New SPS build

  • Thread starter Thread starter tntdsol
  • Start date Start date
  • Tagged users None
TCK Corals
Jump to Last
T

tntdsol

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 20, 2012
Messages
95
Reaction score
37
Location
Huntsville, Texas
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
So after being out of the hobby for a while I decided to give it another go. I have decided on a 60 cube. It currently have a sump underneath with with a refuge and a S-120 skimmer. I also have a two pump dosing system setup but for obvious reason it is not running and won't run for a while. Flow is a 3K gyre and a couple of Korilia movers on 15 second timers. Currently I have one Hydra 52, 12 inches above the water line but might upgrade to a second Hydra 52 if I decide I need it.

I started the tank with 60lbs of live sand and 30-40 pounds of cured live rock that has been soaking for 3 weeks in biospira. The water was mixed using a BRS 6 stage RODI system and Red Sea Coral Pro salt. The tank has been wet for approximately 24 hours now so for fun I decided to run the parameters on it.

Temp - 80.1 (might be a bad thermometer)
Salinity - 1.026
Ammonia - .2 (red sea test kit)
Nitrate - 2 (red sea test kit)
PH - 8.2 (red sea) 8.0 (hanna probe)
Nitrite - 8 (Hanna)
Phosphorus - 0 (Hanna)
Calcium - 471 (Hanna)
DKH - 11 (Hanna) I feel this is too high and I am open to suggestions on how to fix it.

I plan o stocking with assorted SPS and Zoas.

Livestock will be

1 x Yellow Prawn Goby
1 x Algea Blenny
1 x fire fish
1 x Fairy Wrasse
2 × clowns
Assorted clean up crew.

Any feedback or suggestions are welcome.

Thanks


Sorry about poor picture all I had was my phone camera.
ec96c89c4ac72742880c0a98b810932a.jpg
 
Top Shelf Aquatics
tntdsol said:
So after being out of the hobby for a while I decided to give it another go. I have decided on a 60 cube. It currently have a sump underneath with with a refuge and a S-120 skimmer. I also have a two pump dosing system setup but for obvious reason it is not running and won't run for a while. Flow is a 3K gyre and a couple of Korilia movers on 15 second timers. Currently I have one Hydra 52, 12 inches above the water line but might upgrade to a second Hydra 52 if I decide I need it.

I started the tank with 60lbs of live sand and 30-40 pounds of cured live rock that has been soaking for 3 weeks in biospira. The water was mixed using a BRS 6 stage RODI system and Red Sea Coral Pro salt. The tank has been wet for approximately 24 hours now so for fun I decided to run the parameters on it.

Temp - 80.1 (might be a bad thermometer)
Salinity - 1.026
Ammonia - .2 (red sea test kit)
Nitrate - 2 (red sea test kit)
PH - 8.2 (red sea) 8.0 (hanna probe)
Nitrite - 8 (Hanna)
Phosphorus - 0 (Hanna)
Calcium - 471 (Hanna)
DKH - 11 (Hanna) I feel this is too high and I am open to suggestions on how to fix it.

I plan o stocking with assorted SPS and Zoas.

Livestock will be

1 x Yellow Prawn Goby
1 x Algea Blenny
1 x fire fish
1 x Fairy Wrasse
2 × clowns
Assorted clean up crew.

Any feedback or suggestions are welcome.

Thanks


Sorry about poor picture all I had was my phone camera.
ec96c89c4ac72742880c0a98b810932a.jpg
Click to expand...
Nice scape, keep us posted
 
Deltec
Switch salts. Red Sea Pro is too high in alk in my opinion. Use the blue bucket instead and your Alk will be closer to 7.8 or so
 
Nutramar Foods
High alkalinity may be do to the salt mix your using. When you mix a new batch, test it for alkalinity.
 
Flippers4pups said:
High alkalinity may be do to the salt mix your using. When you mix a new batch, test it for alkalinity.
Click to expand...
I will definitely do this.

