g tank which is about 110g if you account for rocks and sand. I can do 2 big water changes in 2 months and each month costs me like 17$.

Do you know how much it would cost to dose magnesium and calcium and everything else eith dosing machines and buying the chemicals ? A CRAP ton more than just doing a water change

 

[X-37B]

let me know if you find something equivalent to it. Thanks

Here you go!

Vortex Canister Filters

Uses unique diatom powder to polish water and clean away large large bacteria.

www.pet-discount-supply.com

.

 

[X-37B]

Unless youre dosing heavily and i mean complete dosing of strontium pottassium and everything else 99% of us dont test for then i wouldnt do no water changes.

I tried it and after 4 weeks my acroporas some montis all started bleaching or melting at the tips. Dosing seachems two part didnt help. It helps with alk and calcium but magnesium was getting too low too fast and i bet potassium and all the other stuff was being used up more than the seachem two part could replnish. In fact dosing too much of part 1 just raises calcium alot but not enough of the other stuff even though its in there.

And its way cheaper to do water changes instead of dosing anything other than alk and calcium.

Reef cryatals is 34$ for a 160g bucket. At 1.026 it makes about 130 gallons worth. With 50% water changes that do in my 135g tank which is about 110g if you account for rocks and sand. I can do 2 big water changes in 2 months and each month costs me like 17$.

Do you know how much it would cost to dose magnesium and calcium and everything else eith dosing machines and buying the chemicals ? A CRAP ton more than just doing a water change

Not really if you have a plan and know what your doing.
16 months in and 2 water changes.
1 just because 9 gal.
1 12 gal after fluconazole treatment.
I run a carx manmade media and dose strontium weekly.
Dose DSR trace daily.
All dosing done by hand.
Thats it.
Actual dosing cost is less than salt/water changes.
Keep doing water changes if they work for you they do work for most.
Many dont understand the no scheduled water change system and should stick with the tried and true water change method.
You might want to rethink your other post where you do 50% water changes and your alk goes from 7-8 to 12.
Long term you will have issues.
Get some sodium bisulfate and lower your alk to the 7-8 range you run. Its super simple to do.
Any pics?

 

[pezgal]

The link is under my name but I understand if you read this on a smart phone it isn't smart enough to show you the link.
100% of the proceeds go to MS research in my wife's name.

Just bought your book, I was interested in the content but when I heard the profits go to MS research it became a no-brainer. I'm a newbie, but reefing has been such a relaxing experience for me. Something I need as a an MSer myself!

 

[SaltISlife]

Not really if you have a plan and know what your doing.
16 months in and 2 water changes.
1 just because 9 gal.
1 12 gal after fluconazole treatment.
I run a carx manmade media and dose strontium weekly.
Dose DSR trace daily.
All dosing done by hand.
Thats it.
Actual dosing cost is less than salt/water changes.
Keep doing water changes if they work for you they do work for most.
Many dont understand the no scheduled water change system and should stick with the tried and true water change method.
You might want to rethink your other post where you do 50% water changes and your alk goes from 7-8 to 12.
Long term you will have issues.
Get some sodium bisulfate and lower your alk to the 7-8 range you run. Its super simple to do.
Any pics?

Long term lol my tanks been up for years. I have so many corals and lose so much alk calcium and magnesium the cost of dosing then is alot. Magnesium especially from brs it takes gallons to up the magnesium from 1200 back to 1350 where a 17$ water change will do it all.

Dont presume to tell me what to do to my tank. My alk drops from 12 back 8 in a few days. My corals use 2 alkalinity a DAY.

 

[anthonygf]

Any of you guys remember diatom filters where you have the white filter the white diatom powder cringed to and u could such out all your bad algae and polish your water crystal clear???? Loved using that thing i gotta see if they still make them

I had one, looked like a one gallon glass jug. You had to prime the filter element with diatomaceous earth in order for it to polish the water. Loved that filter. Now they have pleated paper filters and now you do not need diatomaceous earth.

 

[anthonygf]

let me know if you find something equivalent to it. Thanks

This is the one I use and works great.
MarineLand Magnum Polishing Internal Canister Filter

 

[Paul B]

Just bought your book, I was interested in the content but when I heard the profits go to MS research it became a no-brainer. I'm a newbie, but reefing has been such a relaxing experience for me. Something I need as a an MSer myself!

Thank you. Sorry about your MS. My wife has it over 20 years.

100% of the profits go to MS research and I get Zippo.
But my wife has MS so there is little else I can do.
It says somewhere near the front of the book that Noobs shouldn't read it or their head will explode.
It is opposite what almost everyone does now, but very few of them were here as long as me so I know the old school ways that we invented at the beginning.

Let me know what you think of it.

 

[ACReefer]

I am old school with a skimmer,no sump, a canister filter with. No filter pads just filter balls and chaeto in my hang on the back filter. All my corals are doing great along with my fish. No dosing pumps, parameters are good!

 

[John08007]

I was just thinking the other day about the wet/dry filters with bio balls. Was wondering what the plus/minus was of them. Think I remember them producing a lot of nitrate. Now with a refugium and chaeto that won't be a problem. Anyone still using one of these?

 

[Roachbeef19]

This is the one I use and works great.
MarineLand Magnum Polishing Internal Canister Filter

Its so small though right?

 

[McPuff]

Ya hes my favorite, never really see them so 3 years ago I saw it and bought it. Haven't seen one since in any of the many lfs.

I also haven't seen them in LFS in quite a while. But I was able to get one a few months ago by other means. He will join my humu trigger and a few other fish in my lagoon in the next couple weeks. Looking forward to getting them together. I'm taking precautions in case of territoriality, FYI.

