Schedules

[Christyef]

 

I'd like feedback from all. [emoji18] What are your schedules? Anyone see anything I may need to change? Are weekly water changes enough to keep lps/sps (montipora) happy and growing? I also add Kent once a week, but shld I add a calcium reactor?

 

 

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[jolt]

That's similar to my schedule, except I only skip feeding the fish two days a week, weds & fri.  Those days I use BRS Reef Chili (and the fish get a few nibble from it but the LPS love it)  I think without dosing something like aminos or KZ Pohl's Xtra you will need to make sure you have enough fish in there to keep nitrate and phosphate levels where you want them, or course that is coupled with your weekly water change volume and how aggressively you skim.

[klwheat]

21 hours ago, Christyef said:

I'd like feedback from all. [emoji18] What are your schedules? Anyone see anything I may need to change? Are weekly water changes enough to keep lps/sps (montipora) happy and growing? I also add Kent once a week, but shld I add a calcium reactor?
 
 
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What are your current calcium and alk levels? What are they after water changes? Have you been dosing anything yet for calcium and alk?


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[Isaac]

ugh, you had to ask.. now i have to edit my build thread.... anyways, the feeding/dosing section is:

Feeding/Dosing:
-I prepare 8 days worth ahead of time in old 110ml breastmilk bottles
-1 cube of each per bottle: mysis, brine, 2 cubes: krill (all bulk from brineshrimpdirect)
-8 drops of garlic (per bottle)
-1 tiny spoons (reef chili spoon) of each per bottle: reef roids, reef chili
-10ml of each: kent microvert, kent chromaplex, kent phytoplex, kent strontium & molybdenum, potassium, zoe -20ml of each: brightwell zooplantos-L, brightwell zooplanktos-M -20ml koral kolor
-40ml Coral accel
-all liquids mixed and split evenly between the 8 bottles, topped off w/ ro/di, put in fridge
-20ml purpleup weekly directly in sump drain from fuge
-8 drops of lugols weekly directly in sump drain from fuge (not on purpleup days)
-2 1x1 square of green Julian Sprung`s SeaVeggies every other day occasionally
-2 1x1 square of purple Julian Sprung`s SeaVeggies every other day occasionally (folded in between green)
-Vinegar/RO on ready if pH goes above 8.39
-PCA bump holds 100ml. dosing 0.1ml/hr. Everclear/RODI ratio at 10% everclear right now (so 4ml/day everclear. I lower ratio as the white slime creeps back and liverock/nitrate sponge/FSB/nitrate coil kick in. When I started in 1/2ml increments, i ended up at 7ml on the high end, its now going down about every other week). Holding steady at 10% (as of Dec 2015)

 

I do waterchange every 2-4 weeks depending on nitrate levels.  used to be weekly religiously, but it seems to do better w/ less changes now. (its almost 3yrs old)

[Christyef]

WOW, Isaac!! That's intense. So the food you prepare is for daily feedings? I've heard feeding daily makes the phosphates go up bc of uneaten food.


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[Isaac]

well, its a routine... so not too crazy.  i drop the food in 2x/day.  ha;f around 5, other half around 9.  disappears in under 5 mins.  as long as its eaten, not a problem. nitrates are more of a prob than phosphates for me.  I was only feeding 3cubes/day, but they started getting "thin" so i added the 4th a couple months ago.

[Christyef]

What are your current calcium and alk levels? What are they after water changes? Have you been dosing anything yet for calcium and alk?


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I checked on Sunday and my calcium was 560 and alk was 9. [emoji51][emoji51]. Not sure how either got so high, but every time I test, they're both high. That's BEFORE I did a water change. I totally did a tank remodel last Sunday so am battling high nitrates bc I added 2 new dry rocks and stirred up the sand bed. I tried to siphon the poop out best I could, but I know I didn't get it all. Took a bit to settle. (Do u still have those dosers? Check ur pm)


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[klwheat]

I checked on Sunday and my calcium was 560 and alk was 9. [emoji51][emoji51]. Not sure how either got so high, but every time I test, they're both high. That's BEFORE I did a water change. I totally did a tank remodel last Sunday so am battling high nitrates bc I added 2 new dry rocks and stirred up the sand bed. I tried to siphon the poop out best I could, but I know I didn't get it all. Took a bit to settle. (Do u still have those dosers? Check ur pm)


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Ok, first suggestion, I would have another shop or reefer double check those tests. Not sure how calcium would get that high from only water changes.
Now, if those levels are that high, there is definitely no need to add a calcium reactor at this point.


