Will not do this again!

[Leicobra]

I

Has anyone tried the lighting schedule mike talked about? Makes sense but I’ve never heard of it before.

Also does anyone in here leaves their blues on all night? I have mine turn off at 12am but curious.

I am curious too. My tank is currently
On AB+. If it works, I would live to try them out on my frag tank.

 

[TangoTang]

I


I am curious too. My tank is currently
On AB+. If it works, I would live to try them out on my frag tank.

I just think for those of us who run consistent light levels? What would be the way to maybe acclimate to this type of lighting change. Maybe not ramping up to 100% right away maybe going 10% higher every week or so until we reach 100%?
I’d also be interested in trying it out if it means greater growth.

I also gotta start feeding more. My phosphates are at 0 with my nitrates at around 5. I’m Dosing nopox and I think I’ll come off of it slowly while feeding twice a day hopefully that gets things moving a bit

 

[Graffiti Spot]

Mexican turbo snails. I have a lot of them that will devour algae.

Here is just a few of them.

Yup Mexican turbos eat everything but bryopsis really, those and a foxface with a tang are how I keep algae at bay.

 

[RedSea500MaxS]

So while we once thought low nutrients, no or low fish, now we all are seeing nutrients are vital to feed the corals as long as we control nitrates and phosphates too limits?

What are your nitrates and phosphate numbers?

John

 

[Leicobra]

I just think for those of us who run consistent light levels? What would be the way to maybe acclimate to this type of lighting change. Maybe not ramping up to 100% right away maybe going 10% higher every week or so until we reach 100%?
I’d also be interested in trying it out if it means greater growth.

I also gotta start feeding more. My phosphates are at 0 with my nitrates at around 5. I’m Dosing nopox and I think I’ll come off of it slowly while feeding twice a day hopefully that gets things moving a bit

So while we once thought low nutrients, no or low fish, now we all are seeing nutrients are vital to feed the corals as long as we control nitrates and phosphates too limits?

What are your nitrates and phosphate numbers?

John

my nitrate is currently close to 20ppm. Po4 0.5 Hanna checker.

 

[juanrmattos]

Im sure that video has inspired a lot of reefers, truly enjoyed reading this thread, thank you for sharing!!!

 

[Leicobra]

I just think for those of us who run consistent light levels? What would be the way to maybe acclimate to this type of lighting change. Maybe not ramping up to 100% right away maybe going 10% higher every week or so until we reach 100%?
I’d also be interested in trying it out if it means greater growth.

I also gotta start feeding more. My phosphates are at 0 with my nitrates at around 5. I’m Dosing nopox and I think I’ll come off of it slowly while feeding twice a day hopefully that gets things moving a bit

I just think for those of us who run consistent light levels? What would be the way to maybe acclimate to this type of lighting change. Maybe not ramping up to 100% right away maybe going 10% higher every week or so until we reach 100%?
I’d also be interested in trying it out if it means greater growth.

I also gotta start feeding more. My phosphates are at 0 with my nitrates at around 5. I’m Dosing nopox and I think I’ll come off of it slowly while feeding twice a day hopefully that gets things moving a bit

I know from personal experience when I try to change one thing in my tank. For example lighting, I am not only gonna just slowly change my lighting to ramp up and down, but my other parameters as well. No3, po4 and salinity all need to be adjusted. Making sure I am doing all these to ensure my coral’s happiness. If My tank is lack no3 and ramp up my lights just a little bit, most likely I can burnt my corals.It may not show right away, but over time it will. I think I am going to try it out on my frag tank. Will let everyone know the progress.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Very good video- thanks for posting

 

[Hans-Werner]

I have only read the initial postings, sorry for not reading all contributions if I repeat something. First my congratulations that you have made the turn to good growth and good colors.
I am very greatful for your observations because they confirm from experience what should happen after nitrate dosage. Algae, especially the greens like Chaetomorpha, need a lot of nitrogen and maybe have even a preference for nitrate. They started to grow after nitrate dosage. Corals need more phosphate for growth, especially the SPS. They refused to grow because you have only dosed nitrate no phosphate.
Now I will read more postings of the thread to see whether you have already answered how it did work to get more coral growth. I guess you feeded more.

