Finally - Reef tank started after 6 years

[Abhishek]

Lately my bubble King has been in complete sync , pulling out some of the nastiest skimmate I have ever seen ! I have used many skimmers from Deltec, Vertex to reef Octopus but bubble King seems to be in a league of its own !
No wonder you pay so much for such amazing craftsmanship and capability .
This is just in less than 36 hrs of complete cleaning and skimmer is in lowest setting to skim dry !!!

Funny bunch we are - getting excited over poop ;Woot

Regards,
Abhishek

 

[KJoFan]

Hey Abhishek,

Just curious if since you went to ATI Essentials you removed biomedia from your system? You were running some matrix and such originally right?

 

[Abhishek]

Hey Abhishek,

Just curious if since you went to ATI Essentials you removed biomedia from your system? You were running some matrix and such originally right?

I still have 10 liters of siporax in my sump. I dont run socks and neither do vaccum my sump . So its basically a dump yard of sponges !
I have found no reason to remove siporax with dosing ATI .

Regards,
Abhishek

 

[KJoFan]

I still have 10 liters of siporax in my sump. I dont run socks and neither do vaccum my sump . So its basically a dump yard of sponges !
I have found no reason to remove siporax with dosing ATI .

Regards,
Abhishek

On your original setup posts it showed a media reactor, so as I understand, you took that offline when you stopped AF products?

 

[Abhishek]

On your original setup posts it showed a media reactor, so as I understand, you took that offline when you stopped AF products?

Oh right yes !!! I removed the reactor and sold it off as I needed the place for my bubble king which replaced my deltec. Then I bought 10 liters of 25 mm siporax and stacked them in DIY eggcrates .

Regards,
Abhishek

 

[KJoFan]

Oh right yes !!! I removed the reactor and sold it off as I needed the place for my bubble king which replaced my deltec. Then I bought 10 liters of 25 mm siporax and stacked them in DIY eggcrates .

Regards,
Abhishek

Got it. I'm currently in a debate with myself between refugium for nutrient control or biological media, so looking to gather some input from others' setups. Of course...I'm running a Triton style sump. Also debating on if I go the media route if I should go reactor or passive. So many options!

 

[Abhishek]

Got it. I'm currently in a debate with myself between refugium for nutrient control or biological media, so looking to gather some input from others' setups. Of course...I'm running a Triton style sump. Also debating on if I go the media route if I should go reactor or passive. So many options!

Are you running Triton system ? I do not have experience with Triton but from whatever i have read, you need a big enough refugium if running Triton Core 7 . if you want to run ATI essentials , you don't essentially need a refugium .

Regards,
Abhishek

 

[KJoFan]

Are you running Triton system ? I do not have experience with Triton but from whatever i have read, you need a big enough refugium if running Triton Core 7 . if you want to run ATI essentials , you don't essentially need a refugium .

Regards,
Abhishek

I am not, and don't intend to. I originally just wanted a large refugium and intended to run AF or ATI Essentials. But, I think with either one, I need more nutrient export than just a skimmer. So, I'm thinking of going AF NP-Pro and Pro Bio S for nutrient control and using the refugium area to house the media for the bacteria.

 

[Abhishek]

Long awaiting update. For the most part , tank is doing great. I have almost successfully removed all non-sps except for a frogspawn thats hosted by my clowns .

Few changes happened and most of it had pretty positive impact . First was the lights - instead of running of 2x250 geissemann crystals , I moved to 4 KZ bulbs with 2 reefbrite leds and a single 250 watt halide.
A few months back came across a trio of 10K xm 250 watt bulbs. If you have been long enough in the hobby you must have heard xm name. Their 10K were PAR monsters ! I was a die hard fan in the past of xm bulbs and couldn't pass on them considering xm SE bulbs are not made any more.
So, replaced my geissemann's with one of the xms . When the light came on , it brought back a lot of memories - memories of why I was captivated as a young boy by the warm afternoon looks of a midday reef .. realised how much I missed the warm yellow/ white of the 10K halides.
And honestly the acros seemed to love them crazily .