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[Sissy36]

Oh my gosh people! Kudos to y'all! My schedule kinda goes like this:

5pm blues on: (to myself)"don't forget to feed your fish and stuff today"

9pm: "you still haven't feed the fish and stuff yet ..."

11pm lights out blues on: "darnit, you forgot!"

Then I get up (if I've sat down for the day yet) and feed my fish and stuff.

Saturday is similar with the water change.

Saturday night : "oh my gosh, seriously? You forgot. Again."

 

Christy, I believe you have inspired me to get back on my schedule! Thank you [emoji4] I will now proceed to follow and observe, like the creepy guy in the corner of a store that just watches...

 

 

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[Christyef]

Ok, first suggestion, I would have another shop or reefer double check those tests. Not sure how calcium would get that high from only water changes.
Now, if those levels are that high, there is definitely no need to add a calcium reactor at this point.


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I took a sample to RCA yesterday and they're readings were the same. I also wanted to make sure it wasn't operator error when I performed my testing. I'm not one to test a lot (lazy lol). I did a small water change, changed my gfo, and added phosban. I'll recheck this evening or tomorrow. Hopefully the nitrates and phosphates have come down.


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[Christyef]

Sissy, if I didn't have it written down, I'd never remember what I did he day before. Lol. I've jst recently written it down bc balancing 3 SW tanks can be a bit overwhelming. Lol


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[Timfish]

Ehiem auto feeder feeding Spectrum algae pellets 8 times a day.  My skimmerless get's 2 grams a day, roughly equal to ~14 grams frozen.

[Sissy36]

Sissy, if I didn't have it written down, I'd never remember what I did he day before. Lol. I've jst recently written it down bc balancing 3 SW tanks can be a bit overwhelming. Lol


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I wouldn't remember between 3 either Lol! I have been very lax lately but I have a chart I fill out every week. Just nothing as detailed as Isaac though!

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[Bpb]

Every day: KZ Coral Vitalizer (dark, nighttime), (Everything else at peak daytime) KZ LPS Amino, KZ Sponge Power, Vodka, NLS Thera+ Pellets and Hikari Algae max pellets

Additionally on Monday, Wednesday, Friday: Fauna Marin LPS pellets, target fed in the dark to all LPS corals that will take them

Additionally on Monday/Thursday: KZ Biomate

Randomly once or twice a week: Double rinsed PE Mysis (2 cubes at a time), a dash of BRS Reef Chili broadcast fed

Everything done manually, no auto feeders or dosers.  No major elements in any of that, it's all just food.  Major/minor elements are handled by water changes and calcium reactor 

[+BobcatReefer]

Sissy, if I didn't have it written down, I'd never remember what I did he day before. 

I set a calendar reminder to tell me to dose every day at 10am, so my phone reminds me.  Otherwise, it would be hit or miss.  I test every 4 days and leave a sticky-note on the sump with the current levels and what ml I want to dose the next couple of days.  

Feed fish daily, typically right after dosing.  Most times I'll split the feeding and give them some at night as well.

Feed corals every 3rd day or so.  Half the time broadcast, half the time spot.  Currently using New Life Spectrum Nutri/Cell because it was what they had at the Dome, but need to pick up some Reef Chili soon.  Usually add fish food when I'm spot feeding so they can get some meat.

My dosing notes (everything dropped because I left town for the MS150 and didn't dose for 2 days):

 

[Neon Reefer]

Hum 

I guess I am not hard core like everyone else on this post and do not live for my tank.  The tank lives for me and inhabitants are for my pleasure..  I work hard enough at work.  But I won't keep any really special fish either. 

Instead I feed Spirulina Mysis and Emerald Entrée I alternate, and hang Nori everyday or Romaine Lettuce. That's it.

My livestock consist of a mated skunk clown pair, yellow tang, foxface rabbit fish, melanurus  wrasse, two spot hog fish and a fire hawk Fish   and two large snails on the sand bed.  These guys are my clean up crew and feed my corals along with the Emerald Entrée  I Also vacuum my sand once a month during water change.

Rest is maintenance schedule of dumping collection cups, filtration change and make up water all once a week.  I use my flipper to clean glass when I feel like it  (stays clean about three days)