 

[anthonygf]

Its so small though right?

I let my neighbor use mine on a 120g, yes it is rated up to 97g. Cleared the 120 was totally cloudy in 2-3 days.

 

[Silly clownfish]

I am somewhere in the middle. setup my first saltwater tank in 1998, cycled with 3 blue devil damsels (2 of whom paired off, killed the third and happily spawned and consumed their own fry for a year or so), and I still have my first non-damsel fish - an ocellaris (pre-designer clowns) from C-Quest. I did have a skimmer (CPR bakpak2 HOB) and VHO lights

speaking of the damsels- here’s another old piece of equipment- remember non -submersible heaters? Dropped one in the damsel tank, blew a circuit, nasty black film on the surface of the water - very angry electric blue damsel?

once a tank is balanced, yes I would go months between water changes and seldom tested. I could tell when the algae started to grow just a bit too much it was time for a water change. I had multiple fish, corals, a serpent and brittle star, and coral banded shrimp that I had for 12-15 years in a 30g, no sump, HOB filter and HOB skimmer tank.

about 6 years ago I upgraded the 30g to a 75 with sump and researched all the new stuff. I do like LED lights, less heat, no replacing bulbs, less electric, pretty programs.

I still run the 30 with the old HOB penguin filter and cpr skimmer, but it now has LED lights.

I admit that I did add an Apex to the 75 g. pre-Covid I traveled enough to appreciate being able to monitor some things remotely and when dosing 2 part liked to use it for controlling the dosers. That said, my only crash in over 2 decades would not have happened without the controller. It was user error, but it was via the controller that I left the alkalinity dosing pump running overnight. Lost most of my corals in that incident, and most of my microfauna too.

so yeah, old school has its advantages.

 

[Debramb]

I am as Old School as you can get because I was almost standing on the dock when the first fish were imported to New York in 1971. Thats when I started my still running Old School tank. I have no sump, no dosers, no controllers and use a reverse Undergravel filter and DIY skimmer and DIY algae scrubber. I change some water maybe 4 times a year, sometimes less and now I collect my own NSW behind my house.

I already did. And I speak on it. I'm Old.

Paul, read you’re book in one day, love the guy in the desert with car door haha. We’re old school too, and cheap! Glad lots of us out there, I had to almost break my husband’s arm to let me set up a quarrentine tank. That’s new school! When we lived in NY, dating Tom built his own 100 gallon tank to grow out piranha for our LFS owner and friend. Drove across Canadian border to Toronto wholesaler to buy. He grew out 100 or so, legal in Buffalo, can’t live in lakes. That was 1976!!
Debra

 

[Paul B]

Debra, LOL, I forgot about that guy in the desert. Glad you liked it.
Where did you live in NY?

 

[MnFish1]

I started my tanks decades ago - and Had limited success in the 70's. It is my recollection that there was 'coral' back then - and anemones - but they were common varieties. Most of the coral was 'dead skeletons'. I think I used mostly under gravel - and canister filters - until the 'trickle' phenomenon caught on - I remember in one LFS that had a trickle filter that was literally the size of a wall open to air - with crushed coral in the trays. Water changes were recommended - though at least where I was - there was no 'rule' of 10% weekly, etc.
Over the years - I like to try new gadgets - denitrators in the late 80's, various new filters, skimmers, etc, ozone, UV. Various supplements etc - I'm back to more 'old school'

30 percent water changes every 2 weeks or so - a large skimmer, good salt mix, carbon - and infrequent testing (All every week - if something is off - I change my dosing - by 10 percent - and recheck the following week. Ca also tested once/week - Nitrate, PO4, etc - every month. If something looks off - I test as needed. I try not to 'chase my tail'. I don't add another trace elements or have a refugium.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Old school reefer here. My basics are based on the "Berlin method".

I still use Kalkwasser, skimmer, rock and sand. I don't dose anything except occasionally some Phosphate when my Montipora pale a little. I haven't tested for anything in a year. I do water changes weekly, 10 gallons in a 240 gallon system just for trace elements.

I don't have a controller, but do use a electronic ATO system.

I've used Instant Ocean since the beginning in 93.

I do use LED lights, cheap chinese black boxes.

 

[vanpire]

They were fun and challenging aspect of this setup! They are custom designed and built LEDs mounted in the ceiling (floor) under the upper balcony. I used 5000K and 6500K Cree XP-G2 and Blue and Royal Blue XP-E2 LED stars and 16° optics which gives about 400-500 PAR at the surface even thouth they are just shy of 5 feet away from the surface. Here's a short video showing their location:

This is the most beautiful LED set-up I have seen. I like the color and everything. If I were you to use LED, I would want to do it like this. And this might just get me to move to LEDs.

Would you share some of the LED lay-outs. I love how it is not so blue. Sorry to be off-topic.

 

[Timfish]

As I mentioned those fixtures use a combination of Cree LEDs. Generally the ratio I use for my fixtures is 1 6500 XP-G2, 1 5000 XP-G2, 2 470nm Blue, and 2 450nm Royal Blue. The whites I run at 1000ma qnd the blues I run at 700ma. It varies a little bit depending on actual layout but I may use more of the 6500 than the 5000 and I may change the ratio to 2.5 blue to white. If I do use more blue I'll increase the ROyal Blue count, not the Blue. The reason I don't bother with, UV, green or red is due to in part Dana Riddle's research (please see his posts and articles for "a little" more info ). It's also due in part sunlight is about 5800K and in theory mixing 5000K and 6500K equally should get me pretty close and give me porportionally a nice spectral balance to start with.