Simplified but increased the flow even more so in the tank. Now I run a MP40, a tunze 6105, 2 x 6095s and a seaswirl in the tank and boy !!! Its a small fraction of ocean there

Lastly, I always thought my honda generator was the most amazing piece of equipment i bought for my reef until I hooked my sexy new Geosreef 618 with secondary chamber and carbon doser ! Man, I haven't had my alk swing more than 0.2 in probably 3 months ..

And all usual nutrients keep piling up. Last time it was around 30-35 ppm nitrates and phosphates around 0.26
Stiff brown turf red hair algae all over but the rate at which my acros are growing with calcium reactor and xm 10K bulbs, I dont wanna complain .. I let my algae flourish when my acros flourish too .

This is how tank looks when guests come home


This is how tank looks when I am around . This is one of 4-5 feedings for a day . No wonder am growing heaps of red hair algae and turf algae


This is after a couple of haircuts all my acros received in less than a month back .. Honestly, I can't think of a day when my tank won't be lit by halides . You can really get used to seeing midday shallow reef all day

Lastly a great honor to be included as part of the elite reefsquad of reef2reef. Not sure if I am deserving as there are so many knowledgable people around but I do feel honored and privileged

Regards,
Abhishek

 

[Ranjib]

Tank is looking gorgeous

 

[Maritimer]

Congratulations are due, both for the tank and the position!

Beautiful, and obviously healthy.

~Bruce

 

[Centerline]

Whole house ventilation would be killing ..
Man I need to get over to your build to check how things are lately !

So, I know you have ran Geisemann Crystal, radium and now Radion G4s .. I would like your honest opinion - Do you think its a worthwhile investment for me to replace my halides with G4 pro xr30s ? I am thinking 2 G4 xr30s and may be 1 xr15 with diffusers if there's shadowing .

Am scared about how the acros will take up the transition . Also I know this for sure - its better now to change when they are still frags than a year down the line when they become colonies .

Regards,
Abhishek

Sorry Man, but I just saw this!
After adding diffusers to my G4Pros I started to get very good growth and coloration from a bunch of different frags - about like a good T5 rig such as a ATI Power Module. I run Hydra 52 HDs on another tank as well and they are great. But not at all like running MH. Below are a few examples that started as fresh cuts - nice but I believe that I would have had more growth after 8 - 10 weeks with MH. BTW, the Homewrecker is growing up but not encrusting at all - just moved it to a larger disk and reglued it. The tank these are in is a Reefer 450 with 3 G4Pro Radions under about 350 par.

So yup, Radions work fine. On my 525 XL build you can see that my main light is a Spectra with 2 250 Radiums and 4 T5s though. Matter of fact I just finished the water test and plan to add saltwater to it tomorrow!

 

[Abhishek]

Tank is looking gorgeous

Congratulations are due, both for the tank and the position!

Beautiful, and obviously healthy.

~Bruce

Thanks Ranjib and Bruce !

@Maritimer - truth be told - it's because of people like you and @Centerline and so many others who have given me countless advice and taught me a lot that have allowed me to join the Reef squad . As for the tank - yes am glad acros are doing well .. if only I could get rid of the red hair algae !!!!

Regards,
Abhishek

 

[Abhishek]

Sorry Man, but I just saw this!
After adding diffusers to my G4Pros I started to get very good growth and coloration from a bunch of different frags - about like a good T5 rig such as a ATI Power Module. I run Hydra 52 HDs on another tank as well and they are great. But not at all like running MH. Below are a few examples that started as fresh cuts - nice but I believe that I would have had more growth after 8 - 10 weeks with MH. BTW, the Homewrecker is growing up but not encrusting at all - just moved it to a larger disk and reglued it. The tank these are in is a Reefer 450 with 3 G4Pro Radions under about 350 par.

So yup, Radions work fine. On my 525 XL build you can see that my main light is a Spectra with 2 250 Radiums and 4 T5s though. Matter of fact I just finished the water test and plan to add saltwater to it tomorrow!

Awesome news and definitely the radions with diffusers might be a great option . Your colors look great man !!
Now I have kept it a secret as of now but am in the process of slowly setting up a larger tank of 48 x 36 x20 acro only ... several light options are there but I fear one spectra won't be enough to cover a 36 depth ..
Hence I fear I might just move away from halides . More details to come in the new thread I would start soon .

