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Brooks

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About Brooks

  • Birthday February 4

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  • Location
    Domain
  • Tank Size
    25g
  • Gender
    Male

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  1. Oh how I miss you. Even though my Fuzzy Dwarf Lion jumped out of your sump. I'm old and driving... and married. When are you coming to visit Austin?!
  2. $350 for a breeding pair of Da Vinci Clowns.. worth it?!

    1. ceastman

      ceastman

      are you going raise the fry? if not does the breeding matter?

  3. Glad to see another person is switching back to T5s. I just got my sunpower fixture and I adore it. The bulb combinations and color combinations are endless since you have the ability to dim the two channels, and the bulbs are super easy to change in and out as you see fit!! Following along your journey!
  4. Victoly, Thanks for chiming in! Glad to see you're still here!! I've always understood that the amount of N (Nitrogen) is irrelevant in it's basic form. It's importance beings during the nitrogen cycle (nitrogen to nitrite, nitrite to nitrate, then back to N2 which bubbles out of the water column)... and throw ammonia in there somewhere. We can test for it in every (relevant) form aside from its basic elemental state as Nitrogen. Is that correct? I'm hoping so, because relearning this chemistry will make my head HURT! You've hit the nail on the head in regards to maintaining the perfect balance of NO3 to PO4. Everyone has a different method of doing so. As a general rule of thumb, you PO4 needs to be less than you NO3. NO3 & PO4 are ALWAYS present in the water column, but if your deficit is so great that you become completely absent of either, your corals will begin to die. With a heavier bio load and increased feeding, dosing nitrates is unnecessary. One can assume that those without algae and bacteria issues, heavy bio loads, and good coral growth have their ways of exporting excess nutrients and balancing things out. I understand that this method might be foreign and sound strange. Its worth reading into, though. Lets not forget that our hobby is only improved with trials and error; we've all got to be open to new ways of thinking. All in all, the methodology behind this method is proven science in regards to the relationship of nutrients, zoox, and the like. If all else fails, the discussion of this subject will hopefully lead to a much better understanding of water chemistry as it relates to our corals. Found this on RC while reading... Food for thought. Phosphate and nitrate imbalance: The bacteria encourage by the organic carbon reduce nitrogen by taking some of it as food along with a proportionate amount of phosphate. However, they also deplete additional NO3 via anaerobic respiration wherein they take the O leaving some of the N to form N2 gas which bubbles out of the tank. This may lead to a situation where some extra low range PO4 is left which can be cleaned up with a little gfo or other remover.
  5. With a heavier bio load and regular feeding, this method is the opposite of what you want to do! ? Glad the ole' fashion way works for you! It's awesome when you finally hit the perfect balance.
  6. Hey Ty! Glad to see you're a night owl just as I am. What a GREAT post! Thank you for sharing your experiences with this method. I'm going to (attempt) to elaborate on my thoughts on the matter, and hopefully make sense of everything I've read including your thoughts. PLEASE PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong anywhere - it most certainly wouldn't be the first time . I can use my 2+ year hiatus as an excuse! There is definitely a lot of reading to do on the subject. I agree that those with algae issues definitely need to assess their specific needs before using this method. Those afflicted with the algal curse like GHA, or worse, cyano, may have higher PO4 and lower NO3. Luckily cyano can be treated (in most cases) by Chemiclean, unlike GHA which is treated well and effectively with nutrient balance and/or manual removal (I always liked my Lawnmower Blenny ). But what of those who consistently get readings of 0ppm NO3 & PO4, don't suffer the headache of a buildup of algae/cyno, but DO struggle to keep more difficult corals such as SPS alive? With a lighter bioload and little to no excess nutrients, dosing might be a viable solution. Or, reducing their exportation of excess nutrients and increasing their bioload to achieve these results organically. It all varies based on what your specific tank needs are. If I have a heavy bioload, and an lite-moderate method of eliminating excess nutrients, this theory would DEFINITELY not be a good fit for my needs. Perhaps carbon dosing would prove to be more effective if this was my case. I remember years ago, when I first started diving into the wonderful world of Reef Keeping, hitting that 0ppm mark was AWESOME! After a while, I stopped checking my PO4 and NO3 levels, as I never tested above 0ppm. I also HATED water changes... and still do... so I stopped performing them regularly. Then, I began to notice excellent growth and great PE (mainly in that Sunset Milli colony... I miss that thing). I tested my water and saw the NO3 levels were around 2-3ppm. I inevitably accepted that I wouldn't be able to get them lower due to my increased bioload in a 34g Solana. Heck, the fact that I had a Fuzzy Dwarf Lion who loved ghost shrimp and being hand-fed (my mother really loved that trick) could alone build up NO3 REALLLLY quick. It really wasn't until I began reading these articles and posts that I remembered the "eureka," moment I had so long ago. Now, I can't say with a great deal of certainty that was the only contributing factor, but perhaps it did play an integral part in the success of my tank. I'm super glad to hear that you did find success in making your corals happy with this method, even if done while fallow. That shows that the theory behind this methodology is correct! I understand with the reintroduction of fish might eliminate the need to resort to this method again. Especially if you're a heavy feeder. But, what if your nutrient exportation IS so heavy that you begin to get into a dangerously low level of nutrients? Would you begin dosing again, or lean towards something else? Thanks again for engaging! Hopefully this thread helps some of our members!
  7. If there is already a thread about this, I apologize for the redundancy. Nitrate Dosing is something I would've never thought of. EVER. For years the stigma has always been to keep your tank extremely clean; carbon dosing, GFO, etc. etc. No nitrates, no phosphates, no... anything! Well, times have most certainly changed! I would love to hear thoughts about this, and see if there is anyone else here locally who has given this thought. I highly suggest reading the information on R2R before diving into any decisions. Here is my synopsis after reading over 39 pages of information and people's experiences using this method: 1. Corals need "food," to survive. Food = NO3 & PO4. 2. Nitrate levels of 2-5ppm & Phosphates of .02ppm - .08ppm (ideally .02ppm) = better coral health, coloration and growth. 3. Begin dosing Nitrogen directly into your system. Spectracide Stump Remover = KNo3 (Potassium Nitrate). 2 tbs of spectracide x 2 cups of water. Mix thoroughly and stir until clear. Store in air-tight container for later use. 4. Dose accordingly, starting slowly at 5-10ml (especially for smaller tanks) until your NO3 levels begin to rise. For many who use GFO, Carbon, and other sources of NO3 & PO4 removal will of course have to dose more, and more often as your system eats it up faster. Its all a balancing act, and everyone will have different dosage requirements for their own tank. It is not quite a proven science, but I'm definitely going to give it a whirl! People have been using this method, and it seems to be doing great things. Please read the below for more detailed information. I have also included links to 2 threads on R2R. ARTICLE ABOVE: http://www.reef2reef.com/threads/help-my-sps-are-paling-and-i-dont-know-what-to-do.210035/ DOSING GUIDE: http://reef2reef.com/threads/potassium-nitrate-spectracide-stump-remover-dosing-steps.215730/
  8. Glad to be back. :)