If having a DKH of 11 wont hurt the system then I will leave it at this level and strive to stay where I am. This is my first time having a system that is SPS heavy so I want to ensure it is right.
 
The red sea blue bucket mixes more close to natural numbers for me. Coral pro is higher than I like as well. I switched to fritz
 
Top Shelf Aquatics
Top Shelf Aquatics
Welcome. I try and target 7-8 DKH myself. Coral grow faster with higher levels, but don't seem to be as healthy.
 
tntdsol said:
Thank you.

Anyone have any thoughts on the DKH being at 11?
Click to expand...

To correct it since you have stuff in there, just make water change water lower in alk. To lower the alk you can use muriatic acid or stuff like Seachem acid buffer.
 
Did a small water change and tested the levels again. I did switch to Fritz RPM blue box instead of the coral pro.

Salinity - 1.025
PH - 7.9
Nitrite - 24 ppb or .024ppm
Phosphate - .024ppm
Alkalinity - 8.1
Calcium - 454
Magnesium - 1400
Ammonia - .2
Nitrate - 2

I do have an hair algae starting to bloom but nothing I want expecting.

For the time being I plan on using red sea coralline pro to try and maintain and stable DKH once I get a feel for what the daily dose will be.

Anyone see any problems with the current levels? Tank has been up 1 week today.
 
www.dinkinsaquaticgardens.com
tntdsol said:
I will definitely do this.

If having a DKH of 11 wont hurt the system then I will leave it at this level and strive to stay where I am. This is my first time having a system that is SPS heavy so I want to ensure it is right.
Click to expand...

As long as you're able to maintain the nutrients to support it, 11 is fine. Only thing to bare in mind is the buildup on pumps and such that may require a bit more maintenance. But the main thing is keeping a steady bit of nitrate/phosphate in the tank long term. Keeping it too low will bring issues for your coral.
 
tntdsol said:
Did a small water change and tested the levels again. I did switch to Fritz RPM blue box instead of the coral pro.

Salinity - 1.025
PH - 7.9
Nitrite - 24 ppb or .024ppm
Phosphate - .024ppm
Alkalinity - 8.1
Calcium - 454
Magnesium - 1400
Ammonia - .2
Nitrate - 2

I do have an hair algae starting to bloom but nothing I want expecting.

For the time being I plan on using red sea coralline pro to try and maintain and stable DKH once I get a feel for what the daily dose will be.

Anyone see any problems with the current levels? Tank has been up 1 week today.
Click to expand...
I like these levels better. As long as my SPS dominant is between 6.5- 8 I am happy. Any lower or higher I get worried. They are subject to swings in nature, just not big ones.
 
There are a lot of micro bubbles in the water column. I originally thought it was just taking the tank time to settle and for new parts to break in. But now it has been setup for 10 days with no change. I checked my sump and there seems to be a lot of bubbles flowing into the return chamber from the skimmer chamber.

Also, the water doesnt appear to be crystal clear like it should be. Any suggestions on how to resolve this?
 
Nutramar Foods
Does the sump have a bubble trap baffle? That will keep bubbles down, also a filter sock would help lower bubbles, and clean up water.
 
JOKER said:
Does the sump have a bubble trap baffle? That will keep bubbles down, also a filter sock would help lower bubbles, and clean up water.
Click to expand...
The sump is an eshopps R-200 I believe. It has both.


Is there anything you reccomend to "polish" the water?
 
Last edited:
TCK Corals

IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

  • Yes!

    Votes: 32 45.7%

  • Not yet, but I have one that I want to buy in mind!

    Votes: 9 12.9%

  • No.

    Votes: 26 37.1%

  • Other (please explain).

    Votes: 3 4.3%
See comments…

New Posts

World Wide Corals
Tidal Gardens
Nutramar Foods
Top Shelf Aquatics
Chewy.com
TCK Corals
Dinkins Aquatic Gardens
Deltec
New Posts
Back
Top