 

[Hans-Werner]

Ok, I have read the thread now. @Leicobra, you told that you installed a calcium reactor. Is it filled with coral rubble?

Regarding the discussion life rock or dead rock, natural bacteria etc. I think this is not the central point. Life rocks introduce some nutrients corals need.
The central point in my opinion is introducing some phosphate. Indeed some phosphate is your friend and not your foe like many people think, and nitrate it the algae growers friend not the coral growers friend.

Nevertheless life rock with sponges etc. are a good thing but it is not so important whether you introduce some sponges, bacteria etc. with the rocks corals grow on or whether you introduce it with life rock. Sponges in my opinion have an important role in nutrient cycling in reef tanks.

 

[minus9]

Great thread! I've always kept smaller tanks and always used live rock, but upgrading to a larger tank and using more than half dry rock, I've never struggled so much as I have with my current tank. Like Paletta, I decided to abandon my 35 + years of experience in this hobby and try something different (Triton) and what a miserable failure it has been. I've since gotten back on track a little, but still struggle and my sps are on a roller coaster from hell. Watching that video really helped a lot and reminded me that I really need to go back to what I've always done in the past, K.I.S.S. Bacteria and micro fauna are so vital in a reef eco system, that they are overlooked or forgotten. Needless to say, miracle mud will be going in my fuge today and hopefully things will turn around and stabilize?
I miss the 80's and 90's and the abundance of great live rock.

 

[Leicobra]

I was digging the web on coral growth requirements of condition. although my tank seems to do well for the last 6 month, I wanted to have a deeper understanding on coral growth. After all,we reefer choose this hobby not only because the beauty of the reef,but also the science and equipments behind it.

The Biology and Economics of Coral Growth

To protect natural coral reefs, it is of utmost importance to understand how the growth of the main reef-building organisms—the zooxanthellate scleractinian corals—is controlled. Understanding coral growth is also relevant for coral aquaculture, ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[LOVEROCK]

Well said.

Most people who start with all new dry rock are new reefers. If they look up advice most of it is old and says to try and keep a sterile tank.


My tank is just shy of 3 months old and is doing very well and I started with 100% dry rock and all new equipment.

What food do u feed ?

 

[bubbaque]

What food do u feed ?

I make my own frozen food. It consists of tilapia, shrimp and scallops.

 

[RedSea500MaxS]

3 times a day. Dry food mixed with reef roids. Cast feed phytoplankton 2 time a week. Mysis shrimp soaked in polyp lab 2 times a week. Mostly for my lps

Ok....this feeding schedule has me having nightmares. Please explain that again....LOL. Three times a day. Please elaborate on these feedings! I feed myfish once a day...corals twice a week. I feel like a villain starving my kids. lol.

 

[Leicobra]

Ok....this feeding schedule has me having nightmares. Please explain that again....LOL. Three times a day. Please elaborate on these feedings! I feed myfish once a day...corals twice a week. I feel like a villain starving my kids. lol.

I use a auto feeder with mixture of flakes ,seaweed and reef roids. Set it to dispense 3 times a day. For phytoplankton,I cast feed into the tank 2 times a week. Target feed with mysis shrimp on lps 2 times a week.

 

[Leicobra]

I use a auto feeder with mixture of flakes ,seaweed and reef roids. Set it to dispense 3 times a day. For phytoplankton,I cast feed into the tank 2 times a week. Target feed with mysis shrimp on lps 2 times a week.

It might seem a lot of food to some people, but this is what I do. My tank is balanced,so it can take higher no3 and po4 levels.

 

[SeaDweller]

I make my own frozen food. It consists of tilapia, shrimp and scallops.

blended and then frozen?

 

[bubbaque]

blended and then frozen?

Yes. I currently feed it 4 times a day.

 

[TangoTang]

Hi motorendz, I did numbers of things : Water changes from weekly down to biweekly. removed my filter soaks from sump to got more particles in the water for corals to feed on. Biggest thing I believed that made the coral happy was live rock. I got a few pieces of live rock from my office tank which had been in there for about 5+ years. I discontinued carbon use slowly in this tank as well. Wet skimming instead of dry. feeding more often.

What about dosing iodine like mike said in the video to help with dying from the bottom up? Is this necessary?