Regards,
Abhishek

 

[Centerline]

Awesome news and definitely the radions with diffusers might be a great option . Your colors look great man !!
Now I have kept it a secret as of now but am in the process of slowly setting up a larger tank of 48 x 36 x20 acro only ... several light options are there but I fear one spectra won't be enough to cover a 36 depth ..
Hence I fear I might just move away from halides . More details to come in the new thread I would start soon .

Regards,
Abhishek

Ah, but a Spectra running 400 watt MHs would easily take care of 36" - just saying. That said, as the images I posted clearly show Radions do a great job. I think at this point and with the addition of the diffusers there is little reason aside from price not to use them as long as you have adequate coverage. My wife are in the process of finalizing plans for a new house that we will start on in December/January (just finished paying for the lot). One of the things my wife used to persuade me that we wanted a new house was the promise of a 900 included in the build. So... I couldn't say no to that regardless of how much I dont want to spend the money on the rest of the house. Pretty sure the lighting will be a combo of MH and Radions

 

[Abhishek]

It has been so long since I updated my build thread that it was difficult even for me to find it lol !!!

Tank has been cruising along, no maintenance except for biweekly water changes and feeding the fish . With work crazy busy and traveling for work having increased, even the smallest chore of cleaning skimmer cup was becoming difficult. Wife hates to clean it !
So an Avast Marine swabbie is like God sent !

With the Avast Marine swabbie and calcium reactor online and tuned, its all about just letting the reef tank ride on its own. Growth has been pretty decent and any faster would make my wife go nuts . She's the one who takes care of things when am away !

Oh from equipment side , I did add the last Tunze 6095. So 3 6095s and 1 6105 ... Sometimes when all the 4 collide , fun to see the fishes pinned to the opposite glass !!! Still running 10K halides . I see no reason to move to only T5s or leds as I don't believe I can gain anything more from color perspective .

On the side of livestock, only new fish added was the convict tang. Was in pretty bad shape with malnutrition when I got him. Now slowly coming back to life .
Also removed the huge chunk of plating montiporas at the far right end to make room for acros. Slowly but surely, tank is being overtaken by almost acroporas and am loving it !
Still atleast 8 acros that need real estate and dont have any ..

Anyways short update and until next time - HAPPY REEFING


Somehow I love videos more - partly because I don't have a digital camera and partly because am super lazy when photographing my reef and with videos there's practically no editing necessary lol !!!!

Regards,
Abhishek

 

[Lovemycj7]

Looking great my friend!

 

[drawman]

@Abhishek your tank is growing in wonderfully. Good work sir!

 

[RichtheReefer21]

Nice return to the SW world!

 

[Centerline]

It has been so long since I updated my build thread that it was difficult even for me to find it lol !!!

Tank has been cruising along, no maintenance except for biweekly water changes and feeding the fish . With work crazy busy and traveling for work having increased, even the smallest chore of cleaning skimmer cup was becoming difficult. Wife hates to clean it !
So an Avast Marine swabbie is like God sent !

With the Avast Marine swabbie and calcium reactor online and tuned, its all about just letting the reef tank ride on its own. Growth has been pretty decent and any faster would make my wife go nuts . She's the one who takes care of things when am away !

Oh from equipment side , I did add the last Tunze 6095. So 3 6095s and 1 6105 ... Sometimes when all the 4 collide , fun to see the fishes pinned to the opposite glass !!! Still running 10K halides . I see no reason to move to only T5s or leds as I don't believe I can gain anything more from color perspective .

On the side of livestock, only new fish added was the convict tang. Was in pretty bad shape with malnutrition when I got him. Now slowly coming back to life .
Also removed the huge chunk of plating montiporas at the far right end to make room for acros. Slowly but surely, tank is being overtaken by almost acroporas and am loving it !
Still atleast 8 acros that need real estate and dont have any ..

Anyways short update and until next time - HAPPY REEFING


Somehow I love videos more - partly because I don't have a digital camera and partly because am super lazy when photographing my reef and with videos there's practically no editing necessary lol !!!!

Regards,
Abhishek

Awesome Man!