    1. reeflover

      reeflover

      Been so long, are u back reefing?

    2. Brooks

      Brooks

      @reeflover Yes! We just set up our 54g Red Sea Reefer!

  9. WP10 ordered! Lets see if it gets here before the end of February...

  10. I HATE FedEx. Requested to hold a package at their facility. Went to pick it up, they put it on a truck. Driver "attempts to deliver," but doesn't ring doorbell or knock when I'm sitting 10 feet from the door. It is a direct signature only - this is becoming impossible! UGHHHHH!

    1. offroadodge

      offroadodge

      yep customer service is getting worse and worse. No body does a good job anymore just half azz

    2. o0zarkawater

      o0zarkawater

      HEY! I resemble that remark!

  11. Thank god I have a S/O who is able to care for our tank....

    1. Show previous comments  1 more
    2. Mlaw

      Mlaw

      significant other

    3. fishypets

      fishypets

      Agreed, Mark Callahan is a good dude.

    4. victoly

      victoly

      Mark? Are we doing the stage name thing again Clint?

  12. RO/DI flooded the kitchen. YAY! Any tips on how to make sure the drywall is okay? Been sucking water out with a shop vac from the base boards for an hour.

    1. Texasrob

      Texasrob

      Brooks I have flooded my laundry room at least 25 times, u should b good. Lol

    2. victoly

      victoly

      the pro's remove the trim and cut a small (2" maybe) piece all the way around the floor. Then they get a dehumidifier and several blowers. Good luck, i know it's not any fun.

  13. Kari used to do a lot of competitive cheer I think she they won nationals at one point She and I will have to talk Cheer at some point!
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