Smiddy's Reef 360 Peninsula

[rds85]

All the frags have now been for two weeks. Now time to watch paint dry and see how things go. Sorry I do not have fancy lenses or a good way to color match what I see in real life. Not good with the camera yet.

 

[rds85]

 

[Gablami]

Maybe seeing some encrusting or still too early?

 

[rds85]

Maybe seeing some encrusting or still too early?

Still a little early I think... only the the slimer has truly grown. Figures haha

 

[BJEDVM13]

Thank you! I didn't "try" to skip the ugly phase.. Just seemed to have a very small one. I had the fuge running really early and took a slightly different approach to bacteria adding then most.
Added the initial turbostart,then dosed ( small amount) every 2 days Microbacter 7 for 3 months, then dosed microbacter clean (small amount) every 2 days for 2 months. I have stopped dosing bacteria about a month ago.
This could be pure luck and no science.

I wonder is the different strains and the microbacter clean made the difference? It will be interesting to see if this is consistent with the tanks BRS are cycling. They are planning on using Microbacter clean after the cycle in a couple of the tanks. Nevertheless, good work! I’ll be cycling my 310 in the next few months and would like to minimize the ugly phase as much as I can. My last tank had a bad case of Dinos.

 

[rds85]

I wonder is the different strains and the microbacter clean made the difference? It will be interesting to see if this is consistent with the tanks BRS are cycling. They are planning on using Microbacter clean after the cycle in a couple of the tanks. Nevertheless, good work! I’ll be cycling my 310 in the next few months and would like to minimize the ugly phase as much as I can. My last tank had a bad case of Dinos.

I honestly can not say with certainty that made the difference... as this was not a test setup, but hey I will take it.
Well hopefully they find something in their testing that can help minimize the ugly phase. I think it will be hard to truly remove the ugly phase a the dry rock takes forever!

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Looking great!

 

[rds85]

Looking great!

Thank you. WIP

 

[Gablami]

Thank you! I didn't "try" to skip the ugly phase.. Just seemed to have a very small one. I had the fuge running really early and took a slightly different approach to bacteria adding then most.
Added the initial turbostart,then dosed ( small amount) every 2 days Microbacter 7 for 3 months, then dosed microbacter clean (small amount) every 2 days for 2 months. I have stopped dosing bacteria about a month ago.
This could be pure luck and no science.

I bet that it did help with not having an ugly phase. Did you notice any issues with your macroalgae dosing microbacter clean? When you say “a small amount” can you quantify that for us?

 

[rds85]

I bet that it did help with not having an ugly phase. Did you notice any issues with your macroalgae dosing microbacter clean? When you say “a small amount” can you quantify that for us?

I didn't notice any change in macro algae health or die off for that matter. I did burn through my ogo though ( fed to the tangs) and a tiny bit left that did not regrow, but I really think the cheato and sea lettuce was at fault since they are growing almost out of control. I prune every three days.

Here is the "official" process I did ( I have zero data to back this style of process up) :

• Used turbo fritz to start the cycle
• Dosed ammonia from algaebarn twice two weeks apart to 1ppm both times
• On week 4 of cycle dosed Microbacter7 every two days approx. 30mL for 4 weeks
• Fuge started on week 2-3
• Fishless for about 6 weeks from start
• On week 10 since the start. Began dosing Microbacter clean every two days approx. 20mL
• The bacteria dosing cycle now looked like this:
  • Day 1 Microbacter7 15mL
  • Day 2 Microbacter Clean 20mL
  • Day 3 Microbacter7 15mL
  • Day 4 Microbacter Clean 20mL
• After one month of the above process I change the Microbacter Clean dosage down to 15mL as well

 

[Shaka_Reefer]

Love this build! Can’t believe I haven’t seen it before. FOLLOWING!

 

[rds85]

Love this build! Can’t believe I haven’t seen it before. FOLLOWING!

Thank you! I mean there is a lot of build threads out there... haha

 

[rds85]

My regal was caught doing a bit of nipping on a SPS luckily it wasn't and Acro, mili, or anything I truly like... so he wins between that coral or him.

I have added a decent amount of new acros and milis to the system. All the original acros have fully encrusted and have new growth tips.

I have been dabbling in the KZ product line a little. No way to truly prove it did anything, but I have never had fresh cuts heal, encrust, and have new growth tips within a month on a young system.
Using FlatwormStop, Coral Booster, Phols Extra, Sponge Power, Aminos
Could totally be a scenario where you want to see something and you convince yourself you see it.

 

[Wen]

My regal was caught doing a bit of nipping on a SPS luckily it wasn't and Acro, mili, or anything I truly like... so he wins between that coral or him.

I have added a decent amount of new acros and milis to the system. All the original acros have fully encrusted and have new growth tips.

I have been dabbling in the KZ product line a little. No way to truly prove it did anything, but I have never had fresh cuts heal, encrust, and have new growth tips within a month on a young system.
Using FlatwormStop, Coral Booster, Phols Extra, Sponge Power, Aminos
Could totally be a scenario where you want to see something and you convince yourself you see it.

Sorry about the regal sampling a lesser sps. Are you going to remove the coral or keep it in there to keep the regal occcupied?

I've been using FlatwormStop a couple years now at 1/2 dose mainly for the encrusting benefits. Just purchased Phols to see what it can do for me. How are you dosing the KZ products?

BTW, You can't post without sharing some eye candy.

 

[rds85]

Sorry about the regal sampling a lesser sps. Are you going to remove the coral or keep it in there to keep the regal occcupied?

I've been using FlatwormStop a couple years now at 1/2 dose mainly for the encrusting benefits. Just purchased Phols to see what it can do for me. How are you dosing the KZ products?

BTW, You can't post without sharing some eye candy.

Keeping it occupied at this point in time. It was two nips I witnessed total. The coral is large and can most likely handle it. Time will tell.

I only do 1/2 dose as well! On everything.
I am only doing manual dosing. Because it isn't a required element to the reef so if I am home I will dose it. If I go on vacation.. I won't. If things show that it is providing a big benefit. I might auto dose it.

I will get the camera out this weekend and get you some photos. I want to get better a taking photos anyways.

 

[Gablami]

I wanna see! If truly new growth tips that would be pretty fast! Or maybe my corals just seemed to encrust forever.

 

[rds85]

I wanna see! If truly new growth tips that would be pretty fast! Or maybe my corals just seemed to encrust forever.

I will get some photos of the new tips to the best of my ability. They are especially pronounced on my millis, green slimer, and some fuzzy acro *input fancy made up name and charge double*

 

[rds85]

If I had more time I would do side by side for month one growth:

 

[rds85]

FTS Shots from yesterday:

 

[Gablami]

OoOoo the Achilles is in the tank!

looks great, lots of room to fill